Runbow Pocket Reviews
Runbow Pocket is a New 3DS version of a Wii U game and there is certainly a loss when scaling it down to a handheld format. On the plus side, this handheld version features many fun and challenging levels and the game is rich in content but there is no element that makes it stand out when compared to the original and the lack of a local multiplayer mode is an impediment to a better experience.
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Where this brought the Wii U version to new heights, it feels here like an afterthought. It is hugely disappointing to see it locked behind an online section that will get barely used. Waiting hours for players to come online isn't exactly my idea of fun.
Thanks to a mix of the accessibility of the 3DS and the small level lengths, Runbow Pocket manages to be a fun way to kill a few hours without feeling derivative of its Wii U and Steam counterparts. Unlockables don't hold much weight in the grand scheme of things, but they occur frequently enough to ensure that just about every success is a rewarding one. Stages are designed to be completed in under a minute, incentivising quick, satisfying bursts of gameplay over longer and more traditional platforming. The lack of elaborate set pieces and sophisticated design does hold back the overall experience, but the great use of colour at the core of each stage makes for a vibrant world worth jumping in and out of, even for just a few minutes at time.
Overall, I really had a great time with Runbow Pocket Deluxe. It provides a pretty meaty package for just $29.99, including the base game and all the DLC besides a few costume options. Despite some annoying gameplay issues I encountered, it still ran pretty smoothly and I never experienced any real slowdown to speak of. 13AM Games has made the definitive platformer for every Nintendo fan out there. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to go back and get the rest of those medals!
Overall, Runbow Pocket is just as fun as it was on the Wii U with plenty of content, plenty of costumes and characters to unlock as you go through. There is just the one pretty big omission from this release that stops it being a good replacement for other versions, that being the local multiplayer. If you can get over that or if you are only looking to get the game for its single player component, then there is plenty to enjoy about Runbow Pocket. It’s a fun, colourful game that is worth jumping in and out of, which is what the New Nintendo 3DS is great for.