Arms Reviews
As one of Nintendo's first truly new IP for the Nintendo Switch, ARMS‘s first impression might lend itself towards being no more substantial than the games we saw in Wii Sports: fun for short bursts of play, but lacking in substance. Instead, the game manages to make that simplicity its greatest strength with surprising levels of depth on top of it. More often than not, ARMS pulls no punches in being one of the standout titles in the Switch's early lineup of games for the summer.
In ARMS, players will find the same texture of game design that has made Mario Kart and Smash Bros. so beloved and enduring worldwide. For a brand new multiplayer game, there can be no higher praise than that.
What Arms lacks in personality and content it makes up for in raw joy and a best-in-class motion control set-up that feels both comfortable and natural. Arms showcases once again that Nintendo is peerless when ti comes to subverting genres without sacrificing what makes them great. Time will tell if Arms has legs to match Splatoon, but the early round scoreboards are certainly swinging in its favour.
ARMS might not exude that same ‘hardcore' draw that other fighting games have, but it's the very epitome of the well-worn phrase, “Easy to pick up, hard to master.” There's something for everyone here, and it's certainly a unique gem of a game that Switch owners would be remiss to pass up on.
A beat'em up of its own kind: ARMS is more than a motion controlled fighting game; is a brilliant new IP, an original take on the genre, and yet another impressive game for the Switch line-up.'Some extra game modes would have been appreciated, but we remain quite confident about the post-launch support.
Review in Italian | Read full review
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.
Whether you're embroiled in an intense fight or participating in one of the oddball minigames, you probably have a smile on your face
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.
An accessible and captivatingly strange new breed of versus fighting game, Arms is another Nintendo knockout for Switch.
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 does for fighting games what Mario Kart did for driving games, and the results are absolutely splendid.
ARMS is Nintendo's first new intellectual property on the Nintendo Switch. I'll be honest, when Nintendo first unveiled the title I wasn't too interested. The motion controls were a huge turnoff to me. I thought the years of waggle were through — unfortunately, they are not. As expected, the motion controls in ARMS just aren't very fun; definitely not my preferred way of playing the game. Luckily, ARMS allows you to play with traditional controls, and that's where the fun begins.
Fighting titles have long been the most competitive and often hardest for new players to get into, but ARMS enters itself extremely well to the genre by feeling like nothing that has ever been played before.
Nintendo delivers a new twist on Punch Out for The Switch and it already feels like the foundation of a new franchise.
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's newest property, ARMS, is a surprisingly deep fighting game that adds something new to a cluttered genre, but it's one that leaves growing room for early adopters.
ARMS is the first new Nintendo IP on Switch, an unusual fighting-game competitive and entertaining. The character design is beautiful and the game mechanics are well balanced, even if some abilities are easier to use than others. The only problem is the single-player offer, which is not as interesting as the multiplayer one.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Arms' unique take on fighting can be hard to adjust to, but once you do, it's a surprisingly deep fighter that has you thinking on your feet.
It's as fundamental as fighting-game fundamentals get, and it's not afraid to be a punishing teacher.
Comparing Arms to Mario Kart 8 with regards to the online experience comes out favorably, though, as Arms' fresher gameplay style and highly polished online lobbies and infrastructure makes it a more active and engaging online affair. Even with the Grand Prix drawbacks, Arms is a fantastic start to a new franchise. Time will tell if Arms truly has legs, but it's definitely firmly planted at launch.