Tiny Derby review for Nintendo Switch

It?s no surprise that Tiny Derby started life as a mobile game before jumping to the Switch. It?s got all the trappings: simple-yet-addictive gameplay, short levels built around getting three stars, and mechanics built for a touchscreen device. (And, of course, a Nintendo premium, with the freemium Android game costing you $5 on the Switch.)

As long as you go in with that mindset, however, it?s not too bad. The whole point of the game is helping your little yellow square (and, eventually, your little yellow triangle) beat the other squares to the finish line. You have obstacles and boosts to help you do that. And…well, that?s pretty much it. It?s not like we?re talking about a game with some deep, complex lore.

But even if the formula isn?t too complicated, that doesn?t mean the game doesn?t complicate things for you. You need to be very precise in how you lay your traps and boosts, or else you?ll help your opponents. Similarly, when the game expands to include both the square and the flying triangle, your eyes are constantly bouncing all over the screen, watching not just how you?re doing but also how your competitors are doing. I?m not going to lie: it can get pretty stressful.

But it?s stressful in a good way. Tiny Derby is hardly an essential racing game, but it?s still fun enough for what it is. I?m not sure whether you need to pay the extra cash to get the game on your Switch versus getting it on your mobile device, but it?s solid enough that there are definitely worse ways you could spend your money.

Triple Boris provided us with a Tiny Derby Switch code for review purposes.