Gertlushgaming banner logo

Treasure Hunter Simulator Review: Is This the Ultimate Treasure-Hunting Experience?

by · Published · Updated

Treasure Hunter Simulator Review delves into the ins and outs of this unique Nintendo Switch title, offering players an immersive treasure-hunting experience. With two modes, story and exploration, and stunning handheld visuals, the game seeks to charm adventurers and casual players alike. However, frequent performance hiccups, clunky controls, and repetitive gameplay might have you questioning if the treasure is worth the hunt. Dive into our Treasure Hunter Simulator Review and uncover whether this Switch title is a hidden gem or just a buried disappointment!

Treasure Hunter Simulator Review Pros:

  • Nice graphics.
  • 3.4GB download size.
  • Controller settings – Invert the axis and sensitivity slider, rotate with the detector option, and toggle run.
  • Two ways to play – Story mode (you can do jobs but have to unlock maps) and Exploration mode (no jobs but all maps unlocked).
  • The stick is used like a mouse for the menus, but the arrow does lock onto options.
  • Treasure finding gameplay.
  • Opening tutorial level, but it can be skipped.
  • A full 3D game world with 360-degree camera control.
  • The game is played in first person.
  • Your PDA holds the map, jobs, and the camera.
  • When walking around, your radar will beep and show an icon when near treasure, you then take out your metal detector and move around until the bar fills, and you can then lick the destination in and then dig with your shovel.
  • Found items must be identified and can be examined via a full 3D viewer and then bagged into your inventory.
  • Each area will have a legendary item to find, but it usually takes clues to find them.
  • A handy unstuck menu option.
  • Your office is fully explorable and will have a pc for jobs and going to locations, whilst the rest of the room populates with your findings.
  • Locations on the map will have a travel cost associated with them.
  • Earn money from your findings.
  • The locations will have a set of treasure-finding percentages for shallow, middle, and deep digs that could garner small, medium, or large items, with a general completion bar for the full location.
  • Decent loading times.
  • Looks and plays better in handheld mode.
  • Great looking locations.
  • The map will fill in any found treasure spots and points of interest.
  • It’s a good switch off your brain and do something kind, like a game.
  • A compass helps with navigation.
  • You can put your own marker down on the map.
  • Photo mode built in.
  • There are two types of jobs – main and optional side ones. You choose them from emails in your office.
  • Earn prestige and level up to unlock new metal detectors to buy with cash.
  • Detectors come in analog and digital versions, and each one has unique stats like how good they are at certain depths or sizes of items.
  • You can sell found items but not legendaries, and rubbish gets automatically discarded.

Treasure Hunter Simulator Review Cons:

  • You cannot remap the controls.
  • No real game options.
  • Generic sounding soundtrack.
  • The performance is up and down, with slowdowns and pop-ups happening somewhat frequently.
  • Animations are very wooden.
  • You never really see the treasure in the ground.
  • Identifying an item is just a case of rotating it until the bar fills up.
  • The controls are clunky and are definitely worse when holding the metal detector.
  • It isn’t as fun on the big screen, with blocky graphics and performance issues aplenty.
  • If beeping sounds get to you, then this is not the game for you all although you can play it without the beeps; it does lose some of its appeal and atmosphere.
  • All treasure-digging animations are the same.
  • Even when you use the metal detector and get the noise that you are in the right place, you then have to do a tedious, exact spot find with it.
  • Very repetitive.
  • Finding treasure is just a case of wandering around until it beeps.
  • It is a very grindy game with prestige and money coming in very slowly.

Related Post: Beyond The Ice Palace 2 Review

Treasure Hunter Simulator:

Official website.

Developer: DRAGO Entertainment

Publisher: Ultimate Publishing

Store Links –

Nintendo

  • 7/10
    Graphics - 7/10
  • 6/10
    Sound - 6/10
  • 6/10
    Accessibility - 6/10
  • 7/10
    Length - 7/10
  • 6/10
    Fun Factor - 6/10
6.4/10

Summary

Treasure Hunter boasts impressive graphics and a manageable 3.4GB download size, with an array of controller settings that include an invert axis, sensitivity sliders, and unique options like detector rotation and toggle run. It offers two distinct gameplay modes: Story mode, where players can take on jobs to unlock maps and Exploration mode, granting access to all maps without objectives. The opening tutorial is skippable, and the game features a fully explorable 3D world with 360-degree camera control. Played in first-person perspective, players use a PDA to manage maps, jobs, and even a camera, while gameplay revolves around treasure hunting using a radar and metal detector. The 3D viewer for examining found items, alongside unique legendary treasures requiring clues, adds depth to the game. Features like the unstuck menu option and a detailed office that evolves with your finds further enhance immersion. Great-looking locations, decent loading times, and the inclusion of a handy compass and photo mode make the game particularly enjoyable on handheld mode.

However, the game has its downsides. Performance issues such as slowdowns and pop-ups are frequent, especially in docked mode where graphics appear blocky. Animations are stiff, and treasure-digging sequences lack visual variety. Controls feel clunky, especially when using the metal detector, and cannot be remapped. The grindy progression system makes prestige and money slow to accumulate. Jobs split into main and side categories allow for progression, but the repetitive gameplay and tedious exact-spot finding with the metal detector diminish long-term enjoyment. The soundtrack is generic, and the lack of game options limits customization. Additionally, while the beeping sounds add atmosphere, they can become grating, and playing without them loses some of the charm.

Overall, the game offers a relaxing, exploratory experience with a solid visual presentation, making it a good “switch-off-your-brain” option. However, its repetitive nature, inconsistent performance, and grindy mechanics hold it back from being truly outstanding. If you’re in the mood for a charming treasure hunt and can overlook some technical shortcomings, this game could be your hidden gem but for me there is no gold to be found here.

Jim Smale

Gaming since the Atari 2600, I enjoy the weirdness in games counting Densha De Go and RC De Go as my favourite titles of all time. I prefer gaming of old where buying games from a shop was a thing, Being social in person was a thing. Join me as I attempt to adapt to this new digital age!