Review cover ARMS (Nintendo Switch)
Official GBAtemp Review

Product Information:

  • Release Date (NA): June 16, 2017
  • Release Date (EU): June 16, 2017
  • Release Date (JP): June 16, 2017
  • Publisher: Nintendo
  • Developer: Nintendo
  • Genres: Boxing

Game Features:

Single player
Local Multiplayer
Online Multiplayer
Co-operative
ARMS is the first 3D brawler to release on the Nintendo Switch. Is it a knock out? Let's take a look!

attachFull89586

ARMS is the latest Switch exclusive title to come from Nintendo. A 3D brawler that uses long-distance boxing combined with motion controls, to deliver what is essentially an overall lacklustre experience.

After seeing the trailer on TV for the last few weeks I went into ARMS with an open mind, as I'm a fan of fighting games, but not one of motion controls. What I found after playing the title all weekend, is that the motion controls seem to work around 75% of the time. When playing a brawler where precision and speed are fundamental key factors for victory, I wasn't really surprised to learn that using the alternative button control scheme offered a better overall experience for playing the game, but even that is far from perfect.

attachFull89874

Review image Review image Review image Review image Review image

Punch Outwards

ARMS is a tournament where competitors meet in arena type stages to face off against one another in 1vs1 or 2vs2 battles. What makes ARMS unique is that instead of playing a close-up game, like regular boxing, fighters have literal extendable ARMS (or hair), equipped with various gloves that can reach out across entire stages to smack your opponent in the face. Controlling one ARM per joycon, flinging punches is relatively simple, with just a small flick of each joycon being required to initiate a jab. Curving the direction of the blow as it zips through the air isn't very reliable, and that can mean the difference between landing the punch or getting whacked in the face yourself. Blocks, jumps and dodges are also available, but these movements just don't work when you need them to making the game feel more frustrating than it should, unless you are using very small precise deliberate motions with the joycons.

I could play the game's Grand Prix mode with the motion controls up to level 2 or 3, of 7, but to beat level 4 difficulty (which is no mean feat) and be allowed to play online against other real people, I had to switch to the manual control scheme, and then the game's shallowness really stood out to me.

Each match quickly ended up with me jump dodging in a direction and constantly alternating a left and right punch. If my opponent blocked, I would grab them, if they took the punch on the nose, I would keep 1-2 comboing them until my special meter was full and ready to unleash a barrage of attacks causing massive damage. Performing this routine twice in a row would usually win me the round, even on the hardest level 7 difficulty. I would love to have tried the technique online, but as the game still isn't out at the time of writing, I could never find anyone to play against.

attachFull89882

Review image Review image Review image Review image Review image

Slam Dunk

ARMS features 10 playable characters each with their own stage; Grand Prix mode which is basically a 10 fight story mode, but without the story part. Basket and volleyball, online party and ranked matches and a 1vs100 mode. The problem here is just like the main battles, most of the extra modes are very shallow affairs that are over very quickly and don't really offer much diversity away from the main battles.

Alternative ARMS are unlocked by grinding coins from winning matches. There are loads to choose from, like rockets or boomerangs, to boxing gloves with elemental effects, but no matter what you have equipped on a character, the game basically plays out the same way in each battle, or at least it did for me. None of the equips made me play any differently, or made my strategy better or worse. Granted I haven't tried every single ARM, as earning coins and then redeeming them for a new ARM doesn't even let you choose which one to buy, it is a random selection and you must go through this process for every single one of the 10 characters. Because of the relatively slow unlock system, it will probably be a while until the community decides on the best builds.

attachFull89889

Review image Review image Review image Review image Review image

Knock Out?

As a full priced game, it's tough to recommend ARMS as a release day purchase. Hopefully Nintendo continue to update it as they have with their previous first party titles.

On a side note, my son thinks it's the best thing since sliced bread:

He is 7 years old.

ARMS Launch Trailer

Verdict

What We Liked ...
  • Solid foundation and interesting concept
What We Didn't Like ...
  • Both control schemes lack precision control
  • Shallow gameplay
6
Gameplay
Despite a plethora of interchangeable arms, my experience with the game essentially added up to: jump dodge punch repeat, use special when ready. This was the only way I could win matches on level 4 difficulty and above, using the manual input control scheme.
9
Presentation
Interesting character designs with bright and colourful arenas all filled with the usual Nintendo charm.
6
Lasting Appeal
ARMS is good for a bit of fun with family or friends, but it's to shallow an experience to appeal to gamers who like a bit of depth to their fighters.
6
out of 10

Overall

ARMS is an interesting concept that unfortunately doesn't play as well as it should, and doesn't have enough content to justify a full priced title at launch.
About what I expected when I first saw it. As more and more info was giving about it I was convinced it would be bare bones and I was right.
 
p1ngpong and I played this at the demo in London. Even with the best face of a controlled demo and it still being months before release we reached much the same conclusions. We only did the motion controls though.
Looking at my notes I wrote not as visceral, or perhaps more disconnected, compared to wii boxing which did not help matters and wii boxing was a cartoon.

I take it you are not expecting a competitive scene for this?
 
  • Like
Reactions: PokeAcer
What's up with those Multiplayer titles that lack content on launch. At least with Battlefront 2 EA is trying to make a normal sized game this time.
 
I'm very happy because my cousin has a switch and he said he would get so i can't wait to beat him
 
It's Virtual On meets Punch-Out, I love it. Enjoyed my time with ARMS more than my time with Splatoon 2, which I'm sure will get a higher rating here. Disagree with the game being bare-bones, even what was beta'd was fairly robust. Volleyball looks fun.
 
p1ngpong and I played this at the demo in London. Even with the best face of a controlled demo and it still being months before release we reached much the same conclusions. We only did the motion controls though.
Looking at my notes I wrote not as visceral, or perhaps more disconnected, compared to wii boxing which did not help matters and wii boxing was a cartoon.

I take it you are not expecting a competitive scene for this?
I think it'll get a small hardcore following but won't be huge.
I like what's there, it's fun but it's just not enough atm.
 
I feel like the full game would have a little bit more action and story, but after personally playing for a little bit, I thought you were correct. Of course, this is a demo so I cannot say anything until I purchase the game. But I mostly agree.
 
This just looks like some Chinese knock-off of Punch Out. No hate, but in my perspective, that literally looks like a knock-off of Punch Out in my opinion. Other than that, it seems as an OK game that doesn't seem to attract too much attention and also probably would get boring after a while (unless it has something that would make it seem more fun than it is).
 
Shame on you people, shame on you. We finally get a different type of fighting game, and you say the motion controls "are not precise". Well, they are. Atleast, for me, they work perfectly fine, just that I'm still getting used to these moves (jumping, teleporting, pressing different buttons while punching with the joycons etc.).
 
Shame on you people, shame on you. We finally get a different type of fighting game, and you say the motion controls "are not precise". Well, they are. Atleast, for me, they work perfectly fine, just that I'm still getting used to these moves (jumping, teleporting, pressing different buttons while punching with the joycons etc.).
I actually tried the motion controls myself during the demo going on every hour or so. I couldn't figure out how to get it working properly to fight extremely effectively (Either that could just be because I had actual problems or the Motion controls are set a certain way.)

I will say this to, even with or without the motion controls it was still difficult to aim punches in a versatile way or a changeable way, its pretty much you either dodge the attack quickly and move on punch after punch with lots of dodging, or the opposite way lots of blocking. Because there is no accurate way to curve your punches (its even worse without the motion controls, it takes full complete auto-aim when your not using motion controls.) There was no exact way to conveniently take out punches or dodge a punch with a punch to the face to cancel out someone's punches (if that makes any sense.)
 
  • Like
Reactions: BlastedGuy9905
Shame on you people, shame on you. We finally get a different type of fighting game, and you say the motion controls "are not precise". Well, they are. Atleast, for me, they work perfectly fine, just that I'm still getting used to these moves (jumping, teleporting, pressing different buttons while punching with the joycons etc.).

I have still only played this during that demo in London a while back, however everything Thug said resonated with me.

Still I will pose a scenario.
If I got this and a wii boxing setup what would I compare the controls like? Wii boxing was not enough to sell me on the idea that motion controls this side of minute movement finger tracking are the way but it at least accomplished what it set out to do.
I thought at first it enforced some kind of penalty for missing (heavy attack leaves you wide open sort of thing) which was questionable but workable, however it was not. I wondered if the stances it wanted you to hold were too different to boxing or martial arts, they are but not in a way that really bothered me. Were this a conventional controller affair I would have described the controls as mushy, which is impressive for a motion controlled game. Disconnected and floaty perhaps, probably what I meant when I was saying visceral above. Not enough to tank a game but probably not a solid base upon which to build a fighter.

Equally "We finally get a different type of fighting game"? It is an arena fighting game; they are perhaps not as common as 2d ones, and we could probably have a minor and boring debate about camera/movement types, but they have existed for decades. If you expand it into games with similar approaches to movement but maybe in a more expanded world (I was sort of reminded of madworld on the wii for this, any number of games like bayonetta, the dynasty warriors series, I kind of want to bring up The Bouncer, and while PC games were for whatever reason being light on the fighters a lot of the early attempts at them were not too far removed from this) then you have more still.
 
I have still only played this during that demo in London a while back, however everything Thug said resonated with me.

Still I will pose a scenario.
If I got this and a wii boxing setup what would I compare the controls like? Wii boxing was not enough to sell me on the idea that motion controls this side of minute movement finger tracking are the way but it at least accomplished what it set out to do.
I thought at first it enforced some kind of penalty for missing (heavy attack leaves you wide open sort of thing) which was questionable but workable, however it was not. I wondered if the stances it wanted you to hold were too different to boxing or martial arts, they are but not in a way that really bothered me. Were this a conventional controller affair I would have described the controls as mushy, which is impressive for a motion controlled game. Disconnected and floaty perhaps, probably what I meant when I was saying visceral above. Not enough to tank a game but probably not a solid base upon which to build a fighter.

Equally "We finally get a different type of fighting game"? It is an arena fighting game; they are perhaps not as common as 2d ones, and we could probably have a minor and boring debate about camera/movement types, but they have existed for decades. If you expand it into games with similar approaches to movement but maybe in a more expanded world (I was sort of reminded of madworld on the wii for this, any number of games like bayonetta, the dynasty warriors series, I kind of want to bring up The Bouncer, and while PC games were for whatever reason being light on the fighters a lot of the early attempts at them were not too far removed from this) then you have more still.
Well... I'VE never seen any fighting games with customizable characters, extendable arms, 3D third-person type of far-boxing game. .-.
 
To aim with manual controls; the punch will go whichever way you are holding the left analogue stick at the time. It's stupid, but once you know that it does make matches better.
I'd also like to add that after playing against real people online, I have warmed to the game a lot more, but my score for this review still stands.
 
To aim with manual controls; the punch will go whichever way you are holding the left analogue stick at the time. It's stupid, but once you know that it does make matches better.
I'd also like to add that after playing against real people online, I have warmed to the game a lot more, but my score for this review still stands.
I actually never played with the buttons. I like the motion controls and the uniqueness very much.
 
It's Official, Gbatempt Reviewer is a anti Nintendo. i though you guys were suppose to be critic, dont let your outside though affect the game. This game gameplay is way above the 6, and it's not simple at all, you just not "Shallow" at all, you can try all kind of combo like you can bounce the enemy on the state and when they on the air they are vulnerable to all kind of punch and ulti, and every character have new thing to add to the gameplay. Pokemon Sun/Moon got 6, Arm got 6, Zelda got 7. Like Gbatempt just hate it cause ppl around them like it. i saw Zelda Twilight got 8 i like WTF. Don't just do reverse the trend to get attention.
 
It's Official, Gbatempt Reviewer is a anti Nintendo. i though you guys were suppose to be critic, dont let your outside though affect the game. This game gameplay is way above the 6, and it's not simple at all, you just not "Shallow" at all, you can try all kind of combo like you can bounce the enemy on the state and when they on the air they are vulnerable to all kind of punch and ulti, and every character have new thing to add to the gameplay. Pokemon Sun/Moon got 6, Arm got 6, Zelda got 7. Like Gbatempt just hate it cause ppl around them like it. i saw Zelda Twilight got 8 i like WTF. Don't just do reverse the trend to get attention.
I agree on their decision with Zelda. It was very "meh". But everything else you said is spot-on. However, I don't think they're anti-nintendo.
 
It's Official, Gbatempt Reviewer is a anti Nintendo. i though you guys were suppose to be critic, dont let your outside though affect the game. This game gameplay is way above the 6, and it's not simple at all, you just not "Shallow" at all, you can try all kind of combo like you can bounce the enemy on the state and when they on the air they are vulnerable to all kind of punch and ulti, and every character have new thing to add to the gameplay. Pokemon Sun/Moon got 6, Arm got 6, Zelda got 7. Like Gbatempt just hate it cause ppl around them like it. i saw Zelda Twilight got 8 i like WTF. Don't just do reverse the trend to get attention.
I kinda agree, BUT OMG YOUR GRAMMAR. YOU MISPELLED THE FORUM'S NAME AND LIKE 20+ WORDS!!!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Thirty3Three
It's Official, Gbatempt Reviewer is a anti Nintendo. i though you guys were suppose to be critic, dont let your outside though affect the game. This game gameplay is way above the 6, and it's not simple at all, you just not "Shallow" at all, you can try all kind of combo like you can bounce the enemy on the state and when they on the air they are vulnerable to all kind of punch and ulti, and every character have new thing to add to the gameplay. Pokemon Sun/Moon got 6, Arm got 6, Zelda got 7. Like Gbatempt just hate it cause ppl around them like it. i saw Zelda Twilight got 8 i like WTF. Don't just do reverse the trend to get attention.
Explain to me how game scores should work, nobody has thus far shown how they do. Also If the thing is from 1 to then then 6, 7 and 8 are above average and even good scores. Technically Twilight Princess was a member review, though said member has since become a staff member so I will let that one go for now. Going further pokemon S&M was another pokemon rehash but with some flaws and what little extra was done was also somewhat flawed, don't know why it would warrant a higher score but I was not the one reviewing it in this instance.

My outside thoughts? I am not sure what you mean there, if you mean just consider the game and don't look at all the other games on the market then not going to happen. Equally is a critic not supposed to be critical?

Again though I have only played this at the demo. I would like to believe I can take the measure of many games fairly quickly, especially when I am there to pull things apart and see what might be going on underneath. To that end even if I did not trust Thug's opinion in this instance I find all what was written to be quite plausible.

As for being anti anything then I am only anti bad game, being anti a company just seems like a way to limit the potential good games I can play. I can't speak for the others but I get the impression they are the same, the main difference being some of those might be among those that don't like to separate art from the artist.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ericzander
I managed to get it for $5 at gamestop (had to trade it in for zelda tho.)

I will agree though, the $60 price is asking for a little to much. 19.99 or 29.99 would be a good price point imo.
 
Looks fun for parties, something anyone can just grab and play. Sad to hear it doesn't have loads of depth, though. I love the presentation, so I'll pick it up when it goes on sale for 30 bucks or so.
 
I knew Nintendo sucked. SONY ALWAYS WINS BABY. They Always Win. Sony is taking ANOTHER W.
"W" ??? and I thought L's were the only thing on the internet.

Well Sony doesn't always win. Sony is mostly in the dust with Steam sometimes, and sometimes Nintendo dominates over Sony & Steam becuase they make everything more acsessiable to audiences which is a focus both Valve and Sony don't promote to othen, and nintendo doesn't have a focus on 3rd party support like PS4, Steam, and Xbox which just gives more reasons to buy nintendo products if your into them.

I will admit though nintendos sales are the worst out of all the companies I have seen in the video game marketing business in terms of the discounts they give and sales but granite the games are new so. I guess its an understandable price but 1 - 2 years from now I would like to see most of the $60 price tags go down to $40 or $30 minimum.
 
"W" ??? and I thought L's were the only thing on the internet.

Well Sony doesn't always win. Sony is mostly in the dust with Steam sometimes, and sometimes Nintendo dominates over Sony & Steam becuase they make everything more acsessiable to audiences which is a focus both Valve and Sony don't promote to othen, and nintendo doesn't have a focus on 3rd party support like PS4, Steam, and Xbox which just gives more reasons to buy nintendo products if your into them.

I will admit though nintendos sales are the worst out of all the companies I have seen in the video game marketing business in terms of the discounts they give and sales but granite the games are new so. I guess its an understandable price but 1 - 2 years from now I would like to see most of the $60 price tags go down to $40 or $30 minimum.
Dude, I was completely joking.
 
  • Like
Reactions: petethepug
Review cover
Product Information:
  • Release Date (NA): June 16, 2017
  • Release Date (EU): June 16, 2017
  • Release Date (JP): June 16, 2017
  • Publisher: Nintendo
  • Developer: Nintendo
  • Genres: Boxing
Game Features:
Single player
Local Multiplayer
Online Multiplayer
Co-operative

Reviews

  1. Inkulinati is a 2D strategy game available for the PlayStation 4, Playstation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X, Nintendo Switch and PC

  2. Geekom’s latest Mini PC packs a 7000 series Ryzen 9, a 2TB SSD, and 32GB of DDR5 RAM. It’s time to put it through its paces!

  3. Xiaomi has just launched its latest smartphone line, the Xiaomi 14 series. In this series, the Xiaomi 14 Ultra is the top-of-the-line model, with a focus on photography and a dedicated Photography...

  4. Obsidian’s Pentiment is part of a new wave of Xbox games coming to other platforms. Should you try to solve the 16th century murder mystery it presents?

  5. The second iteration of Supernote's compact e-ink notebook, we check out the A6X2 Nomad!

Site & Scene News

General chit-chat
Help Users
  • Veho @ Veho:
    Mkay.
  • Veho @ Veho:
    I just ordered another package from China just to spite you.
  • SylverReZ @ SylverReZ:
    Communism lol
  • SylverReZ @ SylverReZ:
    OUR products
  • The Real Jdbye @ The Real Jdbye:
    @LeoTCK actually good quality products are dying out because they can't compete with dropshipped chinese crap
    +2
  • BakerMan @ BakerMan:
    @LeoTCK is your partner the sascrotch or smth?
  • Xdqwerty @ Xdqwerty:
    Good morning
  • Xdqwerty @ Xdqwerty:
    Out of nowhere I got several scars on my forearm and part of my arm and it really itches.
  • AdRoz78 @ AdRoz78:
    Hey, I bought a modchip today and it says "New 2040plus" in the top left corner. Is this a legit chip or was I scammed?
  • Veho @ Veho:
    @AdRoz78 start a thread and post a photo of the chip.
    +2
  • Xdqwerty @ Xdqwerty:
    Yawn
  • S @ salazarcosplay:
    and good morning everyone
    +1
  • K3Nv2 @ K3Nv2:
    @BakerMan, his partner is Luke
  • Sicklyboy @ Sicklyboy:
    Sup nerds
    +1
  • Flame @ Flame:
    oh hi, Sickly
  • K3Nv2 @ K3Nv2:
    Oh hi flame
  • S @ salazarcosplay:
    @K3Nv2 what was your ps4 situation
  • S @ salazarcosplay:
    did you always have a ps4 you never updated
  • S @ salazarcosplay:
    or were you able to get new ps4 tracking it \
    as soon as the hack was announced
  • S @ salazarcosplay:
    or did you have to find a used one with the lower firm ware that was not updated
  • K3Nv2 @ K3Nv2:
    I got this ps4 at launch and never updated since 9.0
  • K3Nv2 @ K3Nv2:
    You got a good chance of buying a used one and asking the seller how often they used or even ask for a picteof not updating just tell them don't update
    K3Nv2 @ K3Nv2: You got a good chance of buying a used one and asking the seller how often they used or even ask...