Gimmick! 2 Review – More Than it Looks

Gimmick! 2 on PC

One of the genres most associated with the earlier days of gaming is that of the platformer. If you had the original Famicom/Nintendo Entertainment System, Super Mario Bros. would have been a clear go-to.

However, there was still room for other similar games to take their shot, and the original Gimmick! was one of them. Now, 33 long years later, Gimmick! 2 is here, and it largely delivers a challenging, enjoyable time that is a time capsule of a bygone era.

Developed by Bitwave Games and published by Clear River Games, the sequel takes much of everything in the first game and builds on it. The visuals have gotten an upgrade, so has the music, but one consistent element is that you would be in for a rude awakening if you think the adorable aesthetics means that the game would be easy.

On the contrary, taking control of the green little yokai Yumetaro in the original Gimmick! mode will likely frustrate modern gamers who are used to the comforts of a more user-friendly gameplay design. Jumps need to be precise, movement must be deliberate, and your margin for error is almost non-existent. Needless to say, it is not something made for everyone.

Yet, that sense of satisfaction from making it through any given level, and even more so when vanquishing a boss, is hard to replicate. After all, you are not meant to breeze through video games at the first time of asking; it’s just that Gimmick! 2 has a very tough way of teaching you the need to elevate your game.

That same kind of learning journey also applies to mastering Yumetaro’s attack. The yokai can summon a star that acts as a projectile, but it is not your typical attack. There is a spawn time to consider and physics to account for whether you are trying to attack or solve one of the puzzles in the game.

What that means is probably plenty of trial and error, but the way the game continually incentivises you to keep trying and eventually get the hang of things through new unlocks lessens the pain. Level design is also generally interesting, throwing different setups and challenges in the way of the player. Whether that is ultimately worth it is up to your capacity for platforming punishment, and the inclusion of generous enough checkpoints helps soothe things over as much as possible.

It helps that the vibrant colours and the hero keep things relatively playful from a visual standpoint, and the soundtrack is certainly one that will live long in the memory, such is its loveliness for the ears or more likely, the constant repetition of a particular sequence. Just looking at Yumetaro will bring a smile to your face, and in the gauntlet that is Gimmick! 2, every bit of help is appreciated.

Gimmick! 2 is a short experience with only six levels, but that won’t feel like the case if you are not willing to buy into its design choices. The assisted mode should help more casual players get into it, but at its heart, this is a platforming trial that may look simple but has much more to offer.

Gimmick! 2 is now available on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch.