It’s 2024 and we’re deep into the ninth generation of consoles. We have graphics that are so beautiful that some people cannot differentiate between what is real life and what is computer-generated when looking at a screenshot. The aforementioned gorgeous scenery is usually paired with a grand score, layers upon layers of instruments and sound effects creating an audio soundscape to invoke feelings and emotions of what is on screen. None of that matters here though. Save Me Mr.Tako is locked into 8-bits but that doesn’t matter either because this game stands out and it stands out well.

Handheld memories

Save Me Mr.Tako is a love letter to the original handheld gaming experience all kids from the 80s and 90s grew up playing, the Game Boy. Using an 8-bit colour palette of those instantly recognisable tones of black and greens, this title limits itself with what they can use visually and proves that when in good hands, less can be more. The default display ratio is 4:3 with a large selection of custom-made overlays to fill in the black bars on the sides.

The opening overlay is a tribute to the Super Game Boy for the SNES. The graphics aren’t just greener on the other side, Save Me Mr.Tako has several different colour palettes to switch between at the press of one of the triggers. You can pick your favourite and play through the entire game with the colour of your choice or set it to auto and have the colours change as you progress each level.

Enough about the graphics, let’s talk about the soundtrack. Each track has a catchy melody that fits the level you’re traversing. I’ve found myself at times during my review just scrolling on my
phone longer than I should have because I was just happily bopping away to the soundtrack in the background. The melodies created here fit each area perfectly and are a match for what’s taking place on screen.

Gameplay

I’m just going to say this out straight with no analogy. The controls are tight and responsive with absolutely no messing about. As far as platformers are concerned, Save Me Mr.Tako has some of the best feeling controls out there today. Any mistake I’ve made during platforming was my fault, never due to the controls or the game itself… sorry, that sentence is a bit of a lie as I never made any mistake during platforming because the controls are that good!

As the game progresses Tako will gain access to hats. These grant you abilities you use in combat and traversing the world. Speaking of combat, Tako shoots ink at his enemies which freezes them in place for a few seconds. While frozen, they become platforms you can traverse on. With time, practice and a keen eye for the environment. You can use enemies to your advantage to reach new and sometimes secret areas with precise shots and movement.

The game has a level select hub, kind of like Super Mario Land and town hubs. Even though the game is level-based like old-school platformers, there are story beats contained within. Unlike Super Mario of old which gives you a piece at the beginning and the ending, Save Me Mr.Tako tells its story throughout with a cast of characters and an engaging story of sea vs land.

One of my favourite moments was being told the princess ran off to the east. When I went back to the level select hub, the next level doorway that opened up was just to the right of me, matching the direction previously provided to me.

Critiques

If I have anything to critique about this game it would be that playing this on a large TV was quite straining on the eyes. I enjoy my old Gameboy games but staring at them on a 53-inch television was hard after a while. If you can pick this up on a handheld I’d push you towards that.

Short and sweet review this time folks, I do recommend you give Save Me Mr.Tako a play if you’re in the market for a new platformer with a little extra sprinkled on top. It’s a blast to play and it’s also a blast from the past too.

These sweet salty words were brought to you by Lewis Magee.

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