The big Global Test Punch has been active at various times this weekend, giving players a pretty solid look into what they can expect from ARMS. ARMS is the latest new intellectual property from Nintendo, a company that is pretty well known for sticking to its guns with its major franchises. While ARMS has a focus on using the Switch’s motion controls, there are plenty of ways to play and I’ll go over them briefly to show that ARMS is seriously a contender this summer.
During my brief time with ARMS, as each test only lasts an hour, I tried out a few different ways to play. First the test ran me through how to control my fighter using the motion controls, with a Joy-Con in each hand. Holding them together and moving them side to side strangely works and felt responsive to my actions. Aiming punches works wonderfully, even giving full control to the trajectory of the punch. My favorite way to use this was the fighter Helix, who has a shield fist he can put up and then throw punches around it. The only thing that’s a bit awkward in the motion controls is changing targets.
The other main way I’ve played so far is by using the Switch in Portable Mode. This feels a bit more traditional, as punches are linked to button presses that can then be directed with the analog stick. I did feel like it was harder for me to aim the punches while playing this way, but once again it works surprisingly well. One can also tag in a friend, with each of them using a Joy-Con horizontally. I also missed out on using the Pro Controller, mostly due to the fact that I am yet to own one, but I imagine that feels pretty awesome too.
All in all, ARMS is pretty damn fun and has plenty of ways for players to approach playing. I can’t wait to see what the world thinks of this title when we eventually get our hands on it.
For those of you who have been playing the Global Test Punch, what are your favorites way to play? Let us known in the comments or on social media.
For more information about ARMS, check out the official Nintendo listing.
