Review: Survival Kids Switch 2 Doesn’t Feel Like Lost in Blue

This time around, realism is abandoned for an idealized fantasy. I could absolutely see Square Enix going with a similar kind of premise for something like “Lara Croft: Tomb Raider Kids.” These one to four pre-teens found a map, built a sea-worthy vessel, found islands on the back of giant turtle-like beings called Whurtles, somehow uncovered ruins nobody else saw before, and are also going to undo a supernatural storm. I do think it is very good for smaller children, as it plays in the types of fantasies they might have and can be empowering. However, it’s not all that entertaining or good at engaging an older audience.

Gameplay is also incredibly simple in Survival Kids and, while there is crafting and food creation, it’s nowhere near as complex or critical as in games like the original or ensuing Lost in Blue installments. In those games, you needed to eat and stay hydrated to survive, crafting meant experimenting, item maintenance could be an issue due to durability, and actions strongly influenced if you died or how the story ended. Here, eating means greater strength when engaging in tasks or stamina for climbing, and you can cap that out at 10 easily and be fine. Food prep? Toss a bunch of fruits in a pot, no need for recipes, and you’re fine. Actual item or structure creation? Again, just toss logs, stones, or gathered materials into the right place and you’re good. Platforming? Literally not an issue or challenge. 

Survival Kids is an incredibly easy Switch 2 game, and it is all very surface level. While there are optional collectibles on islands, I felt no reason to go back to it. If you do falter when making jumps, as I had the Pro Controller battery die during one section, it’s absolutely fine. If your stamina does run out, food is so plentiful and the campsite hubs are always nearby, so it is easy to get a snack. If not, you’ll just be slower than usual. The crafting and switch toggling puzzles aren’t difficult. If you can find the pieces you need and get them to the place, you tend to be fine. Also, it’s executed in a way in which there are no complicated controls or need to manage any inventory. Again, all of this is fine for the intended audience, and young enough children will probably dig it. But people of any age more experienced with games will very likely get bored. It’s so repetitive.

Probably the main selling point is that this Konami and Unity Survival Kids game does act as a showcase for each Switch 2 multiplayer options. I did play with another person with split-screen local multiplayer and briefly online. In each case, it was absolutely fine. Since this is a game that could honestly be played alone or with others, cooperation didn’t feel super critical. It wasn’t like there was scaling difficulty or an of the actions were so taxing that I really needed assistance. It was more that things got done faster with another person. Local worked great. Online ended up being totally fine too. I didn’t get to test out GameShare, the most interesting option that involves other local people playing on their own Switch 2 systems while I shared the game. 

Survival Kids feels really generic on the Switch 2, and it features none of the personality of the Lost in Blue series. I think I might have enjoyed it more had it not been burdened by that pedigree. Had Konami and Unity released this as, say, “Treasure Kids: Search for Harmony Stones,” I think I’d maybe appreciated it more. I’d go in understanding it is a new IP made for kids who like the idea of survival games or puzzle adventures, but might not be ready for titles with greater challenges and in-game consequences. But here, we go in expecting a certain type of storytelling and adventure, then wind up with a repetitious, uncomplicated routine.

Survival Kids is available for the Switch 2.