‘pipistrello And The Cursed Yoyo’ Plays Like A Long Lost Game Boy Advance Game, In The Greatest Way Possible (hands-on Preview)

Not to make you feel old, but did you know that the Game Boy Advance is almost 24 years old? I know, I couldn’t believe it when I read that either. It feels like just yesterday, we were being whisked away into a world of whimsy and joy, with our favorite portable console glued to our hands. And some of the most iconic puzzle-action games of all time came out on it. And that’s where Pipistrello and the Cursed Yoyo feels like it could have been right at home. Now, it’s decades later, and it still has that extreme charm, mixed with the polish of a game released in 2025. It’s brilliant.

‘Pipistrello and the Cursed Yoyo’ Looks the Part, but Plays Like Something More Modern

If you took a quick gander at Pipistrello and the Cursed Yoyo, I would forgive you for thinking this was some GBA game you missed when you were younger. The aesthetic feels spot on. So does the music. But the controls feel much more modern than something you’d have played back in the day. Pipistrello takes inspiration from games like The Legend of Zelda, all while putting a unique twist on combat and puzzle solving. Playing as Pippit, it was up to me and my… well, extremely ordinary yoyo to help my Auntie on a quest.

I could toss my Yoyo off of a strategically placed angular corner in any location I was in, causing it to bend and curve. I could use this to hit switches, solve puzzles, grab items, or defeat enemies. Standard stuff, right? Well, what if I told you that this yoyo was, indeed, cursed? You would never believe me, would you? After the soul of Pippit’s Auntie gets trapped inside of it, it becomes a terrifying bat/yoyo hybrid. Something that would likely haunt your nightmares, if the devs didn’t trap it in an adorable pixel-art shell.

Speaking of the pixel-art, the art on display here is decadent. Animations are incredibly polished, moving with stunning detail and looking amazing in motion. Every part of the world is rife with details and is just a blast to explore. Seeing screenshots doesn’t do Pipistrello and the Cursed Yoyo justice. It looks great as a JPEG but looks absolutely stunning in motion. Even small details, like hitting a can on the sidewalk with the yoyo, cause them to crumple and rattle realistically. There are a lot of small details that bring this one to life.

That Thing You Like Is Coming Back in Style, Specifically, Yoyos

There’s something magical in the air when it comes to traversing the world of Pipistrello. Maybe it’s because everything feels fluid, and you’re not confined to a 4-axis travel system. Maybe it’s because I could unlock skills that would let me rocket through stages while “walking the dog”. Regardless, exploring every nook and cranny of the world was necessary with my limited preview of the game. I got to fight the first boss, but anything I did before that? It was free game.

So, I did what any eager bat would do and took to the sewers. I explored the side-streets and chatted with folks in town. I spent $15 on popcorn, only to get attacked by seagulls. And I loved every moment of it. Certain parts of the world are only reachable after unlocking a new skill, or completing a specific objective. But otherwise? I was free to roam throughout these city streets how I saw fit. Or, I could go under them and try to undercut my way through the city and get into areas I shouldn’t be in yet.

But what good is a puzzle-adventure game if the puzzles don’t match the sense of adventure? Thankfully, Pipistrello and the Cursed Yoyo has more tricks up its sleeve than someone who could take 300th place in the National Yoyo competition. Puzzles were intricate, exciting, and required me to use all of the tools and skills I had gathered up to that point. All I’ll say is this: save the guy in the prison cell. It doesn’t matter what they did, they’ll teach you an amazing new trick.

Even Though I Only Got To Play a Bit of ‘Pipistrello and the Cursed Yoyo’, I Can’t Wait To Dive in for More

There’s something magical here, I’ll say that much for certain. While I loved Dodgeball Academia more than words can describe, I think I may be in love with Pipistrello even more. It’s shaping up to be a genuine classic, taking inspiration from those that came before it while innovating in meaningful ways. Plus, it’s just beautiful in motion, as I gushed about earlier.

Pocket Trap games just have a very unique sense of style and humor to them. And Pipistrello bumps that humor up even further than any of their previous other games. It’s got a great flow to it, and feels genuinely fantastic to control. It was surprising to see that both sticks could control Pippit, making it easier for those who play as a Southpaw. And if I perished in the world, it wasn’t because of the game. I was just lacking in the skills department — or made the wrong move at the wrong time.

I’m eager to play more Pipistrello and the Cursed Yoyo, and I have a feeling this could creep up my favorites list by the time the credits roll. Even with the limited amount of time that I got to play during my hands-on preview session, there’s something special here. If you don’t have a PC, don’t fret. Pipistrello and the Cursed Yoyo will also be available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series consoles, and Nintendo Switch on May 28, 2025.

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