Review: Braid, Anniversary Edition (Nintendo Switch)

Remember Braid? It was all the rage back in 2008 when it was originally released on other consoles, quickly making its mark as a unique indie platformer. Now, like so many titles before it, a special edition of this older game comes to the Switch. Let’s welcome Braid, Anniversary Edition to the fold.

The Switch’s success has given rise to many such re-releases. Don’t get me wrong, I think cross-pollination across platforms is great, giving classic titles another go at reaching an audience. For anyone who missed out on games like Braid the first time around, re-releases are terrific. Especially when as much effort is put into proceedings as with this edition.

Let’s start with the gameplay basics. Braid is a puzzle platformer that follows the adventures of a young man on a mission to rescue his beloved. Throughout his journey are rooms, each presenting a problem to solve. Typically, the goal is to access various jigsaw pieces dotted about the room. They’re often hard to reach, with a clever solution required to get you there.

Apart from the usual running and jumping, this little platformer adds a unique time mechanic. While death may occur frequently, whether from falling into a pit or landing on spikes, a quick tap of the rewind button lets you travel back through time to try again. Not only that, some objects respond differently to this reverse flow of time. This opens the way for some creative tricks to get you to those hard-to-reach jigsaw pieces. 

From the very beginning, it’s clear Braid was developed with care. While there are some head-scratching traps in there for sure, one of the goals of the original development was to create something that felt rewarding to solve. And it does. But that attention to detail extends beyond the puzzles. Everything has been curated to create something unique, especially in 2008. Even the game’s intro is unique; instead of the typical menu screen with options, the title screen is the game. You control things from the very beginning.

Let’s talk about the key differences between this edition and the original. One thing we don’t always see with revamped releases is the ability to switch between old and new graphics. Braid has you covered here, allowing players to quickly flick from classic to updated styles at the touch of a button. It’s seamless. It’s a treat for fans who remember the way things were, or for anyone with an interest in gaming history.

Speaking of visuals, they’re simply lovely. They were already nice back in 2008, but now they’re even better, with colorful backdrops that really pop. Character pixels have been enhanced, as have their animations. There’s much more detail in each room, too. In short, a good-looking game has been enhanced to become quite splendid.

Now, if you have played the original Braid, this leaves less room for a Switch purchase. If you were already a fan, perhaps the updated visuals are enough to tempt you. However, this Anniversary Edition offers a comprehensive amount of commentary to give you yet another excuse to double dip.

And I mean comprehensive. The developers have gone above and beyond, integrating hours of detailed audio while you’re playing. Yes, while you’re playing. There are special switches within the game that allow you to access commentary for the room you’re in. It accompanies you while you continue playing, akin to watching a director’s commentary during a movie. There’s hours worth of content, which is interesting to fans and, again, gaming enthusiasts who are interested in how it all came together at the time. It’s quite a work of art.

So, any downsides? Not really, though with the original gameplay remaining intact, it means any flaws come along for the ride. The only such issue I noticed was when I first played. As mentioned, there are many rooms to explore, however it’s not clear initially what you’re meant to do in them; the instructions are deliberately unclear. This makes for a slightly shaky start until you work out what’s going on. Once you get a feel for it, though, Braid truly shines.

Overall, Braid, Anniversary Edition is the definitive version of a terrific platformer. Not only has this classic title been enhanced with improved graphics, but a detailed commentary has been integrated into the game itself. The original developers put a lot of effort into building something unique in 2008. Now, they’ve enhanced their creation into something special and detailed.