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) | – | 78 | 8 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 93% | 87 | 40 |
| 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 · 1 total reviews in window · weighted 0.5 up / 0 down · computed 4h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (28)
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
“Pawarumi is a good old-fashioned "shoot everything that moves" game which engages the player right from the start; I had an adrenaline rush going the whole time I was playing. At $14.99, it's a great addition to your Nintendo Switch catalog of games.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Even if its level design is nothing worth writing home about, Pawarumi understands what makes a treasure-esque shmup unique, doubles down on such features and offers a satisfying technical shmup that has its own twists.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Pawarumi is a tough-as-nails shmup with a unique central mechanic that takes time to master. Stick with it though and you'll be rewarded with a slick, fast-paced shooter that looks and sounds amazing and will test your skills to the max. There's really nothing else like it out there right now and, even with slight reservations over the difficulty, a lacklustre story and paucity of game modes, this is an easy recommend for fans of the genre looking for a proper challenge.”
read full review ↗ - 75
“Pawarumi is a very challenging SHMUP with an interesting colour mechanic that will leave fans breathless but shoo away any casual player. ”
read full review ↗ - 60
“The gameplay itself is enjoyable, so if the repetition doesn’t bother you, you’ll probably enjoy it. If it does, you’ll probably just have a few fun hours and that’s about it.”
read full review ↗ - 68
“Among the genres that have become quite well represented on the Switch arcade-style shooters are most definitely holding their own...”
read full review ↗ - 60
“Ultimately, Pawarumi is an inventive and engaging STG that's held back by a low frame-rate. Considering the genre, a lesser game would completely fall apart if it ran at 30 FPS. At least with this one, its admirable qualities still shine through. The art-direction is quite interesting and the Trinity Mechanics are really well-executed. That said; dealing with the handicap of having less reaction time is liable to be too much for some players. It's advisable to wait for a possible 60 FPS patch, or check out the version that's available on Steam. Otherwise, expect at least some frustration and anger in your future.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“It’s beautiful, it’s got a manic soundtrack to keep the adrenaline pumping, and it is a faithful throwback to the days of arcade past.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“The Switch is already home to a variety of shooters, but Pawarumi makes a solid case for being a worthy addition to a shooter fan's library. The gimmick of having three different-colored guns and enemies makes the game more cerebral while also not punishing players who just want to stick with one weapon type. The three main game difficulties make it accessible to everyone, while the difficulty levels determining the number and order of the stages mean that playthroughs may feel familiar but not exactly the same. It could have used a few more modes to round out the package, but thanks to it doing just about everything right, Pawarumi is worth playing for shooting fans. ”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Pawarumi is a vital, beautiful and utterly enthralling entry in the Shmup genre. Its trifecta of concepts might seem daunting at first, but this is an instinctual shooter that will blow fans of the genre away.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Pawarumi lands in a busy field amidst any 2D shoot'em ups on the Nintendo Switch catalogue but it does a very good job at standing out. Thanks to its 'rock, paper, scissors' system which makes the gameplay more involving and challenging, Pawarumi is also a game with a strong personality and it's certain to appeal to fans of 2D shooters.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Pawarumi is a solid shoot ’em up game with a decent spin on a tried and tested mechanic. I found that getting a handle on its multi-tasking demands is both satisfying and tense, especially when it came to keeping my cool under pressure. Throw a few decent boss fights into the mix, an online leaderboard, music that varies from pan pipes to rock music, and you have another well-crafted arcade shoot ’em up to add to the collection on Nintendo Switch.”
read full review ↗
Pure Nintendo
Hu3br
Nintendo Life
PLAY Zine
Gamer Escape
Nindie Spotlight
Cubed3
FingerGuns
Worth Playing
TheSixthAxis
FNintendo
Nintendo Insider…and 16 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- Steam Deck Visual FixSep 17, 2025
- Pawarumi Certified on DeckJul 6, 2023
- Maintenance PatchFeb 13, 2023
- Update #9 Blast GalleryMay 27, 2020significant · resets scoring window
- Update #8: Major Performance & UX Update!Jul 26, 2019significant · resets scoring window
- Update #7: Minor bugfixesJul 9, 2018
- Update #6: Cleaning the cockpitMar 13, 2018significant · resets scoring window
- Update #6: Cleaning the cockpitMar 13, 2018
- Update #5: Confront the Neo-Aztec Apocalypse!Jan 30, 2018significant · resets scoring window
- Update #5: Confront the Neo-Aztec Apocalypse!Jan 30, 2018significant · resets scoring window
- Update #4: Let me tell you a story...Jan 15, 2018significant · resets scoring window
- Update #4: Let me tell you a story...Jan 15, 2018significant · resets scoring window
- Update #3 How do you like them apples?Jan 3, 2018significant · resets scoring window
- Update #3 How do you like them apples?Jan 3, 2018significant · resets scoring window
- Update #2.1 One got through!Dec 12, 2017
- Update #2.1 One got through!Dec 12, 2017
- Update #2 Access to Sector K-7Z4-C0A7LDec 8, 2017significant · resets scoring window
- Update #2 Access to Sector K-7Z4-C0A7LDec 8, 2017
- Update #1 Linux Support and More!Nov 20, 2017significant · resets scoring window
- Update #1 Linux Support and More!Nov 20, 2017significant · resets scoring window