Game: Rabisco+
Genre: Adventure, Arcade, Puzzle
System: Nintendo Switch (also on Steam & Xbox One)
Developers | Publishers: Ratalaika Games| Green Dinosaur Games
Age Rating: US E | EU 3+
Price: US $4.99 | UK £4.99 | EU € 4,99
Release Date: May 14, 2021
Review code used, with many thanks to Ratalaika Games
Rabisco+ is a cute puzzle game from developers Green Dinosaur Games and published by Ratalaika Games.
Lost Stars
While watching a rather sad intro you discover something horrendous has happened, the Moon has lost all her bright sparkling stars. The sky is dark empty and the Moon is lonely. This is where you come in as you help Mrs Rabisco find and collect the lost stars and bring back the light.
100 Levels
As with most puzzles games, Rabisco+ starts out pretty easy but cranks up the challenge as you move through the 100 levels. The first 10 levels or so are really an introduction but by level 20 the challenge is on. The game has a top-down view, you have to gather stars in each level before reaching the end by finding the moon. There are check-points in each level so if you do accidentally squash or impale Mrs Rabisco against some spikes, you start again from the last check-point.
As you play through the levels new mechanics are introduced. There are the usual spikes and things similar to thwomps that move back and forth, intent on squashing poor Mrs Rabisco if your timing is off. You’ll also need to avoid laser beams, lava and spinning rings of fire to name but a few. I like the way the different traps are introduced to the player, you have always got something new to avoid. It keeps you on your toes, and the gameplay fresh.
Dash Along
In later levels, the game throws in a purple safe zone that moves on the set path. It makes Mrs Rabisco invincible as long as you stay in the purple zone. Some levels play almost entirely in the dark, but when you turn on the light bulb, you can see the path ahead for just a moment.
Mrs Rabisco can dash with the press of the B button. Her dash has a cooldown period after you use it, meaning you need to pick when and where to use the dash button. By trying not to get caught out and pressing the dash button when it is on cooldown, something I could do with learning not to do.
Once you finish the 100 levels you have the option of playing the game again as a speedrun. This not only puts a clock on the screen but also creates a ghost of the previous run. There are collectables, gems and paint pots that can be obtained in the shape of a star to collect. Paint pots can be used to give Mrs Rabisco a new lick of paint or in other words, it changes the colour of her skin.
Simple Graphics
Simplistic graphics, which look like they have been drawn with coloured pens and lined A4 paper gives the impression it could have been drawn by a child. Of course, it hides a pretty challenging puzzle game underneath the simple visuals. Music and sound effects are fine and what you would expect to find in a puzzle game. Rabisco+ controls using the joy-cons and they performed as they should.
Conclusion
Rabisco+ is quite a cute little puzzle game, with two to three hours of gameplay. Its level of difficulty would really be down to how good your timing is as most of the obstacles are timed. For the few pounds, it costs in the eShop it would pass a few hours. Though there are better puzzle games out there for the same price!
Final Verdict: I Like It 