Save me Mr Tako: Tasukete Tako-San
- October 30, 2018
- Nicalis, Inc.
Save Me Mr. Tako is a decent 2D platformer with some great presentation and a loving throwback to the 2D platformers of the 90s, but unfortunately feels a bit too frustrating to enjoy for long periods of time.
Get on Steam"Save Me Mr Tako: Tasukete Tako-San" is a nostalgic throwback to the Game Boy era, where you play as a helpful octopus trying to end a war between octopi and humans. Use your ink ability to turn enemies into platforms, solve puzzles, and explore dungeons across six different worlds. Discover 50 unique hats for Mr Tako to wear, each with its own special power, as you promote a message of tolerance and unity.
Nintendo Switch
PC
Reviews
- The pixel art and music are charming, evoking a nostalgic Game Boy feel.
- The game features a variety of side quests and hat collecting, providing ample content for players.
- The story is engaging and sets up memorable locations and character motivations.
- The platforming is overly simplistic and lacks challenge, leading to a tedious experience.
- The game suffers from frustrating camera issues and bugs that can disrupt gameplay.
- Character dialogue lacks clarity, making it difficult to follow conversations and understand character motivations.
- story8 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The game's story is engaging and serves as a solid backdrop for the platforming gameplay, featuring a conflict between various factions and a main character, Mr. Tako, on a mission to save kids. While the narrative isn't groundbreaking, it effectively supports the gameplay and includes collectible hats, diverse characters, and side quests that enhance the experience. Overall, players find the story enjoyable and nostalgic, making it a worthwhile aspect of the game.
“The game is just as heavily focused on story as it is on platforming.”
“The story so far is pretty engaging; I will update this review once I'm done with it.”
“The story isn't amazing or anything, but it serves as a good reason for the main character Mr. Tako to run around saving kids, so that's about it for that.”
“I was interested in the story at first when it was about the octopus faction, three human factions, and the people who didn't fit ideologically with their country.”
“When I finish the main story, I'll edit this review to add whether I'd recommend it or not, so take from this what you will.”
- music6 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally praised for its quality, complementing the visuals and enhancing the overall experience. While some players find it enjoyable and reminiscent of classic titles, others feel it lacks the engagement needed to keep them invested throughout the gameplay. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a strong aspect, contributing positively to the game's nostalgic vibe.
“To the game's credit, the pixel art is gorgeous, being able to swap color palettes is very nice, the music is great, there's lots of enemy variety and many forms of platforming, and there's a ton of sidequest content and hat collecting that I barely scratched the surface of.”
“Great game, excellent music.”
“The music and art have a fun Game Boy Color feel that reminds me of classic Zelda games.”
- graphics4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The graphics are characterized by a nostalgic Game Boy aesthetic, which some players appreciate for its charm, while others find it limiting and underwhelming. The visuals and music are praised, but the overall presentation may not captivate all players, leading to a mixed reception.
“The visuals and music are great, and the palette choice is a nice touch.”
“It uses Game Boy graphics and has sound effects like it too.”
“The art style is limited due to the Game Boy aesthetic, meaning you shouldn't buy it and expect to be blown away by what you see.”
- gameplay4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by a simple yet engaging mechanic that combines elements from Kirby games and Super Metroid, where players immobilize enemies to use them as platforms for navigating levels, uncovering secrets, and avoiding damage.
“The gameplay is simple; it's what I can only describe as a cross between any Kirby game and the ice beam from Super Metroid.”
“By this, I mean to say that your main gameplay mechanic is the use of enemies as platforms to reach secrets and avoid taking damage.”
“Gameplay-wise, it's kind of like Kirby, but instead of absorbing enemies, you immobilize them and use them as platforms.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious due to weak puzzles, easy platforming, a lack of enemies, and cumbersome movement between stages, leading to a frustrating experience.
“Puzzles are weak, the platforming is very easy, there's a distinct lack of enemies, and it's tedious to move between stages and backtrack.”
“The grinding feels endless and repetitive, making it hard to stay engaged with the game.”
“I find myself doing the same tasks over and over again just to progress, which makes the experience feel more like a chore than fun.”
Critic Reviews
A little too grilled for my tastes --- Save me Mr. Tako: Tasukete Tako-San review
Save Me Mr. Tako is a decent 2D platformer with some great presentation and a loving throwback to the 2D platformers of the 90s, but unfortunately feels a bit too frustrating to enjoy for long periods of time.
60%Save Me Mr Tako Review – Sort of Worth Saving
Pros: Charming visuals Good controls Excellent Story Cons: Extremely unfair Marred by bad design choices Terrible Signposting
60%Save Me Mr Tako: Tasukete Tako-San Review
Save Me Mr. Tako is a lovingly crafted throwback to the days of the Game Boy. While we found some rough spots with the lack of side quest tracking and ropey collision detection, they weren't enough to take away from our overall enjoyment of the game. Tako is a lovable character in a quality platformer that would have been right at home on the system it pays homage to. If you love the Game Boy - flaws and all - then you'll absolutely adore this game.
80%
