Mina the Hollower Reviews
Is Mina The Hollower better than Shovel Knight? Yacht Club Games seems to think so because In their words “Mina is the biggest and best game we’ve ever made...we squeezed every good idea we had into it." After finishing, I agree. The combination of platforming, combat and its unique burrowing mechanic create an action-adventure that doesn't play like anything else. The learning curve is steep because the game doesn’t hold your hand, which might push away some and turning on the spark generators, which is a recurring mechanic each biome lacks precision like the rest of the game but if you have any affinity for classic adventure games like Zelda, then Mina is a must because Yacht Club have done it again.
There is a timeless feel to this game, with its homage to games from yesteryear, while also pushing the boundaries of what retro enthusiasts expect from titles that look like this.
Mina the Hollower is fascinating on many levels. Its world is captivating, with details everywhere, and challenges that flourish in both movement and melee combat. Given the arsenal of weapons and gadgets, which can drastically alter how the player controls the protagonist, and the non-linear progression, the replay value is immense and should certainly make this title another gem from Yacht Club Games.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Mina the Hollower delivers a retro-inspired adventure packed with rewarding exploration, stylish pixel art, and a standout soundtrack. While its punishing difficulty may frustrate some players, the flexible Modifier system and massive amount of content make it a journey worth digging into more than once.
I knew this was going to be a good game, considering its dev team’s track record, but even then, Mina the Hollower surpassed my expectations. It is a bonafide masterpiece of a game. Not only does it pay homage to the Game Boy era of Zelda, I’d go as far as to say that it surpasses its main source of inspiration. It’s colorful, it’s charming, it’s incredibly well-written, well-designed, with a great combat system and a dense world that just begs for you to explore every single corner.
Mina the Hollower pulls the gameplay right out of the Game Boy Color-era of action adventure games and mixes it with a bunch of modern mechanics to produce another instant, retro-inspired classic. Endearing and often hilarious characters, great music, and even greater puzzle-and-platforming based exploration overshadow some wonky difficulty hiccups and a flat heroine.
Mina the Hollower takes the best of retro gaming and elevates it to the next level, delivering an incredibly fun, challenging, and entertaining experience that lasts dozens of hours. It breathes charisma and originality in every single pixel, making it one of the best titles of the year and an instant classic.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Mina the Hollower delivers expansive exploration, a world full of personality, and a constant sense of discovery through its varied situations and inventive systems. While the journey occasionally stumbles with cumbersome backtracking, some combat limitations, and minor frustrating moments, these issues never overshadow the overall experience. Few games manage to turn seemingly simple mechanics into something this creative and engaging, and with memorable encounters, secrets hidden everywhere, and an island that always feels ready to reveal something new, the game proves there is far more beneath its retro-inspired surface than first appears.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Superbly designed, beautifully put together, and intensely rewarding at every turn, Mina the Hollower is one of the best games of the year.
Mina the Hollower isn't just a fantastic homage to the good old Game Boy Color era. It combines smart gameplay mechanics with a vibrant and expansive game world, that's brimming with secrets and surprises, while looking absolutely fantastic. Countless modifiers allow you to make the game as easy, difficult or weird as you like. The boss fights are all incredibly well-designed, the diverse weapons, sidearms, and charms perfectly suit any playstyle and the combat is complemented by precise platforming and a variety of puzzles.
Review in German | Read full review
Mina the Hollower was well worth the wait. It gives you all the vibes of the best old-school games, while bringing its own modern sensibilities with smartly paced exploration and tight gameplay.
Mina the Hollower proves that nostalgia alone isn’t enough to create a rock-solid game, but that innovation is necessary and possible without losing sight of the game’s core.
Review in Dutch | Read full review
Mina the Hollower is a triumph. Yacht Club Games have proven themselves yet again as masters of their craft. Astonishingly beautiful art, a gripping Gothic story and challenging, yet rewarding gameplay converge together in a phenomenal package. Mina the Hollower is a must-play, and with the game's breadth of difficulty customization, I truly believe everyone could and should check this game out.
Mina the Hollower proves that time, effort, and attention to detail go a long way. Mina is a great new hero who controls incredibly well in a difficult but rewarding 2D adventure.
Mina the Hollower is an excellent action-adventure 2D platformer that features intriguing storytelling, enjoyable yet challenging gameplay, and an overall exceptional experience
Mina The Hollower is a triumph in game design, fun factor, storytelling, and vision, resulting from years of blood, sweat, tears, and heart from Yacht Club Games.