Did you know that Tad is also known in some parts of the world as Tadeo Jones! In the UK and US, he is Tad Stones. And with that said, it should be a good indicator as to what kind of game this is, especially considering the release of a certain Hollywood film in recent weeks.
Let's check out the official blurb and see what how the game makers describe the game.
"Tad The Lost Explorer - Craziest and Madness Edition takes you on an exciting new global adventure to uncover the origins of a mysterious curse accidentally released by Tad. Join the lost explorer and his faithful companions as they travel through bustling cities on an epic journey solving intricate puzzles, facing off against crazy adversaries and reconstructing parts of the past to reveal the secrets of the Emerald Tablet.
Finally, players will be able to immerse themselves even deeper into the story of Tad's quest in the all-new 3D cinematics. Relive this thrilling adventure through both comic style and 3D cinematics and keep an eye out for hidden details and references."
Based on the Spanish cartoon film, and the game released last year on PC, Tad The Lost Explorer is a 2.5D platform game.
Basic gameplay is your standard platform stuff, get from the beginning of a level to the end, collect various items, avoid the obstacles, traps and enemies, and try to survive. Levels include the lost ruins of Veracruz and the inside of Egypt's Great Pyramid.
You start off playing with Tad, and as you progress you will get to play with some of the other characters, including Sara, who has the ability to double jump. The Mummy, abilities allow the Mummy to jump higher and hide inside her sarcophagus. Ramona, who has the ability to levitate, as well as telekinesis, the ability to reconstruct objects from the past. The Mummy character is a new playable character that was not playable in other releases of the game.
There are 14 levels to beat, which are based on the movie, lots of different and unique enemies to overcome, and a fun story with comic book style cinematics to enjoy.
Watch the trailer below and you will get a good idea of the style of game this is.
The Good
I never saw the film, so I am new to the story and character, but the timing of the Switch release is no mistake, with the Indiana Jones film just being released. But this is more than just a cash in on the genre, this is a fun platform game with its own character and style. Enemies are challenging, levels are well designed, and the graphics are impressive, even on the small screen of a Nintendo Switch Lite.
The 3D levels give a new perspective and different gameplay dynamic to the usual platforming. For example, there is a behind view of your characters in a boat as they have to move left and right to collect stars and avoid obstacles, I liked the puzzles you have to solve, and although not particularly hard, they are a fun element of the game. Using the Mummy character and having to use stealth to pass the level is fun and different to the use of the other characters.
The Bad
At times the background graphics can get in the way of your character making it hard to see where you are, only a small issue, but as I like to explore and look for secrets, sometimes it was hard to see where I was, when at wall area. Sometimes the character feels a bit light footed, so you do not feel like you are in full control, you do get used to it, but I prefer a more solid footing in a character.
Overall
This is a fun action-adventure platform game. Ok it is not at all original, but it is very well made, the levels are well designed, the 4 characters you get to play with are all pretty different, with unique abilities and skills, which helps break up the gameplay. I liked the cinematics, the comic book style, and in general the look of the game.
I score Tad The Lost Explorer - Craziest and Madness Edition on Nintendo Switch a solid 8.5/10
This is a game you should add to your collection.
Out Now on the Nintendo Shop at
And check out the films that the game is based on at https://amzn.to/3NIJLVN and https://amzn.to/3NKeF0f