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You know what’s weird? The Nintendo Switch 2 has been chilling with us for like two months, right? It’s already got a pile of games stacking up. As someone who juggles multiple gaming platforms, I can’t help but see it as my go-to for those sweet Nintendo-exclusive titles. Still, I’m kinda using its shiny newness as an excuse to play ports I never got around to back in the day. Enter: Wild Hearts S — the Switch 2 spin on Koei Tecmo’s 2023 monster-chomping adventure.
So, where was I? Oh yeah, Wild Hearts S kinda shows off what the Switch 2 can handle when it comes to third-party ports. This thing’s ready to roll with games that the first Switch couldn’t even dream of running, like Cyberpunk 2077, which is a pretty rad launch title if you ask me. Sure, sure, it doesn’t strut its stuff graphically like on a PS5, PC, or Xbox Series X—but come on, we’re talking hardware that’s a notch above a PS4 and Xbox One here. Textures might be missing that extra sparkle, and yeah, the frame rate might trip up when things get wild. But if you care more about what’s under the hood than the shiny wrapper, there’s a lot to dig into.
Anyway—where was my brain heading? Right, as in the OG game, Wild Hearts S drops you into the world as your custom hero, off on epic hunts to track down what’s known as kemono. Those small kemono critters? Not much hassle. The thrill really kicks in with the big boys—the huge, nature-infused beasts that take regular animals and turn them into leafy, vine-covered nightmares. Imagine meeting a rabbit or boar, but they’re dressed up with nature’s wild accessories.
These kemono? They can be oddly mesmerizing and totally terrifying. I mean, some just peace out and let you admire them like, “Hey, is that a turtle with coral sprouting from its shell?” Sorry, turtle—I didn’t mean to squish you! But others, like the boar boss, don’t have time for your admiration when they’re out to make kebabs out of you. And honestly? You kinda deserve it ’cause you’re on their turf, hunting them down.
The meat of the game—no pun intended—revolves around these grand kemono hunts. You wander around these maps, scope out your massive target, and build these cool towers to hunt ’em down. Then there’s this whole karakuri thing—magic wooden constructs that are crucial in battles. Trust me, the more you hunt, the cooler these things get. Like, early on you figure out how to whip up a wall from six crates to stop a boar’s charge. Or combine three springs to make this wild hammer thing, or pop together three gliders to conjure up healing mist. It’s nuts, in a great way.
When you finally face those kemono? It’s pure adrenaline. These brawls are epic and really make you feel like a beast-slayer. What’s cool is how the game subtly hints that time’s passing during these lengthy showdowns—day turning to dusk and then to a sky loaded with stars. Your 20 minutes tangling with a Kingtusk feels like ages in game-world time.
Oh, and there was this one time I clashed with the Lavaback for the first time. There’s something so alive about watching enemies duke it out amongst themselves. It’s like, “Whoa, this world’s not just about me!” Especially when a Lavaback swings a Spineglider around like it’s nothing. One second I’m barely surviving against that Spineglider, the next it’s being tossed around. Wild.
So, not gonna lie, Wild Hearts S does struggle with some janky camera angles, especially when you’re up close with these monster-sized kemono. I’m no Monster Hunter vet, but it sort of feels like those FromSoftware games where your view magically clips through the enemy. Or when near cliffs—ugh, goodbye visibility—and hello, ground. But for all the awkward camera work, it’s a blast on the Nintendo Switch 2. If you’re all about handheld gaming, it’s not really about making you go “wow” with jaw-dropping graphics. It’s about the thrill of the chase and the chaos of the hunt. And yeah, I can’t wait to take these monster hunts on the road.
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