Guacamelee! Super Turbo Championship Edition Reviews
Guacamelee! Super Turbo Championship Edition is a well put together piece of software with a great attention to little details, set in a universe of folklore and culture which is exotic enough in the video game industry to feel highly original, and with a huge deal of humour thrown into the mix for good measure. The tough to master yet easy to understand gameplay, coupled with the many challenges to overcome to fully complete everything do extend the play life into "decent" territory, as it is otherwise a rather short experience for those who will rush through it. Guacamelee! clearly takes a leaf out of a lot of different books in gaming, Metroid being the most obvious, but Castlevania, Megaman, and Zelda are also other clear sources of inspiration, yet it manages to blend it all into what is now its own thing. It sure bases a lot of its appeal on nostalgia for those other franchises and the crowd of references to them thrown all over the place, but this never overshadows its own intrinsic qualities, which are clever design, good production values, great writing and, most of all, a clear love for video games from its creators, which does transpire through their work. Guacamelee! STCE for the Wii U eShop is certainly not a perfect game - it has its couple of minor faults - but never are they detrimental to the overall experience, and this is still a must-have for any fan of the genre.
Guacamelee! is the Big Enchilada when it comes to MetroidVania platformers, and the Super Turbo Championship Edition is very much the ultimate version. Though riotous fun factor and eyepopping Mexican flair sometimes disguises a few unimaginative challenges, its personality and satisfying gameplay will lock you in for the duration.
The only issues with Guacamelee are simply minor quibbles that keep it from true masterpiece status. It's hard to worry too much about these slight imperfections when the game hits so many right notes, ranging from the lavish presentation to the deep combat and platforming. On the whole, it's a brisk and refreshing joy to play, with a lively personality that's eminently endearing. Guacamelee is a fantastic Metroid-inspired platformer that shouldn't be missed.
Were it a $60 boxed game, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it. The fact that it's available to you instantly and for less than half that, well, I don't need to finish that sentence, because you're not reading anymore.
Guacamelee was great first time around and Drinkbox have taken something fantastic and improved on it even more this time with this release. In short, you wont regret buying this, even if you have before. I for one am looking forward to a sequel, but before that, maybe just one more go…
A love letter to all things videogame, Guacamelee! is a fantastic blend of homage and originality, resulting in a wildly memorable, if a bit short, Metroidvania. From the title's tight platforming-heavy level design, to its skill based combat, there is never a dull moment in Juan's quest to save El Presidente's daughter. Although the script does rely on out of place humour perhaps too often, and the general difficulty does take a hit near the end, this makes for a fantastic experience from start to finish, with plenty to love and admire. Best of all, at no point in its quest to pay tribute to the legends that came before it does this title forget to craft an identity of its own, elevating the title to the same level as the ones that inspired it.
The only shortcoming? You can wipe out the whole campaign in about five or so hours, and while there's plenty of extra content to take care of afterward (a "good" ending, for example, should you nail all the requirements), not much is there to revisit after game completion. But, while it's a short journey, it's one very worth playing. Oh, and did I mention the game is littered with pop culture (especially video game) references? I won't spoil them for you, but never thought I'd see a Super Mario RPG reference ever again.
Guacamelee! Super Turbo Championship Edition is still just as rewarding to play a year on as it was then. The colorful, humorous world is a welcome change from all the dark games and besides, we rarely see this Mexican style in gameland. What's more, there's an offline cooperative mode that allows you to finish the game entirely with a fellow luchador.
Review in Dutch | Read full review
The proper use of its setting and merging it with the fantastical elements of Metroidvania genre coupled with some of most beautiful visual designs of all times have made Guacamelee! one the most enduring and endearing titles in a very saturated gameplay style.
Review in Persian | Read full review
Guacamelee is one of the most outstanding faces of the metroidvania genre in recent years. Its effective and funny script, as well as its mechanics and the design of its levels make the title of Drinkbox Studios to be one of the great games of the eShop of the console. The bad thing is that it comes late, being a game that you may have played on other platforms. Even so, enjoying Guacamelee in a portable way while we wait for its second part, is more than recommended.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
As fun in this beefed-up incarnation as in its original release, Guacamelee Super Turbo Champion Edition offers one of the best-designed and most original takes on the well-worn metroidvania phenomenon you'll ever find. The new material may not quite bring enough to the table to warrant a second purchase, and the game doesn't exactly push PS4 or Xbox One to the ragged edge of their capabilities, but once again excellent game design has less to do with technical specs and more to do with creativity and thoughtfulness: Features Guacamelee possesses in spades.
If you have not yet had the chance to dive into Guacamelee! Super Turbo Championship Edition, then there’s probably no better way to do so than on the Nintendo Switch. The £11.99 price tag won’t break the bank for what is a worthy melee-oriented Metroidvania complete with plenty of references to some of Nintendo’s finest IP’s.
Guacamelee! Super Turbo Championship Edition is a great ode to Mexican culture, with an amazing gameplay.
Review in Dutch | Read full review