Gris had always been on my wishlist as I found it very intriguing. The game received appraisal from both the community and critics alike. Being an indie game, it stood apart from the rest of the games of its type due to its unique art style and storytelling. Now that I finally played Gris on my Nintendo Switch, I realized that it is one of the best games that can be played on Switch and I will explain why.
First of all, Gris is mainly a platforming and puzzle-solving game and Nintendo Switch is perfect for such games. The smooth joystick on the Switch makes the platforming very satisfying. Gris is a type of game that doesn’t require much from the gamers i.e. a high-end system including a mechanical keyboard and multi-featured gaming mouse. Gris is simple and makes use of only a few buttons making it easier to play with the simplest of devices.
Furthermore, we already have a ton of AAA games on PC and consoles, so games like Gris are often left in either wishlists or libraries and we hardly ever get the chance to complete or even try them. But in Nintendo Switch, these games stand out and give players a chance to leave out all the AAA stuff and deep dive into the mesmerizing worlds of such indie games. This is exactly what happened to me. I kept ignoring Gris for a long time on my PC but when I was on a flight with my Nintendo Switch, only then I thought of finally giving Gris a chance. And I must say it made my long boring flight very fun.
Another reason for Gris being a great Nintendo Switch game is the game’s level design. There will be some levels in the game when it would make perfect sense to use a handheld device because in such cases, the character actually goes upside down and you have to maneuver the character in that way. Most of the platforming in the upside-down state is not difficult but you can make it drastically easy and fun if you just turn your hand-held upside down too. Of course, you wouldn’t have this luxury on a big display. It is not really needed but for me, it just added more to my experience.
The Nintendo Switch factor aside, Gris is a great game in general. It is deeply impactful even without a single dialogue. Whenever you start to feel redundancy in the game, Gris changes the playstyle, scenery, and experience. Time after time, you are left in awe of this game. Colors and geometric shapes play a vital role in the gameplay. The whole concept of Gris is to restore the different colors in the world that have seemed to go dull after the interference of a dark shape-shifting being.
As far as geometry is concerned, Gris’s level design makes use of mostly triangular and rectangular blocks in a very creative way. For example, there will be blocks of water spread across a level through which the character would have to swim while jumping from one block to other. Overall, Gris’s game design and platforming are up to the mark and will leave most players satisfied with its three to four hours-long journey.
I just wanted to emphasize that some games do feel different when played on a handheld. Gris, for sure, is one of those. I personally feel that this game is ideal for Nintendo Switch and would totally recommend it to anyone who is interested in trying Gris for the first time or wants to replay it.
