Pirate Pop Plus Reviews

Pirate Pop Plus is ranked in the 34th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
3 / 10.0
Oct 19, 2016

Pirate Pop Plus feels more like something you'd have found near the release of the Game Boy than something that should be asking for money in 2016 considering there are full-length Game Boy games with a plethora of content available on the eShop for less money, and tons of even cheaper mobile games that put this to shame. If you don't care about unlocking all the customizations, achievements, high scores, or the few characters that hardly change the gameplay, then you'll probably get bored of this within 20 minutes. Even at a lower price, I wouldn't recommend it. Pop your money elsewhere.

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6.5 / 10.0
Nov 4, 2016

A game that tries to bring us back to the 80's arcade glory, but doesn't succed because of it lack of variety.

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Oct 19, 2016

It may not be anywhere near as fun as 13AM’s first published game with their in-house developed Runbow, but Pirate Pop Plus can still provide a good bit of fun anyways.

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55 / 100
Oct 19, 2016

While addictive in short bursts, Pirate Pop Plus doesn’t have the staying power to compete with the new retro classics in the market today.

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60 / 100
Oct 26, 2016

Decorate your device with stickers, change the colour of its button, change the faceplate of the entire system, or even manipulate the backlight.

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8.8 / 10.0
Oct 21, 2016

Pirate Pop Plus is a game where fans of the classics will likely enjoy it, especially fans of Pang and Buster Bros.  If you’re not normally fan of arcade-style games, you might want to check out Pang first, then decide if five dollars is worth spending on a game that resembles Pang with a couple of other mechanics thrown in.

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Drew Leachman
Top Critic
6 / 10.0
Nov 7, 2016

Pirate Pop Plus is a neat little game. There’s no going around that. The gameplay is simple but still tight and fun, the progression is there, but runs out of steam within five longer sessions. This is the kind of game that would be a nice time waster every once in a while, but most certainly not for longer sessions. Even then, with the gameplay being so simplistic, players may find themselves bored after two or three sessions. But there are some decently fun times to be had.

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7.5 / 10.0
Oct 19, 2016

Pirate Pop Plus is a simple arcade-style action game with tight controls and a fully realized 8-bit aesthetic.

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9 / 10
Oct 19, 2016

It's not often that you encounter a game that manages to emulate the simple pleasure of old arcade games so effectively, but Pirate Pop Plus makes it look easy; this is everything you could want out of an arcade game. The gameplay is simple and addictive, it positively oozes charm through its presentation, and if the score chasing doesn't hook you, the coin collecting and achievement hunting surely will. We give Pirate Pop Plus a strong recommendation; this is a really fun game, and one that no retro gaming enthusiast will want to miss out on.

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7.5 / 10.0
Oct 18, 2016

Pirate Pop Plus emits Game Boy nostalgia in its purest form. From its simplicity in story and gameplay to its retro graphics and sound, Pirate Pop Plus fits right in with other games on that old system. While the game can get repetitive and does have a few design problems, especially when it comes to sound design and control with the Wii U gamepad, for only $4.99, any Game Boy or Pang fan owes it to themselves to pick up this game.

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7 / 10
Nov 5, 2016

Pirate Pop Plus is a fun bubble-popping game with a fun gameplay that manages to stand out from its similar counterparts and with a fitting visual and sound environment. Its lifespan might be put to test, as the game relies on customization to keep its long-term appeal but Pirate Pop Plus should easily find a spot with nearly any player.

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7 / 10
Jun 5, 2018

Pirate Pop Plus does a fine job of emulating the laser-focused Game Boy games of 25 years ago. It owes a massive debt to Pang and a whole host of other single-screen highscore chasers, but with a couple of subtle twists of its own. For some it will be too brutally straight-forward, and it's arguably a little too in thrall to the past for a modern Switch game. For those after a no-nonsense retro challenge, however, it's a budget-priced treat.

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7.5 / 10.0
Jun 20, 2018

Pang fans will feel very at home with Pirate Pop which is a charming homage to the Buster Bros. of old. There aren't many frills here, but in some cases, it's what makes the game sing. As far as pick-up-and-play action-puzzlers on the Nintendo Switch eShop are concerned, Pirate Pop Plus is a total treasure.

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6.5 / 10.0
Nov 7, 2016

Pirate Pop Plus has its simple pleasures, but in the face of superior competition like Pang Adventures, it comes up just a bit short. Game Boy fans may want to give it a look, especially for its cheap price tag and entertaining gameplay, but don’t expect a fantastic voyage across the sea.

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7 / 10.0
Oct 19, 2016

Pirate Pop Plus is an arcade game that could be on par with something like a Geometry Wars in my eyes, but it feels like it’s the Geometry Wars that was a throwaway bonus in Project Gotham Racing 2, not the Geometry Wars that is arguably one of the best game on the Xbox 360. If you’re hankering for a bite-sized arcade experience that is heavy on fun and light on content, Pirate Pop Plus is fantastic. And hey - maybe they’ll make Pirate Pop Plus: Retro Evolved or something and it’ll be incredible.

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Digitally Downloaded
Trent P.
Top Critic
Nov 28, 2016

This is one of those games which you could buy on a portable device and enjoy far more because of that.

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7 / 10
Nov 12, 2016

Playing a Game Boy-inspired game that keeps things mechanically simple and fun is a breath of fresh air.

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7 / 10.0
May 31, 2018

However, the game is addictive in its own charming way and it's something I've popped on once and awhile ever since it originally came out on 3DS. If you have any nostalgia for Cannon Ball/Pang/Buster Bros., Pirate Pop Plus is a welcome addition to your crew.

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90%
Nov 17, 2016

Pirate Pop Plus will certainly appeal to the fans who owned a GameBoy back in the day. The graphics are very similar to the games of that era, adding a lot of charm to the game. The sprites, look and colors of the game, as well as its simplicity, capture the feeling of playing an actual GameBoy. I absolutely loved my time with the game for my Pirate Pop Plus review, and I highly recommend that you buy it today.

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7 / 10.0
Oct 19, 2016

Pirate Pop Plus is an enjoyable little game that takes a proven formula and transforms it into something fresh and exciting.

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