Trollhunters: Defenders of Arcadia Review for Nintendo Switch

Slash through evil foes, traverse magically imbued platforms, and collect items to become stronger in the fantasy world of DreamWorks hit series, Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia, created by Guillermo Del Toro. Developed by Wayforward, Tollhunters: Defenders of Arcadia is a cut-and-dried action platformer that banks on the success of Del Toro’s series.

We assume the role of Trollhunter Jim Lake Jr. as he is flung one year into the past by Trickster Troll Porgon. Thankfully, Merlin the wizard imbedded magic into Jim and his friends’ phones, allowing them to talk to each other through different loops in time. Jim and his two best friends, Claire and Toby, must combine their strength to uncover the malicious Porgon’s dastardly plans and prevent the Time-pocalypse from happening.

The main objective is to fight and platform your way through each level while collecting socks and gnomes and money. The game is easy and obviously aimed at a younger audience. Jim (or Claire if you play co-op) can eventually gain a few different abilities to help you get past obstacles. Overall, the main gameplay revolves around mashing the hit button, jumping from platform to platform and using abilities to help you traverse your environment.

As a fan of side-scrolling action titles, Trollhunters started off very exciting for me because I was looking forward to seeing what magical or interesting items and combat abilities were in this fantasy game. Unfortunately, there is not much payoff in this game besides the occasional power-up.

Gnomes and socks are the main collectable items in the game. They are usually placed on a linear path along each level and are typically very easy to spot and grab. Collecting enough gnomes gives you a chance to play a minigame where you throw them like darts for a small lump of money. In the gnome minigame, each level can only be played once and cannot be replayed for fun. Even when collecting every single gnome and sock, there is no satisfying reward or acknowledgement of the player’s achievement.

Trollmarket serves as a hub for interacting with characters, playing minigames, and shopping. Sadly, most of the environments in the game were not as beautifully designed. Many areas outside of Trollmarket seem highly uninspired. The lighting in some levels were odd and made characters on screen appear as though they did not quite belong there. One major criticism is that when I was playing Trollhunters: Defenders of Arcadia on the Nintendo Switch, there were outrageously long load times every time you enter a different room or shop. I found myself trying to avoid completing quests and minigames to avoid the lengthy loading screens.

Although the game had a couple drawbacks, one of the best traits this game has to offer is that most of the main characters’ dialogue is voiced by the cast of the show and they grace us with some rich line deliveries, even if some of the writing is a little cliché. I also appreciated that there was some level of depth to upgrading your abilities and armor. 

Trollhunters: Defenders of Arcadia is a game based off a show designed for a younger audience in mind. However, that should not excuse the lack of quality and polish that this game could have had. This game will best be enjoyed by younger gamers, fans of the Trollhunters series, and casual gamers.

Check Out the Trollhunters: Defenders of Arcadia Trailer:

TrollHunters: Defenders of Arcadia is available for Xbox One, PC via Steam, Nintendo Switch, and PlayStation 4.

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