The Wild At Heart

 Switch
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User Score
8.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 10 Ratings

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  • Summary: A mysterious hidden realm. Two precocious kids fleeing hardship. Magical creatures and an oddball order of guardians who have lost their way. A stygian evil imprisoned. Welcome to the Deep Woods.

    Collect and deploy a swarm of quirky Spritelings; small magical creatures for you to command.    A mysterious hidden realm. Two precocious kids fleeing hardship. Magical creatures and an oddball order of guardians who have lost their way. A stygian evil imprisoned. Welcome to the Deep Woods.

    Collect and deploy a swarm of quirky Spritelings; small magical creatures for you to command. Break stuff, collect loot, fight enemies, build new paths, and more!

    Explore a unique and sequestered world rich with centuries full of lore. Woods, caves, coastline, ancient shrines... The Deep Woods is full of puzzles to be solved and secrets waiting to be uncovered.    … Expand
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Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 2
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 2
  3. Negative: 0 out of 2
  1. Nintendo Life
    Nov 25, 2021
    80
    The Wild at Heart borrows several of its mechanics from Nintendo IP, there’s no question about that. This could have presented a bit of a problem had it not been for the exquisite visual style and presentation, not to mention Moonlight Kids' excellent execution of those mechanics. With a story that’s equal parts amusing, intriguing, and emotional, alongside genuinely stunning 2D visuals, you’ll be sucked into this world in no time. Minor frustrations with combat and loading times aside, this is an adventure you’ll be glad you embarked on.
  2. NintendoWorldReport
    Mar 7, 2022
    80
    At the end of my day in The Wild at Heart, I am really happy with the adventure I had. I am going to continue to explore to my own heart’s content, and I look forward to finding every last treasure, missing cat, deep lore page, and mysterious secret. I wish there had been a little more care put into how the difficulty was handled, but even so, this was a really pleasant time. Hopefully this isn’t the last we see of Wake and Kirby, as I expect that there is a lot of room for them to continue to grow into young adults, and there is room to perfect what is otherwise an enjoyable experience.

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 6
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 6
  3. Negative: 0 out of 6
  1. WeAllEffed
    May 17, 2023
    10
    I was hooked by the opening scene and could not put it down until the credits rolled. Cross between a top down Zelda and Pikmin; gameplay isI was hooked by the opening scene and could not put it down until the credits rolled. Cross between a top down Zelda and Pikmin; gameplay is fun and easy to understand. There is some combat, but mostly puzzles and exploration. Story is great; wholesome, with a mystery to unfold, and fun characters that move it along. Though it is a complete story, it leaves room for a sequel. Hoping one does eventually come.

    Criticisms are minor. Load times on Switch are a little long. A full army of Spritelings can get a little glitchy: one or two may trail behind, stutter and teleport to catch up to the group.

    Performance is solid, drops in frames seemed minimal and for brief moments.

    Could not recommend this game enough.    … Expand
  2. GoodGamePlus
    Sep 16, 2022
    10
    This games a Pikmin clone. Perfect for those that can't afford Pikmin 3 or waiting for Pikmin 4. A demo is available through the NintendoThis games a Pikmin clone. Perfect for those that can't afford Pikmin 3 or waiting for Pikmin 4. A demo is available through the Nintendo Switch Shop. The Wild at heart appears to me to be very underrated. Play it.… Expand
  4. MrWaffelmann
    Nov 30, 2021
    9
    A very enjoyable experience throughout. A adventure through the well designed Deep Woods with the protagonists Wake and Kirby promises fun.A very enjoyable experience throughout. A adventure through the well designed Deep Woods with the protagonists Wake and Kirby promises fun. You'll be faced with a well-written story, interesting characters, challenging battles, difficult puzzles, incredible artstyle and beautiful music. The game implementent the mechanics of pikmin within their game, but instead of Pikmin you Spritelings. You use them for combat, puzzles and collecting. The different kinds of Spritelings have different traits, but they are fairly balanced and non is really better than the other (like in Pikmin the purple and winged ones). The puzzles were very creative and they implementet the spritelings in different ways. It just goes to show that Pikmin has great potential and Nintendo should experience more with this IP. The Wild at Heart, although resembling Pikmin, isn't just a bland copypaste, but a unique game with its own quirks. For example, it has a crafting system where you use the materials you find in the Deep Woods to craft useful tools or healing items. You can also upgrade your characters in general like having more inventory space or more health. It is also possible to explore at night time although it's a lot more dangerous and risky, but needed to solve some puzzles. The game provides lots of tools to work with, making it adictive and fun as a result. Quality and quantity in all important aspects are provided. Although I would like to give a rating of 10/10 I sadly can't as there are some bugs and glitches that become clear while playing the game. The bugs didn't influence the game too much, but I lost some seedlings because of them which forces me to rate the game 9/10 at the moment, but some bug fixes in the future might be able to change that as this game was made with much love.… Expand
  5. Happyspelling
    Jan 22, 2022
    9
    This indie game is just as fun as the Pikmin series it takes inspiration from. With a unique and adorable visual style, a great soundtrack,This indie game is just as fun as the Pikmin series it takes inspiration from. With a unique and adorable visual style, a great soundtrack, and a charming story, this game is a blast!… Expand
  6. NindieSpotlight
    Dec 16, 2021
    9
    Sometimes all you need to get excited about a title are a few evocative words, commonly referred to as an “elevator pitch”. In the case of TheSometimes all you need to get excited about a title are a few evocative words, commonly referred to as an “elevator pitch”. In the case of The Wild At Heart it can simply be summed up with the words: Pikmin Adventure. While I do wish the load times were a bit less onerous, the crafting system and health were a bit more well-implemented, and that it didn’t feel like nightfall (and peril) were baked in to interrupting your exploration and puzzle solving in some areas… I’ve gotta admit, this game absolutely has me hooked. There’s a major focus on exploration and often experimentation, the dungeon-like nature of some areas and their puzzles that is an appreciated challenge, and the story and themes of the game definitely pull you in the further you go. This all combines to make for one of my favorite indie titles of the year, despite some of my quibbles with some specifics, and it should be capable of appealing to a very broad audience with its general play style and obvious influences.

    https://www.nindiespotlight.com/2021/11/mini-reviews-november-19th-edition.html    … Expand
  7. Elite_Institute
    Mar 5, 2022
    8
    "Quite appropriately, given the title, the game has a lot of heart but also has some great gameplay to go along with it. There may be some"Quite appropriately, given the title, the game has a lot of heart but also has some great gameplay to go along with it. There may be some irritating control quirks, and combat might not be as satisfying as it could be, but I am sure that Pikmin fans will gobble this right up. The Wild at Heart is a charming experience and it feels right at home on the Switch."

    https://theeliteinstitute.net/2022/01/03/the-wild-at-heart/    … Expand