Survival Kids review: Very accessible Switch 2 survival-lite game is simple but effective

A brand new Survival Kids game from Konami releasing day one exclusively on Nintendo Switch 2 is perhaps one of the more surprising and unexpected titles on the new console.

Survival Kids is a multiplayer adventure game where players take on the role of one of four kids and work together to escape from being shipwrecked on a desert island by platforming, puzzle solving and crafting. The game can also be played solo.

The game first appeared on Game Boy Color in 1999 with sequels including Survival Kids 2: Escape the Twin Islands and games in the Lost in Blue series across Nintendo DS and the Wii.

Now, after quite a long hiatus, Survival Kids is back, this time on Nintendo Switch 2, and it's a fun game clearly designed for a younger audience.

The pesky 'whurtle' keeps shipwrecking players on different islands during their attempts to go home / Screenshot from Konami

Survival Kids story

The story of Survival Kids is simple - four kids find a treasure map and set sail to a deserted island on a raft.

There's a scared one who points out the dangers of the seas and the monsters that lurk beneath the surface but off they go anyway, full of youthful enthusiasm, with no preparation of course, to see where the old map takes them.

But they then become shipwrecked and have to use the island's resources to survive.

Players have to work together to clear islands and fix their raft under the guide of a lighthouse keeper, who navigates players and provides quips throughout.

The raft is stuck at the top of each island and players have to gather the necessary materials and parts to reach the top of each one and then the required resources to fix it.

Each time an island is cleared, a giant turtle called a 'whurtle' sends them to another deserted one, and so on, with the same mission to repair and eventually escape each time.

The game is playable in four player co-op online or two player locally, so it's perfect for parents playing a game with their kid or kids wanting to play with friends.

Up to three players can play through GameShare with a single copy of the game too.

Survival Kids looks great both docked and handheld on the Switch 2 / Screenshot from Konami

Survival Kids presentation

The presentation in Survival Kids is good - the first thing players will notice are the very bright, vivid colours of tropical islands and the great soundtrack. It's a fun, quirky soundtrack that's incredibly playful, perfect for a kid's game about being stranded on a desert island.

The animation looks great on the Switch 2 as well, both docked and handheld, and dipping frame rates or any visual anomalies were not noticed at all in either mode.

Players can customise their character and there are a handful of options to choose from.

There are clear instructions through the opening few levels and there's always an arrow pointing to where the player needs to go. This can't be relied on entirely as a degree of exploration to get past that point is needed but it's always a useful indicator so players don't get lost. Prompts always appear showing what button players need to press to perform certain actions at all times.

Although this is clearly aimed at a younger audience, the sounds the kids themselves make when achieving something or moving around make them sound more like toddlers or babies and are a bit at odds with how old they seem to be.

There's the voice of a lighthouse keeper who guides players throughout the game and makes dry quips along the way.

The lighthouse keeper is British and the humour on offer is quite silly but it does offer a few wry smiles and chuckles every now and again. He's actually quite charming and importantly, he doesn't get tiresome as the hours go on.

Puzzling and platforming in Survival Kids is incredibly simple / Screenshot from Konami

Survival Kids gameplay

Onto the gameplay and players find themselves at the start of each island needing to set up a camp.

To begin with, players are taught the basics, such as how to collect valuable resources such as wood, food etc and how to navigate through each island.

Players can run, jump, cut things down, harvest them, craft, and more elements are introduced as the levels go on. There is some light platforming and puzzling but nothing too strenuous.

Players have to consider stamina - carrying items from one place to another depletes it and cooking food after finding it boosts stamina and this is essential for reaching certain parts of different islands. Be careful not to burn the food though as indy100 did on occasion.

Getting a certain number of items into one place means players can craft items such as bridges, climbing nets or fishing rods to progress. The amount of required materials helpfully hovers over each part of the island players need to get the materials over to.

Similar items can be stacked so players don't have to carry each individual resource.

Each island introduces something new every time, doing just enough to keep it feeling fresh throughout. Every one is short and sharp, plus there's no inventory management at all. Players have to find what they need in each section of the island.

Players progress through each level by starting from square one each time and then having to get to and eventually rebuild the raft - only to then get shipwrecked on another island by a giant smiling 'whurtle'.

It's very much rinse and repeat but crucially, as mentioned, it never feels stale.

At the end of each level, players find out what stars they've earned based on their performance. Three are on offer for clearing an island in a certain amount of time and another three for finding bonus treasure stones.

As one set of stars focuses on speed and the other on exploration, this means it's nigh-on impossible to get six stars for each island in one go. At the very least, to fully complete each one, one speed run is needed and another slower paced one to find all of the hidden stones. These stars aren't just collectibles or a checklist either.

As well as being necessary to complete the game, this split focus also adds a way to improve longevity and for players to have to take different approaches when playing through the islands.

There are other collectibles such as glyphs, fish and food to discover too.

Developers have made a point for mistakes to not be punished, making it very accessible, and that certainly holds up when playing through. Nothing is punished in the slightest and it's quite relaxing.

This game can be played solo but it's evidently designed for co-op. It's just simply more fun, especially when there are items that can be carried across the island more quickly when there are two players instead of one dragging it along the floor slowly.

Survival Kids is a simple and straightforward game but is great for its target audience / Screenshot from Konami

Survival Kids verdict

Survival Kids is evidently aimed at a younger audience and it's good fun for young people to play with friends or their gamer parents. indy100 enjoyed playing through the title too.

It's a relaxing, straightforward co-op game and although some might find the gameplay loop too simple and borderline repetitive, indy100 feels there is just enough to keep it feeling fresh throughout.

Survival Kids is incredibly accessible and is a Switch 2 title players can just sit back and enjoy without being tested too much. It's great to play with younger gamers.

Survival Kids is not spectacular or groundbreaking but its simplicity is its charm and Survival Kids has that in abundance.

7/10

Elsewhere from indy100, our thoughts on if Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour is worth $10 and if The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom Switch 2 Edition upgrades are worth their prices too.

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