Overview – developed and published by Brinemedia, Stunt Paradise is a fast paced stunt racer, where players must navigate loops, jumps and obstacles to reach the gold. Explore extreme tracks in various locations, from industrial cities and dusty deserts to windswept tropical beaches. This title is available on the Nintendo Switch, Xbox platforms and the Steam service, with a link to each version of the game available at the bottom of this review.
Disclaimer: before I get into the review, I would like to thank Brinemedia for providing the copy of Stunt Paradise used for this piece, via the Keymailer service. The provision of this software has not influenced the contents of this review, all thoughts and opinions contained within are my own.
Now with the introductions out of the way, let’s get into the review. There is little in terms of story for this release, so I will be going straight into discussing the gameplay of this release.
Gameplay – Stunt Paradise is an arcade style stunt racer, where the objective is pretty simple, reach the goal while navigating ramps, flips and hazards. The different locations from the desert and beach, to the volcano and ocean will contain challenges for the player to leap over or roll under. These challenging elements will push the player to think on their feet, looking for the best way to overcome the hazards on the track, as the car will explode if contact is made.
The hazards include buzz saws and rollers, which will destroy the player vehicle immediately. But these aren’t the only challenge that players will need to be aware of. Throughout the stages, there will be ramps, bridges and explosive boxes that can launch the car, there is also water and lava that can be crashed into if players aren’t careful. Different sections can have buttons to lower ramps, explosives to launch the car and even giant fans to push the vehicle.
The ramps are used to perform stunts, flipping the car to gain points and coins can be collected on the ramps or during jumps. But coins aren’t the only item that can be collected during the levels. In every stage, there will be a star for players to collect. These stars can be easy to reach, but in some they will be more challenging, being tied to a timed obstacle like a train or placed in a section that appears out of reach. Once a star is collected it is gone from a stage.
The stages can be replayed endlessly, giving the opportunity to earn additional coins each time. This is very useful as there is a selection of cars that can be purchased from the main menu, with the prices increasing for the higher level vehicles. There is a total 20 cars that can be collected, giving players more options for the completing the stages. However, being faster doesn’t always mean better, as it is possible to go too fast, overshooting ramps or hitting hazards.
There are 50 levels for this title, providing a lot of content in a cost effective package, with plenty of replay value for players to enjoy. There are no leaderboards or time trials available for players to take on in this release. This is a minor issue but could have expanded this game further. However, it is always possible for this to be added in the future, or for a community to build around this game, timing their own runs like we have seen with other games.
Now with the gameplay covered, it is time to move onto the other aspects of this release, starting with the controls.
Controls – there is a very simple control system for Stunt Paradise, using the thumbstick to control the car doing back and front flips, with the back triggers to accelerate and reverse. This makes for an arcade style experience that can be picked up and played with ease. Having played the game in both handheld and docked on the switch, there is little difference in terms of game feel. This game can be played comfortably with all controller types.
Difficulty – the challenge for this game is balanced well, with a difficulty curve that will slowly increase the further that players get. This allows players to gradually improve their skills, getting better as they progress in a fair and balanced way. the toughest part of the game is collecting all of the stars, as some of them will be hard to reach, but all of them are obtainable through some trial and error.
Presentation – visually, Stunt Paradise is pleasing to the eye using 3d models that are bright and vibrant, giving the overall experience an arcade feel that works in favor of this title. The models and the environments look good for this release. During play, there is no lag or issue with performance when playing in either docked or handheld mode, with a smooth frame rate. The sound for the game fits the game well, with music and effects that elevate the game further.
Final Thoughts – I quite enjoy stunt games, like the Trials titles that popularized the genre. So when this was available to me, I jumped onto it and I do not regret this choice. There is a lot of fun to have with this title, given the depth of content and replay value on offer for the low cost. I am happy to recommend this title to everyone looking for a fun game at a modest price point. The only thing I would change is to add a timer and leaderboards to play it further.
In the end, I give Stunt Paradise a final score of 4/5. This is a fun and cost effective stunt racer, providing an arcade style experience for players who are looking for a fun time, with plenty of cars to unlock and stages to challenge. If you want to check this title out for yourself, a link to each version of the game will be below.
Link to Nintendo Switch version (HERE)
Link to Xbox version (HERE)
Link to steam version (HERE)
W.Kohaku Media 