Kamiko (Nintendo Switch) Review

 (Originally posted on April, 2019)

(2017, Nintendo Switch)

Amidst all the bustle of a certain long-running, iconic series revolutionizing modern game design and helping to break all-time hardware sales records, one of the quieter highlights of the Nintendo Switch launch was the stealthy arrival of the exclusive, low-priced action title Kamiko. Despite its persistent, positive word of mouth, Kamiko wasn’t initially very high on my purchase list, even at just $5 (or sometimes less!). Gaming since the 80s, this bite-sized, almost arcade-like Zelda clone certainly had appeal, but for the entire year I was already under the spell of the infinitely vaster Breath of the Wild. Often to a worrisome degree not felt with a game in many years. Finally able to give Nintendo’s grandest adventure a break, when this much smaller scale, speedy title harking back to Link’s earliest NES days once again went on sale for just $3, I turned on my Switch and ordered it faster than a much younger me could run into an arcade and blow those same 12 quarters.

The game’s title is worded after the Japanese Shinto religion’s ‘Miko’ shrine maidens, here in which a holy trio, distinguished by their colors and unique armaments are called upon to save the futuristic ruined world not entirely unlike the latest iteration of Hyrule. After selecting a maiden and being given a quick briefing (appropriately set before a Torii gate) you’re immediately thrust into action across four ultra-fast paced dungeon-like overworlds. While always occupied with combat and exploration, all the little tropes of classic Zelda are there: pushblocks, treasure chests, keys and warp zones litter the natural foliage, volcanic mountains and urban decay. Able to utilize a turbo button from the very beginning, there’s never a dull moment as you try to solve each level's 4 major puzzles that unlock the lair of the boss. Offering no hints or scripted demonstrations, the riddles rely heavily on your past experience with Zelda games. Well instilled with the inkling to explore that suspiciously hollowed branch canopy or poke around the blind side of a large structure, I beat the game in less than 2 hours with little help, largely enjoying all the fast action, satisfying puzzles and engaging bosses along the way.

The single rather irksome design choice in this otherwise fun minimalist adventure is the under utilization of the ‘blue meter’ currency/magic system. Meter points are constantly obtained from defeating enemies and can be used for special attacks or to unlock gates/open chests, but I often found myself completely maxed out. Consequently, combat often felt like a hindrance rather than an opportunity for reward. A simple shop/upgrade system would have added much incentive to continually fight, save and spend. When not tip-toeing around with a delicate key or orb, entire groups of enemies, even most bosses, tend to be pushovers as long as you’re paying attention. This isn’t a huge complaint in itself, as everyone from beginners to speed-minded experts can find a challenge to meet their competence. The combat peaks at the final boss battle, presenting your maiden with all sorts of nerve-racking patterns and flashy attacks I wish I could have dealt with throughout the whole game.

Utilizing the somewhat played out ultra-low resolution style pixel art, the sprites are just cute, colorful and effective enough to not appear lazy. The enemies are drawn with enough detail to intrigue; stimulating the imagination as to what they would look like had this throwback style game included the well-illustrated 80s/90s style manual of those times. With a unique track for each world, the emotional and sometimes wonderfully gloomy chiptune music is enjoyable listening as swords slash, shields are thrown and arrows are fired. The combination of low-tech, yet clever visuals and somber sounds make for a surprisingly immersive and moody vibe while playing, but it’s all just a bit too indistinctive and non-resonant to stick around when one is away from their Switch.

Beating the game on the evening of purchase at a total time of 1:41:33, hours later I was already missing the satisfying feel of running around and making swift progress while mowing down the hordes of auto-regenerating enemies. Still, a long break would be better than immediately jumping back in with a differently armed maiden. Whenever particularly pressed for time in the future, I could easily see myself playing this again after I’ve largely forgotten the level design. As long as you’re not under any false expectations of the game’s length and depth (there’s not even an inventory system here), Kamiko qualifies as a very worthwhile purchase, satisfyingly delivering perhaps the shortest and most distilled Zelda experience yet. Kamiko even works from both ends of the adventurer’s spectrum: if you grew up with this game’s obvious source of inspiration but now find yourself older, achier and more occupied… but inevitably struck with that persistent urge to go hacking and exploring, Kamiko will scratch the itch without requiring you to sit down a dozen (or many more) hours on an adventure with Link. It’s also an excellent introduction to action-adventure styled gameplay for the complete beginner. After all, today’s kids may not all be as tough as us 30-40 somethings who began with the original Legend of Zelda’s similarly simplistic quest that was filled with far more punishing foes and bewildering puzzles.