Game Review: Tamagoneko

By Al

Players: 1
Platforms: Nintendo Switch

I'm no stranger to precision platforming games, having played several recently for A-to-J alone. They all usually have some quirk to them that makes them unique, and Tamagoneko is no different. Besides throwing in all sorts of platforming challenges into the mix, it also features plenty of cute cat imagery that is sure to draw people in. Having released on Steam last year, it's set to drop onto the Nintendo Switch soon by way of publisher RAWRLAB Games. We're going to be taking a look at that Switch release today, and see if it's as inviting as its visuals imply. Let's dive right in!

As the name sort of implies, Tamagoneko has a story that involves finding "cat eggs" scattered throughout the game's world. I have no idea what a "cat egg" is, but that's a strange premise no matter how you look at it. Thankfully it's never explored much beyond an initial sentence or two, but I guess those things at the level's exists are the eggs. There are some NPCs scattered about the game's stages, but they seem to only exist to offer random flavor text, not to drive the plot forward. Though the game lacks a strong narrative, I think that's fine since it can instead focus on the platforming. Our cat main character has several skills basic skills available at the start of the game, and gains new ones with each world visited. You start your adventure only being able to run, jump, and crawl, but you eventually gain the ability to wall jump, double jump, scale walls, and more. These skills are given to you one at a time, and each of the game's worlds seem set up specifically with them in mind.

It's not just an easy run to the exit though, as each level has the ever standard platforming obstacles like bottomless pits, spikes, and saw blades. It's not long before more advanced obstacles block your path like ledges that can only support your weight for a few seconds, platforms that automatically move you through the level itself, balloons that let you jump higher only a limited number of times, and lots plenty more that would take too long to outline here. Interestingly enough, there aren't many true "enemies" to speak of, which is fine since your cat has no offensive capabilities. Though mostly fair and decently crafted, some levels feel like they were made simply to be mean spirited. It's hard to take a game seriously that kills you cheaply in half the levels, and the inclusion of a kill button implies that the developers wrote themselves into a hole more than once. It all comes together for a game that takes the precision platforming of something like Celeste, but tosses in a dash of the mean-spirited vibes from something like Kaizo Mario.

Most of Tamagoneko's stages are short, but some of the longer ones thankfully feature checkpoints. Coins are usually the best indicator as to where a stage's exit is, and the only other true collectable besides them are the optional fruit pick-ups that act more as achievements than anything else. Each stage's fruit is purely optional, and usually involves you having to find a fake wall to get to where it is hidden. I found these bonus objectives to not be worth it after the first handful of stages, and avoided them for much of the game. The coins I mentioned earlier have a bit more use, as they can be used to purchase various customization options for your cat. These changes are pretty much only cosmetic, but they're a cute addition nonetheless. Tamagoneko is separated into six worlds, each with twenty levels in them. There's also a bonus seventh world that has an additional forty stages if you want more, but those levels are even more ridiculous than anything that comes before. You are allowed to skip up to five levels in each of the main worlds to move onto the next, and you can revisit stages in any order to find more objectives or get a better time. I think the Steam version of the game had leaderboards for best times in each stage, but they don't seem to be present in the Switch release. Clearing the game is your only reward here, though it isn't without its own sense of accomplishment considering how insanely difficult it is.

Though I found Tamagoneko to be a decent precision platformer all things considered, it is brought down several notches by its floaty controls. Bad controls are always the hardest thing to describe in writing, but trust me when I say that Tamagoneko feels extremely slippery. The ground feels like it’s always an ice level, and jumping seems to have no physics attached to it. Tapping the controller in any direction while in the air can send your cat flying all across the screen, and there's no momentum to any of your movements. You can inch slowly, but nothing stops your speed. I do think this is the developer's first game, but it's strange they'd go for a game that requires so much precision when they seem to have trouble crafting a control scheme that allows for it. Some of the game's stages seem to be created with the wonky controls in mind, but others seem to think that the game has far tighter platforming than it actually does. I wouldn't say that this is totally game-breaking, but it does spoil a lot of the fun the game has. I consider myself a casual fan of the precision platforming genre, and usually have no problem at all repeating a level over and over again until I beat it, but it's hard to do that when I feel the repeated deaths are coming through no fault of my own.

Outside of the core gameplay, Tamagoneko has some amazing presentation. The graphics have a colorful, retro aesthetic, and the game's title screen and menus have a hand-drawn look to them that looks like a storybook come to life. The NPCs you encounter add to that feeling, even if they are a bit on the random side of things. Thankfully the game runs smoothly too, and there was never a single hiccup to be found on the Switch. It's not just the graphics either though, as the game has an amazing soundtrack. Actually, it was the game's music that really kept me invested, as I wanted to hear more of it. I'm not sure if the music was created specifically for this game, but this collection of tracks doesn't have a bad one in it. The music really gets the blood pumping, and allowed me to forget the game's less than favorable aspects. Lastly, since we're discussing the visuals, I have to say that they do give off a misleading vibe. They look cute and welcoming, but this is not a game for the faint of heart.​

Even though Tamagoneko has its flaws, I still think that it's worth picking up if you're a fan of the precision platforming genre. Its $5.99 price tag also means that it won't break the bank if you ultimately find the controls a bigger issue than I did. With that in mind, I wouldn't recommend this at all to casual gamers, no matter what the cute cat imagery may seem to imply. This is for the hardcore only, and you'll only be leading yourself down a path of frustration if you pick it up not knowing what you're getting yourself into. On the other hand, if you're looking for a challenge, then Tamagoneko has it in spades. See you in the next one!

Check Out Tamagoneko on Nintendo Switch:
https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/tamagoneko-switch/

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Story: N/A (Though I want to give it an "A" for the idea of making "cat eggs" a central plot point!)
Gameplay: B
Graphics: A
Music/Sound: A+
Value: A

Overall: A-

Pros:
+ A cute precision platformer that even has "cat eggs" in it!
+ Each of the game's levels feel unique and offer their own set of obstacles.
+ Constantly introducing new abilities keeps the formula from getting stale.
+ Not only are the graphics cute, but the worlds feature a lot of variety.
+ Has one of the best soundtracks I've heard in just about any game.
+ Comes with a very reasonable $5.99 price tag.

Cons:
- Probably more than other games in the genre, this is not a game made for casual players. It's pretty much strictly for the hardcore.
- Controls are extremely floaty, and give the platforming an imprecise feel.
- Getting the optional pick-ups can feel rather repetitive since they all revolve around finding a fake wall near them.
- Can't seem to make up its mind if it wants to be a true precision platformer in the style of something like Celeste, or a mean-spirited troll game like Kaizo Mario.

A copy of this game was provided to us free-of-charge by the publisher for the purpose of this review. This did not affect our review in any way.

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I think we found Reggie in this game!

#Tamagoneko