Originally released on Steam a few years ago, Taimumari is now available on the Switch eShop. Fitted with the “Complete Edition” at the end of the official title, this Mega Man style platformer includes all the extras of the original.
Even though it has a difficult to pronounce name, Taimumari follows the Mega Man formula. Playing as a chosen hero, the player will platform through a handful of stages that can be completed in any order. Upon defeating the boss of each stage, a new power is gained. Unlike Mega Man, stats can be upgraded when traveling back to the hub world after collecting currency in each stage. Then, certain abilities are mapped to the trigger and shoulder buttons such as holding a huge shield or manipulating time. The magic meter refills over time so experimenting with all the abilities is welcomed. Unfortunately, even though the player has all these cool abilities, the stage design rarely calls for them. For example, other than slowing time to make jumping easier between falling spikes, there really isn’t a need to mess with the time adjustment feature.
There are also multiple collectables in each stage and even a secret or two. At the conclusion of each stage, the player is scored according to performance so if you want a higher mark, those collectables will need to be grabbed. The other magic abilities also make platforming and combat enjoyable. Each attack can also be warmed up for a super attack though it spends more magic. Instead of tapping the button to shoot a standard laser blast, the button can be held down to unleash a powerful and wider shot, for example. Like Mega Man, it is possible to play through each stage without using special abilities but it sort of diminishes the fun. The game also breaks a couple times and turns into a horizontal shooter.
The strangest design choice comes from the visual discrepancy between the in game sprites and the anime dialog characters. Gameplay looks like an early NES game by design, heavily pixelated and all. However, when characters converse, they are depicted as these beautifully detailed anime pieces of art that are jarringly different. Both are good and provide personality but they don’t mix well since they are night and day different. Also, the main hub world is much too big and filled with nothingness, don’t expect to max out your stats or even come close to it in a single play through, but the three difficulty settings makes this an enjoyable experience for everyone. The added DLC is also included so there are extra stages available along with a button mashing mini game that isn’t really that fun. The story is also ridiculous and poorly translated but this doesn’t really matter as it doesn’t affect the overall fun factor.
With stages that are much vaster than the close corridors of any Mega Man game, Taimumari is a sleeper hit, entertaining platformer. The double jumps, wall clinging, and array of abilities make this an action platformer that shouldn’t be missed even though it isn’t perfect.
Better Than: lots of other indie clones
Also Try: Rosenkreuzstilette
Wait For It: Mega Man 12
By: Zachary Gasiorowski, Editor in Chief myGamer.com
Twitter: @ZackGaz