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) | – | 81 | 14 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 92% | 86 | 308 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | – | 0 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 98% | 93 | 6 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 14 reviews sampled · 17 total reviews in window · weighted 6.5 up / 0.2 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (27)
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.
- 80
“Killer Queen Black is a fun and faithful recreation of the original arcade title. While the aspect of simulating ideal 4v4 local multiplayer matches has its technical issues, the transition from the arcade to home consoles surely doesn't lose any of its competitive addictiveness.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Killer Queen Black does for Nintendo Switch what TowerFall Ascension did for PS4, offering up a 2D multiplayer extravaganza that’s easy to pick up but devilishly tricky to master. ”
read full review ↗ - 80
“It’s rare a competitive game can give you the exhilaration of beating your friends without the bitterness of losing to them. It’s competition at its friendliest and most fun.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“While maybe not as lively as a true arcade setting, Killer Queen Black does an admirable job of mimicking its success in that field.”
read full review ↗ - 89
“After having heard so much about this killer multiplayer arcade title I was interested to see what the fuss was all about...”
read full review ↗ - 95
“If you can get friends together, local or otherwise, you're guaranteed an awesome time. Dynamite with a laser beam, indeed. My mind's already blown.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Killer Queen Black doesn't offer much beyond its multiplayer, but the quality of its epic eight-player team battles is hard to top.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Killer Queen Black is just an insanely good party game. If you're looking for something to play solo, then this isn't really for you. This is a game best enjoyed with friends where frantic communication and the lightning quick gameplay will have you all rolling around with laughter as you compete to see who has the best Hive.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“While Killer Queen Black is fun in short burst sessions, you won't have too much incentive to come back without cosmetics and a barebones ranking system. Communication with players online can be difficult, but you can maximize your enjoyment of Killer Queen Black with a group of friends.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Killer Queen Black is as addictive as it is fun to play.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“The publisher provided an advance code for this review. Our review policy.”
read full review ↗ - 85
“Black is a little different from the Killer Queen I was used to. But it's still Killer Queen, and that makes it one of the best multiplayer games around.”
read full review ↗
Pure Nintendo
Nintendo Life
Gamer Escape
VGChartz
Nindie Spotlight
NintendoWorldReport
GameSpot
TheSixthAxis
TechRaptor
Screen Rant
Nintendo Enthusiast
Destructoid…and 15 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- Performance patch v1.70.7Jul 25, 2026
- Throne Room 1.67 PatchOct 19, 2021
- The Throne Room 1.66 ReleaseAug 27, 2021
- April Updates from the Liquid Bit Dev TeamApr 8, 2021significant · resets scoring window
- Killer Queen Black Introduces LocalizationMar 15, 2021
- Killer Queen Black 1.65 ReleaseMar 5, 2021
- Release Notes: Betelgeuse 1.64Feb 1, 2021
- Betelgeuse update: Version 1.63 released!Oct 2, 2020
- Introducing the Betelgeuse Update 1.62!Jul 14, 2020significant · resets scoring window
- (Hydra 1.61) UpdateFeb 20, 2020significant · resets scoring window
- Gemini Release featuring cross-platform party support and more!Nov 22, 2019significant · resets scoring window