Shotgun King: The Final Checkmate

 Switch
Metascore
82

Generally favorable reviews - based on 4 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 4
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 4
  3. Negative: 0 out of 4
  1. NintendoWorldReport
    Aug 24, 2023
    85
    Shotgun King has a surprising amount of depth hidden under its fairly basic premise. It puts an entertaining roguelike spin on a well-worn board game, and the result is a match made in checkerboard heaven (not to be confused with Checkers itself). Without a doubt, there’s frustration to be found in drawing cards that don’t really synergize with each other, putting you into seemingly unwinnable scenarios. That said, runs are generally quite short, under 20 minutes in most cases, and so it’s easy enough to start right back up again after a loss. The presentation is quite clean and straightforward, but there’s a strong flash of light that accompanies the defeat of the enemy king–not something that normally affects me, but I did turn it off in the settings menu. It might not be a certain checkmate, but Shotgun King kept me in check more often than not, and it’s a pleasant and worthwhile distraction that deserves a spot among the higher tiers of run-based Switch games.
  2. Nintenderos
    Sep 11, 2023
    80
    Shotgun King: The Final Checkmate is an entertaining and challenging game, ideal for short sessions. Its peculiar yet addictive gameplay has left us hooked. Despite having a fairly simple presentation, we think it is worth to give it a shot.
  3. TouchArcade
    Aug 30, 2023
    80
    For its asking price, Shotgun King: The Final Checkmate is worth getting if the premise sounds interesting to you. Some aspects of the gameplay could’ve been better explained, but I enjoyed my time with Shotgun King on Switch. I hope potential future updates add some accessibility options though because I feel like most will give up before unlocking anything meaningful.
  5. Nintendo Life
    Aug 24, 2023
    80
    Shotgun King does a wonderful job of setting itself apart from the veritable deluge of roguelikes available today. Its blending of classic chess principles with shooting elements and randomized gameplay makes for a fun and highly replayable experience that we’d suggest you give a shot. If you’re looking for a relatively short, addictive game that requires a bit of thinking to get the most out of, Shotgun King is undoubtedly something you should look into.