You know, it’s already a stretch to tolerate simple crossword puzzles and “spot the difference” games acting as console titles, but Bingo? Are we really going forth with just Bingo? That’s apparently the case with Starsign’s latest Nintendo Switch release. I know this isn’t the first time Bingo has been put onto a video game screen; I just wasn’t thinking it would be done on the Switch anytime soon. Alas, here it is.
Graphics
I guess I can’t really knock the presentation. It at least tries to present itself as a cutesy party game for all ages. It has a nice, appealing look that could have been woven well with another kind of game. Heck, I’d probably buy myself a plush of that cute stopwatch character.
Audio
Music variety is rather lacking in this affair. What’s there is a chiptune that is kinda catchy, but its appeal wears out as the game drags along.
Gameplay
Let’s be honest:Â Bingo is dead on arrival. There are four variations of the game, but all of them feel like the same exact thing with a slightly different additional rule put in place. So what is the base gameplay? You wait for a number to get called out, check to see if your chart has that number on it, and check it off if it does. Five in a row nets a Bingo. Woo. What an immersive gaming experience that can only be done through this spectacular medium. There isn’t even any online play!
Verdict
Oh, what am I doing…? I’m bashing Bingo as if it were a competent video game release. I guess I can’t be that harsh on it. It’s five bucks, the same price of a package full of actual Bingo cards. If you really want to play Bingo, this is a perfectly suitable way to get some Bingo action going. The problem is this is the freakin’ Nintendo Switch, a video game console containing loads of titles that are much more deserving of your time and money than a glorified pen-and-paper game often played by Nintendo fans before a Direct starts anyway.
