Simogo Legacy Collection - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition Review (Switch 2)

I had a moment of realisation while flipping my Switch 2 around in my hand and tapping at the screen in an effort to solve yet another clever-but-abstract puzzle. I realised that the Simogo Legacy Collection was one of the most unabashedly original sets of experiences I had encountered in a long time.

The funny thing was that I had already played every game in this collection years before. It had been so long that the zenith of mobile gaming had slipped into the realm of half-forgotten memories.

Simogo Games is perhaps better known for two stylised and mechanically unique titles from recent years: Sayonara Wild Hearts (2019) and Lorelei and the Laser Eyes (2024). It may surprise some that it is actually a storied studio with 15 years of history, recognised for fiercely original titles built for mobile devices. Those are the games that the Simogo Legacy Collection brings together. It features seven titles that both exemplify the early heyday of mobile games and manage to transcend that format.

This is as lovingly curated a collection as you are likely to get, rivalling Digital Eclipse’s Gold Master Series for presentation and additional extras. The stylish menu is fashioned as a mobile phone screen, with tiles that take you to games, settings, and a wealth of bonus material. You are free to cycle between a vast collection of music as you wander the digital halls of this studio's archives.

The games themselves range from fun time sinks to rich artistic endeavours. All of them need equal attention, so it is best to tackle them one by one.

First up is Kosmo Spin, which is perhaps the most mobile-game-like experience here and a sign of a studio taking its first steps in the industry. It is a cute collectathon that plays with perspective by having you rotate the screen to guide a robot around a planetoid. You rescue robot buddies and avoid an enemy UFO that hurls projectiles and tries to hoover you up.

Next is Bumpy Road, a deceptively simple exercise in hand-eye coordination. Your task is to guide a car across the screen, although the hook is that you move the vehicle by deforming the road underneath it with your finger. I had a lot of fun with this one, mostly failing.

Beat Sneak Bandit is an odd but addictive combination of stealth and rhythm action. You control a thief who sneaks through Donkey Kong-style multi-level areas, and you can only move by tapping the screen to the beat.

Year Walk is perhaps the developer's most beloved mobile title and much more of a purely artistic experience than the previous three. Previously available on the Wii U eShop until Nintendo shut up shop in March 2023, it explores Scandinavian folklore with an atmospheric walking (swiping?) simulator of sorts, in which you transition through screens, interact with the environment and uncover mysteries. It remains richly atmospheric to this day.

Device 6 and The Sailor’s Dream are mechanically similar puzzle mysteries that rely on your exploration skills. Device 6 has you traverse prose and interact with images in a book to help protagonist Anna figure out where she is. The Sailor’s Dream expands the concept of exploration by having you sail across the ocean and visit experiential locations.

Finally, there is SPL-T, an ostensibly simple puzzle game where you tap on a wireframe grid to create ever smaller divisions. This one is a compulsive experience that hides neat little easter eggs tied to screen interaction.

All of these games are sharply updated to look great on the Switch display. Since they were developed for small touchscreens, they feel most comfortable when played undocked. Simogo has added all kinds of quality-of-life features to make the games more playable on both screens, including open orientation switching and simultaneous touch and stick controls.

The one caveat is that most of the games feel a bit clunky on a large display. Even with accessible controls, these titles were made specifically for a small screen. That said, the Switch 2 version fully supports mouse controls, which helps a great deal when playing docked. Being able to move the screen and control the game with smooth mouse movement is a real boon.

Simogo Legacy Collection feels like the developer has considered everything in translating these games to consoles. It adapts mobile-first experiences into versatile ports that account for the player's needs. Outside of the porting work, these games offer seven distinct and captivating experiences that still feel fresh years after their release. Simogo plays around with the form and function of well-worn templates to create something surprising and new.

Even Year Walk, the most purely narrative experience here, is a unique take on the storytelling style of classics like Myst or The Room. SPL-T, on the other hand, is so subtle in its execution that you might spend hours tapping the screen before realising you are playing a postmodern twist on endless arcade puzzlers.

If you enjoy puzzle-driven narratives and experimental design, this bundle is nothing less than essential.