Screenshots & trailers
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) | – | 72 | 5 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 89% | 83 | 354 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | – | 0 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 100% | 97 | 0 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 1 reviews sampled · 0 total reviews in window · weighted 0.2 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.
- 90
“All in all, Starwhal is an excellent couch multiplayer game that'll doubtless be a house favourite in many establishments. The frantic yet simple action keeps the game accessible to newcomers, but is chaotic enough that it will take a lengthy amount of time to get stale.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Starwhal is a fantastically fun multiplayer romp, which plays in such a way that those who pick it up for the first time, may have a chance at beating a seasoned veteran. It's definitely a game for people who have nearby friends to play with, as the single player content is almost non-existent. For its price and the fun factor alone, this is thoroughly recommendable.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“Starwhal is a decent multiplayer title which delivers on its promise of laughs and challenging competition. There's plenty of customisation available to keep it fresh and the inclusion of AI opponents and a challenge mode will give this more longevity than other couch co-op titles released recently. However, some will find the controls frustrating and it is likely that the frantic madness of multiplayer will have a limited shelf life once the initial surprise of the silliness wears off.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Silly and colourful, Starwhal: Just the Tip makes a great first impression. At first you'll fall for the title's fun-loving attitude, but beyond that, it has some of the most entertaining competitive multiplayer that we've seen in a while. There isn't a whole lot to keep lone gamers occupied, but those looking for something to play with a group of mates will struggle to do better than this.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Starwhal is an unusual and overall unique game that fully reveals itself on multiplayer. Its original and amusing gameplay and very entertaining multiplayer experience make this an option that will surely satisfy those who invest on it. Pity that its single player experience is a shadow of its multiplayer component and there's no online mode to make up for that.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Starwhal was built for local multiplayer, and that's where it shines best. Its hilarious flip-and-flop gameplay gets a lot of mileage out of the numerous modes and stages, and the bright neon graphics are delightfully '80s.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“The Wii U eShop proves to be the perfect home for STARWHAL, as a multiplayer-focused gem; however, its lack of online modes make this one difficult to recommend.”
read full review ↗ - 45
“Indie games are certainly very unique. Since the majority of the studios behind these titles are very small, the developers are free to come up with any idea and execute it as they see fit. After all, it is their creation. With that in mind, I'm not one to knock anyone's creative ability; however, I will say that there are some things that are better left as more of an inside joke than an actual public release, and that's exactly how I feel about STARWHAL .”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Because of the mechanics and varied modes, you're not going to run out of those awkward funny moments. Whether it be spearing a player in their narwhal ass or dry humping in space for an entire round, Starwhal will provide the thrills -- so long as you're willing to take the ride.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“If you game in groups, pull the trigger on this one. It's absolutely nuts, but it's easy learning curve, wealth of content and humor make Starwhal a blast for group play.”
read full review ↗ - 74
“As a multiplayer-focused free-for-all, Starwhal is a lot of fun in short doses. Sadly, the game is too repetitive and the extra modes are bafflingly unbalanced. I can imagine this being a hit with large parties, but solo players need not apply.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Starwhal is meant to be enjoyed on the couch with three of your friends, with only one shared screen to worry about, simple controls that are easy to pick up, and fast, frenetic gameplay that can be enjoyed over and over.”
read full review ↗
Nintendo Life
Cubed3
Pure Xbox
Push Square
FNintendo
We Got This Covered
Nintendo News
Nintendo Enthusiast
Destructoid
PlayStation LifeStyle
Gaming Nexus
CGMagazine…and 3 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- STARWHAL 1.1.2 + Soundtrack Edition + New Price!Apr 10, 2015
- STARWHAL 1.1.2 + Soundtrack Edition + New Price!Apr 10, 2015
- STARWHAL v1.1.1Jan 27, 2015significant · resets scoring window
- STARWHAL v1.1.1Jan 27, 2015significant · resets scoring window
- STARWHAL 1.1.0 is live!Dec 16, 2014
- STARWHAL 1.1.0 is live!Dec 16, 2014
- Update 1.1.0 coming soon!Dec 2, 2014significant · resets scoring window
- Update 1.1.0 coming soon!Dec 2, 2014significant · resets scoring window
- Game Update: STARWHAL Beta 4 is up!May 20, 2014
- Game Update: STARWHAL Beta 4 is up!May 20, 2014
- Content update coming May 20th!May 15, 2014significant · resets scoring window
- Content update coming May 20th!May 15, 2014significant · resets scoring window
- Game Update: STARWHAL version Beta 3 is up!Mar 10, 2014
- Game Update: STARWHAL version Beta 3 is up!Mar 10, 2014
- Content update coming March 10th!Mar 3, 2014
- Content update coming March 10th!Mar 3, 2014
- Game Update: STARWHAL version Beta 2 is up!Feb 23, 2014
- Game Update: STARWHAL version Beta 2 is up!Feb 23, 2014