Teeto - Switch Review

Let's start with some facts. My wife is a Kiwi (as in from New Zealand, not a bird), and we are an Australian review website. As such, when an antipodean game comes along, I’m particularly full of excitement! I recently reviewed the Australian-developed The Drifter, which was fantastic. But now my first review of a New Zealand-developed game is here; Teeto is a charming and cosy collectathon/3D platformer from Eat Pant Games. With strong Fall Guys meets Banjo Kazooie vibes, it looks great!

The Good

As the latest of a long line of 3D platformers to challenge the late 90s classics, Teeto does a pretty good job of getting the basics right. I’ve played many over the years that have had frustrating cameras or ridiculously challenging platforming, but Teeto has really distilled down what makes the game fun. Jumping around and solving simple puzzles; the combat is also very basic but that’s absolutely fine in this genre. The story is a little light but in Teeto you play as the eponymous Teeto, who is basically… a blob (see previous comment about Fall Guys). Teeto is ably assisted along the way by a small bunny called Nory; the most standout gameplay hook is that Teeto, being blobular in nature, can morph into pretty much any inanimate object that they come across. Each ‘form’ that Teeto can take then allows them to progress in the various levels. Whilst this is not the most unique gameplay hook ever invented, it certainly can be fun.

There are two main collectibles throughout the levels in Teeto: some small creatures called Micheals, all of which have unique identities, and some purple orbs called vionites. In order to 100% a level, you need to find all of both collectibles and they are often tucked away somewhere close to but not far from the beaten track; the forms you take also assist Teeto greatly in grabbing them all. That brings me on to the next main positive of Teeto; the humour. As you’d expect from a couple of Kiwis, the game is well written and oftentimes funny; the Micheals themselves all have humorous back stories, and a lot of the dialogue is very tongue-in-cheek. Games can often be far too serious these days, but the feel of Teeto is refreshing without being annoying.

Lastly, the two-player couch co-op is terrific. I got my four-year-old son involved (he’s half Kiwi, of course) and we had a blast. Sure, he didn’t really know what he was doing, but I was able to pick up the slack (yes, that’s a humble brag over my young son). We both had a great time and due to the nature of the co-op play, it means that anyone from varying ages and abilities could pick up Teeto and get stuck in. Fun times!

TL;DR

• Platforming does the basics right
• Kiwi humour is refreshing and not annoying
• Couch co-op is fun for all

The Bad

Sadly, Teeto isn’t all smiles. The levels that you explore are fun and vibrant, but from a level design point of view they can be incredibly bland. Whilst there are one or two exceptions, most of the levels are surprisingly linear and have almost zero verticality; in addition to this, a lot of the collectibles are pretty much ‘hidden’ in plain sight. Again, not to humblebrag, but most of the levels I was able to 100% in my first playthrough because a lot of it is presented to you on a plate. The hub world itself is even blander still and is basically a couple of sky islands with next to nothing to explore or venture into. 

Whilst the copy ability in Teeto is quite fun, it soon wears off because a lot of the forms you need to progress are almost right next to where you need to use them… The often linear nature undermines the potential to use your gamers’ instinct, and it feels like an arbitrary attempt to inject a mechanic into a game just for the sake of adding something.

TL;DR

• Barring some exceptions the levels can feel quite bland
• Copy ability often feels arbitrary

Final Score: 7/10

Teeto is a cute platformer with some fine displays of what makes the genre one that we all eternally love. The Kiwi humour really shines as well, but sadly I was left feeling a bit disappointed in the levels themselves and a lack of true collectathon exploration and challenge. The husband-and-wife development team has done a fine job but will need more to stand out in a crowded market of 3D platformers.

Thank you for checking out our Teeto Switch review, thank you to Super Rare Games for providing the review code and thank you to our Patreon Backers for their ongoing support:

• Andrew Caluzzi (Inca Studios / Camped Out)
• Bel Cubitt
• Bobby Jack
• Jack Caven
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