Review #029 – Pipistrello and the Cursed Yoyo

If you have any reverence for classic handheld consoles like the Game Boy Advance then I think you’ll really get a kick out of Pipistrello and the Cursed Yoyo. It looks, sounds, and plays like a Nintendo-made GBA game from the early 2000s, albeit with a unique take on many familiar gameplay elements from that era.

Broadly speaking the game is a top-down Legend of Zelda-style action adventure but set within a bustling city rather than a fanciful realm or kingdom. The first dungeon-adjacent story section takes place in a shopping mall, for example. The urban play space is very well done and fun to explore, though I did find myself getting hit by cars frequently.

Fighting baddies, discovering new yoyo tricks, solving puzzles, and discovering secrets is all very engaging. The default difficulty setting is a bit punishing though, so for most people I’d suggest turning on a few accessibility options right from the get-go. I don’t think the combat is particularly satisfying so having it be slightly easier made it much more enjoyable. But despite some early struggles I really ended up liking the game and I highly suggest it to other classic handheld game enthusiasts.