Hello guys, this is PushDustIn from Source Gaming here and as the title suggests it’s time for another review for a Switch game. Nuclien is developed by Springloaded Software who previously released Ultra Hyperball and Hiragana Pixel Party on the Switch. Source Gaming has reviewed both of these titles, so please go ahead and check them out if you haven’t. Just like with those two previously mentioned titles, Springloaded Software sent us a copy of this game for review purposes. I won’t be following the normal review setup as the game is quite short — a fact that’s reflected in its’ price point and gameplay mechanics. So with all that out of the way, let’s get started.
Nuclien is a puzzle reflex game that relies on a simple premise. If you know how to count, then you can play Nuclien. Since Nuclien requires the touch screen to play, this means that you cannot play this game docked. There are 77 levels in Nuclien, with 5 different “areas” and some time trial levels. The basic premise of Nuclien is that the universe is in its’ early stages, and as a master mathematician, players must build things via completing levels. Players will start with small things like plankton but quickly move onto more complex life like ninja terrapin and giant spiders.
Each “area” has a slightly different mechanic. In the first one, players will need to just simply tap the numbers as they appear on the screen. The second requires players to count down, the third will require players to count up while the fourth and fifth will require players to do both at the same time.
The gameplay is quite easy to get into, but also quite addictive. I was able to 100% the game in about three hours, but it was a genuinely enjoyable experience. Sometimes levels have different themes which will impact what the background looks like or the numbers that appear. One standout moment was building the killer robots which required players to tap 0s and 1s only.
Over the course of the game, players can accumulate knowledge by completing levels. Knowledge can be used to upgrade the time players have or the score the players will receive. Upgrading is essential, as later levels are unplayable without them. I found time to be slightly more useful to upgrade. There is a local ranking system which encourages replayability, as well as an overall score count. Springloaded Software plans to add kanji support for numbers in an upcoming patch, which will be a great way to practice numbers for those of you who are studying Japanese.
All in all, I really enjoyed Nuclien. The music is fantastic, and the graphics while minimalistic work for the game. It’s very clear what numbers need to be counted up, and what numbers need to be counted down. Online leaderboards for the overall score would’ve been nice, as well as more twists to the gameplay, but for its’ price point of 4 USD – less than lunch at McDonald’s, I think it’s well worth the price. If players purchase before the 19th, they can buy it for 3 USD. All in all, I give Nuclien a 4.5/5 and strongly recommend it for those who enjoy quick reflex games.
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