Arms Reviews
ARMS is without doubt a mixed bag, but its laundry list of upside and paid-off risk-taking do render it worthwhile if you crave creative and purely fun local multiplayer on Switch. You'll want to convince your friends to go motion or button-only across the board of course, and while ARMS' online modes seem stable, somehow I suspect the Ranked Match will seed more frustration than enjoyment for most players. That is, if the formidable challenge of Grand Prix at higher difficulty is any indication.
I'm nowhere near ready to take on the game's hardest difficulty levels, but "Arms" is the first fighting game to pique my interest since "Super Smash Bros" in 2014.
'Arms' brings back the fun of the Nintendo Wii, but it's most fun if you don't take it too seriously.
There's a lot of personality on the surface in Arms (mainly I love that title theme song), and I hope Nintendo continues to build on it as planned. It works as a fighter, I just wish there was more to do in this debut entry -- both pragmatically in terms of modes and on an emotional level, as I haven't really connected with its universe yet despite its raw style.
Nintendo gets in the fighting genre on Switch thanks to ARMS, a new IP which brings fresh air to this genre and mixes classic gameplay mechanics with the features of Nintendo's new console.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Arms sessions are quick, fun, and satisfying. With easy-to-pick-up mechanics, solid stage design, and quirky characters, Arms genuinely feels like a fun and different addition to the fighting game genre. More than that, it feels like just the kind of game that makes the Nintendo Switch itself feel fun and different.
One of the most enjoyable and original fighting games of recent years, that fully justifies its use of motion controls – and it's only set to get better in the future.
Feels like an evolution of Punch Put series, focused on multiplayer tournaments. Fun to play and hard to master, the downside is its lack of content: characters, game modes and levels.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Bringing motion controls back with a bang, ARMS can feel surprisingly retro, yet it also fits in perfectly with Nintendo's modern twist on gaming and the Switch. ARMS exhibits Nintendo's flair for game design to its fullest, confidently taking a well-known genre and injecting it with colour and character to craft something that's inimitably their own.
Arms is a really weird game. At its core it's a simple, accessible fighting game with a really strong gameplay loop and room for player growth competitively, but a pair of fundamentally flawed control schemes, a lack of decent modes and a glacially slow random unlock system for items that fundamentally change how characters can function make it a really tough package to recommend.
Nintendo's new all-ages fighter won't sell millions of Switches, but it does provide another novel experience for the system's early adopters
ARMS is a great addition to the Switch's growing library of unique titles. Featuring a fresh new world full of color and character, the content might be light, but if you get hooked you'll find lots to enjoy here.
Lack of story and some dodgy characters don't spoil this physical Switch game's immensely playable core
How long the appeal lasts might depend on how successfully Nintendo expands the rather slight fighter roster, but right now Arms is a very welcome addition to the Switch lineup.
Motion controls are a bit lacking, but ARMS is still immensely fun even with standard button controls. I'll definitely be mastering my technique in online matches long after I've beaten Grand Prix with every character. It may not be for everyone, but this is absolutely the Splatoon of fighters. I can't wait to fight you all online.
The mechanics in Arms isn't perfect, as the motion controller can be tricky to get used to. Aside for that, this is a surprisingly deep fighting game that reminds us of Punch-Out. Fun, colorful and with a great online-mode.
Review in Swedish | Read full review
ARMS is a truly unique experience that digs into my nostalgia with games like Punch Out! I just hope the free DLC will make it feel more fleshed out. Quality cannot be argued here, but content definitely feels far too light at launch.
ARMS isn't the best fighting game, but it's a damn good one, and one of the most instantly enjoyable and accessible I've ever played. Probably not EVO material, but will be hours of fun with friends.
While the motion controls work well, I unequivocally prefer using the pro controller. I felt much more competitive using it and was able to dash and punch not only faster but more accurately
ARMS is a unique 3D fighting game, which offers many innovative solutions and interesting mechanics. Simple input system, depth of gameplay and seven difficulty options allow you to have fun even if you are not a seasoned fan of the genre. The game feels great in portable and TV modes, tightening in the depths of the arcade fun. For the full set of happiness the game lacks an interesting story mode and more characters. But it should be fixed in future free updates.
Review in Russian | Read full review