Ooblets Switch Review – Be the Best Dancer!

Isn’t it terrifying to consider packing up all you possess and moving somewhere completely new? Establishing a new life in a place where you are completely uninitiated and have no idea where you would be residing. That seems like my worst nightmare, yet Ooblets has you doing just that.

As you start this new life in Badgetown and learn all of what it offers, does it provide you with an enjoyable experience? Or does it leave you feeling like you shouldn’t have come here at all? Let’s find out!

Upon arriving on the island of Badgetown – which is located on the mainland of Oob -, you will be tasked with creating your character (through a very brief character creation, with only a select few options), and then you’re thrown straight into meeting the good folks of the town.

You will first meet Tinstle, the mayor of the community, who will give you a quick overview of Badgetown and all of the Ooblets that call it home. Ooblets weren’t a thing in your former town, so this is brand-new ground for you in more ways than one.

After that, you will be gently coerced into choosing one of four Ooblet Clubs—Peaksnubs, Frunbuns, Mossprouts, or Mimpins. Each of them provides you with your very first Ooblet and is managed by a distinct individual with a unique personality and sense of flair. Comparable to picking your Pokemon starter, but just in terms of appearance. Once you’ve decided, Mayor Tinstle will graciously offer to have you stay at the rundown hut nearby, allowing your journey to commence in full.

Ooblets has a narrative that lurks in the background, but I was never really engaged in it. The fundamental belief is that the Ooblet High Council is attempting to get Badgetown’s existence revoked for an undisclosed purpose. To reduce the likelihood of this happening, they have given Mayor Tinstle specific directives and chores, and who better to assist than a newcomer with no connection to the town?

In the game, you’ll spend most of your time farming, foraging, creating, cooking, and, my personal favourite, dancing. Or, more likely, fighting in dance-floor wars with your Ooblets.

Ooblets’ battles are a little different from most other games in the category; think of it as a card-based dance war. Choose which Ooblets you want to participate in the combat, and then take turns selecting cards to play.

Simply put, each participant must accumulate a certain number of points to win the battle. Each card you play will have a particular effect, usually adding a certain number of points to your overall score, gaining Beats, or gaining Hype. Beats are the number of cards you can play every turn as each card has a Beat value, and Hype adds points to cards used in later turns.

The way in which you gain new Ooblets is unique, also. You can’t just catch one during battles like other games. No, in this one, you will be rewarded with a seed after winning a battle (of which one of the losing Ooblets will poop out); that you must plant and water for the following several days to produce your very own Ooblet. Although it might not be particular to the opponent you defeated, this seed will provide you with a chance to get that one.

There are also several versions of every Ooblet in the game, including Shiny Ooblets and Rare Ooblets. Apart from a new colour, these won’t really offer much in the way of differentiation, but they’re still fun to have.

Each victory in a battle nets you a sparkly (hopefully new) Ooblet as well as experience points that let your Ooblets level up and unlock more cards for you to utilise in dance battles. You’ll have access to new plans and research as your character levels up.

As you go through the game and gather different Ooblets, you will ultimately run out of room for them because they all seem to follow you around in a nice little line. When this happens, assign them to an Oobcoop, where they will stay and assist with farming duties. Of course, these coops must be constructed and can initially only hold a single Ooblet, but an upgraded one will house more.

The game also includes a plethora of customisation possibilities, such as the ability to customise your home with various pieces of furniture and decorations to make it uniquely yours. You can upgrade your house as you continue, transforming it from a disassembled hut into a beautiful, loving home. The same is true for your character, which you may customise with a variety of wardrobe pieces to give them the style you prefer.

Not only that, but you’ll also be able to open your own shop where you may sell stuff you’ve acquired and crafted.

Ooblets does offer you multiple tasks to keep you engaged and keep things interesting. Daily challenges, dancing tournaments, and badges to collect (it’s named Badgetown, after all, what did you expect?) will keep you occupied. Ultimately, however, this is a soothing game designed to deliver a relaxing experience – which it does well.

Overall, Ooblets is an incredibly charming and relaxing experience that I couldn’t get enough of. There’s so much content to keep you busy for hours on end, and the variation of the Ooblets themselves is wonderful. If you’re looking for a light life sim, then I would heartily recommend this treat from Glumberland.

Ooblets Review provided by Nintendo Link
Developer: Glumberland
Release Date: September 1st, 2022
Price: £26.99, $29.99
Game Size: 787MB