Last week, Nintendo held their last free play sessions for their upcoming fighting game ARMS. This multiplayer demo was only available the last 2 weekends and only for 1 hour sessions. Seeing as how we’re only one week away from the game’s release, I thought it’d be fun to drum up some hype by talking about my experience with the game during these last 2 weekends. So without further delay, let’s get up in ARMS! (I apologize for nothing.)
The ARMS Global Testpunch features 8 out of the 10 playable characters, 4 stages , and 5 game modes, one of them being a secret mode that rarely pops up. My most played characters ended up being Mechanica, The D.Va of the game, and Ribbon Girl, the underrated pop singer. For the Testpunch, I played strictly using the motion control setup, and experienced no problems at all. I’ve noticed a lot of people recommend the Pro Controller and the Joycon grip for an easier and viable use, but if you’re a fan of motion controls, you shouldn’t have a problem. My favorite part during play would have to be the replay system, as you get to watch as the final blow is delivered to you or your opponent.
The only accessible mode here is the Online Mode, but as stated earlier, this included 5 different game modes for players to test and get a proper feeling for. The most common mode is obviously versus, where you can take on anyone from a 1v1, 2v2, or an all out 3-4 player battle royale. 1 on 1 battles are usually easy to track, but it can get very hectic once team battles and free for all modes get into the mix, especially since you can actually injure your partner if you’re not careful. It feels very rewarding when you only have but a sliver of health left, and take the game from behind with a well timed grab.
The other modes appear alongside the regular versus mode, and vary. First, there’s V-ball, a mode where you play. . . well, volleyball. The mode itself has potential to be really fun, but a short timer and score cap make this experience a bit too fast, and in the end, it ends up not being as great as it could be. Maybe if you could extend the timer and amount of points in the full version you could get some fun out of it.
The next mode is Skillshot, where you and an opponent duke it out to see who can break the most targets before time runs out. This mode is actually really fun, as not only is it a race to beat your opponent to the targets, but because you’re encouraged to play dirty and grab and flip your opponent for extra points.
Finally, we have Hoops which has you and your rival trying to see who can score the most points in a game of basketball. The catch? YOU’RE the one being dunked! This mode is tons of fun, and feels super satisfying when you get a dunk on someone, especially from a 3 point line. There is one more mode, but sadly I did not encounter it, so I can’t give my thoughts on it.
In the end, I had a great time with the ARMS Global Testpunch, and wish the best for the game. It’s always great when Nintendo can deliver a fresh new take on a genre without having to resort to their go to I.Ps. Can this game become the next Splatoon? I hope so, only time will tell, but with the added additions of free content updates in the form of characters, stages, arms, and even modes, the future of this game seems just as bright. What did you think of the game? Tell us in the comments below! ARMS releases for the Nintendo Switch on June 16th.
