If you’re going to steal, steal from the best. Chipmonk is Golden Axe with furry woodland creatures dressed up in medieval outfits. You, and a friend (if you want) play as one of three different chipmunks and go kick furry ass. It is Golden Axe, with “gnomes”(bugs) the drop power ups, magic, similar enemies types, level design, you name it. The throwback is intentional, of course, but this works, because believe it or not, Chipmunk is great. It truly is. Only complaint is the lack of difficulty levels, but other than that, this is near a near flawless recreation of that classic game.
There are actually 2 complete campaigns in Chipmonk, Classic and Revengence. Classic has eight levels, 2 for spring, summer, fall and winter. I’m assuming revengence has 8 as well, so that’s a lot of game. You have moves at your disposal, attack, jump, magic(full screen attack) and a dash/roll. You can also run by double tapping a direction. You will be facing all manner of furry creatures, from ninja moles, to thief mice, to giant hedgehogs. They do palette swap, but the regular enemies are still pretty varied and put up a fight. The bosses in Chipmonk are varied too, such as the one above(dude with the rapier).
Chipmonk really shines in its visual design as well. There are nice touches everywhere. The are reflections in water. Leaves fall during autumn. Enemies will jump out of foreground. There are shadows of creatures in widows. Screenshots don’t even do it justice. You have to see it in motion, so watch this video:
In addition to the campaigns, there is a duel mode(like Golden Axe), and onslaught(endless mode), but the campaigns are the star of the show in Chipmonk, and worth the price of admission. If you’re looking for a modern take on the beat ’em up, play The Takeover. If you’re looking for a retro experience, play Chipmonk. Again, my only complaint is the lack of difficulty levels, so the game puts up a challenge. But you know what, that’s just fine. I’m giving Chipmonk a Must Play. Well done to the developers, Neimi Brothers Entertainment.
Overall: Chipmonk is Golden Axe with furry creatures, and it is wonderful. A pure retro experience.
Verdict: Must Play
| Platform | Nintendo Switch |
| Release Date | 9/28/23 |
| Cost | $9.99 |
| Publisher | Qubyte Interactive |
| ESRB Rating | E10+ |
