Shakedown: Hawaii officially launches today to the Nintendo Switch. The game serves as the official sequel to Retro City Rampage. Along with the Switch, the game is also released to the PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, and PC platforms. The game is to be ported to the Nintendo 3DS later this year.
For those not familiar, Retro City Rampage is an action-adventure open world video game that parodied pop culture of the 1980s and 1990s. It also took a swipe at Grand Theft Auto and similar games.
The latest offering, Shakedown: Hawaii, is set 30 years after Retro City Rampage, and similar to the previous game, also features an open world along with destructible environments. In addition, the visuals are in 16-bit format, much like games of the 90s.
In the game, players take control of an aging CEO that is struggling to make sense of what is happening in the modern world. His taxi business has been killed by ride sharing, his retail stores have gone under due to online shopping, and video stores have been closed due to streaming. In order to save his company, he needs to rebuild his empire by studying more modern business methods.
Players also get to control the CEO’s son. He is an aspiring DJ who just wants to get some gangster credibility. The third story has players follow the CEO’s right hand “consultant” who is willing to do anything.
Shakedown: Hawaii offers players three game modes. The first is the Story Mode, which includes side quests. Second are Arcade Challenges for players who prefer more fast-paced action. Finally there is the Free Roam Mode, which gives players the ability to play and explore this 16-bit world.
Here is our review for #ShakedownHawaii on #PS4 from @VblankGames https://t.co/bRHxBdWSJN pic.twitter.com/urK4waFQbq
— Gaming News and Discussion (@Square_XO) May 6, 2019
So far initial reviews for the game have been favorable. John Hay at SquareXO said that Shakedown: Hawaii takes the elements of the previous game and not only builds on them, but even offer improvements. Overall he said that the game is “good, sounds good and plays great.”
For Chris Carter at Destructoid, this latest offering has similar gameplay to Retro City Rampage but puts it in a different world. It has some flaws but overall it is worth the time and money.
