Gimmick! 2 Reviews
Gimmick! 2 is an easy recommendation for fans of retro platformers and a no-brainer for lovers of the original. Its cutesy, feel-good vibes belie a trove of super-tough but cleverly crafted challenges that are surmountable with practice, precision, and patience. What's clear is the absolute reverence that developer Bitwave Games has for the source material. Dispel any notion of this being a retro cash grab; this is the sequel that the underappreciated and ahead-of-its-time NES classic has always deserved.
Gimmick 2 is a sequel that improves on its original and inspiration, put together by a studio that clearly have reverence for their source material.
Then again, it’s nice to get the chance to play one of these games without having to resort to exploitative import prices or worse, ROMs and emulation. Given Sunsoft’s resolve to seeing this release through this time means that a whole new audience will get to do away with myths and legends about this series to find that these are fun and simple games very much worth checking out and adding to your digital gaming library wherever.
All in all, Gimmick 2 is a wonderful followup that shows Yumetaro’s game having a bright modern comeback akin to Blaster Master Zero and Ufouria before it.
Gimmick! 2 is everything a sequel to the original classic should be. It takes the core elements that made the first game special and builds on them with refined graphics, improved level design, and a charming presentation that outshines the original in every way. While it doesn’t reinvent the wheel or introduce groundbreaking new ideas, it does what it sets out to do exceptionally well. This is an easy recommendation for fans of retro platformers, and I’d even go as far as to recommend it to anyone looking for a feel-good gaming experience.