It’s the new Super Mario Bros. 2, but with more onions.
If you’ve ever wanted a combination of Nintendo’s indie Darling Gunman Clive and Super Mario Bros. 2 (USA), Onion Assault might be the game of your dreams. There are challenging levels, huge bosses, and plenty of onion trials, all with the developer’s Bertil Hörberg signature polish. The progression is divided into four worlds, each of which has four individual levels. These last culminate in an impressive boss fight.
Mechanically, Onion Assault is very simple. Your move set consists of a run button, a jump button, and the ability to pick items from below. This can be used to dig items out of the ground (usually onions) or to pick up enemies perched on their heads. As you progress through the levels, the types of items you’ll unearth and their applications will develop somewhat. Sometimes you have to throw an onion into a cannon and fire it at a breakable wall or an out-of-reach switch. You can dig bombs that can clear obstacles and tough enemies, but they will explode quickly if not used immediately.
Technically, Onion Assault is essentially flawless. Image quality is clear and crisp whether played in docked or handheld mode. Likewise, I’ve never witnessed a frame rate deviate from his 60 fps target. The fact that this game was developed exclusively for Switch is obvious. The art designs look clean on purpose, often parodying the rhythmic dances from the New Super Mario Bros. series. Enemies, coins, and chunks of the environment move in perfect sync with the music in every stage. The worst thing I can say about the art is that certain levels of themes seem a little bland, while others seem very fleshed out.
Where Onion Assault is at its best and away from the obvious Super Mario Bros. 2 inspiration is the boss fights. Bosses are generally large mechs. Some require you to climb to the top to pick them up and throw them for damage. Others have to get items from the environment to fight them. That said, they are not easy. In general, Onion Assault is a very challenging game, and it can sometimes feel like the challenge isn’t always a smooth curve. Any level in the first few worlds was often more difficult than levels near the end of the game. It can cause frustration for those not looking for it. But for those who do, Onion Assault will be an excellent platforming challenge for a few hours.
