Fresh off the heels of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, you may want to become an adventurer, crack a whip, or throw rubber chickens at oversized insects. Sure, you could renew your passport and risk malaria, but why not play Tad The Lost Explorer – Craziest and Madness Edition on the Switch?
Malaria is not something I want, but neither is this movie tie-in from Single System and Selecta Play. No, it’s not comparable to the deadly tropical cocktail, but it’s about as fun. Harsh, but that’s my honest opinion. I’ve played similar titles, such as Captain Sabertooth and the Magic Diamond (also on the Switch), and while I’m not the target audience, it was a lot more playable.
The problem is how ambitious Tad The Lost Explorer – Craziest and Madness Edition is, as if the developers wanted to cram lots of content into the experience but at the sacrifice of gameplay. The biggest offender: platforming – the core part of the game. Tad jumps as if he has a jetpack attached but almost floats, with imprecise aftertouch. A key mechanic in a platformer, no?
Tad The Lost Explorer – Craziest and Madness Edition Review (Switch)
My motivation for covering this game was variety, but more importantly, something for my children to experience. While my youngest was down the pub, setting fire to benches or whatever reckless activities a six-year-old does without their folks monitoring, I played through, ensuring I had enough to mention in this review.
First impressions were good. Tad The Lost Explorer – Craziest and Madness Edition mixes comic book storytelling with platforming, typically from a sidescrolling perspective. As the titular underdog, you’re sent to investigate a site, only to balls everything up and eventually be given a P45, leaving poor Tad to head out on a self-funded adventure with his girlfriend and dog, who looks a little like Bolt – that Disney animation.
Many characters narrate the story – through comic book panels and in-game dialogue, which often interrupts the flow of play. It’s not voice acted. Instead, there’s a blend of hums and “ohs”, making it globally accessible. I believe the character’s origins are Spanish, though the action takes place worldwide.
Not An Animated Movie
The problem with tie-ins from the past is that they had too many ‘ideas’ and were never true to the source material. I have no comparison as unfamiliar with the film, but the gameplay is more interactive than most, and the concept is there, it’s just the execution.
Initially, Tad collects a series of paintbrushes, hidden treasures, and rubber chickens to throw at enemies. These feature auto-targeting and are ideal for younger players, but the speed at which Tad rolls and the inconsistency from jumping spoils the experience, at least for me.
My daughter walked in on me (fortunately, I was wearing clothes and playing Tad The Lost Explorer – Craziest and Madness Edition) and said it looked fun. My wife noticed my frustration with having to repeat areas as there isn’t a health bar, and due to the jumping, I had to keep repeating an area, or carry a torch to light up a new path, only to cock up and be touched up by a piranha.
“You don’t like this, do you?” she asked.
“No. I’m afraid not”.
“Well, I like it”, says my daughter, and in context, this is who this is for.
Verdict
I persevered but didn’t enjoy Tad The Lost Explorer – Craziest and Madness Edition. On the other hand, my daughter thought it was funny and wasn’t phased that she couldn’t complete the first area. Again, I have to reiterate who this game is for. I can’t recommend it as the platforming irritated me, but if you want something for the kids, perhaps show them the trailer?
