Penny-Punching Princess
- November 24, 2016
- Nippon Ichi Software
Penny-Punching Princess’ simplicity is its strongest factor, but its lack of polish in narrative, and the price make it hard to recommend to every Switch owner.
Penny-Punching Princess is an isometric brawler that takes place in a world ruled by capitalism, where cash is king. Fight or bribe your way to reclaiming your kingdom from the greedy Dragoloans.
Nintendo Switch
PlayStation
Playstation Vita
Reviews
- Unique bribing mechanic adds a fresh twist to the RPG formula.
- Well-written and humorous narrative with characterful retro-inspired art.
- Offers a decent amount of content and replayability with varied combat styles.
- Controls can be fiddly and combat difficulty varies significantly.
- Requires excessive grinding and repetition of earlier sections to progress.
- Some design choices lead to frustrating deaths and spikes in difficulty.
- grinding4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that grinding in the game can be a mixed experience; while some players find the required grinding to be manageable and not excessive, others feel it is frustratingly necessary, especially early on, leading to difficult gameplay and frequent deaths. Additionally, the lack of diverse challenges for earning upgrades contributes to the grindy nature of the experience.
“Fiddly controls, far too difficult too early on, frustrating deaths, way too much grinding needed.”
“It's a shame there weren't more stages like that – or similar challenges to unlock upgrade points instead of the enemy grind.”
“The save/load screen is very lacking and the gameplay feels somewhat grindy.”
- gameplay3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The gameplay is praised for its interesting premise and original bribe mechanic, which adds a unique layer of strategy and risk. Players appreciate the solid gameplay cycle, accessible combat, and the well-written, humorous narrative that enhances the overall experience. The abundance of content further enriches the gameplay, making it engaging and enjoyable.
“It was something different that pushed the bribe mechanic a little further and had me question whether I should risk spending money on bribing a healing monster to get some much-needed health back and risk not making the cut-off.”
“Solid gameplay cycle with fun new mechanics, well-written story, easily accessible combat.”
“Interesting premise, well-written and humorous, original bribe mechanic, lots of content.”
“The gameplay felt repetitive and lacked depth, making it hard to stay engaged.”
“I found the controls to be unresponsive at times, which led to frustrating moments during gameplay.”
“The pacing of the game was off, with long stretches of dull gameplay that made it hard to stay invested.”
- humor2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted by its well-written and original script, featuring a unique bribe mechanic and engaging voiceovers that enhance the comedic experience. Players appreciate the bright 16-bit graphics and the abundance of content, contributing to high replayability and overall enjoyment.
“The game features a hilarious script that keeps you laughing throughout.”
“With its interesting premise and well-written humor, the game offers a unique experience.”
“The bright 16-bit era graphics combined with great voiceovers add to the overall comedic charm.”
- story1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The story is well-written and effectively integrates with the solid gameplay cycle, featuring a fun new mechanic that enhances the overall experience. Additionally, the combat is easily accessible, making it enjoyable for a wide range of players.
“The story is well-written and engaging, making it easy to get lost in the world.”
“The narrative is captivating, with twists and turns that keep you on the edge of your seat.”
“The character development throughout the story adds depth and emotional weight to the gameplay.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviewers highlight the game's strong replayability, attributing it to its engaging 16-bit era graphics, humorous script, and excellent voiceovers, which encourage players to revisit the experience multiple times.
“The bright 16-bit era graphics, hilarious script, and great voiceovers contribute to loads of replayability.”
“Each playthrough offers new challenges and surprises, making it hard to put down.”
“The variety of choices and outcomes ensures that no two runs are ever the same.”
- graphics1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics are characterized by vibrant 16-bit era visuals that complement the game's humorous script and engaging voiceovers, contributing to a highly replayable experience.
“The bright 16-bit era graphics are a nostalgic treat, perfectly complementing the hilarious script and great voiceovers.”
“The vibrant colors and charming pixel art truly capture the essence of classic gaming while providing a modern twist.”
“The graphics are stunning, with detailed environments and smooth animations that enhance the overall gameplay experience.”
Critic Reviews
Penny-Punching Princess Review
Penny-Punching Princess Review
70%Penny-Punching Princess (Switch) Review
Penny-Punching Princess’ simplicity is its strongest factor, but its lack of polish in narrative, and the price make it hard to recommend to every Switch owner.
80%Penny-Punching Princess
To make matters worse, it becomes quite evident that time is of little importance to obtaining the higher ranks and so more time is spent just trying to lure group of enemies together for those big hits and massive combos by running in circles. Personally I think the ranking system would have been much more fun if it was based on how the player chained bribes and attacks together and kept it interesting by bribing different enemies and traps instead of simply using the cheapest, most effective ones again and again. The only way it’s really mixed up at all is with the occasional boss fight or special requirements stage. And whilst the boss fights are nothing more than difficult combat sections, the special requirement stage I recall could only be completed if the player ended the stage with ten thousand gold – not an easy ask. It was something different that pushed the bribe mechanic a little further and had me question whether I should risk spending money on bribing a healing monster to get some much needed health back and risk not making the cut-off. It’s a shame there weren’t more stages like that – or similar challenges to unlock upgrade points instead of the enemy bride-grinding.
60%
