Ayo the Clown

Despite the lack of any real challenge, Ayo the Clown is nevertheless a nice alternative to the usual go-to platformers on Switch. It’s got a wonderful, uplifting soundtrack, with several tunes you’ll be humming long after completing the game. Granted, if you’re a Coulrophobic and the mere thought of playing a game featuring a clown causes you to break out in a cold sweat, then you might want to steer clear. For everyone else, though, this is well worth picking up if you’re a fan of breezy, easygoing platformers.

Ayo The Clown impressed me much more than I thought was possible. The game is mechanically solid and provides a stimulating challenge for gamers of all ages.

Ayo the Clown is a decent budget platformer with cute graphics and too high of a price tag.

Ayo the Clown is a great 2.5D platformer that should appeal to players regardless of their age. I loved the visual style of it and the level design offers up a ton of room for exploration that you normally wouldn’t see in this type of game. It doesn’t pull off every idea that it tries but despite those few issues it is a wonderful time.

I would absolutely recommend Ayo the Clown. I went in expecting little more than a functioning platformer, but Cloud M1 has put together a beautiful world, a cute cast of characters and a cracking soundtrack all topped off with some fun gameplay. This is the type of platformer that we don’t see enough of on PlayStation or Xbox and it is certainly a welcome addition!

Ultimately, despite my gripes, Ayo the Clown is a 2D platformer that I think does enough right to warrant checking out. With clever progression, tricky (albeit frustrating at times) level design and a delightful world with well-thought-out boss fights, there’s plenty to like for genre enthusiasts who can overlook the areas where Ayo the Clown stumbles. What developers Cloud M1 have created is a really solid foundation that could pave the way for a truly great sequel with a few lessons learned from Ayo’s first outing.

Simple and straightforward, as expected from games aimed at young audiences, Ayo features an attractive environment and competent level design. Unfortunately the experience turns out to be far less enjoyable, mostly due to a rather poor execution of the game's controls. It's fundamental for a platformer to have well implemented controls, but Ayo is far from successful at translating the player's inputs into acts and establishing a link between the player and lead character.

Ayo the Clown is visually adorable and full of so much charm that you can't help but love the little guy and the world that Cloud M1 has created. I am looking forward to what else they can create; I wonder if Ayo the Clown 2 could be on the horizon? With a little polishing of controls, character models and the town function, who knows what heights Ayo could float to.

If you are looking for a clown-inspired RPG you will need to go to a different circus.

Ayo the Clown is an action-platformer that follows Ayo on his quest to retrieve his lost dog. It clearly takes inspiration from Super Mario Bros., Yoshi, and Little Big Planet. With such iconic franchises cited as inspiration, these developers have big shoes to fill. Luckily, Ayo is a clown, and he is accustomed to wearing big shoes. Is Ayo the Clown a standout entrant in the Nintendo Switch catalogue? Or will it be soon forgotten? Find out in this Rapid Review.