Given the fact that the Switch eShop is chock full of arcade shooters of all sorts, from classic to contemporary, it takes a little effort to be sure your new release stands out. While Platypus Reclayed may be inspired by an existing game from a few decades ago, it’s thankfully a very thorough redux, honoring the original look and play, but reworked from the ground up to maximize its looks and performance. 

The result is absolutely a visual treat without a doubt, featuring a more colorful look than genre fans are likely used to, and a very well-realized claymation look that makes it stand out in the space. In terms of overall mechanics, while it does have some weapons that pack a punch and have a distinctive look, this should be pretty familiar territory for anyone who has played an arcade shooter over the years. You’ll be dealing with waves of enemies, incoming fire that you’ll need to carefully dodge, and power-ups that you’ll absolutely need in order to survive some tricky situations and tough bosses. While your ship can feel a little on the chunky side when trying to maneuver through a barrage of bullets, your movement speed at least doesn’t feel terribly slow, so in general you can compensate for that issue with some time.

Aside from its distinctive aesthetics, the game also does a fine job of trying to make its level of challenge scalable and to allow you to enjoy it in a variety of ways. Whether that involves the option to play the game co-op with a friend, scale the difficulty up or down to better suit your skill level, or simply having a preference between the game’s few ships, this offers some accessibility options that are appreciated as well. While its play isn’t a revolution by any means, it’s still a good time and has a memorable look that helps give it a feel that’s all its own.