Review: Storm Boy (Switch)

by Danny Bivens

Temper those expectations.

Before taking on the review for Storm Boy, I really had no idea what to expect. If you’re like me and aren’t in the know, Storm Boy on Switch is a release of the popular Australian children’s book (of the same name) by author Colin Thiele. It is a little difficult to tell what this game is from screens, but what you need to know is that Storm Boy is not a true game-ified version of the story. This is more or less an interactive version of the book with a few bells and whistles attached.

Visuals here are simple but the aesthetically pleasing. With the graphics being simplistic in nature, the game runs pretty smooth. Through the game you will be moving the main character, Storm Boy, either left or right and reading passages that appear on the screen. You’ll meet a variety of characters and delve deeper into the story.

There are a handful of optional mini-games that are spread throughout the story. Some of these, like the first one you encounter, requires players pick up shells that are buried in the sand. When playing in handheld mode, you have to uncover these by tapping on the touch screen. Most of the other mini-games almost have no point to them. They usually have players control the main character doing something without a goal in mind. There are a few exceptions, but sledding down a sand dune endlessly, feeding pelicans, taking a small boat out to sea and swimming are a few examples of some of the monotonous things you can do. These games might be fun for kids...for a few minutes. It also should be noted that while you CAN play the game in docked mode, you have more freedom with the control in handheld mode for some of the mini-games, particularly the shell searching mini-game. In handheld, you dig up shells when you touch them on the screen whereas in docked mode, you have to be right in front of them to dig with the push of the A button.

Know what you’re getting here. This isn’t really a game per se, but rather an interactive book. The boring mini-games really take away from what is a great book. It’s clearly aimed at kids, but it still delivers a powerful message about friendship. The “game” itself as a whole is pretty short, too, and can be easily completed in 30 minutes and much faster if you skip over the mini games. If you’re in the market for a good book on your Switch that has a few extras, go for it.

Final Score: 7.0 (as an interactive book)
Final Score: 4.0 (as a game)

[Review code provided by the publisher]