River City Saga: Journey to the West - Review - Nintendo Switch

River City Saga: Journey to the West is one of those cross‑genre mashups that sounds like a fever dream on paper but somehow lands with a goofy, earnest charm. It’s Kunio‑kun meets Journey to the West, a side‑scrolling brawler retelling one of the most important works of Chinese literature through the lens of a series best known for punching delinquents so hard they explode into coins. And honestly? That’s the magic.

This Switch version delivers exactly what you expect from a Kunio‑kun spin‑off: chunky hits, loud personalities, and a world that feels like it was duct‑taped together by someone who loves the source material but refuses to take any of it too seriously.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYQNeshIj1c

The setup is simple: Kunio becomes Sun Wukong, Riki becomes Sha Wujing, and the rest of the cast slots into the Journey to the West roles with varying degrees of accuracy and comedic liberty. The story is played straight enough to follow, but the tone is pure River City with its slapstick, chaotic, and peppered with that “we know this is ridiculous” energy.

Cutscenes lean into the retro aesthetic, and the Switch handles the visual style well. Character portraits are expressive, the environments are colourful, and the whole thing feels like a stage play where everyone is improvising.

Moment‑to‑moment gameplay is classic beat ’em up fare: punch, kick, juggle, throw, repeat. The Kunio‑kun DNA is unmistakable as enemies fly across the screen, weapons clatter everywhere, and special moves hit with that satisfying, crunchy impact.

The Switch version runs smoothly, though the combat can feel stiff compared to modern brawlers. Hitboxes occasionally misbehave, and some enemy encounters drag on longer than they should. But the game compensates with variety: magic attacks, character‑specific abilities, and a steady drip of new moves keep things lively.

One of the game’s strengths is how much there is to do. Beyond the main story, you get:

• Side quests that range from silly errands to mini‑boss encounters

• RPG‑style stat upgrades that let you build your Wukong into a tank, a glass cannon, or a spell‑slinging menace

• Equipment and items that meaningfully change your approach

• A bonus mode that shifts the structure into a more arcade‑like challenge format

The Switch version includes all of this without compromise. Load times are short, performance is stable, and handheld mode suits the game perfectly, it feels like a natural fit for pick‑up‑and‑play sessions.

The art direction is a fun blend of traditional Chinese motifs and Kunio‑kun’s trademark chunky sprites. Backgrounds pop with colour, and the soundtrack mixes classic‑style River City tunes with more thematic flourishes.

It’s not a technical showcase, but it doesn’t need to be. The charm is in the personality with the exaggerated animations, the comedic timing, the way every character seems one bad day away from starting a bar fight.

Not everything lands. The pacing can be uneven, especially in the middle chapters where enemy waves feel padded. Some areas repeat visual assets a little too often. And if you’re not already a fan of Kunio‑kun’s stiff‑but‑lovable combat style, this won’t convert you.

The writing is intentionally goofy, but occasionally the humour leans too heavily on repetition. A few quests feel like filler, and the difficulty curve spikes in odd places.

Pros

• Charming, energetic reinterpretation of Journey to the West

• Classic Kunio‑kun combat with satisfying impact

• Lots of content: quests, upgrades, modes

• Strong performance on Switch, great in handheld

• Fun boss fights and expressive art direction

Cons

• Combat can feel stiff and dated

• Pacing issues in the mid‑game

• Repetitive enemy waves and environments

• Humour occasionally overstays its welcome

There’s a sincerity to River City Saga: Journey to the West that’s hard not to appreciate. It’s a weird, affectionate crossover that never pretends to be anything more than a fun, scrappy brawler with a mythological coat of paint. A colourful, and surprisingly heartfelt brawler that embraces its own absurdity. Not flawless, but absolutely enjoyable, especially if you already have a soft spot for Kunio‑kun’s brand of chaos.

XPN Rating: 3.5 out of 5 (SILVER)

River City Saga: Journey to the West is available now!