Dodo A-Go-Go
The gaming world is growing fast. With the introduction of services such as the Apple Arcade and Xbox Gamepass giving people access to a large quantity of quality games, there is much more to play than ever before. Dodo Peak by Moving Pieces Interactive is a title that has benefitted from its presence on the Apple Arcade and now finds itself on the Nintendo Switch. The jump to dedicated gaming hardware, however, has not added much to the bite-sized experience.
Retro-Casual
Dodo Peak is a title that revels in its casual nature and eclectic retro charm. Simply use your Dodo to hop about the map, dodging obstacles and rescuing baby Dodos. Enemies and other perils await you and your hatchlings in the worlds of Dodo Peak, along with some extra objectives and fun mechanics. Coins, Power-ups, Rubies and more litter the ground of each level and each are complimented by a set of extra objectives to earn more Stars. Stars can be used to unlock more levels and worlds, which can also be done with coins. While many of these bonus goals are simple time trials, there are a handful of interesting ones such as defeating enemies or strict time limits that require clever use of power-ups.
The game has a very deliberate retro feel. The hopping of your Dodo is reminiscent of Q*Bert while your Dodo hatchlings and their vulnerability has a very distinct Snake feel. Power ups add a great sense of fun variety to the game and can be combined for awesome results. Controlling a giant, super-fast, invincible Dodo is a very fun experience. Combine these power-ups with some fun and speedy skins to dominate the worlds and Weekly Challenges of Dodo Peak. You’ll need them.
A Rough Climb
The retro heart of the game shines through in not only its difficulty, but its clunkiness as well. Dodo Peak has a very real difficulty curve after lulling you into a false sense of security. While never unfair, you will need to use everything the game teaches you in order to find the winning strategy. This makes for a lot of satisfying “ah-ha!” moments, making each stage completed feel like a triumph. Even better is the feeling if your strategy prevails over all the objectives in the level.
The problems come in the form of the controls. While you are able to use touch-screen controls, I found them just as inaccurate for making key movements as the D-pad of a Pro Controller. This inaccuracy can ruin any well-paced run through a level, especially since the game never gets any easier. Making quick, precise turns is necessary in the later levels of Dodo Peak and you can really feel each time the game loses one of your turns. This can quickly become frustrating, especially to the casual gamer.
A Downhill Stride
Dodo Peak is an interesting title for the Switch. The aesthetic is fun and colorful with some great sound effects and style. The retro inspiration gives the title a unique charm and feels like a love letter to the games that inspire it. However, the title’s nature as a mobile game is evident in its minimalist design and clunky controls. While fun, Dodo Peak fails to stand out amongst the huge amount of outstanding titles the Nintendo Eshop has to offer. Pick this one up if you have the coins, or wait for a sale.
