Review: Quirky fighter ‘Arms’ springs into action on Nintendo Switch

Nintendo has said the key to maintaining the momentum for its popular Switch console is to regularly release high-profile games featuring its most popular exclusive properties.

The gaming giant kicked off that strategy with the critically and commercially successful “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild,” while “Super Mario Odyssey” looks like it could be a system seller when it comes out in October.

Nintendo hopes some new faces will make an impression in the meantime, starting with the cast of characters from the quirky new release “Arms.” Nintendo’s newest intellectual property is a 3D fighter in which colourful characters like Spring Man, Ribbon Girl and Kid Cobra use their elongated appendages to bash each other.

“Arms” mixes cartoony fun with surprising depth. You won’t find complicated move sets or lengthy combos that require elaborate inputs here. The game instead emphasizes movement, countering and finding your opponent’s opening before unleashing a flurry of punches. Almost as important to punching is jumping and dodging — flailing blindly with your springy appendages is a sure way to rack up a loss.

“Arms” utilizes the Switch’s motion controls, letting you throw left and right jabs with a Joy-Con controller in each hand while adding some creative flourishes to your punches. It can be very satisfying to hook your punch around an obstacle and catch your opponent by surprise. However I found moving and blocking in this mode less reliable than I would have liked. Using the classic controller, while less unique of an experience, eliminated these issues.

The fighters have essentially the same move sets, but each has a unique special ability. Ribbon Girl can use height to her advantage with multiple jumps, Master Mummy can regain health while blocking, Ninjara can briefly disappear with his midair dashes, and Mechanica can hover. Each fighter also has his or her own home arena with its own obstacles that fighters can use to their advantage.

Each character also has a choice of “fists” to put at the end of each appendage, starting with three different options. More can be unlocked during the course of the game with money players earn from winning fights or completing training objectives.

The main single-player element of the game, called the “Grand Prix,” has the player choose a fighter and go through a gauntlet of 10 opponents. There are seven difficulty levels, and the competitiveness ramps up pretty quickly.

Players need to complete difficulty level four to qualify for ranked online matches, and at this point the game’s artificial intelligence is very adept at counter-punching, dodging and anticipating any tricks you may have picked up. While this ensures that only players with some skill can claim a rung on the ranked match ladder, it can be seen as a frustrating barrier to those having trouble mastering the game’s complexities.

Those not able to compete in ranked online matches can still take part in casual bouts. Players who enter the casual lobby are quickly matched up for fights, but the game can throw some surprises at you. One match might be a traditional one-on-one, while the next could be a co-op fight against a tough AI-controlled fighter, or a free-for-all between three players.

“Arms” can be difficult to master and might seem a tad frustrating if you feel left behind by the learning curve. But it’s a well done and fun game with a slick presentation. Spring Man, Ribbon Girl and the rest of the “Arms” crew may not yet have the cachet of Link or Mario, but they are welcome additions to Nintendo’s cast of characters.

“Arms” is rated Everyone 10+ and retails for around $80.