Video Game Review - Ayo The Clown

Ellie reviews Ayo The Clown on Nintendo Switch...

Ayo The Clown is a family-friendly platformer that's been developed by Cloud M1 for the Nintendo Switch.

The game's story is fairly simple and is pretty accessible for younger players too. Ayo and Bo do everything together. They like to hang out at the carnival, juggle in the park, they even dream of doing a circus act together. Bo is Ayo's best friend. One day Bo mysteriously disappears and Ayo has to do everything he can to find him. So come with me as we go on Ayo's journey to find his best friend...

Along the way, Ayo comes across many friendly faces to help him along on his journey. Ayo also comes across various weapons that allow you to get past the many enemies and bosses that litter the game's stages. These weapons range from Tanks to water balloons. Yes, you read correctly! You can defeat an enemy with the throw of a water balloon.

Ayo also has many skills up his sleeve with a couple of these beings various head stomps and wall jumps. He may only be small but he's one tough clown. On your journey with Ayo, various side quests can also keep you busy and adds to the game's playtime. These quests can be accepted in the town hub or while you are playing through a stage.

There are many collectables along the way hidden on the levels one includes a fart bag.

You're also able to collect gems as you work your way through the stages. These gems are a form of currency that can be spent in the town shops to buy upgrades for Ayo. Upgrades come in plentiful supply, with a few that are quite expensive. So it's always worth going out of your way to collect as many gems as possible. Another positive about the game is you're able to replay previous stages which will allow you to go back for missed gems or any collectables. 

Stages also feature various checkpoints points. Much like other platformers, these allow you a restart point if you happen to die. Lives, unfortunately, come in a limited supply, and health is indicated by the hearts in the screens on the top left side. Once it is game over you'll have to start the stage again - which isn't a big deal, but can be a little frustrating at times. Playing the game on easy is fairly simple, and those looking for less of a challenge can get through without too much trouble. As you travel further along with the map there's a really good opportunity to gain some coins at the forest pond. It isn't a stage as such, but you move a fishing hook and catch fish which then turn into gems. 

Ayo The Clown features some pretty stunning visuals. As soon as I loaded up the game I was amazed at how beautiful these visuals are. The map, town and levels are all colourful and are filled with cute, cartoon characters. Even the enemies are cute - within their evil way. As Switch titles go this one highlights what the console can do. What I like about this platformer is that each stage features a unique design. You won't tire of looking at the landscape as they are all different and very eye-catching. The soundtrack matches the visuals by being quite chirpy and happy, with an almost calming feeling throughout. 

I've been playing Ayo The Clown on the Nintendo Switch Lite. The console handles the game with ease, and I didn't experience any issues. One thing that was weird getting used to was using B to confirm choices in the menu. Considering on most Switch titles this is the A button, it can be a little confusing, to begin with. If I can compare Ayo The Clown to anything else it would be Little Big Planet. While there isn't any user-created content, Ayo The Clown features a similar feel to its gameplay.

I have nothing but love for Ayo The Clown. It's filled with really great gameplay, a cute cast of characters, a lovely soundtrack, and some pretty stunning visuals. Considering the Nintendo Switch has more than its fair share of platformers, Ayo The Clown is the definitive one that everyone should experience! 

Rating 10/10

Ayo The Clown is out now and can be purchased via the Nintendo Switch eShop by clicking here.

A code was provided for this review.

Ellie Woodcock - For more comic book and video game chat why not follow Geek Culture Reviews on Twitter and Facebook @GeekCultureRev