Smash It Wild | Switch 2 Review

Almost three years ago, I reviewed Tape to Tape, an early access roguelite hockey game. I loved it. Since then, I’ve wanted more sports games with roguelite loops, because of sports’ built-in replayability. Enter Smash It Wild from Goblinz Studio, a tactical volleyball roguelite that finally scratched that itch.

Dig, Set, Spike

In Smash It Wild, you play a turn-based three vs. three volleyball match. Teams consist of animals, each with different abilities. The goal: spike the ball on an empty square and earn a point for the round. Matches vary—they can be a single round or a best of three, at least from what I have seen.

The concept seems simple. You can’t just aim at an empty square and score. Each team member has a stamina level that must be depleted before they cannot move, allowing you a chance to hit an empty square. Stamina drops from movement or powerful attacks. To score, you must strategically drain each opponent’s stamina. Each player also has a numerical resistance that reduces attack damage. Typically, higher stamina means lower resistance and vice versa.

To drain the other player’s stamina, you need a strategy. Not only do players differ in stamina and resistance, but their attacks vary as well. Some can place the ball in more spots but with less power. Others unleash more powerful attacks. Different attacks can even create trap spots on the court. For example, Arctics can freeze the court with ice slabs that drain extra stamina. Once you have drained enough stamina from your opponents, one of your players delivers a powerful spike and wins the round.

On the flip side, movement and defense matter just as much. You set player positions before a match. This choice is especially important after a few attacks, when players start moving around the court. Be careful—each player has different stamina, resistance, and movement values. You don’t want everyone on one side or a slow player exposing an area of the court. Early runs were not challenging, but the difficulty ramps up as you progress.

Team Management

As a roguelite, Smash It Wild challenges you to progress as far as possible in a run. Failing restarts your run, but you can collect permanent upgrades to make future runs easier. You’ll also unlock new attacks, passive upgrades, and changing equipment, keeping each run fresh.

Initially, you only have access to one team—the Arctics—and must complete the Champions Cup. To complete a run, you play five matches. There are days in between where you train stats, buy equipment, or unlock temporary upgrades. The Champions Cup didn’t pose much of a challenge. I finished it on my first attempt, but it worked well as a gentle introduction to the game.

After completing that first run, the other three teams become available. You can replay the Champions Cup with these new teams, or try the Conquerors Cup with the Arctics. I completed the Champions Cup with the Shamans before attempting the Conquerors Cup with the Arctics. Despite unlocking permanent upgrades, I found the Conquerors Cup was much harder than the Champions Cup. Opponent teams had more challenging abilities and higher stats, and early matches became much tougher. Smash It Wild encourages you to replay the Champions Cup with different teams to gather enough upgrades before tackling the Conquerors Cup. While I enjoyed experimenting with new teams, the sharp increase in challenge between cups means you’ll likely need several upgrades to progress. This makes strategic planning essential, emphasizing the difference in difficulty between cups while keeping the experience enjoy

Video Replay

Smash It Wild has a bright, colorful design that drew me in right away. Each character stands out, and the courts are cleverly themed—like Arctic playing on frozen ground. The attack animations are a highlight, especially when you land the final spike and score. Each character celebrates with a special, flashy animation. It’s a lot of fun.

The game runs well on the Nintendo Switch 2. I had no framerate issues at all. Only one glitch occurred: after upgrading to Assistant Coach and selecting a coach, the description remained on screen for the first match. I could not remove it, and it blocked part of the view. It was minor and did not cause too many issues.

Final Verdict

Smash It Wild stands out as a compelling addition to the roguelite genre by blending tactical volleyball gameplay with high replayability. Its vibrant art, varied teams, and strategic depth set it apart, ensuring each playthrough feels unique. However, the sharp difficulty spike from the Champions Cup to the Conquerors Cup can be frustrating, encouraging players to refine their approach across all teams before advancing. Despite this, the game delivers a memorable, enjoyable experience—especially for fans of turn-based roguelites seeking a fresh twist at a modest price of $11.99. For anyone considering it, Smash It Wild is a confident recommendation.

To hear me talk more about Smash It Wild, be sure to listen to the May 5th, 2026 episode of The Gaming Outsider Podcast.

This review is based on a Nintendo Switch copy of Smash It Wild provided by Mark Allen PR for coverage purposes. As of this writing, the game is available on all platforms.