Assessment: Star Overdrive (Nintendo Swap)

Star Overdrive is an action-adventure recreation for the Nintendo Swap. We first caught a glimpse of this speedy indie title throughout a Nintendo Associate Showcase in 2024. Now that it’s right here, how does this hoverboarding sci-fi fare? Seems it fares fairly nicely.

You play the position of a younger adventurer touring by house. A misery sign compels our hero to land on an alien planet to discover a lacking lady. Wielding a keyboard guitar and a hoverboard, it units the scene for exploration because the participant follows the clues to the lady’s whereabouts.

This sci-fi intro is neat and quick, offering simply sufficient data to information you into the proceedings with out being overbearing. Particulars emerge through additional messages found as you progress, unfolding the story piece by piece. It retains the tempo of narrative flowing properly.

Your preliminary objective is to energy up a number of websites dotted across the map. These create a easy puzzle mechanic as you verify the supply for every cable. As soon as activated, you dive into an underground space that’s strongly paying homage to these quite a few Shrines in Tears of the Kingdom and Breath of the Wild. Every presents some easy 3D platforms to navigate, enemies to defeat, and puzzles to resolve. 

There are extra Zelda vibes on supply. One of many first powerups found is a magnetic grabber, which feels so much like Ultrahand. It even sports activities the identical eerie inexperienced glow as Hyperlink’s energy. In a method, this makes it simple to make use of because it feels so acquainted. Fortunately, Star Overdrive provides sufficient of its personal in different methods to maintain it feeling recent whereas nonetheless paying homage to outings like The Legend of Zelda.

The primary mechanic that units Star Overdrive aside is the hoverboard, acquired early within the recreation. This contraption serves as a enjoyable and quick option to journey throughout terrain. It appears so apparent, it’s a marvel we haven’t seen one thing like this earlier than. A easy faucet of the R button units you up for browsing the sand dunes of this desolate planet in fashion. It may be cumbersome to manage at first, however the fluidity and soar methods make it an pleasing expertise. You may soar over cliffs and rotate your board Tony-Hawk-style earlier than you land to realize a lift. What’s extra, your board is totally customizable because of a strong crafting mechanic. 

Wherever you go, you’ll discover objects to select up. Accumulating these is important to upgrading your board, carried out at numerous crafting stations. Throw in a mixture of substances and also you’ll improve your board throughout 5 areas: velocity, increase, gravity, energy, and bond. You may even goal sure bodily components of your board, just like the engine or wings. Plus, you possibly can customise the look to make it actually distinctive with colours and prints. These are terrific components that additional assist carry this recreation to life.

The audio is a deal with, notably in the event you take pleasure in guitars. There’s a rocking soundtrack to accompany your browsing. It’s also possible to uncover cassette tapes (how old style!) and play these everytime you like to modify issues up. 

The fight is a bit lacklustre. Enemies—even early on—current a troublesome situation. It’s arduous to place a finger on, however combating typically feels a bit hit or miss. It’s not horrible, it’s simply not Star Overdrive’s energy. When you unlock extra talents, issues do grow to be simpler. I’d somewhat simply keep away from the enemies, however they maintain at you till you get rid of them. Plus, it’s well worth the dispatch to earn these upgrades. 

Graphically, Star Overdrive is spectacular. Given the fast-paced nature of this title, there’s all the time the query of efficiency on the common-or-garden Swap. Fortunately, issues transfer alongside quickly and easily with no noticeable decelerate or stutter. The atmosphere additionally appears pretty, with wonderful use of texturing that creates a easy impact with out dropping an excessive amount of element. General, colour me impressed with this indie dev’s prowess of the Swap’s capabilities.

General, Star Overdrive is a enjoyable journey with some cool mechanics. Regardless of some apparent homages to different titles, there’s sufficient on supply right here to make this one stand out. The fast-paced motion and puzzle components make this an journey value enjoying.