Killer Queen Black Switch review
Release date: October 11th, 2019
Developer: LiquidBit
Platforms: Switch (Reviewed)
Price: $20
Killer Queen is a great arcade game. The Switch port is just as much fun. This is one of those games which will take a long time to master. Find out why The Gamers Lounge cannot stop playing Killer Queen Black.
I first played Killer Queen at Portland Retro Gaming Expo back in 2014 and it was a blast. The game revolves around multiplayer and teamwork. Players try to win by one of three ways, they can kill the opposing team’s Queen, collect the most berries or see if their snail can make it through the gate. Either of these ways will guarantee a win at the end of the round.
The game features 4 vs 4, while the arcade was 5 vs 5. One player from each team is randomly assigned the Queen, who is fast and can do damage but her attack leaves her vulnerable. The rest of the team are Drones who cannot attack but serve to ride the snail or collect berries. If your Queen goes through a gate the Drones become Warriors. The Warriors can fly and have melee or ranged attacks depending on their type.
The game is very fast and competitive. Lone wolves may struggle, as I did on the Switch. i forgot how important it is to see what the rest of the team is doing. Momentum shifts back and forth quickly between the teams.
The game is great for some couch multiplayer between friends, just requires one joycon apiece. I was mostly interested in the online matches which were quick. If players are struggling play some of the tutorial or watch the spectate mode. Those are about the only other options for trying to play a single player mode. The AI is competent, if a team isn't full the AI will step in and play and they can hold their own.
The game is fun and reminded me of Towerfall on Ouya or PS4. Killer Queen is playable in handheld mode or on a Switch Lite, but the game is much easier to play on a big display with the Switch docked. The visual can dip a little here and there for the pixel style still looks good. The music is great. There is a rumor that players might see crossplay in the future which could be fun.
Should you buy it? Have you played the arcade version? Its been on sale for $20 recently and I say go head and pick it up. Its an interesting add to the Switch’s collection of multiplayer games and its one people will be playing for a while.
Thanks to the developer for letting us review it.
Final Score 4/5
Pros:
Fun multiplayer
Different ways to win
Fast matches
Cons:
Not much single player
Needs more maps