Gobliiins Collection (Nintendo Switch) Review
- XPN Network
- 1 day ago
- 4 min read
The Gobliiins Collection on Nintendo Switch isn’t just a retro bundle, it’s a full archival resurrection of one of the most eccentric, imaginative, and defiantly weird point‑and‑click series ever created. Across five games spanning more than three decades, the collection charts the evolution of Pierre Gilhodes’ goblin‑filled universe with a level of care and completeness that feels closer to a museum exhibit than a simple re‑release. It’s a celebration of chaos, cartoon logic, and the kind of puzzle design that gleefully ignores real‑world reasoning in favour of slapstick experimentation.
What immediately stands out is how thoroughly the collection preserves the identity of each game. You’re not just getting the original trilogy, you’re getting five full titles, including the later 3D entry and the 2023 return to 2D pixel art. The Switch version includes multiple versions of the early games (DOS, CD‑ROM, Macintosh), complete with their original quirks, audio differences, and visual styles.
The package is rounded out with a music player, concept art galleries, 3D models of original game boxes, and a surprisingly heartfelt documentary mini‑series featuring new interviews with the series’ co‑creator. It’s the kind of archival depth usually reserved for prestige retro collections, and it gives the Gobliiins universe a sense of historical weight it rarely gets credit for.
Gobliiins (1991)
The first game is a tight, screen‑by‑screen puzzle gauntlet starring three goblins, each with a single ability. It’s the most rigid and punishing entry with fail states, limited resources, and puzzles that often feel like riddles written by a trickster god. But it’s also the purest expression of the series’ identity: surreal, slapstick, and endlessly expressive.
Gobliins 2: The Prince Buffoon (1992)
The sequel shifts to a two‑goblin buddy dynamic, with Fingus and Winkle embodying opposite personalities. This interplay becomes the heart of the puzzle design, making the game more comedic, more character‑driven, and far more forgiving. It’s the most charming entry, and arguably the easiest to fall in love with.
Goblins 3 (1993)
The third game expands the scope dramatically. You control a single goblin, Blount, across larger, interconnected environments with a stronger narrative thread. It’s the most accessible of the classic trilogy, with puzzles that feel less like traps and more like genuine adventure design.
Gobliiins 4 (2009)
The jump to 3D is jarring at first, but the spirit remains intact: bizarre characters, unpredictable interactions, and puzzles that reward curiosity over logic. It’s a fascinating time capsule of mid‑2000s adventure design.
Gobliiins 5 (2023)
The newest entry returns to expressive 2D art, blending modern polish with the series’ classic absurdity. It’s a confident, colourful revival that feels like a natural continuation of the original trilogy.
The Switch handles the collection surprisingly well. Load times are instant, the presentation is crisp, and the UI includes thoughtful touches like border art, screen‑size toggles, and the ability to highlight interactive elements. Touchscreen controls make handheld play feel natural, though the analogue‑stick cursor is inevitably less precise than a mouse.
The biggest friction point is simply the nature of the games themselves: these were designed for PC, and no amount of modernisation can fully smooth out the quirks of translating early‑’90s point‑and‑click design to a controller. But the collection does enough to make the experience comfortable without compromising authenticity.
The Gobliiins series has always operated on cartoon logic, solutions that make sense only within the internal physics of a slapstick universe. You don’t ask “What would I do?” You ask, “What would be the funniest possible outcome?”
This leads to moments of genuine delight… and moments where you stare at the screen wondering if the game is actively mocking you. The included Joker hint system helps soften the frustration, but the series remains proudly obtuse. That’s part of its charm and part of its barrier to entry.
The archival content is exceptional.
Music player with full soundtracks
Documentary videos with creator commentary
Concept art and design documents
3D box models
Multiple versions of each classic game
Fun loading animations mimicking floppy disks and old PCs
It’s a celebration of the series’ history, not just a repackaging.
Pros
Five full games in one package, covering the entire evolution of the series
Multiple versions of the classic titles (DOS, CD‑ROM, Mac) preserved with care
Touchscreen support makes handheld play surprisingly natural
Extensive extras including documentaries, concept art, music players, and 3D box models
Instant load times and crisp presentation across all titles
Joker hint system helps soften the most obtuse puzzles
Distinct personalities and puzzle styles across each game
A genuinely unique tone — surreal, slapstick, expressive, and unlike anything else on Switch
Gobliiins 5 is a strong modern entry that blends nostalgia with fresh design
A rare archival effort that treats the series with real respect
Cons
Early games can be brutally opaque, with cartoon logic that defies deduction
Analogue‑stick cursor is serviceable but never ideal for point‑and‑click gameplay
Some minor visual glitches and occasional pauses in certain titles
Difficulty spikes may frustrate newcomers
The 3D entry (Gobliiins 4) is the weakest of the bunch and visually dated
No major modernisation beyond quality‑of‑life touches — this is preservation, not reinvention
Very niche appeal — the humour and puzzle style won’t click with everyone
Some puzzles still allow soft‑locks if you don’t use save states wisely
The Gobliiins Collection is one of the most lovingly assembled retro packages on Switch, a chaotic, surreal, and historically rich anthology that preserves a truly unique corner of adventure‑game history. It’s not a modernised remake, and it doesn’t try to be. Instead, it embraces the series’ eccentricity, its difficulty, and its unapologetically weird humour.
For fans of retro adventure games, animation‑driven puzzle design, or gaming history, this is a treasure. For newcomers, it’s a wild ride that's sometimes frustrating, often hilarious, and always memorable.
XPN Rating: 4 out of 5 (GOLD)
Gobliiins Collection is available now!
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