Save Me Mr Tako: Definitive Edition

Genre: Platformer

Players: 1

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Review:

Save Me Mr Tako is a Platformer originally released on PC and Nintendo Switch in 2018 bearing the subtitle “Tasukete Tako-San” (which roughly translates to “Help Me, Mr. Tako”). This version of the game was removed from the Nintendo Switch eShop in 2020, but in 2021 it returned as a Definitive Edition (with this version also releasing on PC in 2021), featuring new difficulty modes, balance adjustments, some additional aesthetic features, and a sound test mode.

This game puts players in the role of the titular character, Tako, an octopus in a setting where octopi are at war with humans, with Tako being the one character willing to try to find a way to make peace between the two species. The game’s story and cute characters are one of the more noteworthy things about this game.

However, probably the most noteworthy element of this game is its presentation, which uses 2D pixel art visuals with a limited color palette that is clearly designed to be reminiscent of games on the original Game Boy, with players even able to swap out the palette as if this game were being played on the Super Game Boy. This, combined with a similarly primitive chiptune soundtrack, do an excellent job appealing to the nostalgia that this game is clearly aiming for.

As for the gameplay itself, Save Me Mr Tako is decent, but doesn’t really seem especially extraordinary in any way. Players can jump, squirt ink that can stun but not kill enemies, and players will also gradually collect various hats that give him different abilities. The level design here mixes in some light puzzle elements, but mostly it’s pretty straightforward… and hard.

Thankfully, this is one of the changes that was made to the original release, with this version adding in the new Hearts mode that gives players a health bar instead of having to suffer through numerous one-hit deaths. For all but the most skilled players, I expect that this addition will be much-appreciated.

Overall, Save Me Mr Tako has some great retro-style charm, but I think that otherwise it doesn’t quite do enough to set itself apart from other Platformers. What’s here is decent (and needn’t be punishingly tough like the original version of the game), but outside of its presentation and characters, I don’t think there’s much going on here that’s truly memorable.

tl;dr – Save Me Mr Tako is a Platformer with a retro pixel art style reminiscent of the original Game Boy, where players take the role of an octopus trying to make peace between octopi and humans. Aside from the endearing presentation, this is a decent but unspectacular game, though at least in this release the challenge level is more reasonable.

Grade: C+

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