Platforming with the Mars (upilami)

Punch, Hope, and Twister. No, this does not mean you get to beat up and wrench Hope; these are the Marsupilami you get to play in a perky little 2D platformer called Marsupilami 2 – Salsa Palombia. It’s a follow-up to Marsupilami – Hoobadventure. (Don’t ask me what a Hoob is, I don’t know; but I do know the Salsa is good.) This is another sequel to a game I have not played, so I’m caught in the middle of things. But don’t worry, Salsa Palombia is perfectly fine as a stand-alone.

With that in mind, let’s get into what we see and hear when we crack open this morsel of digital delights. The graphics are rendered well, and the imagery is vibrant and interesting. The characters are a bit cartoonish, but that is to be expected when the source of your game’s characters started as cartoons. The scenery is also well done and keeps the player looking around to soak it all in. Yes, the ghostly skeletons are a bit Scooby Doo meets Día de Muertos, but we’re running around as fictional animals in the make-believe land of Palombia, so why not?

The elements of the obstacle course include hypnotized animals (more about this later), plants, spiky patches, mushrooms, birds, and music notes floating in the air like they just don’t care. The variety of the things you encounter in the game is quite engaging.

The soundscape is also really well done. The music is festive and, while it keeps the atmosphere light, it also hints at the importance of a quick pace for gameplay. Speed becomes more important when you find any of the hidden “dojos.” These sub-areas are good for more than just a quick side-trip; you can sharpen your skills at collecting music notes. But each dojo has a time limit and no countdown clock to watch, so be quick about it.

Speaking of gameplay, it’s safe to say this is a normal platformer. There’s plenty of running and jumping and getting the timing right for everything.

Yes, you will likely be playing some sections over a couple times because your last hit point bit the dust when you landed on a field of spikes. But there are limitless restarts, so it’s no big deal. Besides, how many games do you know where you jump at a bird, have it swallow you, then spit you out in precisely the direction you need to go? Weird, yes, but interesting.

Moving around is what you would expect—a joystick and a jump button. You also get two more buttons which have fun results. One will let you use a special movement, the other will let you swap characters. That’s right, there are three main characters, and you start each round with two of them. You can swap characters at any time, and this gets very handy during a run. Twister can use its tail like a helicopter and can glide(ish) horizontally for a while, Hope can execute a spinning double jump for extra height, and Punch can transform into what looks like a big ball of yarn and bounce off spikes without taking damage.

Learning when to swap Marsupilami to get the best skill for the situation is part of navigating levels successfully…although you may not have to in two player single-system co-op. In the early levels, the game will prompt you with suggestions on who to use and how, so you aren’t just running amok in the jungle.

Don’t forget to use all these skills to finish the game. After all, you are the hero and, as usual, it’s your job to save the world. The glowing, floating skeletons you have to defeat are responsible for bringing some kind of enchanted music which has zombified every other creature in Palombia. You’ll need to get around or through or over these zombies to save them. Too bad they are trying to stop you, but that’s zombies for you. Collect all the music notes you can as they help you get to the boss level. The trouble is all about the diabolical music, so it makes sense.

Not everything is quite perfect in Palombia. There are some unusual ups and downs with the difficulty in gameplay. It isn’t completely discouraging, just a bit unexpected; play a few levels and it will become noticeable. The other issue is more pronounced when you are playing the Switch in handheld mode, but there are some places where all the elements on a given platform are not quite as clear as the rest of the game. While these issues are not up to the standards of the rest of the game, they are really only minor annoyances.

With interestingly whimsical characters, floating skeletons, a decent backstory, a visually vibrant environment, and fun music, Marsupilami 2 – Salsa Palombia offers hours of playability. The character switch out feature is a good way to have the skills needed ready without having to go through endless points gathering and upgrade purchasing. Whether on your own or with a friend, it’s a fun romp through the jungle.