Two Crude Dudes Nintendo Switch Review: A Crude Awakening

The Johnny Turbo's Arcade line-up has been killing it on the Nintendo Switch thus far, between popular releases like Bad Dudes vs. Radical Ninja and Joe and Mac: Caveman Ninja; and more obscure games like Wizard Fire and Super Burgertime. But now comes a game that has a little bit of both, a beat-em-up that's unlike anything you've seen in the genre before.

Two Crude Dudes last saw a home release on the Sega Genesis wayyyyy back in the 90's, giving you control of muscle-bound punk dudes that fight to save an apocalypse-laden New York from a scientist and his evil mutations. The home release was just fine, but there's something about the arcade game and its hilarious quotes that make it better overall.

And that's the version we get on the Switch with Two Crude Dudes. It's not a quintessential beat-em-up experience like Bad Dudes was, but it's a good time for those of you looking for a quick arcade jaunt.

This is a side-scrolling beat-em-up, so it's not like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles or Captain America and the Avengers with a 3D field of play. Instead, you basically move around the screen and obliterate any enemies that come at you, whether with your swift fighting moves or picking up items within the environment, like rocks and pipes. (You can't miss them -- they have highlights over them to let you know what you can interact with.)

Once you get through each stage, you'll come across a boss battle with something like a football star-built snake man or a rhino-like dude that really gets a charge out of running around. They're absurd, but once you figure out a pattern, they're easily pickin's for the Dudes.

The gameplay is good, with solid fighting mechanics and a fun opportunity to slam opponents around. However, we do have one thing to complain about. It is wayyyy too easy for enemies to grab you and seep the life energy out of you. You consistently have to tap your joystick or D-pad to shake them loose, and by then it may be too late. I know that Johnny Turbo's Arcade wanted to keep these close to the arcade code, but would it have hurt to tone down the difficulty just a slight bit?

Fortunately, the game makes up for it with two-player local co-op. Yes, you can have two Dudes brawling at the same time and it's a blast. Granted, you'll get through a game in like 30 minutes and be about done till the next time around, so it's not as replay value laden as other titles. But it's still a blast while it lasts.

Flying Tiger Entertainment does a decent job with the game's presentation. It's not "wow!" material but it is a dedicated port of the arcade game. The graphics look good, with lots of cartoony heroes and villains up on the screen; and it also runs beautifully in handheld mode. The sound effects are great, with a lot of hilarious quotes from the dudes ("Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells!") and some fun background music.

Two Crude Dudes isn't going to change your Nintendo Switch world, but it will provide it with some nostalgia. And for $8, it does so without putting a crude beating on your wallet. If it's old-school fun you're after and the previously mentioned games didn't get the job done, call on these Dudes.

WWG's Score: 3.5/5

Disclaimer: A review code was provided by the publisher.