During my work travels to, around and from Tunisia this month, I decided to put some dents in my Nintendo Switch backlog. I have accumulated quite a few games on this little console - usually bought for less than £3, when they were on sale - a lot of them being bite-size experiences. I decided to solely focus on a few of these titles, due to my time constraints & this approach suited my needs perfectly.

One of the titles that I actually completed during my flight to Tunis was Whipseey and the Lost Atlas. It is a charming 2D platformer developed by Daniel A. Ramirez and published by Blowfish Studios, it features a retro aesthetic, accessible although somewhat challenging gameplay, and a simple whip mechanic. The story begins when a boy named Alex is mysteriously transformed into a pink creature called Whipseey and transported to a strange world by a magical book/locket. You can expect a classic platformer gameplay from this title, with the player running, jumping, and whipping enemies to progress through the levels.

It requires surprising amount of precision in certain moments, especially when trying to grap a loop with the whip, to be able to swing over the gaps and I have died quite a bit at the beginning, but once you're used to the mechanic and to how it feels, it's pretty much a walk in the park - at least for veteran platformer gamers. I adored Whipseey's bright and colorful art style, its environments and enemies that are inspired by classic platformers from the 8-bit and 16-bit eras. The game's soundtrack is composed of catchy, upbeat chiptune music that complements the game's retro aesthetic. The level on a moving toy train was a favourite of mine.

Whipseey was developed by Daniel A. Ramirez, who was inspired by classic platformers such as Kirby and Super Mario Bros., which is very evident in every frame. Interestingly, Ramirez began developing the game as a solo project, designing the levels and mechanics himself and you can feel that the game was a passion project for its creator. The end result is fairly polished.

Even though it is an incredibly short game, with a total of five levels (each with its own unique theme) I still enjoyed it. While not challenging enough for veterans of the genre, it can act as a great entry point to newcomers. I wouldn't recommend getting it at a full price though, because value to playtime ratio is quite low. But on a decent sale, it would be a crime to let it go, even if fun only lasts a mere couple of hours.