COLOURED STATIC PRESS / NINTENDO SWITCH / COMPLETED GAME REVIEW
The ocean is gorgeous, the dolphins are charming, and the directions are occasionally about as clear as seawater after a stampede. Our completed playthrough of Jupiter & Mars was a beautiful journey through underwater puzzles. This 86/100 verdict reflects the full adventure.
The Coloured Static Press team’s 86/100 verdict is based on a completed Nintendo Switch playthrough.
There are some games that immediately grab your attention with explosive action, complicated mechanics or an intriguing storyline. Then there are games like Jupiter & Mars, which invite you to dive beneath the waves, explore a beautiful underwater world and experience an adventure that’s surprisingly relaxing one moment and rather chaotic the next.
Playing as Jupiter, a dolphin accompanied by her partner Mars, I found myself exploring an underwater environment filled with fascinating sights, environmental puzzles and plenty of obstacles standing between me and my next destination.
One of the first things that struck me was the presentation. The underwater environments are absolutely gorgeous, with vibrant neon colours bringing the surroundings to life. There’s something incredibly satisfying about swimming through these areas, discovering new pathways and simply taking in the scenery. Even when I wasn’t entirely sure what I was supposed to be doing, I was enjoying the experience.
The gameplay revolves around exploration, echolocation and teamwork. Jupiter can use echolocation to identify objects of interest, while Mars can be directed to smash through certain obstacles, opening up new routes. It’s a straightforward system that works particularly well when you’re exploring an area and suddenly realise that something you’ve previously passed might be the key to progressing.
Of course, not everything is quite so simple.
Some areas feature powerful currents that prevent you from progressing until you’ve unlocked the necessary ability. I eventually obtained the Tail Kick ability, allowing me to push through stronger currents, and later unlocked the ability to dive deeper underwater. These upgrades gave me additional places to explore and provided a satisfying sense of progression.
Underwater puzzles, whale calves and a lot to explore
The environmental puzzles were another highlight. One particularly memorable sequence involved rescuing a whale calf, which required quite a bit of problem-solving. I had to manipulate objects, free an electrical creature and use the surrounding machinery to help deal with a rather unwelcome orca. It was an enjoyable challenge that made me think about how everything in the environment worked together.
There were also some rather dangerous laser contraptions to navigate. These required carefully manoeuvring around rocks and other obstacles, sometimes using echolocation to direct Mars towards machinery that could be destroyed. Getting caught by the lasers meant an unfortunate end for poor Jupiter, although thankfully the game usually respawned me close to the danger.
Where exactly are we swimming?
My biggest frustration came from occasionally struggling to work out exactly where I needed to go. The underwater environments can make it difficult to see around obstacles, particularly when you’re trying to navigate behind rocks or locate a safe route past hazards. It wasn’t enough to spoil the enjoyment, but there were moments when progressing involved more trial and error than I would have liked.
However, I was pleasantly surprised by how well I managed to navigate the world overall. Despite the freedom to explore, I rarely found myself completely lost, which is something of a personal achievement when it comes to my gaming adventures!
When the sea becomes a stage
The soundtrack also deserves some praise. One of my favourite moments came during an opening sequence for a new area, where the music accompanied Jupiter and Mars as they moved through the water almost as though they were dancing together. It was a lovely sequence that perfectly captured the beauty and atmosphere of the game.
Unfortunately, things weren’t always quite so peaceful for our dolphin duo. A dramatic sequence left Mars trapped beneath collapsing debris, and suddenly my relaxing underwater adventure had become a mission to find my missing companion.
At that point in the journey, finding Mars became a compelling reason to keep swimming. We went on to complete the adventure; rather than spoil the resolution, we’ll leave those later discoveries for players to experience themselves.
Two dolphins, gorgeous neon waters, and just enough navigational confusion to make us consider asking the local fish for directions.
Verdict after completing the adventure
Jupiter & Mars is a beautiful underwater adventure that combines exploration, environmental puzzles and a charming partnership between its two dolphin protagonists. Its colourful environments and wonderful soundtrack create a memorable atmosphere, while echolocation and teamwork give the gameplay an enjoyable sense of purpose.
Occasionally unclear routes and some frustrating hazards can interrupt the otherwise relaxing experience, but the forgiving respawn points and rewarding progression help keep things enjoyable.
By the end of the adventure, the colourful waters, the partnership between Jupiter and Mars and the environmental challenges had left a lasting impression. The story’s later developments are best discovered firsthand.
Final review score: 86/100
Beautiful undersea environments, striking music and puzzles built around echolocation and dolphin teamwork give Jupiter & Mars considerable charm. Some routes are awkward to read and the hazards can be frustrating, but the sense of discovery is strong. The adventure was completed before this final score was confirmed. This spoiler-conscious review deliberately avoids revealing its conclusion.
Where to play: Jupiter & Mars: Definitive Edition on Nintendo eShop. Nintendo Switch software, also compatible with Nintendo Switch 2.
Based on a completed Nintendo Switch playthrough. The 86/100 score is the Coloured Static Press team’s final assessment. Artwork is official publisher media, not purported direct gameplay capture. Review by the Coloured Static Press team.