So many years and games in, it can be a challenge to avoid getting too jaded when I encounter titles that have a long line of competitors already in the space. Budget platformers are absolutely one such category, as the Switch has had a surprising number of them over its lifespan, and being honest most of them have unfortunately been mediocre. That has led to me feeling a slight sense of dread every time I load one up, but it’s then refreshing when games like Squab at least make a strong case for themselves.

While it isn’t much of a looker, and perhaps the first few levels don’t make an amazing impression, once you’re warmed up and used to its style of controls and their limitations, it absolutely starts to groove. Make no mistake, this is a challenging platformer with a focus on precision, and with some regularity it will introduce both new traps and demands for improved techniques on your part. That can make specific stages feel unforgiving at times, but levels at peak toughness will typically be followed by simpler ones that introduce yet another new element to the mix, allowing you to once again ramp up the difficulty step by step.

In the end, there’s no specific aspect of play that’s a sure-fire sell for the average gamer here, but if you’ve only got a few bucks and wouldn’t mind a pretty well-crafted challenge, it will absolutely deliver. Considering that there are many peers out there that can’t say the same, there’s nothing wrong with a mix of humble presentation, pretty well-tuned controls, and plenty of ways to demand that players keep raising their personal bar higher. It isn’t going to win any awards, but it absolutely gets the critical jobs done.