Introduction

Unruly Heroes is a colorful, hand-drawn platformer that looks like someone fed Rayman Legends and a Chinese myth into a very pleasant blender. Built by French outfit Magic Design Studios on the Unity engine, it borrows its inspiration from Journey to the West but chooses to tell the story like a mischievous children's bedtime yarn with combat, puzzles and enough acrobatics to make your thumb muscles file for hazard pay. Released on January 23, 2019, and available on the Switch, the game keeps things simple: four heroes, 29 levels, and a whole lot of push-this-statue-into-that-hole. If you want cooperative chaos with gorgeous animation and a dash of myth, you're in for a treat.

Gameplay

At its core Unruly Heroes is a classic platformer with a few spicy modern toppings. You control four heroes - Sanzang, Wukong, Kihong and Sandmonk - and you can swap between them on the fly. Think of it as the world's least dramatic roommate swap: one moment you're double-jumping as the air-adoring team member, the next you're gliding like someone who read winged fruit instructions. Each character brings a distinct movement trait or power to the table, and the levels are designed so that switching isn't just cosmetic; it's how you solve puzzles and forge onwards. Combat is a brisk, combo-based affair that leans into the rhythm of Prince of Persia without stealing its diary. The flow is clean: string attacks together, use your special skills when the situation demands it, and avoid getting smacked into next week. Enemies feel punchable in the best possible way, and boss encounters force you to use more than one hero's toolkit. For players who enjoy the satisfying click-clack of combos, Unruly Heroes lands the hits. The puzzle design is where the game keeps its head above the platforming waterline. Levels are laid out in a Donkey Kong Country-esque fashion - a clearly marked forward path with branching optional routes that reward curiosity and persistence. These side paths usually contain extra collectibles or cheeky challenges, and the game encourages replay because some areas require clever character-switching and statue-placement to access. Speaking of statues: character-specific statues are a recurring mechanic. You shove the right statue into the right spot and watch the world grudgingly behave the way you wanted. Single-player is neat because you can micro-manage swaps to solve multi-stage puzzles, but the multiplayer really sings. Up to four players can join locally, turning precision platforming into cooperative improv. There's also an Underworld mode where everyone plays younger versions of the heroes, which is basically the grown-ups' excuse to act like children together. If competitive jostling is your jam, there's a Player versus Player mode that supports local and online battles; it's a small but welcome diversion. The progression pace is brisk: 29 levels, each split into scenes during development so the team could work in parallel, and it shows in how focused each section feels. Some players might wish for a few more hours of content, but the game makes up for it with polish. Animation plays a starring role in the whole experience: characters move with a cartoony confidence that earned the title an Annie Award for Best Character Animation. In short, gameplay balances between platforming, puzzle-solving and combat with a personality that refuses to be boring.

Graphics

Visually, Unruly Heroes is like a hand-painted storybook that decided to learn parkour. The art style nods to Rayman Legends - which is hardly an accident, since some of the team once worked at Ubisoft - but it keeps its own identity through a pleasant palette and expressive character animation. The hand-drawn frames are lively and precise, and the Unity engine handles transitions between the beautifully set pieces without much hiccup on the Switch. Character animation is a highlight; the team's win at the 47th Annie Awards for Best Character Animation is well-deserved. Little flourishes - a character's hair reacting to a gust, exaggerated tumble animations, or the way a hero readies a special move - add comedy and clarity to the action. Backgrounds are often layered and somewhat interactive, keeping levels feeling alive rather than static postcards. On Switch, performance is generally stable and the visuals age like fine cartoon cheese: still tasty and never boring.

Conclusion

Unruly Heroes is an effortlessly charming platformer that knows how to be playful without becoming a puzzle box of frustration. It borrows enough from classics to feel familiar, then sprinkles in character-swapping, statue puzzles and cooperative silliness to stay fresh. The 29 levels offer a tight, polished experience rather than an epic marathon, and the multiplayer options give the game excellent longevity for parties or couch co-op nights. If you like your platformers bright, tight and a little bit cheeky, Magic Design Studios has cooked up something delightful. It's not perfect - some players may want more content or deeper combat systems - but for what it sets out to be, Unruly Heroes is a joyful, animated romp that deserves a spot on your Switch. Recommended for anyone who enjoys clever level design, cooperative chaos and animation so expressive it could get its own agent.

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