Fox n Forests

It is a shame the game doesn't end on a better note, but I definitely had a good time with Fox n Forests. It may not be the second coming of retro platformers, but it certainly feels like a lost gem.

Fox n Forests can't be faulted for its fantastically accurate portrayal of 16-bit platforming; very few indie games have managed to nail the look and sound of the SNES so well. Its season-changing gimmick also makes for some inventive moments. Where it lets itself down is in its fiddly controls and its short length, which combine to make a game that's merely good when it could have been great.

Fox n Forests is a great game, but does wind up being slotted a bit below something like Shovel Knight. The core platforming and action-oriented combat work well, as does the seasonal shifting mechanic.

Rick May stumble out of the gate early on, but these attributes give Fox N Forests an identity of its own, allowing Bonus Level’s debut to stand toe-to-toe with its nostalgic contemporaries.

Another love letter to 16-bit era is enjoyable thanks to the changing of seasons, but that's all.

FOX n FORESTS brings a classic 16-bit platformer environment to the Nintendo Switch with a very good audiovisual environment and an interesting gameplay mechanic when it comes to changing weather seasons. The experience ends up getting harmed by controls that feel too heavy at times and the repetitiveness that is imposed on the player to finish the level goes too far, making this a too short adventure for its own good.

Fox n Forests isn't for everyone – it feels more like a game development experiment that resulted in a nice bite-size nostalgia trip and was released just for fun.

Fox N Forests isn't going to be an instant classic. The constant need for backtracking for little level deviation can sometimes turn the game into a slog, the restricted move set can be bewildering, and the finicky controls can be infuriating. The game nails the look and feel of an old 16-bit game quite well, while the platforming is solid and the boss fights are enjoyable. It's fun enough that retro fans should give it a chance.

The somewhat restrictive nature of the controls of FOX n FORESTS, coupled with the lengthy stages where death means sitting multiple times through the same section, keep it from being the glowing homage to the 16-bit era and the SNES, in particular, that its fantastic soundtrack and awesome graphical design would have otherwise allowed it to be. Nevertheless, what is on offer here is still well worth checking out, if only for one heck of a nostalgia trip to the first half of the 1990s.

FOX n FORESTS is a game with a few really great things going for it - including its charming story and mostly clever level design that puts its clever season-changing mechanic to good use. Unfortunately, a few aggressive flaws quickly sap the fun out of the entire experience, including forced backtracking; annoying one-hit-kill autoscrollers out of nowhere; and its overall short playtime. It's difficult to recommend the game overall, but it might be worth it for hardcore retro platformer fans.