Wild Hearts S on Switch 2 Revitalizes an Underrated Gem

The Nintendo Switch 2? What a wild ride. Two months old and still shiny as a new penny, or maybe just another reason to deny myself sleep. Honestly, it’s like my magical portal to Nintendo’s playground. I mean, I dabble in other platforms too, but Switch 2? Yeah, it’s kinda special. Lately, I’ve seized the chance to dive into games I missed when they first popped up—case in point, Wild Hearts S. Picture this: a redux of Koei Tecmo’s 2023 monster mash on a nifty new gadget.

So, Wild Hearts S is sorta like a teaser of what this bad boy can do with third-party stuff. It’s packing a punch in ways the OG Switch just couldn’t. Remember Cyberpunk 2077 dropping jaws at launch? Yep, good times. Not that Wild Hearts S is blowing the lid off visual standards compared to, you know, PS5 or Xbox Series X. It’s like… a sprinkle better than PS4 and Xbox One. You get what I mean? Textures aren’t Oscar-worthy (wait, can textures win Oscars?), and during epic slapfests, things might get a bit sluggish. But hey, it’s more about heart than polish, right?

And Wild Hearts S, oh boy, it’s all about the hunt. You’re diving into this world as a self-made hero, taking on kemono—giant nature-beast hybrids. Little ones? Pfft, a warm-up. But those big guys? They’re a spectacular combo of flora and fauna, ready to give you a run for your money. Take a boar, slap on some vines, maybe a bulb arm just for giggles, and there you go—nature’s Frankenstein.

The kemono can give you the willies or just leave you in awe. Like this turtle with coral growing on it. I actually felt a bit guilty after… you know… ’cause what did that turtle ever do to me? But when a boar’s trying to make you its lunch, admiration takes a back seat, let me tell ya.

Gaming life’s a loop, hunting those big guys, scanning the land, plopping down towers, and wielding magic wooden stuff called karakuri. You unlock more as you go—stack crates to block boar rushes or whip up a healing mist with gliders. Weird wooden engineering, but it works.

Now, let’s talk tussles. All that karakuri jazz comes together in epic brawls against these beasts. And time? It flies. A showdown with a Kingtusk isn’t just a fling—it’s an all-day affair, while the sun sets and stars peep out. It’s oddly poetic for a beast brawl.

Oh, and the Lavaback—what a treat to see in action. I’m all for games where creatures duke it out; makes the world feel less like a video game and more… real? Seeing a Lavaback throwing around a Spineglider gave me chills—like, right after I barely survived a run-in with the latter. It’s like life said, “Hey, level up, kid.”

Sure, there’s some camera wonkiness. Picture battling a Godzilla-sized critter with your perspective doing a wacky dance—ever gone mano-a-mano against a wall? Felt a bit like when the camera’s not keeping up in a FromSoftware chaos fest. You’re seeing the beast from the inside-out, which, bizarrely, makes for a kind of accidental anatomy lesson.

Imperfect camera angles notwithstanding, I’m hooked on Wild Hearts S. It might not win beauty contests, but on a handheld, who cares? It’s all about the thrill of the hunt and not having to stay tethered to a couch. Nintendo Switch 2, you’re already making my game time legendary. Here’s to more beast-hunting chaos, wherever life takes me.