Review sentiment over time
Weekly positive-review rate (green) and review volume (bars). Dashed lines mark significant patches; the amber line is the start of the current scoring window. Hover the dots to see what drove a dip or a jump.
How this score was computed
The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.
| Component | Positive | Quality (0-100) | Weight (pseudo-reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press reviews (OpenCritic) | – | 75 | 4 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 81% | 75 | 128 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | – | 0 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | – | – | 0 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 0 reviews sampled · 0 total reviews in window · weighted 0 up / 0 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (15)
Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.
- 70
“At its budget retail price we found Tiny Barbarian DX to be a bit light on the content side, as the game can be completed in six hours or less, depending on skill levels. If you're going to pick this one up we recommend skipping the eShop download and going for the physical edition as it at least contains some cool stuff - as Nicalis is becoming known for - to add value to your purchase.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“All said Tiny Barbarian DX is an excellent throwback-style title that celebrates what was great from that era without being satisfied to hide behind it. It builds on the style of play of many classic games and turns it all into something better, all while maintaining that signature difficulty that was so common in that era. What’s great, though, is that the challenge comes from well-crafted levels and not from wonky or inconsistent control. If you’re itching for something that will make you nostalgic or just want something to suck up a fair number of hours with varied side-scrolling hack-and-slash gameplay Tiny Barbarian DX delivers!”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Tiny Barbarian DX is an extremely enjoyable action-platformer that has lasting challenge to it. The refined mechanics and the way the story unfolds is most of why this is so much fun to play. It may not win any beauty contests and the lasting appeal comes up a bit... short because of lacking incentives. Thankfully, the local two-player co-op rounds out the value making this a pretty fun game at parties. Tiny Barbarian DX may not be as memorable or as appealing as the likes of Shovel Knight or Hyper Light Drifter, but it is every bit as good and is clearly a product of a lot of passion put into it. The barbarian-fantasy sub-genre just does not click with people like it did once upon a time in the 1980s and it seems most gamers refuse to play a 2D action title that is not a Metroidvania derivative. Tiny Barbarian DX will most certainly satisfy anyone looking for a thrilling and focused 2D sword 'em up”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Although the artwork is very pretty and the gameplay feels good, there really isn't anything too ground-breaking here. Playing through the game really made it feel much more of a throwback title rather than a new boundary-pushing adventure. This in no way means that the game is boring or that there aren't any surprises, just more of a tried and true experience. If you are longing for some retro action, this game's got it all. The beautiful art, killer soundtrack and punishing difficulty really help the game deliver on what the developer set out to make, a solid action-platformer.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Tiny Barbarian DX is a great little retro-inspired platformer that riffs on the likes of Donkey Kong Country, but it suffers from repetition and a lack of inspiration at times.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“Tiny Barbarian DX is clearly a tribute to the 8 and 16-bit era of action platformers and it's a competent game at that, thanks to very sharp controls and a good lifespan. Where it fails is on its charisma, or lack thereof, as its levels turn out to be too generic and its difficulty level can be way too high for many players, not to mention its relative lack of content beyond the main campaign mode.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“During the passage of Tiny Barbarian DX, no sense of what the game is especially stretched, as, so to fit all the mechanics in one game, should be able to. I love platformers, but most of them adhere to the genre metroidvania such popkornovyh theme in the genre is clearly not enough, it becomes joyful, like Tiny Barbarian DX are born and live. If You like platformers with sets of interesting mechanic that definitely will not make You miss the game from StarQuail Games to pass should not in any case.”
read full review ↗ - 76
“Tiny Barbarian DX is a lot of fun, uncomplicated, challenging and yet hard to put down. It’s perfectly suited to the Switch in both handheld and TV mode. Whilst it’s not one of the cheapest games available on the Switch it is good value for money in terms of its overall quality and length. I would highly recommending snagging the physical release if you can as you also get some neat extra goodies.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Tiny Barbarian DX is definitely a nod to the challenging games of the 8 and 16-bit era. Armed with colorful retro-styled graphics and head-bopping tunes, this game will challenge you and frustrate you just as much as its spiritual predecessors. This game might not have anything groundbreaking, but at least it is bite-sized enough to keep you coming back.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Much bigger than I ever expected, and a joy to play from beginning to end. It’s a fantastic throwback to the days of 2D platformers in which character was just as important as a sky high difficulty curve. You’ll die, die and then die again, but you’ll only ever lose a minute or so of progress, keeping you going back for more. ”
read full review ↗ - 72
“Tiny Barbarian DX is a solid retro action-platformer with a gorgeous pixel based art style and great music. While the simple control scheme and repetitive nature of the title won't blow your mind, there is enough enjoyment and fun to be had while playing in spurts.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Whether you’re an older gamer like me chasing the experience we had in our youth, or a newcomer to the retro genre, it’s worth your time. You’re in for hours of entertainment from one playthrough alone, and even more, if you’re a completionist that craves finding all the secrets a game has to offer. So do yourself a favor: load up the eShop (or Steam if you don’t have a Switch), search for Tiny Barbarian DX, click the ‘buy’ button and settle in for a great time.”
read full review ↗
Nintendo Life
Nindie Spotlight
Cubed3
NintendoWorldReport
FNintendo
ZEFGame.ru
Switch Player
Grandma's Game Room
GameSpew
Geeks Under Grace
GameSpace…and 3 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- October Update -- Episodes 3 and 4Oct 10, 2017
- October Update -- Episodes 3 and 4Oct 10, 2017