Video Game Review - Cotton 100%

Rob reviews Cotton 100% on Nintendo Switch...

Ratalaika Games are back with yet another port of Cotton. This time we're heading back to 1994 with Cotton 100%. While it's great to see these titles finally get a Western release, having them all show up within a short amount of time is a bit Cotton-overload. Readers of the blog will already know that I've previously reviewed both Cotton Reboot!, and Panorama Cotton. So how does this version hold up? And is too much Cotton a bad thing? 

Previously released on the SNES, Cotton 100% is the second title within the franchise and is a follow up to Cotton: Fantastic Night Dreams. Developed by Success, Cotton 100% followed the same formula of delivering a charming chibi-style shmup with aspects of traditional bullet hell. 

Ratalaika Games have taken over development for this re-release, and while it mainly stays true to the original there are a few minor tweaks. These come in the form of both the traditional SNES release and a more modern version. The difference here is that the modern version features a rewind feature...and that's it.

Gameplay remains the same as previous titles. Cotton can utilise various skills, bombs, and magic to tackle the various enemies that inhabitant the many colourful environments. There's often a lot going on as you travel from left to right, with enemies filling the screen with their attacks. In true shmup fashion, there's also plenty of bosses to defeat. These boss characters stand out from the rest in terms of attacks and looks, and there's a certain beauty within their mechanics. 

Visual wise Cotton 100% stands out due to being released close towards the end of the 16-bit era. From a technical perspective, it's close to the glass ceiling that the SNES hardware could handle. Naturally, games like Donkey Kong Country would push this further, but Cotton 100% is up there with them. Considering the game is 27-years old it runs pretty well with only a few minor graphical hiccups. The colour scheme hasn't stood the test of time and as such, some textures seem to blend in with each other. It's not ideal especially when it happens to be certain enemies - or their bullets. 

All in all Cotton 100% doesn't bring anything new to the table. Considering it's been released so soon after Cotton Reboot! there isn't any real reason to pick this one up. However, if you're a shmup fan - and yearn for the games of old then Cotton 100% will satisfy the itch, but there are better titles out there...Cotton Reboot! for example.

Rating 5/10 

A code was kindly provided for this review. 

Cotton 100% is out now and can be purchased via the Nintendo Switch eShop by clicking here. 

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