ARMS

Platforms

• Nintendo Switch

  Jun 16, 2017

  ---

  8.2

  playscore

  7.9

  63 Critics

  8.7

  1.71K Players

63 critic reviews · 14 community reviews across all platforms

Critic Reviews

• 

  GameSpew

  8.0

  What it lacks in story, Arms makes up for it in style, character and utilisation of the Nintendo Switch’s bells and whistles. From the accessible controls, fun power-ups and cool arenas, it’s almost like the Mario Kart 8 team looked at their game and thought ‘Hey, wouldn’t this be cool, but with fighting?’. Turns out they were right. Nintendo’s wacky take on the fighting genre packs a punch and is the perfect way to introduce non-believers to the gaming world.

  Reviewed on Switch

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• 

  ZTGD

  7.0

  ARMS is a truly unique experience that digs into my nostalgia with games like Punch Out! I just hope the free DLC will make it feel more fleshed out. Quality cannot be argued here, but content definitely feels far too light at launch.

  Reviewed on Switch

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• 

  Giant Bomb

  6.0

  If you play enough Arms, you’re bound to have the occasional thrilling, close-fought bout. These brief moments are fleeting, however, and the game simply doesn’t give you enough reasons to keep coming back.

  Reviewed on Switch

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• 

  Way Too Many Games

  7.5

  Arms is indeed a good game, albeit a flawed one. It took Nintendo twelve years, three console generations and dozens of failed gaming attempts for them to finally come out with a game with actually awesome motion controls, and that makes me excited for the Switch’s future. Just like Splatoon was Ninty’s take on the online third-person shooting scene, Arms is their take on the competitive online fighting scene. Now, if they could only fix the non-motion controls for Arms 2, that would be perfect. It sounds so weird for me to write this and not the other way round…

  Reviewed on Switch

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• 

  IGN

  8.0

  Arms’ clever take on boxing provides a simple premise with a startling amount of depth for those who would seek to master the stretching appendages. Its rapidly evolving lobby system had me sticking around for “just one more match.” There may not be a lot worth unlocking right now, but planned free updates may just give Arms some additional legs.

  Reviewed on Switch

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• 

  Wccftech.com

  8.0

  Experienced fighting game players might not find ARMS quite as entertaining and magical as the titans of the fighting game community, but ARMS is a welcome addition nonetheless. The game modes might be underwhelming, and the overall combat might not be the deepest, but the satisfaction you get when beating down an opponent of Ranked Mode cannot be understated – and that has to be the greatest test of any fighting game.

  Reviewed on Switch

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• 

  The Jimquisition

  6.0

  Arms is a really weird game. At its core it’s a simple, accessible fighting game with a really strong gameplay loop and room for player growth competitively, but a pair of fundamentally flawed control schemes, a lack of decent modes and a glacially slow random unlock system for items that fundamentally change how characters can function make it a really tough package to recommend.

  Reviewed on Switch

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• 

  GameSpace.com

  8.0

  ARMS staying power will depend on its ability to form a community around this punchy little title. Currently, Nintendo has plans to release additional stages and fighters for free. This DLC will help the title keep its legs underneath it while the Switch install base grows and the ARMS community grows with it. The early success of the Switch and the level of detail that Nintendo has crafted into ARMS assures that this is a great franchise with huge potential for growth that is fun for newcomers and veteran fighting game fans alike.

  Reviewed on Switch

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• 

  Game Informer

  8.3

  Arms is a zany fighter that delivers excitement and fun at every turn. While I wish there was more to do, what is included in the package is worthwhile. If you're looking for a fresh and exciting experience to play on your Switch, Arms is worth a look.

  Reviewed on Switch
• 

  COGconnected

  8.5

  Overall, ARMS is a great package, subverting and exceeding most of my expectations while offering modes of play that cater to a variety of players. The offline Grand Prix mode leaves much to be desired, and the 2 v 2 tethered fights are lame, but all that is made up for by an assortment of other entertaining modes, slick online lobbies and surprisingly deep and addictive gameplay. At the end of the day, it’s all about having fun, and ARMS provides that in spades.

  Reviewed on Switch

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Community Reviews

About the game