Survival Kids Review (Nintendo Switch 2)

Being a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive, Survival Kids presents two interesting perspectives for buying it. Firstly, to test out the new console, see what leaps in visual fidelity and performance Nintendo has been cooking for us. On the other hand, it isn’t the only game that can fulfil your curiosity about the new console. There are other Nintendo Switch 2 exclusives you can consider, among them Mario Kart World. This puts Survival Kids at a precarious position, one where we review it based on its own merit. 

To put more salt to the injury, Survival Kids takes a big risk. It brings back a 1999 classic by the same name. While the retro boom has been relatively exciting, some resurging titles haven’t quite held up their end of the bargain. They simply don’t do enough to justify a return several years later. If you love the original game and the consequent Lost in Blue series, you may enjoy nostalgic benefits. But does the new game do enough to capture the attention of newcomers? Does it do enough to compete on par with modern titles? 

Tag along while we explore all you can expect from the new Switch 2 exclusive in our Survival Kids review below.

For the Love of Treasure Hunting

You’ve embarked on a new adventure, seeking out coveted treasure with the help of a treasure map. However, your ship crash-lands on the back of a massive whale-turtle, whurtle. You’re stranded, alone, on an unknown island, with no way of finding a way back home. Your only resolution is to explore more of what the whurtle has to offer, gathering resources to craft the tools and equipment you need to survive, and hopefully build a raft to escape. 

This premise is certainly no novelty in the survival gaming genre. Granted, the game is a resurgence of a ‘90s franchise that has been on a hiatus. Still, it’s a serviceable beginning to an exciting adventure into the unknown. Rather than unravel a story campaign, however, you’ll be gathering resources, crafting useful tools, solving light puzzles, and platforming your way across several whurtles. “Several whurtles” because they represent the levels of Survival Kids. 

You start on the first whurtle, with the main objective of building a raft to escape the “island.” Once you escape, though, your raft crash-lands into another whurtle. And the cycle of gathering resources, crafting, solving puzzles, and platforming begins, until you build another raft, and crash-land into another whurtle, until you reach the end of the game. In that sense, Survival Kids can become pretty repetitive. But a few things manage to spice up your playthrough. 

Always Better with a Friend

As much as you can play Survival Kids solo, it’s much, much better with a friend or two. The single-player mode features your chosen character completing the objectives through to the end. And with the repetitive cycle, that can quickly grow on you. With a friend in tow, though, you can insert unpredictability into your playthroughs. You can incorporate humorous bickering, collaborate to complete objectives faster, and share in the joy of the adventure together. 

Gameplay-wise, you do enjoy certain perks when you collaborate. For instance, carrying boulders can be easier with extra help. Solving puzzles can be faster when you think through solutions together. You may notice, too, that when you’re within close vicinity, your characters move faster. And overall, you can beat the game quicker and more efficiently. As the developers phrase it, Survival Kids is a collaborative game, and best enjoyed that way. 

So, it’s welcome that you have the option for both local and online play. Locally, you can access split-screen two-player mode. This plays better on a TV screen, where you can more easily spot items and enjoy the world design. Alternatively, you can opt for the online four-player multiplayer, too. It’s smoother, visually. However, local multiplayer may carry more charm, bickering in the same room and coordinating your actions.

Smooth Ride

Notably, though, you can access GameShare and GameChat. The former makes room for friends and family to join in the fun. Meanwhile, the latter works seamlessly, bridging the gap between distant mates. Konami and Unity further ensure a smooth playthrough by implementing fluid controls. They’re pretty easy to grasp and respond accordingly. Even kids will easily dive into the game from the get-go with minimal hand-holding. 

As for the audio and visual flair, it’s nothing to write home about. It gets the job done, with the Nintendo charm and vibrant color seeping through the screen. Yet familiar and barely ruffling any feathers. I doubt you’ll be sold on Survival Kids for its world design. But it still is competent, allowing easy visibility of collectibles and resources. And drawing just enough charm to keep you going. 

I will say the hidden collectibles and treasure are a joy. You have the easy-to-find items, whether fruit for nourishment, fish, wood, etc. However, completionists can aim to snag all the stars in each level corresponding to how many hidden collectibles they find. Some stars additionally place a time factor on finding collectibles, tracking how fast you complete the level. 

One Whurtle to Another

Since some hidden collectibles are cleverly tucked away in unexpected spots, it can provide the challenge you need. Because otherwise, hopping from one whurtle to another can become quite repetitive and boring. And the activities you do in the islands don’t necessarily do much to elevate your experience. Regardless of the whurtle you’re on, you’ll be completing the same objectives: gathering resources, whether wood, rocks, food, etc. 

Your resources enable you to craft tools at the base camp, unlocking items like fishing rods. Fishing rods, in turn, help gather more valuable items like fish, which nourish your character and redeem your stamina. Stamina then gives you speed and strength. While you explore further into the whurtle, you’ll solve puzzles. Most are easy, although a few require deeper thinking. For instance, you might need to use your fishing rod to flip a switch or obtain a heavy item below you.

Platforming is just as easy, albeit some animations like jumping can feel floaty. And, well, that’s about it. It’s hardly challenging and is accessible to gamers of all ages. And it doesn’t grow more complex over time. So, veterans might quickly lose patience with the repetitive cycle. For that reason, Survival Kids feels more suited to younger gamers. Or at least, a veteran enjoying the company of their young one, trying to collect all the hidden items. 

No Penalties

I say a younger age group because Survival Kids has no penalties for mistakes, either, leaving very little motivation for precision, accuracy, or even to improve. Fall into the sea, and you simply respawn. Forget to feed your character, and they simply slow down so their stamina meter has time to recharge. There’s no real risk to your ventures, making it more of a cozy game. And on that front, it can be incredibly relaxing to simply run around gathering resources and crafting items. 

There are some nitty-gritty cons worth mentioning. The fact that the second player in split-screen mode has to always create their character before embarking on a new level. Given that Survival Kids has no character progression, though, you can easily turn a blind eye to it. And then there’s the matter of the price point at $50. It feels quite high for the content on offer, with hardly any challenge or replayability. 

Save for collecting all the stars, you could easily beat the game in five hours or so. And even when you head back to collect all the stars, the gameplay itself is pretty tedious and repetitive. Unless you’re in the company of your kid or find ways to bicker at one another over local or online multiplayer, Survival Kids leaves very little to base a convincing recommendation on.

Verdict

Who knew Survival Kids would be among the Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive launch titles? It’s certainly a surprise to see the 1999 original game by the same name resurge decades later. As is expected, the visuals and gameplay are polished and refined to modern standards. Yet, there still remains room for more creativity and innovation. 

Compared to other modern survival games, Survival Kids leaves plenty to be desired. It simply lacks the challenge of actually surviving, stranded on an island. Everything seems a little too easy and shallow. On top of that, it’s all repetitive, onward into the latter levels. But therein lies the aspect to recommend to a younger audience, a cozy game with accessibility and a relaxing playthrough. 

Most of all, Survival Kids is a collaborative game to be played with friends. It’s best enjoyed that way, working together to complete objectives faster and help each other solve puzzles and navigate platforming challenges. Although relatively easy, it still has potential for laughs and giggles, made easier via two-player split-screen local multiplayer mode or four-player online multiplayer with GameChat functionality.