This is a Tiny Dragon Story review for Switch. The game is available for Switch only at the moment and costs $/€ 12.99. There is available with a 84% launch discount, making it $/€ 1.99 at the moment! The sale ends on 26-5-2023 in participating regions.
Tiny Dragon Story
“Tiny Dragon Story” is a platforming game that takes it back to the essentials. It features Gameboy-esque 1-bit aesthetics and controls, with the game being completely in black and white, rather than using any hues of green resembling the Gameboy.
Although it is called “Tiny Dragon Story,” the “Story” element is nowhere to be found in the game. There is no narrative whatsoever. According to the press release, the supposed story is that an evil wizard has stolen all of Tiny Dragon’s valuables. Now Tiny Dragon is on a quest to seek revenge and retrieve his belongings. The game does use signs to introduce you to various gameplay mechanics. This the only written interaction between the game and the player throughout the entire game. Personally, I believe that “Tiny Dragon Quest” would have been a much more fitting name.
Does it really matter? Not really. The core interest here lies in the platforming. The gameplay closely resembles games from the later Gameboy era. The screen size, sprite size, and reused environmental sprites all evoke a certain Gameboy vibe. However, the action in this game is much faster-paced compared to the average Gameboy game. Tiny Dragon swiftly moves around the screen and promptly responds to controller inputs. Interestingly, your character possesses a double jump ability right from the start. This is somewhat redundant in a non-metroidvania style game where unlocking previously inaccessible areas is the norm. In this game, it simply means that platforms are placed further apart and reachable cliff sides are positioned at greater heights. Nevertheless, it doesn’t significantly alter the gameplay experience.
Short and simple
The game is divided into four different worlds, each containing five stages. The last stage in each world is a castle with a boss to defeat. In total, this means there are 20 stages, including additional challenge stages in every world. The main objective of each stage is to reach the end of the level and light the giant fire bowl. Within each level, there are 3 to 4 hidden treasure items and coins to be found.
These coins can be used to unlock paths to the challenge stages. The coins are hidden in exclamation mark blocks. These can be bumped from below or shot with your dragon’s fire from the side. Moreover, your dragon has the ability to shoot through walls. This enables you to reach enemies and blocks on the other side of a wall. This feature proves to be very handy for clearing an area without putting yourself in too much danger.
The stages are relatively short, and with Tiny Dragon’s agility, it’s possible to clear levels quickly. There are around five variants of enemies, each with unique characteristics. Most of the time, these enemies are no match for your unstoppable flame bullets. Rarely does an enemy pose a significant obstacle to the platforming. Many can be ignored entirely thanks to the double jump ability. The bosses offer a bit more resistance, but with a few attempts, they can be defeated with too much problems.
A certain plumber…
You might have already noticed that many of the game’s mechanics and visual presentations sound rather familiar. Indeed, the game appears to be heavily inspired by a certain red-hat-wearing plumber. The overworld map, the exclamation mark blocks, and the boss stages all seem to draw heavy influence from both Super Mario Bros. 3 (NES) and Super Mario Land (GB).
Fun while it lasts
The platforming does offer a fun blend of Super Mario 3 and Mega Man. The lack of challenging enemies and short stages make the experience feel fleeting. Before you know it, the game is over. Additionally, with only 25 stages, it is a very short game. It’s worth noting that out of the four stages in each world, only three are part of the main path to the castle. The remaining stage is optional. This means that out of the 25 stages, only 20 are mandatory to complete the game.
The disorienting map and absence of a narrative led me to unintentionally stumble upon the final boss, without realizing I had reached the end of the game. After easily defeating the boss, I was suddenly surprised by the end scene and credits. I managed to finish the game in approximately 1.5 hours with a completion rate of 60%. If you aim for 100% completion, you might get a little more out of it.
The game's deliberately minimalist 1-bit design serves it well. Its two-tone graphics are generally pleasing to the eye, although they don't offer anything particularly unique or special. The developer clearly prioritizes the most important aspect, which is precise platforming. And it does deliver on that front, but it falls short in terms of engaging stage design, which is fairly average. Considering the short playtime, the non-discounted price of €/$ 12.99, the game feels a bit expensive when considering its overall value.
