Timespinner

 Switch
User Score
7.3

Mixed or average reviews- based on 41 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 26 out of 41
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 41
  3. Negative: 8 out of 41

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  1. Ironplushy
    Jan 17, 2021
    8
    Not baffling how many men were triggered by this game. One tertiary character mentions he has a boyfriend and all the snowflakes cry about pc culture being forced down their throats. The game never mentions feminism once, but I guess having more than one female character is feminism gone mad.

    Timespinner is an above average metroidvania with time manipulation mechanics. The game is a    Not baffling how many men were triggered by this game. One tertiary character mentions he has a boyfriend and all the snowflakes cry about pc culture being forced down their throats. The game never mentions feminism once, but I guess having more than one female character is feminism gone mad.

    Timespinner is an above average metroidvania with time manipulation mechanics. The game is a bit on the short side but doesn't wear out its welcome either. There is a new game+ and nightmare mode after you beat the game on normal meaning there is a bit of replayability. Combat, graphics, enemy variety, music, and story are all very good. Not much to dislike about the game. If you're easily triggered by the presence of women in your game, you probably can't handle this.    … Expand
  2. MechaGojira
    Feb 27, 2020
    9
    Timespinner is pretty much a mix of Castlevania Symphony of the Night, and Chrono Trigger in all the right ways!
    It has the combat, exploration, and RPG elements of SOTN. Then it has the art style, multiple endings, and time travel elements of Chrono Trigger!
    The music was fantastic, but not quite as memorable as either of the games obvious sources of inspiration! The only real    Timespinner is pretty much a mix of Castlevania Symphony of the Night, and Chrono Trigger in all the right ways!
    It has the combat, exploration, and RPG elements of SOTN. Then it has the art style, multiple endings, and time travel elements of Chrono Trigger!

    The music was fantastic, but not quite as memorable as either of the games obvious sources of inspiration!

    The only real complaint I have for the game is it was short as most Metroidvania titles are, and it just left me wanting more!    … Expand
  3. Retro_indepecat
    Feb 28, 2020
    10
    It's the perfect metroidvania. I liked everything of this game, the soundtrack, the pixelart, the history, the gameplay... I need more like this!
  4. MindWanderer
    Jul 12, 2021
    9
    A terrific Metroidvania, but terrifically short.

    Clearly a lot of love went into the look and feel. Lunais controls exactly like a Castlevania character, especially Soma from Aria/Dawn of Sorrow once you have all the movement abilities. The graphics, while done in a colorful 16-bit style, still capture the ambience of a war-torn world (unlike Iconoclasts, where the bright aesthetics    A terrific Metroidvania, but terrifically short.

    Clearly a lot of love went into the look and feel. Lunais controls exactly like a Castlevania character, especially Soma from Aria/Dawn of Sorrow once you have all the movement abilities. The graphics, while done in a colorful 16-bit style, still capture the ambience of a war-torn world (unlike Iconoclasts, where the bright aesthetics and the grimdark story are jarring). You get upgrades in the form of "orbs," each of which can be equipped to a melee, a spell, or a passive slot for different effects. The variety of combinations you can get makes switching things up a lot of fun. It's a joy to look at and to play.

    On the other hand, the game is quite short and easy. If you've played Hollow Knight or even Guacamelee, I recommend starting at the hardest difficulty even on your first playthrough. You can easily beat the game in about four hours, and 100% it in six. Also all those orbs are not very well balanced, with the Iron Orb and its Colossal Hammer spell being notably overpowered for how early you get them. And since you gain experience points with each orb, you're rewarded for sticking to the "best" one.

    The "time" mechanic isn't much of a mechanic. You have a limited ability to stop time and use enemies as platforms, but it's not that useful outside of puzzles. In practice it's more like Samus's Ice Beam. And changing the past to affect the present is really only used to remove one specific obstacle.

    As for the "progressive agenda" other users complained about: most of the characters are gay or bi, and the protagonist's people are polyamorous. Nothing more is said about it--there's no value statements or contrast. The villains are all male, with one sympathetic exception, and one is a caricature of toxic masculinity. I didn't even notice at the time, though; that kind of character is a villain in all kinds of works.

    So the game isn't perfect, but it is a lot of fun, and easily worth a purchase. I'll be looking forward to a sequel with a little more depth and balance.    … Expand
  5. Xavikun
    Jan 15, 2021
    8
    Un metroidvania sencillo pero divertido, con una temática interesante por los viajes en el tiempo y un sistema de armas un poco diferente a lo habitual (espadas o disparos) y con 4 finales diferentes No aporta mucho más al genero en mi opinión, pero es un juego totalmente recomendable si te gustan los metroidvania.
    De duración tenemos unas 5 horitas si vamos al lio y si vamos en plan mapa    Un metroidvania sencillo pero divertido, con una temática interesante por los viajes en el tiempo y un sistema de armas un poco diferente a lo habitual (espadas o disparos) y con 4 finales diferentes No aporta mucho más al genero en mi opinión, pero es un juego totalmente recomendable si te gustan los metroidvania.
    De duración tenemos unas 5 horitas si vamos al lio y si vamos en plan mapa 100%, los 4 finales, etc le podemos añadir un par de horitas más.    … Expand
  6. lilflipz80
    Jun 26, 2020
    9
    The gameplay was cool and so was the story. I also loved how the game looked.
  7. facasi
    Jul 24, 2020
    9
    This game is incredible. A hidden switch gem! The sprites are polished versions of the old SNES games. The atmosphere is dense with a incredible sound track. You'll feel a lot like playing symphony of the night mixed with Megaman X. The maps are interesting and with a lot of secrets. However the difficulty is very low. The is a very funny game to play and will make you enjoy several hoursThis game is incredible. A hidden switch gem! The sprites are polished versions of the old SNES games. The atmosphere is dense with a incredible sound track. You'll feel a lot like playing symphony of the night mixed with Megaman X. The maps are interesting and with a lot of secrets. However the difficulty is very low. The is a very funny game to play and will make you enjoy several hours since it has multiple endings..… Expand

Awards & Rankings

31
#31 Best Switch Game of 2019
90
#90 Most Shared Switch Game of 2019

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
84

Generally favorable reviews - based on 10 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 10
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 10
  3. Negative: 0 out of 10
  1. Nintendo Force Magazine
    Apr 28, 2020
    90
    An effortlessly fun game to play and come back to. [Issue #41 – September 2019, p. 21]
  2. FNintendo
    Oct 4, 2019
    80
    Timespinner is a Metroidvania-style game that displays some obvious 16-bit inspirations along with a marvelous visual environment. Fans of the style will be delighted and while it is not the most content-packed or longest game ever made, Timespinner knows when to draw the line and offers a good amount of exploration that doesn't force itself for too long, the result is an interesting game that is more than worthy of attention.
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  3. Pure Nintendo
    Aug 5, 2019
    90
    Timespinner is an absolute joy to play. There’s so much to love, with a compelling and mysterious story involving exploration. The interesting time mechanics, coupled with an amazing soundtrack and pixel art style, make this game a welcome addition to any Nintendo Switch library.
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