Prinny 1•2: Exploded and Reloaded Review (Nintendo Switch)

by Jim Smale · October 26, 2020

Wait, is this really the main character, dood!? Get ready for an explosive adventure starring the Netherworld’s worst hero: Prinny! When their demonic master, “Beauty Queen” Etna, tasks her lowly Prinny Squad with fetching anything her heart desires, it is do or die, dood! This double dose of games features updated graphics, intense gameplay, and familiar faces from the DISGAEA series!

Pros:

Decent Anime-style graphics.
813mb download size (Prinny: Can I Really Be The Hero?) and 1.1GB download size (Prinny 2: Dawn of Operation Panties, Dood!)
English or Japanese voice work.
Prinny 1-Two difficulties-Standard and Hells Finest.
Prinny 2-Three difficulties-standard, baby and Hells Finest.
Analog and d-pad support.
Revive point-respawn point you activate by ground pounding.
Tutorial signs at the beginning. Unlock a tutorial shop that allows you to do advanced tutorials, repeat them, and earn extras.
Blocken- blocks that can be destroyed but will respawn when you leave the screen. (Prinny 2)
Platformer gameplay.
Aerial attacks that change the camera angle as you do it. (optional)
Boss fights.
End of level breakdown-a rank given on performance like time and how many deaths.
1000 lives.
Fast loading times.
Actions-slash, double jump, aerial attacks, ground pound.
Can pan the screen up and down to look around. (Prinny 2)
Combo counter.
Eryngi- an enemy that damages you if you hit them but if you hip pound them you will jump higher and take no damage.
Levels have a countdown timer but reset upon death.
3 hits then the death system.
Collect food and kill enemies for the score.
Likable lovable character, sorry likable loveable DOOD!
In-game cutscenes.
Can skip cutscenes.
Orbs-collect them from bosses and they unlock new things back in the main hub.
Such a fantastic soundtrack.
Can play levels in any order.
Levels take on a lot more action with background interactions, bigger levels generally. (Prinny 2)
Delivery samurai-pay to have a weapon delivered to a level and use it for just that level. (Prinny 2)
Vehicles are in the game! (Prinny 2)
Each level has a difficulty rating.
Combo attacks by stunning enemies and grouping aerials and ground pound together.
Enemies will be familiar with Disgaea fans.
Lucky dolls-Collectibles.
Difficult but fair.
Combo counter works as in you fill it up with the cake pickups and stunning enemies then cash them in as you fill the bar and you can earn more points or hit points back. The bar depletes over time and if you attack or take damage.
Hang onto ledges.
Watch level replays to see how it’s all done.
Secret routes.
Bite-sized levels.
Boss fights are self-contained so you always restart there.

Cons:

Has a weird almost smear to it all so it looks a bit blurry.
No air control on jumps.
Hard to judge aerial attacks.
Difficult.
Annoying hit back mechanic.
A lot of cheap deaths.
Can’t see below yourself.
The tutorial is very basic.

8/10

Graphics - 8/10
8/10

Sound - 8/10
7/10

Accessibility - 7/10
7/10

Length - 7/10
8/10

Fun Factor - 8/10

7.6/10

Summary

Dood! I remember playing this on the PSP all them years ago. I was always intrigued by the game as I do enjoy the old platformer and always appreciate someone willing to change it up. Enter Prinny Can I Really Be The Hero, Prinnies made famous from the Disgaea series are given their own game, and it’s a solid fun platformer. What I like about the game is that it’s a strong platformer through and through but also adds in a bit of Disgaea from the aerial camera change attacks to the attacks and combos. You have a set amount of lives and must try and beat the handful of levels with each housing a boss fight. On your way, you can take on the arsenal of enemies again from Disgaea. The levels themselves are big enough to have secret areas and routes. It took me a while to grasp the combo gauge as it generates rewards for how well you play, you string attacks, and stick to jumping on them to rack the score up faster. It sounds basic but honestly, once you see it in action you really appreciate it. Luckily the game has a video series that shows a glimpse into how to rack up the scores and that helps a lot. Overall Prinny is a worthy game and one for Disgaea and platformers in general, it may be an old game brought back to life but it’s a game worth resuscitating. Having Prinny 2 bundled in means you can play a much more fleshed out version of the game because let’s face it, Prinny 2 plays just like Prinny 1 bar a few new additions like vehicles and more background integration. As a complete bundle, it’s a good package as you get to play a bit of the old and a bit of the new in one handy collection.