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) | – | 74 | 28 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 86% | 79 | 459 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | – | 0 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 80% | 74 | 2 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 5 reviews sampled · 3 total reviews in window · weighted 1.3 up / 0.3 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (43)
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
“Beat-em-ups are a dime a dozen, but 9 Monkeys of Shaolin is at the very least different from many of the other offerings on the Switch. From the complexity of the combat system which offers plenty of potential for variety in gameplay, to the inspired visual presentation, it's easy to recommend to any fan of the beat-em-up genre.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“There is a lot of care that went into 9 Monkeys of Shaolin, but the lack of a bigger budget and experience on development team sadly stops this game from achieving it's full potential. If you find the genre somewhat appealing, definitely give this thing a try when it eventually goes on sale.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“9 Monkeys of Shaolin is a solid and entertaining beat 'em up game in the spirit of 90s hits. The 2.5D visuals, combined with the side-scrolling perspective, bring back memories of classic titles from the retro era. A high-quality combat system with RPG elements is what will keep you coming back for more. If you enjoy action games in the classic beat 'em up style, then you’ll be satisfied.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“This game is a solid pick-up for beat-’em-up fans, particularly if you can find a friend to play with. Give it a play, and unleash your inner monk.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“As a life-long fan of the beat-em-up genre there's just something simple and satisfying about a good brawler, letting you blow off some steam kicking ass and taking names...”
read full review ↗ - 85
“9 Monkeys of Shaolin is a great beat-em-up with excellent combat and a strong presentation. It won't take you very long but it's a blast while it lasts.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“The growth in combat complexity was not only satisfying, but the various upgrades and equips allowed multiple strategies and approaches to levels that were surprisingly robust. There's a beauty to the clean but vibrant backdrops and interstitial drawings. 9 Monkeys of Shaolin is a rewarding beat-em-up that belongs in every fan's library.”
read full review ↗ - 85
“I had a great time with 9 Monkeys of Shaolin. It was a fun time for the most part, and I constantly wanted to experiment with the different gear and skills. It was one that I always found myself jumping back into it just to get a few more levels in. If you’re a fan of the beat ‘em up genre, this is one you will need to check out. It has the style and the complexity to keep players having fun for the entirety of the game.”
read full review ↗ - 73
“9 Monkeys of Shaolin is a short but satisfying romp through a fictional China that should appeal to fans of old marital arts movies and the beat-‘em-up genre of video games. Combat is generally fluid with a nice sense of progression, though the story itself is relatively shallow and the game itself only takes about six hours to complete.”
read full review ↗ - 75
“9 Monkeys of Shaolin is a solid package. The story and characters are forgettable, but the action is excellent once you get over a few annoying fights and power up. The game comes in at a decent length, and the presentation is good with a few incentives thrown in to make you want to attempt another run at the campaign to unlock everything. Genre fans may be spoiled with the number of games that have come out over the past few years, and 9 Monkeys of Shaolin is another good title to add to the backlog.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“It won’t blow your mind with innovation or story, but 9 Monkeys of Shaolin isn’t trying to. It revisits the 70’s style of kung fu games, and has fun with the source material. Either solo or with a friend, there’s fun to be had here.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“May the Force of The Shaolin monks be with you! This beat'em game is worth to play...and worth to fight!”
read full review ↗
Pure Nintendo
GameMAG
Gaming Professors
Gamer Escape
Nindie Spotlight
PC Invasion
NintendoWorldReport
ZTGD
Chalgyr's Game Room
Worth Playing
FingerGuns
SECTOR.sk…and 31 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- NEW GAME+Dec 22, 2020significant · resets scoring window
- Leaderboard Update | Trading Cards | 15% DiscountNov 23, 2020significant · resets scoring window
- [28.10.2020] Patch notes v 1.03Oct 29, 2020significant · resets scoring window
- [21.10.2020] Patch notesOct 22, 2020significant · resets scoring window