Arcade Archives Libble Rabble

Genre: Arcade

Players: 1-2 Alternating (Local), Online Leaderboards

.

Review:

Libble Rabble is an Arcade-style game released in 1983 in arcades. This modern release sees the game coming to PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch in 2021.

The premise of this game has players controlling two arrow-shaped cursors with the two analog sticks (or a D-Pad / face buttons, if you prefer) and using a rope stretching between them to surround bonuses and enemies, entrapping them in a full loop. It’s fairly unique gameplay that mostly works well here, though the main issue with this game is that multitasking and coordinating the two cursors is not easy. This game does have a two-player mode, but that only alternates between two players. Instead, what some players may opt to do is to split the controller, giving two players one Joy-Con apiece to work in co-op.

This release of the game includes a new “Hi-Score Mode” that challenges players to score as much as they can in one run before seeing a game over screen. There is also a new “Caravan Mode” that does much the same, but with the limit being five minutes. In addition, this release of the game includes various display options, sound options, challenge modifiers, button mapping, and online leaderboards.

Overall, I think Libble Rabble is a bit niche, but Nintendo Switch owners have a unique opportunity to play this game in co-op using Joy-Cons, and I feel like that will cut down on this game’s main issue, the extreme coordination it requires from the player. If you’re curious to try that, this game may be worth a look. But in solo, trying to keep track of everything this game throws at you may be too big an ask.

tl;dr – Libble Rabble is an Arcade-style game where players control two cursors, using a rope stretching between them to surround enemies. It’s an interesting concept, but one that seems like it requires the player divide their attention too many ways… unless they split the Joy-Cons to share with a friend. If you do this, you may be looking at a unique co-op experience. Otherwise, I think you may be in for a frustrating single-player game.

Grade: C+

^{You can support eShopperReviews on Patreon! Please click HERE to become a Sponsor!}

^{This month’s sponsors are Jamie and His Cats, Ben, Ilya Zverev, Andy Miller, Johannes, Jaka, Jared Wark, Gabriel Coronad-Medina, Francis Obst, Kristoffer Wulff, and Seth Christenfeld. Thank you for helping to keep the reviews coming!}