Tiny Barbarian DX

Tiny Barbarian DX may look like just another indie platformer on the surface, but it is so much more than that.

It can be easy to lose track of smaller releases like Tiny Barbarian DX, but do yourself a favor and make sure that doesn't happen here. [Issue #31 – January/February 2018, p. 37E]

Tiny Barbarian DX is an extremely enjoyable action-platformer that has lasting challenge to it. The refined mechanics and the way the story unfolds is most of why this is so much fun to play. It may not win any beauty contests and the lasting appeal comes up a bit... short because of lacking incentives. Thankfully, the local two-player co-op rounds out the value making this a pretty fun game at parties. Tiny Barbarian DX may not be as memorable or as appealing as the likes of Shovel Knight or Hyper Light Drifter, but it is every bit as good and is clearly a product of a lot of passion put into it. The barbarian-fantasy sub-genre just does not click with people like it did once upon a time in the 1980s and it seems most gamers refuse to play a 2D action title that is not a Metroidvania derivative. Tiny Barbarian DX will most certainly satisfy anyone looking for a thrilling and focused 2D sword 'em up

Although the artwork is very pretty and the gameplay feels good, there really isn't anything too ground-breaking here. Playing through the game really made it feel much more of a throwback title rather than a new boundary-pushing adventure. This in no way means that the game is boring or that there aren't any surprises, just more of a tried and true experience. If you are longing for some retro action, this game's got it all. The beautiful art, killer soundtrack and punishing difficulty really help the game deliver on what the developer set out to make, a solid action-platformer.

At its budget retail price we found Tiny Barbarian DX to be a bit light on the content side, as the game can be completed in six hours or less, depending on skill levels. If you're going to pick this one up we recommend skipping the eShop download and going for the physical edition as it at least contains some cool stuff - as Nicalis is becoming known for - to add value to your purchase.

Tiny Barbarian DX is a great little retro-inspired platformer that riffs on the likes of Donkey Kong Country, but it suffers from repetition and a lack of inspiration at times.

Tiny Barbarian DX is clearly a tribute to the 8 and 16-bit era of action platformers and it's a competent game at that, thanks to very sharp controls and a good lifespan. Where it fails is on its charisma, or lack thereof, as its levels turn out to be too generic and its difficulty level can be way too high for many players, not to mention its relative lack of content beyond the main campaign mode.