Jump, splash, repeat. These are the three best words that sum up INK on the Nintendo Switch. The game is quick to deliver its clear intentions right from the get-go with its bite-sized levels, chaotic platforming, and colorful design.

You, the player, are a tiny cube that hops around 75 stages filled with pitfalls, traps, locked doors, and squirmy cube counterparts. All of these elements work against you as you try to complete each stage.

The beginning stages do a great job of explaining the purpose of INK. You’re taught that each level is hidden behind a blank canvas that needs to be splashed with color in order to be revealed. Color is spread by performing a double jump, which explodes ink from all sides of your controllable cube. It’s a lot of trial and error, but the more attempts you make, the more ink you spray, which will reveal more of the stage.

Each stage is completed by collecting the color-filled cube placed within the stage, but sometimes you’ll have to do some additional objectives in order to collect it. Some stages will have simple enemies that need to be defeated before being able to collect the color-filled cube, similar to what you’d see in some Bomberman games. Platforming will also consist of well-timed dodges from turret-gun traps alongside twitch-based walk-kicks to maneuver to different areas. These are skills you will need to master to splash your way through the more difficult levels.

  • INK
  • INK

There are also three boss fights peppered into each third of the game. Each of them is a pretty basic fight that requires you to jump on the boss’ head a set number of times in order to defeat it. I found them to be nice milestones to let me know I’ve made some solid progress through the game and had just enough jazz to keep the game feeling fresh.

I’d also like to point out that the music in this game is phenomenal. Ambient, electronic, and pulsing tracks help entrance you into the twitch-based action and work really well alongside the aesthetic and personality of the game. I would love to own INK’s soundtrack!

  • INK
  • INK

It only took me about 2-3 hours to finish the entire campaign, but I absolutely loved all of my time with it. There are even additional collectibles in some stages I might go back to collect so I can grasp the full challenge that INK has to offer. INK is the perfect answer for someone looking for an appetizer of hard-core platforming with a clever twist. Although you may find other games that could fulfill INK’s purpose, INK’s music, art direction, and spastic gameplay do enough to create a small world of originality that I’d personally like to see a sequel to.