G.G Series: Nyokki

Genre: Arcade

Players: 1

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Review:

Nyokki is an Arcade-style game released on the Nintendo DSi via the DSiWare service in 2015, as well as being made available on the Nintendo 3DS eShop. This game has players taking the role of a small snake-like creature trying to snatch up all of the food in each level without hitting the walls. If that sounds a lot like the classic game Snake, yeah, it’s a lot like that.

Having said that, this game does play somewhat differently. Your tail does not grow in this game, and it is not a hazard to you. In addition, there are now moving elements in some stages, as well as enemies that can potentially hurt you. However, probably your biggest enemy in the game will be your own turning radius, which will make it difficult to navigate around the single-screen mazes in the game.

Players turn their creature using the L and R buttons, and can also speed up using B. However, there’s no way to control your own turning speed or turning radius, meaning that players will have to judge whether they’ll be capable of making turns before trying to take them. Personally, I felt like this resulted in the primary challenge in this game being its own poor controls, which is not something that I find particularly compelling.

This is all packaged in a minimalist presentation using simple 2D visuals against a black background, backed by annoying and extremely repetitive music. Yeah, nothing here is particularly appealing to me.

In the end, I can’t help but feel like Nyokki takes an old videogame formula and makes changes to it that actually make it worse. Even for its low $2 price tag, I don’t think this is a game I can recommend.

tl;dr – Nyokki is an Arcade-style game that plays like the classic game Snake, except your snake-like creature doesn’t grow as it navigates mazes and eats food, and the real challenge here is your own poor turning radius. Even at $2, this is a difficult game to see anyone finding worthwhile. Honestly, I’d much rather just play Snake.

Grade: D

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