Written by Kris Galvez
Title: Super Daryl Deluxe
Developer: Dan & Gary Games
Publisher: Dan & Gary Games
Price: $19.99
Genre: Role-Playing, Action
Also Available On: PS4, Steam
High school is that time in our lives where we thought that the world was ours; That we could do anything, be anything. A lot of friendships, life lessons and even romances were made during those times. Nostalgia aside, it can also be challenging or heartbreaking if you don't play it right. Super Daryl Deluxe, despite the weird title, gives you a glimpse on how an awkward teenager entering a bizarre place like high school. The game starts with the titular Daryl on his first day in Water Falls High. Quiet, nerdy looking and awkward, he is introduced to 2 savvy teens who show him the ropes, give him some quests which culminates in a boss fight reminiscent of Donkey Kong. It was like a kid experiencing high school on an acid trip.
With floating platforms, floating mathematical formulas, some dead musicians hanging around, portals to other dimensions and classes not taking place, Water Falls High is not the high school we remember. There are a lot of things going on with the story of this game but you have to experience it for yourself. Of course all of these is presented to you in one of the best art styles to ever grace the Switch. Daryl is beautifully animated. The halls of the Water Falls is uniquely rendered and each dungeon is as bizarre as the last. I cannot find a word to perfectly describe the things I saw when I played this game other than bizarre.
With all the bizarre things happening on the campus, Daryl is able to handle them all with his particular set of skills literally. You can equip 4 skills which you can use to dish out the pain against the various enemies that roam the halls of your study. These assorted skills can be mixed and matched to devastating effects with some combos being more effective than others. You can not just button mash your way through this high school. The great thing here is that you can level these up to strengthen their effects. Then you can equip different things to improve your stats in order to survive. There are plenty of side quests available to earn skill points, money and equipment. Yes, there are side quests in Super Daryl Deluxe. It's almost like this game is an action RPG. The game is as weird as the format and wording of this review. It's a hodgepodge of ideas mixed into one that is so good it somehow works.
With it's beautiful but weird art style and the interesting mechanics it constantly gives you, playing this game is a nostalgia blast from the past. It's like playing an acid trip induced trip where you get to explore all the complexities of high school from the mind of an awkward but imaginative young kid like Daryl. If you are itching for more quality Metroidvanias, Super Daryl Deluxe is up there with Hollow Knight and is one of the most interesting Switch titles I have played.
Good
- This is one of the best presentation of a game to ever exist in a Switch.
- The combo system is nice and complex.
- Side quests are a plenty and well written.
- Story is definitely interesting and the humor, while weird, will make you laugh.
- High school is one of the best times of our lives.
Bad
- High school is one of the worst times of our lives.
- The platforming is not that tight but also not floaty.
Final Score: 9/10
Note: This game was reviewed using a review code provided by the publisher/developers.
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