Bakugan: Champions of Vestroia

61%
Game Brain Score Based on 45 reviews
  • story
  • graphics
  • gameplay
Bakugan: Champions of Vestroia Game Cover
WayForward's latest game is an adventure set in the vast world of Bakugan. Our review.
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"Bakugan: Champions of Vestroia" is a kids' open-world game, available on Nintendo Switch, that combines action role-playing with an original story from the TV series. Players befriend and train Bakugan creatures, customize their teams, and battle in strategic combat, both in single-player and multiplayer modes. The game encourages mastery of combat skills, Bakugan collection, leveling, and evolution, as well as building the strongest team through customization and abilities.

  • Nintendo Switch
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

61%
Audience ScoreBased on 45 reviews
graphics3 positive mentions
story3 negative mentions
  • Kids love the game, with many parents reporting that their children enjoy playing it.
  • The game features cute designs and is well put together for family-friendly entertainment.
  • It offers a fun experience for younger players, encouraging task solving and reading.
  • The game suffers from clunky gameplay and lacks depth, with repetitive missions and limited Bakugan variety.
  • Graphics and animations are disappointing, resembling those of a mobile game rather than a modern console title.
  • Many players experienced technical issues, such as save file problems and game malfunctions.
  • story8 mentions

    The story of the game is criticized for being simplistic and lacking depth, with many players feeling it does not live up to the standards set by its predecessor. The narrative is described as "paint-by-numbers," and the dialogue is considered rushed and annoying, contributing to an overall uninspired experience. Additionally, the limited variety of Bakugan and tedious gameplay mechanics detract from the potential richness of the story, leaving players feeling unmotivated to engage with the narrative.

    • “Never before has a game's - no... any piece of media's story influenced so many people and healed so many broken hearts.”
    • “Bakugan: Champions of Vestroia is an all-new action role-playing game with an original story that expands on the hit TV series and brings the Bakugan universe to the Nintendo Switch for the very first time.”
    • “The game started off fun and continued to be, but after I completed the story objective in Old Town, it only allowed me to return to the beach and wouldn't let me go anywhere else.”
    • “I got about 1/3 of the way through the story and I was already annoyed by the battles.”
    • “[Story is paint-by-numbers, could use new/additional bakugan types]”
  • graphics7 mentions

    The graphics in this Nintendo title have been criticized for lacking sharpness and appearing comparable to smartphone apps or older systems like the Nintendo DS. While some reviewers acknowledge that high-quality graphics are achievable on the Switch, they feel this game falls short, offering only the bare minimum in visual quality. However, a few users noted that the visuals are crisp and colorful, performing well in both docked and handheld modes.

    • “I mean, Nintendo did give us Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, so we do know that very good graphics on the Switch are possible.”
    • “[Looks good with crisp, clean, and colorful visuals, performs well in both docked and handheld modes].”
    • “Graphics - Yes, this is Nintendo, so graphics haven’t been as sharp as other gaming systems, but the graphics here look no better than what one would find on a smartphone app or on the Nintendo DS.”
    • “I really hope that the developers of this game or Nintendo read this description and work to make the next Bakugan game more like the original game for the DS, with some improvements to graphics, number and variety of Bakugan, story, Bakugan gear/equipment, actually put cards in the game, allow the player to purchase Bakugan and cards, make the game, map, interface, etc. more clear and display pertinent information at the correct spots.”
  • gameplay4 mentions

    The gameplay has been criticized for being clunky and tedious, with players required to find all Bakugan instead of purchasing them, leading to a limited and repetitive experience. Missions often involve aimless tasks with insufficient map guidance, and the overall mechanics feel rushed and poorly executed, resulting in a lack of incentive to diversify gameplay or engage with the available content. Many reviewers feel that the game relies too heavily on nostalgia rather than offering a compelling or polished gameplay experience.

    • “The AI clearly has an advantage over the player for the first 2 to 4 hours of gameplay, then, with the right power-ups and grinding, it becomes more balanced.”
    • “This is a lazy, repetitive, basic game that slowly erodes your patience and goodwill with sloppy mechanics, a tiny roster of similar monsters, and a world that reveals itself to be entirely devoid of character or life.”
    • “The AI clearly has an advantage over the player for the first 2 to 4 hours of gameplay; then, with the right power-ups and grinding, it becomes somewhat balanced.”
    • “The developers relied on nostalgia to sell the game, rather than focusing on the mechanics or any other aspects of gameplay.”
  • grinding3 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious and uninspired, as it requires collecting bakugan through repetitive tasks rather than purchasing them, leading to a limited and unengaging experience. The gameplay is criticized for being clunky and lacking depth, with minimal incentive to diversify teams and a short overall playtime of about 22 hours. Additionally, the lack of detailed information on bakugan abilities and poor dialogue further detracts from the enjoyment of grinding in the game.

    • “Very lazy. This game appears to just do the bare minimum to get by. The player must find all of their Bakugan instead of buying them through shops, which is tedious and not suitable as the main source of acquiring Bakugan. The gameplay is clunky at best, with most missions involving running around to find people and tell them to go home. The map does not provide enough information to accomplish certain missions, and the graphics do not help in identifying tasks or items. After completing all side quests and the main story, the gameplay lasts only about 22 hours, which is disappointing for a modern Switch game.”
    • “Tediously dull and simplistic combat, a deceitfully small roster of Bakugan to collect, abilities and attacks feel largely pointless with very little in the way of tactics. The world is completely devoid of life, and side missions and dialogue are dire.”
    • “There is no incentive to change up your Bakugan team from the original three that you acquire early in the game.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    The monetization aspect of the game has received negative feedback, with users expressing disappointment in its advertising, which they feel has consistently failed to generate interest and has even declined in appeal over time.

  • music1 mentions

    Fans of the Bakugan franchise are excited about the return of the series' first video game in nearly a decade, with many expressing that the music enhances their nostalgic experience.

    • “If you’re a Bakugan fan, the first video game from the franchise in almost 10 years is likely music to your ears.”
    • “The music is repetitive and lacks variety, making it hard to stay engaged.”
    • “I found the soundtrack to be uninspired and forgettable, which really detracted from the overall experience.”
    • “The audio quality of the music is subpar, and it feels like it was an afterthought in the game's development.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

51% average critic score

Play time

4hMedian play time
4hAverage play time
4-4hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 1 analyzed playthroughs

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