I first played Ty the Tasmanian Tiger last year, when the game was finally remastered and re-released for the PS4. Considering its age, I was impressed with how enjoyable that game still was. Obviously, I was expecting Krome Studios to eventually release a remastered version of its sequel, Ty the Tasmanian Tiger 2: Bush Rescue, but what I didn’t expect was for it to be such a departure from the gameplay style of the first game. And no, that’s not a bad thing at all. Might I say, I found it to be a bold endeavor.

The original Ty the Tasmanian Tiger was basically your run-of-the-mill 3D platformer, akin to the likes of Mario, Crash Bandicoot, and Jak & Daxter. Ty the Tasmanian Tiger 2 takes a bolder approach with a non-linear open world setting, in which you’re free to tackle multiple objectives in any given order, so long you have the appropriate items required for whichever mission you want to tackle.

I wasn’t expecting for this game to be more closely associated to freaking Jak II than any other platform I can think of, but it does make sense for the time. Does this decision make the game worse than its predecessor? Absolutely not. However, it’s not necessarily better than it either. It’s just a complete new take on a tried and true formula, and it certainly works. The world available to you is impressively large, full of characters to interact with, and different kinds of missions to choose from.

Ty the Tasmanian Tiger 2 also starts off with a bang. The first game started off with an innocent jungle-like level, the same kind of level more than half of all 3D platformers call their tutorial section. Meanwhile, Ty’s second adventure begins with a full-on army trying to destroy a police installment in order to rescue the villain from the first game. Not even ten minutes into Ty the Tasmanian Tiger 2 and you’ll be fighting mutated lizards with a mecha suit, and destroying dropships with a rocket turret.

There’s yet another thing that caught me completely off guard: Ty the Tasmanian Tiger 2 features an entire kart racing mode outside of the main game, accessible from the main menu. That’s right: whereas most mascot franchises would decide to sell you a kart racing spinoff, this game includes a wide array of karts, racers, courses, and items as a bonus. Sure, it’s not exactly a deep racing mode, but it controls well enough, and it’s fun in short bursts.

The PS4 remaster of the first Ty the Tasmanian Tiger didn’t reallly improve that game’s visuals that much. It certainly had a much better resolution, an improved aspect ratio, and a rock-solid framerate. But by and large, it looks almost identical to the GameCube original. That’s more or less the same thing in this Switch port of Ty the Tasmanian Tiger 2, but sadly, the framerate is nowhere near as consistent as before. Maybe it’s due to the inferior horsepower of the Switch, or maybe it’s the fact that this game features much larger levels, but you’ll notice some framerate issues every now and then.

One thing did improve from the first Ty game, however: the camera is nowhere near as annoying as before. It’s easier to control and it acts in a much less schizophrenic manner, even if its default position is set uncomfortably close to your playable protagonist. The kart racing controls are also surprising solid, with equally simple controls, and even an above average drifting mechanic.

Ty the Tasmanian Tiger 2 is a shocking departure from its predecessor, and what’s most impressive about it is that it aged surprisingly well. Well, with the exception of the poor framerate on this Switch version, that is. It’s not better nor worse than the original Ty, given how different its gameplay is altogether. Even if this remaster didn’t exactly breathe new life into this 2004 title, considering the minute visual and performance upgrades, being able to play this feel-good open world platformer on-the-go is a worthwhile experience.

 

Graphics: 6.0 The resolution and aspect ratio have been improved, but the framerate isn’t as rock-solid as the PS4 remaster of the first Ty the Tasmanian Tiger game.	Gameplay: 7.0 The controls are basically the same as before, but the camera controls have been improved. The kart racing controls are also simple and, for the most part, responsive.
Sound: 7.5 Just as before, a collection of Kirkhope-esque tunes with some slight layers of traditional Australian instruments, coupled with cheesy yet absolutely adorable voice acting. Every single character still speaks with ultra thick accents and I love it.	Fun Factor: 7.5 The open-ended design is a striking departure from the previous Ty the Tasmanian Tiger game, and it’s certainly enjoyable as a portable title. The kart mode isn’t half-bad either.
Final Verdict: 7.0

Ty the Tasmanian Tiger 2: Bush Rescue HD is available now on Switch.

Reviewed on Switch.

A copy of Ty the Tasmanian Tiger 2: Bush Rescue HD was provided by the publisher.