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 | 5 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 96% | 90 | 56 |
| 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 0.1 up / 0 down · computed 4h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (16)
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
“Shadow Bug is a fun, simple game that players can enjoy and take their time on. It hit's all the marks and does it's job well, not to mention how great it looks doing it. I highly recommend checking it out.”
read full review ↗ - 80
- 80
“Shadow Bug is a welcome breath of fresh air in a stuffy virtual space that's up to the ceiling with 2D platformers. Experiencing the title with detached Joy-Cons on the big screen, as opposed to utilising the touchscreen; you'll be cheerfully surprised by its unique art style and play method. Slicing your way to the end boss won't take more than a couple of hours for some, but for those wanting to beat global high scores and to collect all three shurikens per level will, beyond a shadow of a doubt, get more bang for their buck.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“When everything is clicking the fun and flow of ShadowBug is quite a rush...”
read full review ↗ - 70
“With a fast-paced approach to platforming, and a gimmick that allows for unique movement without running thin, Shadow Bug establishes itself as one of the more creative approaches to the genre.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Shadow Bug is an easy recommendation to make for Switch owners looking for a challenging 2D platformer and are open to something less traditional than the eShop's plethora of retro inspired platformers. Even players that are weary of touch/motion controlled games will likely enjoy using them in Shadow Bug.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“A small ninja‑like creature dashes through dark, silhouette‑styled levels by teleporting between enemies instead of jumping, creating a fast, rhythmic flow. The experience is visually striking and mechanically simple, offering brief, polished action with a distinctive touch‑based control scheme”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Shadow Bug is a decent, but short little game to kill some spare time with. While I didn’t find it a particularly difficult to play through, the extra challenges in place can raise the bar a little bit higher. Besides the fun but temperamental Joy-Con pointing feature, it is a game best suited to the touch screen in Handheld mode. Although, this does beg the question whether it is actually a game best played on your mobile as opposed to the Nintendo Switch. You will, after all, be paying roughly double the price for the privilege to do so.”
read full review ↗ - 75
“Shadow Bug is a fun, arcadey platformer which is very simple to pick up. The level design is decent. Some enemies and ideas keep it fresh along the way. That's good, because the game isn't that long.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Shadow Bug is a great looking and fun platformer that stands out from the crowd with its "you can't jump in this one" gameplay mechanic. There's plenty to do in this one, and the challenge will increase at a steady pace as you complete the 36 stages in the game. The game is available for only $8.99, so hopefully you can give it a try.”
read full review ↗ - 75
“Shadow Bug is a rich indie game with some rather creative ideas and some great level design, a surprisingly well-executed narrative and style, a constant barrage of challenges to keep you on your toes, and a unique gameplay premise that takes advantage of the Nintendo Switch’s unique abilities on a fun, but still challenging scale.”
read full review ↗ - 75
“Shadow Bug is a clever platformer that delivers in providing a short and exhilarating experience. While the controls may never feel just right, at its price point, Shadow Bug is a title that anyone who likes playing fun games should enjoy.”
read full review ↗
Pure Nintendo
Fintendo
Nintendo Life
Nindie Spotlight
Cubed3
NintendoWorldReport
KonsoliFIN
Nintendo Insider
Switching Worlds
PS3Blog.net
Sick Critic
Geeks Under Grace…and 4 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- READY TO RUMBLE!Jul 21, 2017
- READY TO RUMBLE!Jul 21, 2017