Earthion | Switch 2 Review

The trailer for Earthion hooked me right away with its blend of retro arcade charm and modern polish. The 16-bit style was unmistakably a callback to the golden age of shooters like Gradius, but the crisp visuals and energy hinted at something more than simple nostalgia. Earthion turned out to be a tremendously fun shoot-em-up that scratched both my retro itch and my craving for tight, modern gameplay.

The story is as simple as it gets. You are the pilot of a spaceship on a mission to defend your planet from alien invaders. The setup is straightforward, but this type of game does not need a complex narrative to succeed. The action and challenge are the true stars of the show.

Classic Shooting With Modern Touches

At its core, Earthion is a classic arcade shmup with all the expected trimmings: a primary forward attack, collectible power-ups, and waves of enemies filling the screen with colorful chaos. What impressed me was how well the game balanced familiarity but made it feel fresh. In addition to the default machine-gun style attack, I was able to pick up two sub-weapons and swap between them on the fly. That mechanic added a strategic flair that was appreciated based on the enemy’s attack pattern.

For example, during boss fights, the spread-shot weapon was perfect for diagonal positioning against enemies that attacked head-on. When facing bosses with wider attack ranges, the focused laser beam gave me the concentrated firepower I needed. Holding down the B button for a steady blast while weaving my ship around incoming projectiles felt wonderfully satisfying. Add in the dedicated swap button, and suddenly my ship was more versatile than it first appeared.

Another welcome addition was the health and shield system. Instead of the old-school “one hit and you are dead” formula, Earthion gives you a health meter that can be replenished and a regenerating shield that recharges when you avoid damage. This not only made the challenge feel fairer but also pushed me to play smarter. My deaths never felt cheap. When I went down, it was because I had not paid attention or maneuvered properly. That is the hallmark of a well-designed arcade game.

Replayability is also strong here. Even though I rolled credits in just two hours on the easy difficulty (which was still quite challenging), I immediately saw the appeal in diving back for higher scores and tougher runs. It is an arcade experience through and through, which means it is built for repeat attempts, not just one-and-done playthroughs.

Colorful Chaos and Arcade Energy

Earthion is gorgeous. The vibrant colors and detailed enemy ships make the presentation pop with life. The enemy designs also serve a functional purpose: I quickly learned to anticipate attack patterns just by recognizing which ships were on the screen. That clarity, paired with smooth animation, made every encounter feel intentional. At the same time, a couple of the later levels did cross into overwhelming territory, but in an awesome, challenging way that felt like the game was throwing down the gauntlet.

The sound design deserves its own spotlight. From the thump of explosions to the pulse of laser fire, every effect lands exactly right. The music channels pure arcade energy, fast and exciting, and it kept me in the zone throughout each stage. The one sound I did not love was the low health and low shield warning. It was piercing and shrill, and while it certainly got my attention, it was loud enough to feel distracting rather than helpful.

I also noticed some visual drawbacks tied to platform choice. Playing on the Switch 2 handheld, the smallest enemy projectiles were tough to monitor. More than once, I lost health because those little bullets blended into the action. On a large TV, I suspect this would not be as much of an issue, but it is worth noting for handheld players. Combined with the busy visuals during heavy attack sequences, this made it challenging to always track the difference between enemy fire and damaging environmental hazards in the background.

Still, these are small blemishes on an otherwise dazzling presentation. The overall impression is one of a retro game that has been given a modern glow-up without losing its soul.

Final Verdict: Earthion

Earthion is exactly what I hoped it would be: a fast, flashy, challenging arcade shooter that respects its roots while modernizing just enough to stand apart. It is short, as I finished it in two hours on easy mode, but that is part of its charm. The joy of arcade shooters is not in length, but in the excitement of mastering runs, learning patterns, and testing yourself on higher difficulties. In that sense, Earthion nails the formula.

Fans of arcade shooters should sprint to their store of choice on Nintendo, PlayStation, Xbox, or Steam and pick this one up. The retro 16-bit style, modern flair, and superb gameplay make it hard to resist. And even if you are not typically into shoot-em-ups, this is a great entry point thanks to its accessibility, fairness, and undeniable fun factor.

To hear me talk more about Earthion, be sure to listen to the October 7th, 2025 episode of The Gaming Outsider Podcast.

 

This review is based on a Nintendo Switch copy of Earthion provided by Overload PR for coverage purposes. It is also available on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC via Steam. A limited physical edition for the Sega Genesis is expected sometime in 2026.