Review: TP Bullet (Nintendo Switch)

TP Bullet is an indie puzzle-platformer from developer 9Ratones. This budget title brings 80 challenging levels to conquer in a twist on the genre that will have your brain working overtime.

In TP Bullet, you play the role of a super spy tasked with saving the world. When the dreaded Skeleton King and his minions overtake the city, a witch grants you the ability to teleport using an enchanted bullet. Why is a spy dealing with the undead? Who knows! But armed with this new weapon, you set off to collect the 80 ancient magical coins and stop the threat of evil.

The brief story unfolds via a short and somewhat cute pixelated intro. The important thing to note is the enchanted bullet, which provides the unique gameplay gimmick. By firing it into a special block, it allows you to swap places with it. You see, the “TP” in the title stands for “teleporting”. Did you think it stood for something else?

Each level fits neatly onto one screen. There are the usual environmental hazards to avoid, like pits and spikes, along with moving platforms, and the occasional enemy. Your goal is reaching that single magical coin, using those special blocks to reach it. Moving the block (or blocks, in some cases) into the right position requires some logic. For example, you might want the block to appear on spikes, meaning you will have to dive onto the spikes and time your shot before you hit them. It tickles the brain in just the right places.

Things start off simply with the first few levels serving as breezy tutorials. However, it soon becomes clear that this is no walk in the park, with one or more blocks placed throughout the level in increasingly obscure places. Most of the time, you possess just one bullet, requiring deep thinking as to how to best use it. Even if you have two bullets, that’s because you need them; maybe you’ll need to change places with the block twice, or perhaps there are two blocks to hit. There’s no room for error. Thankfully, if you fail you can easily restart the level and try again. And again. And again.

The pixelated style continues throughout your journey. I enjoyed the retro look and accompanying upbeat tunes. The eighty levels sport various themed backgrounds, providing some aesthetic variety. On the downside, you have to complete each level before you can unlock the next. While this isn’t an uncommon approach, it means tricky levels might put you off since you can’t skip them. 

Additionally, while I love a level-select screen, it seems pointless when you have no reason to replay them. Once you’ve collected the coin within a level, there’s absolutely nothing to warrant returning. Perhaps an additional (optional) collectible or a timer would enhance the longevity of TP Bullet. Still, this is a budget game. At only $4.99, 80 levels is plenty to keep you busy. This is the type of game that suits short bursts of play while you make your way through each level. 

Overall, TP Bullet is a simple-yet-fun platformer with a unique twist. What it lacks in features it makes up for with its puzzle-platformer mechanics. It could verge on frustration since you can’t skip levels, but if you’re after a platformer with a twist (and a challenge), you’ll find it here.