Starlit Adventures Golden Stars

If you’re looking for a fun, simple platform game with a cutesy aesthetic, Starlit Adventures Golden Stars should be on your radar. It offers an experience much like its mobile predecessor does without any of the annoying microtransactions.

GAMEPLAY

Starlit Adventures Golden Stars is a port of a previously mobile game, and it feels like a pretty good one. It is no longer free-to-play, but this also means that there are no more pesky microtransactions to worry about.

The mechanics in this game are pretty simple, following the same pattern that many platformers do. You play through different stages and worlds and have a three-star rating goal for each level. These three stars are located throughout the stage and must be found to count toward your score. There are little enemies you must crush or shoot at to destroy, and different currencies scattered throughout to collect (in the form of gemstones, etc.).

You unlock new special outfits and abilities as you complete different stages. These will make combat a little easier, and are a cute addition overall to look forward to.

The progression system is pretty basic and follows the typical platform mobile game one– complete a stage and try to collect every star within that stage, unlock the next stage and a new ability, and repeat. There is a little boss battle at the end of each world; these each have unique mechanics. The deaths in this game did feel a bit harsh as you will restart after one hit. While this worked okay on the mobile version where one could pay to continue, a better health point system would have fit more nicely into the console port.

GRAPHICS/SOUNDTRACK

The art style of Starlit Adventures is absolutely adorable, and there is not much to criticize as it remains consistent and cute. The way that the game appears on the Switch port itself, however, could use some improvement. It still comes across very much as a mobile-looking game, with the platform part you play in only taking up the center of the screen. The sides are filled in with your score on such being located on the right side.

As for the soundtrack, it is also very “mobile.” While it fits with the cute gameplay, it feels overly simple in a way and like every other soundtrack you hear while playing similar mobile apps.

STORY

The story is not super obvious or very present within the gameplay, but this is to be expected with such platform, arcade-type games. You play as Kikki (a cute creature known as a “Starlit)” and his rider Bo, an adorable duo hoping to return all the stars to the sky. Nuru, an evil being has stolen them and hidden them around the world for you to find.

While it is meant to feel like an epic adventure, I did find myself wishing there was more focus on story between the stages. However, for a simple arcade adventure game, this cannot be criticized too much.

CONCLUSION

Overall, I would recommend Starlit Adventures Golden Stars on the Switch as simple yet fun platform game. However, I would not recommend anyone buy it at its full price, as there is simply not enough content or variation to justify it. Wait for this game to go on sale and grab it for some cute arcade-style fun.

Thank you to Rockhead Games for this review code. Grab a digital copy here and check out some of our other Switch reviews.