Back in the early 90s, a revolutionary handheld released to the world called the Game Boy. Despite the advancements we’ve seen in the handheld world, Nintendo’s legendary system continues to hold a special place in many gamer’s hearts. Save me Mr. Tako: Tasukete Tako-San harkens back to the Game Boy era and presents itself as an old school action-adventure title. If this intrigues you even slightly, you might want to continue reading our review of Save me Mr. Tako: Tasukete Tako-San to see if this title should be a must buy.

Save me Mr. Tako: Tasukete Tako-San is very similar to titles like Kirby or even Super Mario Bros. Players guide a small octopus named Tako through a variety of levels that have him shooting ink to freeze enemies or using various skills to solve puzzles scattered across the levels. With a retro color scheme, controls and tough-as-nails gameplay, Save me Mr. Tako: Tasukete Tako-San will test your prowess at the old platforming side scrollers but in a modern game. Plus, Save me Mr. Tako: Tasukete Tako-San is on the Nintendo Switch meaning it can be played at home or on the go for some truly nostalgic gaming experiences.

It was bound to happen someday and that day has unfortunately finally come. The human race has begun a fierce battle with the octopi who live under the ocean. However, one octopus isn’t willing to just kill humans for no reason and even saves one, granting him the ability of surviving on land. His name is Mr. Tako and he will be the hero to stop this disaster before it gets out of hand. Welcome to Save me Mr Tako: Tasukete Tako-San where an adventure of a lifetime awaits a brave little octopus from the world below the sea.

By now, if you’re a fan of developer/publisher Nicalis—Cave Story and The Binding of Isaac—then you know what to expect from their titles. Usually aimed at creating retro experience, our newest game by Nicalis is no different. Save me Mr Tako: Tasukete Tako-San is all about giving players a retro Game Boy title feeling while still adhering to the style Nicalis tends to show gamers. With so many great titles by Nicalis though, is Save me Mr Tako: Tasukete Tako-San worthy of your time and money? Let us find out in our review of Save me Mr Tako: Tasukete Tako-San for the Nintendo Switch.

Save me Mr Tako: Tasukete Tako-San is a 2D side scrolling title where players take control of a little octopus named Tako. Players will need to navigate various locations with our aquatic hero as they shoot ink at enemies and us various other weapons to solve puzzles and take down bosses. In many ways, Save me Mr Tako: Tasukete Tako-San feels akin to Kirby games with an emphasis on giving our unlikely hero weapons and powers via hats. Confused by what we mean by you literally wearing hats for powers? Don’t worry we were at first, too.

As we said, the brunt of Save me Mr Tako: Tasukete Tako-San is simple gameplay that really isn’t anything too out of the ordinary for a retro-themed title. Avoid taking hits—as one hit will kill you unless you have special hats to avoid that—and solve simple puzzles with your weapons. At first you’re only able to use Tako’s ink attacks to freeze enemies in place—which is helpful for reaching high locations and or solving some puzzles—but as you play Save me Mr Tako: Tasukete Tako-San, you’ll gain hats that change Tako’s powers. For example, one of the first hats you gain is a hat that allows you to take more than one hit before losing a life. Later you’ll gain a hat that allows Tako to fire arrows from a bow. There are several more hats you will find along your journey and each gives Tako a bit of special power to help increase his chances of saving the human and octopus world.

Now the one thing that makes Save me Mr Tako: Tasukete Tako-San kind of tough is that, just like older games, death is quick and unrelenting in Save me Mr Tako: Tasukete Tako-San. We’ve grown accustomed to this from Nicalis as their titles always induce a bit of rage, but Save me Mr Tako: Tasukete Tako-San is no joke even with its easier format than say the Binding of Isaac. If you die, you lose your hat or hats—you can have up to two that can be swapped in between—and will need to trek back to the village to gain the hat back for free from the hat store. On top of the toughness of trying to avoid and defeat enemies without taking one hit, this extra issue can be a bit troublesome, especially in the later game. Plus, if you lose all 20x lives or die before hitting a checkpoint then you’re restarting the stage from the beginning. Old school gamers will love this challenge, but newcomers who like checkpoints every few seconds or need more forgiving gameplay will find Save me Mr Tako: Tasukete Tako-San a bit tough.

Lastly, let us talk about Save me Mr Tako: Tasukete Tako-San’s visuals and sound which are both nice but also a bit splitting in our minds. We like the retro sepia color concept to Save me Mr Tako: Tasukete Tako-San—you can also change between three other rather weird color palettes—but feel it’s a bit strange for Nicalis to go this retro. Save me Mr Tako: Tasukete Tako-San looks literally like a Game Boy game and while that will appeal to those who rocked one way back when—we know we did—others will be turned off. The sound also mirrors the Game Boy noises with chiptunes and various other old school sounds. Retro is the best way to describe Save me Mr Tako: Tasukete Tako-San but even this might be a bit too retro.

Save me Mr Tako: Tasukete Tako-San is a fun little side scroller that might not get a lot of attention in the gaming world—especially since it released around the same time Red Dead Redemption 2—but that doesn’t mean this game is bad or not enjoyable. If you loved the old Game Boy days then you’ll find Save me Mr Tako: Tasukete Tako-San great especially given the Nintendo Switch’s ability to go handheld. Equally, those who need a good Kirby-like title will enjoy the simple but tough gameplay Save me Mr Tako: Tasukete Tako-San offers.

We just feel that Save me Mr Tako: Tasukete Tako-San isn’t anything we haven’t seen before and while there are some interesting ideas here and there with the hats and ink abilities, Save me Mr Tako: Tasukete Tako-San just feels like a good title and nothing more or less. Save me Mr Tako: Tasukete Tako-San is a game we recommend if you love retro titles and need a tough title for on the go.

October has released some great titles for the gaming public and we can’t seem to find enough time to play all these amazing games! While Save me Mr Tako: Tasukete Tako-San might not be on the same levels as Red Dead Redemption 2 or My Hero One’s Justice—which are incredible by the way—it is a fun game for those who like simpler titles from the Game Boy days. Retro in looks, feel and difficulty, Save me Mr Tako: Tasukete Tako-San will surely entice gamers who need a portable game to rage at while on the go. Are you thinking of downloading Save me Mr Tako: Tasukete Tako-San? Let us know via the comments below! For all your gaming and anime article needs, be sure to keep stuck to our beautiful hive here at Honey’s Anime.