Samba de Amigo: Party Central
Top Critic Average
Critics Recommend
Samba de Amigo: Party Central Trailers
Samba de Amigo | Launch Trailer | Available Now!
Samba de Amigo: Party Central - Nintendo Direct 2.8.2023
Critic Reviews for Samba de Amigo: Party Central
Samba de Amigo: Party Central isn't exactly the deepest rhythm game, but there's still fun to be had here, even if the overall product is held back by its finicky Joy-Con controls. A great soundtrack, enjoyable gameplay modes and a bold, eye-catching visual style help keep the party going even longer, but with a little refinement, future shindigs in this series can be even greater than ever.
Samba de Amigo: Party Central brings back the cult classic monkey and all the fun that comes with him, but it does too much in the wrong places. By bombarding the player with no fewer than three different progress bars to level up in, any sense of growth, progress or leveling feels arbitrary and unnecessary. They feel like an attempt to hide the fact that Samba de Amigo is an arcade game about a dancing monkey that you can dress up in silly little outfits; it doesn't need to be an RPG, so why make it one? After all, Samba de Amigo is inherently fun-be it with maracas, a Wii remote, Joy-Con, or just buttons.
Samba de Amigo isn't perfect, but it's a good time for all, and I can already see this being brought out at parties as an instant ice-breaker.
Samba de Amigo: Party Central is a perfect fit for Nintendo Switch. Its frantic and colorful game modes are the perfect ingredient for an evening with friends, and while I miss game modes to play with a single pair of Joy-Con, if all your friends bring the controllers you have hours and hours of fun and laughter ahead of you.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
A perfectly solid rhythm action experience that manages to cater to casual and experienced players alike, although it lacks ambition.
Samba de Amigo: Party Central is that game that we will never want to lose sight of, either to sweat a little or to have a pleasant time when we have a visit. It's so entertaining and the song selection is so varied, it's easy to forget about the problems with the controls.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Samba de Amigo: Party Central is an entertaining music-rhythm game in theory, but it slips on banana peels that Sega threw on the ground constantly. The controls are certainly an improvement from the Wii game, but the game still suffers from a lack of input when you move sideways. The roulette system is a nuisance — especially in the single-player mode where you can’t turn it off — and the song list is a little disappointing with some overused pop tracks that have been featured in other games.
Samba de Amigo: Party Central is a charming hit of motion-controlled nostalgia, though inconsistent controller detection can be a buzzkill.
