This game was originally covered as part of our Nindie Round Up series that sought to give coverage to a wider breadth of Switch eShop games beyond our standard reviews. In an effort to make our impressions easier to find, we're presenting the original text below in our mini-review format.

Note. This game has, unfortunately, been delisted from the Switch eShop.

A platformer with a focus on speed in both gameplay and story exposition, JackQuest has you take the role of Jack, a pixelated chap wielding a sentient sword so large, it’d make Final Fantasy VII's Cloud blush. It’s a fantasy-themed platformer with a rather basic ‘girl is captured, go save her’ story, but proves its mettle in combat and exploration, both of which are pretty great. The dialogue is a little clunky and not amazingly well thought out, though, with quite run-of-the-mill chat that could’ve done with an infusion of wit.

Where JackQuest succeeds, however, is with its gameplay, which is thankfully its prime focus. The control is very well matched, with each jump and attack feeling organic. The wall jumping, in particular, is an example of something that could easily become tedious, but is instead fun to mess about with because of how excellent the control is.

There are numerous power-ups and additional weapons, but we often found ourselves defaulting to the sword, as it feels so satisfying to hit things with. The special moves are also particularly pleasing to use in a tight spot. There’s an element of the Metroidvania genre when it comes to exploration, too, which is welcome, as you’ll find yourself navigating one big maze and often backtracking to progress.

Enemies are well-designed and sport a retro aesthetic, matched by the rest of the world. The charming pixel art works well in a 2D platformer like this, matching the humble plot and simple, yet well-implemented controls. The boss battles are impressive, but again, tend to be quite simple once you’ve established the pattern. Musically, it has a cool, old-school vibe that matches the graphics, though the grunts and groans from Jack every time he swings do wear thin after a while.

Overall though, JackQuest: The Tale of the Sword is a charming platformer that revels in its own simplicity. The control is excellent, the visuals nostalgic, and the exploration elements engaging.