ARMS

 Switch
User Score
7.1

Mixed or average reviews- based on 843 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 550 out of 843
  2. Mixed: 129 out of 843
  3. Negative: 164 out of 843
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  1. ConsoleArgonaut
    Jul 10, 2018
    7
    I bought arms the day it came out and have had lots of hours of fun with it since then.
    Arms is a fighting game where you have stretchable arms as a gimmick. You can control your character Wii Sports-like with Motion Controlls (punching gestures and tilting of the joycons).
    Note: You can play the game just as well without motion controls and don't have an disadvantage. And that's pretty    I bought arms the day it came out and have had lots of hours of fun with it since then.
    Arms is a fighting game where you have stretchable arms as a gimmick. You can control your character Wii Sports-like with Motion Controlls (punching gestures and tilting of the joycons).
    Note: You can play the game just as well without motion controls and don't have an disadvantage.
    And that's pretty much all you need to know.

    The cast of arms is as colorful as it gets, with everything from a film star to a mechanic girl that build herself a robot to fight in.
    When starting the game you either:
    - Play a tournament mode, which plays out like in any other fighting game
    - Do a quick match with a friend
    - Play one of two mini games
    - Go online and fight against strangers.

    My only problem with the game is the lack of content as seen in the selection of modes available.

    Verdict: If you like simple fun fighting games this game is for you

    Rating:
    Gameplay: 4/5 - Feels great
    Level Design: 3/5 - Nothing mind blowing, but still very good
    Soundtrack: 4/5 - Very catchy. It will stay with you for a while
    Story: 2/5 - Lacking, only small character introductions
    Graphics: 4/5 - Looks great
    Length / Amount of content: 2/5 - Not much content, as seen above
    Replay Value: 5/5 - Great replay value with different difficulty modes, online play and just fun at parties
    Enjoyment: 4/5 - I loved it

    Overall rating: 28/40 => 7/10    … Expand
  2. jamrt
    Mar 23, 2020
    7
    I find the gameplay fun, but this game's biggest problem is lack of content. This game could have had all of it's post release content in the base game, and it still wouldn't be enough
  3. Cougargames
    Nov 1, 2019
    7
    A good fun family/friends game that takes great use of the switches new gimicks. A great choice of a game if you basically have played everything and is looking for something to burn your time and sweat like hell.
  4. Keenanu
    Jul 31, 2017
    7
    I appreciate that Nintendo is introducing a new IP with a totally new type of gameplay, I just wish there was more content or more of a sense of progression. In Splatoon 2 you gain levels, there're a few different game modes and a fully fledged single player campaign, but in Arms, there's a very basic tournament mode and multiplayer. The only thing you end up working towards is unlockingI appreciate that Nintendo is introducing a new IP with a totally new type of gameplay, I just wish there was more content or more of a sense of progression. In Splatoon 2 you gain levels, there're a few different game modes and a fully fledged single player campaign, but in Arms, there's a very basic tournament mode and multiplayer. The only thing you end up working towards is unlocking different sets of arms for all the characters and getting better at the game so that you can make it through the higher difficulties (the CPU opponents get VERY tough on the higher settings).

    I would have also loved to have learned more about the characters. I'm not asking for much, just a little more than 'this is Min Min, she works at a noodle diner'.

    I would say that this game would be worth picking up once the price comes down, just as long as there's still an online player base. Like Smash Bros., the gameplay is easier to pick up than other fighting games as there aren't any combos, but there's definitely depth there and potential for higher level of play. The game runs great at 60 fps and is very much playable in handheld mode.    … Expand
  5. ljvperalta
    Jul 12, 2017
    7
    ARMS is a fun fighting game for everyone to play. People can play locally with friends or play online.
    You can also choose characters with different abilities and customize their arms with anything you like. The game is almost a perfect fighting game for Nintendo fans. I was actually hyped when the game was released. But soon when I got the game I tried playing Grand Prix to prepare    ARMS is a fun fighting game for everyone to play. People can play locally with friends or play online.
    You can also choose characters with different abilities and customize their arms with anything you like. The game is almost a perfect fighting game for Nintendo fans. I was actually hyped when the game was released. But soon when I got the game I tried playing Grand Prix to prepare myself before going online battles. Grand Prix was actually fine if you want to play ARMS offline, but it kinda felt boring after. Local battles is also fun to play with friends but felt boring after playing for an hour. Online battles were actually amazing since you can fight in different ways like skillshot and more. After playing for a week I kinda got bored and stopped playing with it. Then I started watching others play ARMS, I felt the motivation to play again but somehow felt bored. For me, the game is actually fun to play but it seems like the ARMS is missing something for everyone to fully enjoy it.    … Expand
  6. LordDecky
    Jul 22, 2017
    7
    Nintendo has done it again. This game is fun to play, and its unlockables are good for replay ability. The motion controls are amazing; they are some of the best I've ever seen. Worth the money. Online is good and fast.
  7. toonlinkman
    Dec 26, 2017
    7
    Good *fun* game with lots of tactical play. The online play is great and seems much more stable than mario kart 8. The only downside is lack of single player offline game play.

    It is much easier to play with pro controller than using motion controls. I doubt I'll put in 100+ hours within the first month like Zelda, but maybe in a years time I will still be playing the odd game when    Good *fun* game with lots of tactical play. The online play is great and seems much more stable than mario kart 8. The only downside is lack of single player offline game play.

    It is much easier to play with pro controller than using motion controls.

    I doubt I'll put in 100+ hours within the first month like Zelda, but maybe in a years time I will still be playing the odd game when Zelda DLC is dead and buried.    … Expand
  8. Ryn_Ken
    Jan 21, 2018
    7
    Games are often compared to bodies of water to show how vast and deep they are. In this regard, Arms is a surprisingly deep... puddle. The fighting is great and the versatility of mixing character perks and different weapons is awesome along with the online servers being lag free 95% of the time, at least for me. everything around it is a different story. The plot is as basic as possible,Games are often compared to bodies of water to show how vast and deep they are. In this regard, Arms is a surprisingly deep... puddle. The fighting is great and the versatility of mixing character perks and different weapons is awesome along with the online servers being lag free 95% of the time, at least for me. everything around it is a different story. The plot is as basic as possible, the backstories are minimal, the dialogue is very limited, the music is repetitive and it was released with only a few characters. Charging full price for this was a mistake. In it's current state with fifteen characters, it would have easily been worth $40, but being $60 back when there were only nine to choose from was a terrible idea.

    The irony here is that I really like its combat and haven't been able to put the game down recently. Maybe the sequel, 'Two Arms' will provide a more fulfilling experience.    … Expand
  9. TatsMcGee
    Sep 8, 2018
    5
    It’s not a terrible game but it just doesn’t seem to make sense as to why Nintendo feels the need to make this game. I get that with Mario that gives them a platformer, with Zelda they have a game in the RPG genre, with Mario Kart they have a racing game. With Splatoon a couple years ago, they were finally able to get into the competitive shooting market and this game feels like its aIt’s not a terrible game but it just doesn’t seem to make sense as to why Nintendo feels the need to make this game. I get that with Mario that gives them a platformer, with Zelda they have a game in the RPG genre, with Mario Kart they have a racing game. With Splatoon a couple years ago, they were finally able to get into the competitive shooting market and this game feels like its a fighting game mixed with Splatoon.

    The big thing is, Splatoon is a very good game that nailed what it was going for where this just seems odd. Nintendo already has an incredibly successful fighting game, Super Smash Brothers. I just don’t know who this game was made for.

    Not to mean but the Wii and Motion Controls were a fun gimmick but people are done with that. No one wants or cares about Motion Controls anymore. Especially in the fighting game genre where execution is the most important aspect of those games. This is the worst of both worlds.

    I know it seems like I am rambling on about this game but I just want to make it clear that I just don’t understand why this game exists. Now don’t get me wrong with this game, it’s still fun but its a very shallow fun. If I played this game fore 5 hours, I don’t think I would ever want to play this game again.

    Nintendo is capable of making games that are always going to be competing for Game of the Year honors but for every great game they make. There is a major miss and this is one of those misses.    … Expand
  10. jiorl
    Jan 19, 2020
    6
    The Good: New IP's from Nintendo are always good, fresh take on the fighting genre, a wide range of interesting fighters and stages, a large array of arms to unlock, combat is easy to learn/hard to master - lots of depth in combat, online connection solid - have never been disconnected from a game.

    The Bad: Motion controls are a hit or a miss, lack of variety in game modes - can get    The Good: New IP's from Nintendo are always good, fresh take on the fighting genre, a wide range of interesting fighters and stages, a large array of arms to unlock, combat is easy to learn/hard to master - lots of depth in combat, online connection solid - have never been disconnected from a game.

    The Bad: Motion controls are a hit or a miss, lack of variety in game modes - can get boring after a while

    Other Notes: The series ARMS has a lot of things going for it. A great cast of fighters, an interesting twist on the fighting genre, good depth with the combat. However, there isn't that much you can do with it. Single play mode has you fight against CPU's in the same style you would when online, and there aren't much online modes, and the ones which are there don't feel engaging enough. Hopefully they continue the series, and build on what they have done in the next game, because there is so much potential to be found.    … Expand
  11. TinyInfinity6
    Jun 20, 2017
    7
    It'd be great if the net code wasn't worse than Splatoon's. The mechanics are great, but when a third of your matches end with someone either DC-ing or teleporting due to lag to get a grab that would've been impossible otherwise, those fine-tuned mechanics go straight out the window. The game is great, the online is not.
  12. toastedbuns
    Jun 16, 2017
    6
    If you'll like this game or not depends heavily on how much you enjoy fighting games. It has depth but it's all about ranked mode. The extra stuff like party mode isn't as much fun. So it's up to you, 60$ for a short grand prix and ranked mode 1v1? Personally I bought this game so I have something to play until Splatoon 2 comes out. Nintendo did promise more free updates. For me this gameIf you'll like this game or not depends heavily on how much you enjoy fighting games. It has depth but it's all about ranked mode. The extra stuff like party mode isn't as much fun. So it's up to you, 60$ for a short grand prix and ranked mode 1v1? Personally I bought this game so I have something to play until Splatoon 2 comes out. Nintendo did promise more free updates. For me this game misses the mark. It feels more frustrating to play and it doesn't feel fun to win. Before you buy this game, ask yourself how much you enjoy fighting games because if you don't usually like them, chances are you won't like this either.… Expand
  13. OrangeYosh
    Feb 16, 2019
    7
    I was very excited for this game back in April or May, I was getting ready to play this game. It looked so cool! But when it released, it was fun. I liked the depth in the game, and the game and it’s characters because of how much charm they have. There’s a lot that this game does well, a unique battle system, a good cast of characters, the music and the gameplay. But, I feel that thisI was very excited for this game back in April or May, I was getting ready to play this game. It looked so cool! But when it released, it was fun. I liked the depth in the game, and the game and it’s characters because of how much charm they have. There’s a lot that this game does well, a unique battle system, a good cast of characters, the music and the gameplay. But, I feel that this game is a small bit underwhelming, the game isn’t a game I would play for hours, I just would pop in the cartridge, and play the game for 5 minutes, and that’s it. I never really wanted to come back because the game didn’t really encourage me to come back and say “Hey, come back and play some more bud!” The game can get a bit boring at times and I feel likes there is way too many modes in this game. Nintendo is trying to keep this game alive but, I don’t think it’ll stay alive for a while. Overall fun for a party, but a bit boring and un-encouraging for me to come back to play this game. Great game.… Expand
  14. The_Bairnsei
    Jun 25, 2017
    5
    I really wanted to like this game. New IP, new fighting style, polish, accessibility, slick online, fun - unfortunately, it doesn't have ALL of those things.

    Whilst online is certainly slick, it turned out to simply not be fun. Each 'party mode' match turned out to be an exercise in knowing I would win quickly, or knowing that I would be beaten quickly - and not being able to do much    I really wanted to like this game. New IP, new fighting style, polish, accessibility, slick online, fun - unfortunately, it doesn't have ALL of those things.

    Whilst online is certainly slick, it turned out to simply not be fun. Each 'party mode' match turned out to be an exercise in knowing I would win quickly, or knowing that I would be beaten quickly - and not being able to do much about it. This takes the enjoyment out of the game itself.

    I thought perhaps ranked mode would be better - where I would be matched against players of my (not very good) skill level. Turns out you need to win a grand prix against AI level 4 to get in to ranked mode. After a couple of hours of trouncing the AI opponent in one round, only to be barely able to land a hit in the next round - against the SAME CHARACTER AT THE SAME SKILL LEVEL - I decided that this game isn't for me and I'll be selling my copy.

    It would be great if the game gave me the impression that more practice or different ARMS would make a difference. Unfortunately, I'm none the wiser about how I won those rounds that I won - or how to stop myself from getting beaten like I did. If we get some balance tweaks, where most people could hit that magical 50-75% winrate, or be beaten CONSISTENTLY by a given skill level, that might improve things vastly. Unfortunately, I won't own the game by that time. :)

    Good try Nintendo, and I really mean that - it IS great original IP, it IS polished, it IS fun for some - but I wish you'd include the difficulty in this game more prominently in your marketing, and not give the impression that it's very accessible. Splatoon 1 got it right from the start; I have about a 75% winrate on that and enjoy the single player component a great deal, and any given online match can swing from one side to the other depending on strategies and effort. Perhaps it's just me, but I find ARMS much, much more difficult.

    Watch lots of reviews, footage and opinions before buying this one. I just read another user review, who said he felt like most critics didn't "get it", or weren't very good. I most certainly "get it" - I actually find the gameplay mechanic very appealing and enjoyable - but apparently I'm not very good. Great throwaway statement, but then where does that leave me, the guy that's not very good? Not having any fun. And if a game that markets itself as appealing and accessible leaves me not having any fun, and it's not teaching me how I can get better, then it's not doing its job properly, despite all the good work that went into it. It's a shame, because, as I said, I really wanted to like it. But it's left me wanting to throw the Switch through the window on more than one occasion. Not for me.    … Expand
  15. Aldeberuhn
    Jun 28, 2017
    6
    While the ARMS universe is colorful and visually appealing, there is a distinct lack of character building in this game. As a brand new IP, it's a little disappointing to see. The Grand Prix features a chain of randomly selected matches with no real context or opportunity to connect with the lives of these fighters. As a fighter game, storyline is not incredibly important, but the lack ofWhile the ARMS universe is colorful and visually appealing, there is a distinct lack of character building in this game. As a brand new IP, it's a little disappointing to see. The Grand Prix features a chain of randomly selected matches with no real context or opportunity to connect with the lives of these fighters. As a fighter game, storyline is not incredibly important, but the lack of character building is especially noticeable in this game due to its otherwise unique character designs.

    As far as gameplay goes, I find the motion controls to be terribly unreliable. For example, while trying to block a rush attack, I often end up throwing a punch instead. This ends up costing me a ton of health and sometimes the last little bit of my life. There are other strange things that happen as a result of the game not reading my motions correctly, but that is definitely the most noticeable one. Eventually, I found myself switching to the pro controller in order to be able to compete with other players. This was the best control scheme for me, but yet I still missed the charm of the motion controls. It felt like Nintendo really meant for this game to be played with the joy-cons, so to take them away, it felt like I was removing the core aspect of the game itself. However, playing with the joy-cons using motion control was not very fun either as I quickly found myself being outmatched by players using button controls like those on the pro controller.

    The wacky design of this game, using spring-like arms with missiles and other strange weapons attached, really sets it apart from other fighters. Having special abilities for each character also makes each character unique. On the other hand, there are some weapons and characters that are just clearly more powerful than others, and you'll find those particular ones being used frequently by your opponents. Meanwhile, characters like Master Mummy seem almost useless in competitive play as his two abilities include an armor effect, which can be easily cancelled out by a charged punch (something players should be using frequently anyway), and the ability to heal while shielding himself. Initially, you might think being the only character with the ability to heal would put Master Mummy near the top, but when you see how slow he regains health (the equivalent of the chip damage you receive while shielding a punch), you'll realize that it's not even worth the time it takes to get those 5-10 HP. You'll also be putting yourself at risk of being grabbed by your opponent while shielding, and that results in a massive loss of health which would take much, much longer to replenish.

    The developers will undoubtedly be working to balance things as the game continues to be played, but at the same time, there just isn't a lot to keep you coming back to this game over time. The fights were both silly and exciting at first, but the more I played, the more it felt like the same old thing over and over. Every 1-on-1 match felt just like the last, regardless of which characters or weapons were used. There are a number of different game modes, but the sports-based ones like Hoops, V-Ball, and Skillshot feel very bland. The fighting modes are much more entertaining, but the ones like 3 and 4 player free-for-all are not very fair to all players as one person usually gets picked on until they've been knocked out, followed shortly after by the person with the next lowest health. The player who avoids fighting the most usually ends up winning, and I'm just not into that kind of "win by doing practically nothing" defensive gameplay.

    All in all, if you've seen plenty of ARMS gameplay and you think you might be interested, I recommend buying the game. It's definitely a good game to pass the time until other games come out or to show to a friend who might be interested in some of Nintendo's latest ventures. I just wouldn't recommend buying it if you're short on cash and not really sure whether you would even enjoy playing it. I can't foresee it being a game that everyone will be talking about. It's a creative adaption of a boxing game, but it has many flaws. Even with more DLC added to the game, it will be hard for the ARMS IP to wiggle itself free of this boxing style of game it has pigeon-holed itself into simply by choosing the game to be centered around a group of professional fighters.    … Expand
  16. AwesomeCakester
    Nov 10, 2017
    7
    ARMS is a really fun and energetic game the also looks at the fighting game genera in a new way. Though I feel a series like Super Smash Bros. has done that in a way, ARMS does it in a less traditional way. Character are super interesting to look at and play, with stages presenting as much personality as the fighters them selves. The game encourages you to play with the Joy-ConsARMS is a really fun and energetic game the also looks at the fighting game genera in a new way. Though I feel a series like Super Smash Bros. has done that in a way, ARMS does it in a less traditional way. Character are super interesting to look at and play, with stages presenting as much personality as the fighters them selves. The game encourages you to play with the Joy-Cons separately, and it works pretty well. Punching and grabbing feels very satisfying but moving and guarding feels a bit clunky. You can use the Joy-Con Grip or the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller if you choose to which work as well, but I feel you do loose that satisfying feel of throwing punches for pushing the triggers to punch. Over all this game has a lot of potential and has been receiving updates, new stages and new characters. Nothing to take too seriously but it's an over all fun fighting game that you can get a kick out of with some friends.… Expand
  17. Sakamoto_San
    Sep 11, 2017
    5
    En general es muy malo, tiene poco contenido, su campaña es un modo arcade, y los mini juegos no tienen sentido los metieron solo para rellenar no aportan nada al juego, es un buen experimento pero si saliera un Arms 2 seria un NO definitivo.
  18. Cittadel
    Mar 31, 2018
    5
    First of all, I love Nintendo for launching new franchises! Sometimes a new franchise turns out perfectly fine and becomes a new cult classic, like Splatoon, but in some cases it might have been better if the developers of the game took a few more years to develop it, which is the case with ARMS. ARMS has a lot of potential and shines through its own unique, colorful Nintendo-style -- butFirst of all, I love Nintendo for launching new franchises! Sometimes a new franchise turns out perfectly fine and becomes a new cult classic, like Splatoon, but in some cases it might have been better if the developers of the game took a few more years to develop it, which is the case with ARMS. ARMS has a lot of potential and shines through its own unique, colorful Nintendo-style -- but the gameplay fails in quite a lot of ways. The game promotes its motion controls capability quite a lot, which I understand, because who doesn't love motion controls? But for me the Joy-Cons were incredibly inaccurate and defending myself almost always turned into attacking the enemy. After a few matches I decided to put my Joy-Cons in the Joy-Con grip, which worked a little better for me, but took away the fun factor of the game.

    Besides the problems with the controls, the game just feels unfinished. It's really lacking and there isn't really a lot to do. I found myself getting bored pretty quickly. Some gamemodes even don't add anything to the game at all, like Basketball, which is nothing more than grabbing your enemy and watching an automated movement hrow him/her in the basket.

    I enjoyed ARMS mostly for its style and I appreciate the fact that Nintendo has the courage to develop new franchises, but ARMS doesn't do it for me. It feels like it needs a few years more of development. If there will ever be a sequel to this game, Nintendo must look further into gameplay possibilities.    … Expand
  19. BMO
    Sep 4, 2017
    6
    There just isn't enough content in Arms to justify the price. Although I appreciate the continuing free DLC that will come to the game in the upcoming months, it should have started with more content out the gate. The gameplay is simple enough, stretching arms to attack your opponent using a variety of different weapons you can equip before the battle, and each character has their ownThere just isn't enough content in Arms to justify the price. Although I appreciate the continuing free DLC that will come to the game in the upcoming months, it should have started with more content out the gate. The gameplay is simple enough, stretching arms to attack your opponent using a variety of different weapons you can equip before the battle, and each character has their own unique ability. However the battles do seem a little basic. In addition the way the game is designed promotes a hit and run tactic in which enemies try to wait out the clock to win. Stages are well designed, and the music is okay. I was really excited to play this game when it came out, but I completely lost interest in it, and any new content added doesn't seem to peak my interest to start playing again.… Expand
  20. Dreonas
    Nov 4, 2017
    5
    Pros:
    - 2v2 is fun.
    - The diversity of the modes and minigames is ok - Up to this point, the DLC is free Cons: - Besides Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, this one of the few multiplayer games that the Switch offers. This game will be easily forgotten in the future as soon as other multiplayer titles come. - Characters are unbalanced. It feels like Ninjara is the only useful fighter in the    Pros:
    - 2v2 is fun.
    - The diversity of the modes and minigames is ok
    - Up to this point, the DLC is free

    Cons:
    - Besides Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, this one of the few multiplayer games that the Switch offers. This game will be easily forgotten in the future as soon as other multiplayer titles come.
    - Characters are unbalanced. It feels like Ninjara is the only useful fighter in the game.
    - This game wasn't meant to be playable for 4, it's confusing and complicated. Imagine playing PunchOut! for 4.
    - There's no story, it's just a bunch of people fighting in a championship. That's all.
    - After realizing that Twintelle is the only fighter with real arms, you discover that this game is an amputee showdown. Creepy.

    I recommend to buy it pre-owned.    … Expand
  21. Kick454
    Apr 19, 2018
    5
    Fun for 5 minutes, then gets obnoxious. This is the first game I ever wanted a refund on to be completely honest.

    Mix: = Characters: They're alright. The backstories are cool and all, but... = Multiplayer: The only fun part about the game honestly. = Music: The music isn't that bad to be honest. It's a shame the songs aren't even memorable aside from the main theme (like another game    Fun for 5 minutes, then gets obnoxious. This is the first game I ever wanted a refund on to be completely honest.

    Mix:
    = Characters: They're alright. The backstories are cool and all, but...
    = Multiplayer: The only fun part about the game honestly.
    = Music: The music isn't that bad to be honest. It's a shame the songs aren't even memorable aside from the main theme (like another game I know...)
    = Grand Prix: The only good thing about singleplayer to be completely honest.

    Bad:
    - Controls: They suck. BADLY. Also, yes, I know I can change them now, but that isn't enough to pull me back into the game.
    - Singleplayer: It's atrocious, especially for a Nintendo game.
    - Fun and Replay Values: The game is at rock bottom in terms of fun and replayability in my opinion.

    Overall, ARMS is barely able to warrant a 5/10 from me. Try again next time, Nintendo.    … Expand
  22. loic01
    Mar 7, 2018
    7
    Une jolie innovation de Nintendo qui font de ARMS des vrais K-O aux joueurs, des K-O de joie de le découvrir et de se défouler en mode surréalsite mais plus drôle que les autres jeux de combat de Nintendo. Pour ceci ce serait un 10/10 mais j'hôte deux points pour le jeu qui est trop court et un autre car le mode histoire pas assez développé pour moi. Continuez à améliorer ce jeu NintendoUne jolie innovation de Nintendo qui font de ARMS des vrais K-O aux joueurs, des K-O de joie de le découvrir et de se défouler en mode surréalsite mais plus drôle que les autres jeux de combat de Nintendo. Pour ceci ce serait un 10/10 mais j'hôte deux points pour le jeu qui est trop court et un autre car le mode histoire pas assez développé pour moi. Continuez à améliorer ce jeu Nintendo et çe sera un 10 certainement! 7/10… Expand
  23. MrSlim
    Mar 22, 2018
    6
    It's simply mediocre at best, a game needs to have 3 important points to be really good-

    A story: Arms doesn't need a story, like most Nintendo experiences. Good gameplay: Arms is quite fun for the first 1-5 hours, but it gets very stale overtime Re-play ability: this game has little-to no re-play ability, it's the same thing over and over again Now for the smaller but still    It's simply mediocre at best, a game needs to have 3 important points to be really good-

    A story: Arms doesn't need a story, like most Nintendo experiences.

    Good gameplay: Arms is quite fun for the first 1-5 hours, but it gets very stale overtime

    Re-play ability: this game has little-to no re-play ability, it's the same thing over and over again

    Now for the smaller but still important points-

    Good graphics: yes, this does have amazing graphics, but (as of March 2018) Nintendo has done that non-stop since the launch of the switch...

    Lag: I experienced no lag (at worst, a slight Frame rate drop)

    Character/Stage design: The characters and stages are amazing, and I love them, min-min and helix are great example of this, they are so different... this is really what pushed me to making this a 6, over a 4 or 5.

    Overall, it's an ok video game, it's fun to play with friends when they come over, and sometimes to take on the go... but, aside from the great graphics, frame rate, and character/Stage design it got stale quick... I could recommend this to young kids (7-9 esc) if they had a Switch of course... Not a horrible game by any means, but no where near a great one.    … Expand
  24. EliKW
    Nov 6, 2017
    7
    Arms was an okay game with average game play and just enough tricks to keep you playing. The game has a relatively limited character list with few ways to spice things up. There are multiple game modes, but those grow stale after like 3-4 matches. It really isn't a must-have for the Switch, but if you have the cash to spare, you can buy it, but it will keep you captivated for just a short while.
  25. UberGames
    Dec 24, 2018
    5
    A fun, adrenaline fueled fighter, or at least that was what it used to be. The game seems to have shot itself in the foot when it added badges as a mechanic. Every single badge spews out so much money. I wouldn't have a problem if you didn't have to spend money (virtual) to unlock the huge arsenal of arms. Where as before, earning arms was a reward, it's simply an option here, as you willA fun, adrenaline fueled fighter, or at least that was what it used to be. The game seems to have shot itself in the foot when it added badges as a mechanic. Every single badge spews out so much money. I wouldn't have a problem if you didn't have to spend money (virtual) to unlock the huge arsenal of arms. Where as before, earning arms was a reward, it's simply an option here, as you will never run out of money thanks to the badges. This ruined the progression system of the game, and was ultimately what killed it.… Expand
  26. funnelcakemylad
    Nov 21, 2018
    5
    I am going to be honest, when I first bought this game I had fun for the first couple of rounds... then a few days later I notice all the variety had left the game. It's a creative idea, but not the best. The lack of content is what drove me away from it. I am a lonely lad who doesn't have friends over all that much, so a single player mode would've been great. Instead, well, it's justI am going to be honest, when I first bought this game I had fun for the first couple of rounds... then a few days later I notice all the variety had left the game. It's a creative idea, but not the best. The lack of content is what drove me away from it. I am a lonely lad who doesn't have friends over all that much, so a single player mode would've been great. Instead, well, it's just Multiplayer, and Online. And a Grand Prix mode which is just a more boring version of Smash Bros.' classic mode. You can't even play online if you don't have Nintendo's paid membership. If it had more content, this could have been a great game. But... it doesn't. That's what ruined the game for me.… Expand
  27. xiekaidream
    Nov 17, 2021
    7
    刚买ns时候玩的 体感挥拳还是挺爽的 但是网战各种被虐 又不想用按键 就弃了 单人模式要是做的有趣点就好了 没有剧情
  28. Criti-Wise
    Aug 16, 2018
    7
    When I got Arms for my switch, I was really happy when I was playing for the first time, but it honestly gets kind of repetitive because of the fact that mainly all I can do is punch others. Sure, there's some other things, but they still require punching. For me, there's not very much reason to get back to playing this game.
  29. trainconductor7
    Dec 7, 2019
    6
    SUMMARY/CONCLUSION: In short, ARMS is a game with great franchise potential that suffers from trying too hard to be unique and forgets what makes a game fun in the process. In the end, what is a great idea has some good meaty gameplay, beautiful visuals and character design, but the execution is quite frankly, short-sighted. The single player content offers a quick and limited dopamineSUMMARY/CONCLUSION: In short, ARMS is a game with great franchise potential that suffers from trying too hard to be unique and forgets what makes a game fun in the process. In the end, what is a great idea has some good meaty gameplay, beautiful visuals and character design, but the execution is quite frankly, short-sighted. The single player content offers a quick and limited dopamine hit, and the replayability at higher difficulties does a better job of pushing the player away than embracing them in with some fun fair challenge..

    CONTROLS: The controls are relatively tight, but between the various control methods, it suffers from quite literally offering different strengths and weaknesses. In a meta that favours grabbing for example, people who use the joycons can perform grabs on their opponent and curve their hands in opposite directions, broadening the grab's range substantially. The cannot be done with a controller, and as such, to no surprise the vast majority of the top 100 players use Joycons. That is simply bad game design as accessibility should not affect gameplay performance.

    ART: This is a pure home run. The character designs, art style, world building, soundtrack, and plethora of unlockable concept art and badges are a feast for the eyes and imagination. There simply isn't much more to be said. These are characters who hold up and deserve to live on through Super Smash Bros with the others.

    GRAND PRIX: The game's online is fun, and the honest truth is that you'll get far more enjoyment from it than you will with Grand Prix. This is because as the difficulty scales up, the fact of the matter is that the AI is not designed to be a better player, it's just designed to react faster. Inhumanly fast. Reacting so quickly you'd swear the AI was predicting movement to a tee. Blocking your attacks without flaw, retaliating faster than any human would in natural gameplay, and only being hurtable during extremely small and intended windows that feel less like fighting strong CPUs and more like fighting AI designed to make you rage quit. It's the greatest flaw of the game. Compared to high level AI of other fighting games, the AI in this game don't adhere to the laws the player has to obey. They quite blatantly break it, and couple all of the perks of joycon controls (like the wide grip grab) with the extreme decisiveness of an AI so sure of itself that it doesn't even feel fun to win. It simply feels like you've somehow conned your way through it. This is painfully prevalent in levels 5, 6, and 7 Grand Prix.

    OTHER OFFLINE CONTENT: The game's other content is relatively dry unfortunately. I found myself having the most fun from the "GET ARMS" game mode above all things, and unfortunately for that, it's a literal pay-to-play mode. The volleyball and basketball styled game modes are gimmicky, and if not for the online and grand prix modes forcing it upon the player, would easily be forgotten as insignificant to the greater player experience.

    ESPORTS: This game had its shot as an E-sport, and was pushed by Nintendo for a time. As a spectator sport, the game suffers from being confusing and relatively boring to observe. Most of the time it's just a constant exchange of long range punches, blocks, and hopping around. Unlike 2D fighters that broadcast the information of both players simultaneously and in clear view, the irony of ARMS is that by fighting primarily at a long range, thanks to the long character limbs, it's hard to truly get the visual data of more than one character at a time. As such, you'll find viewer statistic drop off quite quickly for all except the die-hard fans. Which as of writing this, aren't many left.    … Expand
  30. Oldskoolberk
    Jun 15, 2020
    7
    Arms is an excellent game. It really displays what the Switch can do. The characters are strong and unique. Control is excellent top to bottom. Graphics fits into the Nintendo mold (very colorful). But what really killed this game for me there was no storylines and missions. I am that person who needs some kind of motivation in the game to play. It does not do that here. Had theyArms is an excellent game. It really displays what the Switch can do. The characters are strong and unique. Control is excellent top to bottom. Graphics fits into the Nintendo mold (very colorful). But what really killed this game for me there was no storylines and missions. I am that person who needs some kind of motivation in the game to play. It does not do that here. Had they built in some sort of storyline into it you are talking one of the top ten games on the Switch without question.… Expand
  31. Keeb999
    Jul 23, 2020
    6
    This one's fine, but easily forgettable. The entire game boils down to a western shootout but with the ability to block and motion controls. It won't last long before it gets boring, but it has charm, I'll give it that, and makes for something fun to break out and play with your friends and family at a get-together or something.
  32. The_Squib
    Mar 30, 2020
    7
    Arms is a really great, unique game. It has beautiful graphics with an amazing score and great character designs, but the gameplay gets boring after a week! It has little replayability to it and its learning curve is huge for the market it was targeting, not bad, but not great.
  33. Sb068
    Jul 20, 2020
    6
    New ip so new ideas I'd say it's a good party game but if you're looking for a good story mode this isn't it
  34. Willyboyou
    Dec 8, 2020
    6
    Arms could have been an incredible Nintendo game. it has a roster of charming characters, a creative gameplay mechanic which changes the fighting game genre to something original, and a fun world. However, as much as I want to adore ARMS, the gameplay is too simple and gets stale very fast and lacks any sense of story to accompany its fantastic characters.
  35. Parco8
    Mar 4, 2022
    6
    I didn't actually like the way they managed the competitive. The game has good surely ideas but maybe not exploited so well. I would have preferred a bigger amount of arms and a story that could be deepen even better. However there are great bases for a good sequel.
  36. MaddoxWhite
    Apr 24, 2021
    6
    Not enough to do. Though, it's FULL of potential. Weird how Nintendo gave up on this so fast.
  37. LeifLInden
    Jun 20, 2022
    5
    An excellent fighting game with great motion mechanics and characters is let down by a lack of content. The production quality is great, with design, sounds and visuals all of typical Nintendo polish. If you are just looking for a multiplayer game, this might be good enough value, but it shouldn't be a full priced Nintendo game.
  38. Toffeltrasa
    Jan 15, 2022
    6
    Fun gameplay, but it sucks that Nintendo let this game die so fast. It gets stale pretty fast.
  39. Lil_Caucasian
    Jan 29, 2022
    7
    Fun fighting game but ultimately lacking content. This probably only came out when it did because of a lack of software in June of 2017. The free updates were nice, but I had already stopped playing by the time they were coming out.
  40. zorohatesrobin
    Feb 20, 2022
    7
    There are a lot of good things about this game, like Twintelle's ass... I mean the graphics. Yes, graphics. There are also a lot of modes and Twintelle's great ass... I mean a lot of different characters. If you play not on the buttons, but wave your hands, the game becomes an excellent gymnastics. And Twintelle has a great ass...
  41. trinovatic
    Nov 27, 2022
    7
    Divertido y muy entretenido, no confiaba tanto pero necesitaba juegos para la switch.
  42. Sonkisfast
    Apr 10, 2023
    7
    ARMS is a good game. In concept. But in execution, it was somewhat poor. Though I do enjoy this game, the gameplay is the worst thing about it, which is the most important thing. The OST and Graphics are very good, though. The real shining star, however, are the characters. Each character is filled to the brim with personality, just by design alone!
    I would recommend this game if you have    ARMS is a good game. In concept. But in execution, it was somewhat poor. Though I do enjoy this game, the gameplay is the worst thing about it, which is the most important thing. The OST and Graphics are very good, though. The real shining star, however, are the characters. Each character is filled to the brim with personality, just by design alone!
    I would recommend this game if you have money to burn, or if you just want a cool fighting game!    … Expand
  43. gietergeit
    May 15, 2023
    7
    it is a game that has weird controls and boring designs but i don't know why but i really like the gameplay

Awards & Rankings

67
#67 Best Switch Game of 2017
10
#10 Most Discussed Switch Game of 2017
11
#11 Most Shared Switch Game of 2017

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
77

Generally favorable reviews - based on 97 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 71 out of 97
  2. Mixed: 26 out of 97
  3. Negative: 0 out of 97
  1. Jeuxvideo.com
    Jun 2, 2018
    80
    Just like Splatoon, Arms' dynamic gameplay is geared towards online multiplayer. Behind its funny and colorful looks, the game is highly technical and offers various game modes to master.
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  2. Game World Navigator Magazine
    Sep 13, 2017
    75
    At the first glance, ARMS is unimpressive: its basic roster is only 10 fighters big, and there are no convoluted combinations of buttons to activate special attacks. But that’s just how Nintendo does things – its games are always easy to pick up. So you can flail away at your leisure against AI-controlled opponents, but once you start playing with other people, you quickly realize that you need to work on your technique. [Issue #222, p.68]
  3. Wired UK
    Aug 30, 2017
    80
    ARMS succeeds both as a surprisingly complex and detailed fighting game, and one of the best examples of motion controlled gaming we've seen. Another unexpected hit for the Nintendo Switch's burgeoning library of must-have games.
    Read full review
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