You'll love it if:
- You are a fun of games like Just Dance
- You are looking for a fun way to work out
- You have always wanted to shake your maracas to the beat
Not for you if:
- You don’t like to work out in a fun way
- You cannot stand games like Just Dance
- You are not a fan of banana outfits
When it comes to games, I must admit I have a soft spot for anything that can give me that dopamine hit as well as a nice workout. As a fan of the Just Dance games, I was super excited when I found out that Samba de Amigo was launching and I was so excited to add another game to my collection of fun workout games. Honestly, it exceeded my expectations and dare I say it was way more fun than Just Dance!
TL;DR
Samba de Amigo: Party Central is a fun, fast-paced and easy-to-follow game that will make you want to dance and shake your maracas to the beat! It is perfect for solo play or for the whole family as children can join in on the fun too. You can easily customize your character and choose different fun songs from all sorts of genres.
Learning the Controls
Samba de Amigo is a music rhythm action game that is actually part of a series of games that all follow the same style. This brand new edition though is a personal favourite, as it uses the gyroscope function on the Nintendo Switch, so you can easily use your joy-cons as maracas and swing them to the beat!
This is absolutely the reason why I wanted to try this game on the Nintendo Switch, and it certainly did not disappoint. The controls are very simple and you will get the hang of them very quickly. This is exactly why I believe this game will be perfect even for younger children, as they will be able to easily hit all the points without much struggle.
All you have to do is swing the maracas up, down or sideways in order to hit the little bubbles that show up on the screen. You can also easily play Samba de Amigo sitting down, but I really enjoyed playing standing up and dancing to the fun songs that are available.
Choosing the Perfect Song
Samba de Amigo features a plethora of different songs to choose from. You can find newer titles as well as older classics, like our beloved Macarena. You can also play with songs from different Sonic games, and popular artists like Marshmello, Lady Gaga, Bon Jovi, and many more.
The best addition is by far the Yakuza karaoke song “Baka Mitai” which will forever have a special place in my heart. Sega honestly did so well with the playlist selections in the game!
Customising your Character
You will genuinely be surprised by how many options there are when it comes to customising your character in Samba de Amigo. While everyone starts off with the same monkey character, you can give them different hats, outfits, hairstyles and all sorts of accessories that will personalise your character to your style.
Not only that, but you can also choose between different maracas. This is also fun because you will always see the maracas on the left and right sides of the screen as you play through every song. Therefore, finding the ones you think are more fun will make your gameplay even more special.
For me, as soon as I saw the available banana costume I was sold. And to add even more pazzaz to that, you can get matching banana maracas. I confidently say this is the most acceptable outfit for Samba de Amigo and it makes you just about ready to join a carnival.
Playing with More Players
When it comes to multiplayer options, you can try playing Samba de Amigo both online and with other people in your household. The only this is that you will need another pair of joy-cons in order to be able to play with someone else in your space.
If you don’t have two pairs of joycons, you can always take turns playing on the same console. All in all, the World Party mode is a great addition if you are using a Nintendo Online subscription, so you can try all the fun new online features added to this game.
Different Difficulties for Every Type of Player
Another great thing about Samba de Amigo is that there are quite a few different difficulties to choose from that change the way you play the game. The easier difficulties are pretty slow and easy to follow, and I’m sure that even a younger child in your family could follow them.
As you move up the difficulty levels, you are expected to strike certain poses and also make certain workout moves. The game might ask you to squat or jump and you will have to do it on time so you get the points.
If you miss one of the poses the game asks you to strike, the crowd watching you will start booing, and this is definitely not something you want! While I tried most of the difficulties, I ended up playing on the Crazy difficulty the most.
While it was challenging, Samba de Amigo was awesome for a fun workout and I didn’t even realise it when half an hour passed. I definitely recommend you give it a try after you familiarise yourself with the controls and I’m sure you will have a blast trying it!
Samba de Amigo: Party Central Conclusion – Fun For the Whole Family
Whether it’s just you playing, or your SO decides to join you in swinging the maracas, Samba de Amigo is a fun game for everyone involved. The songs are so much fun and you won’t even know when the time passed!
Even if you haven’t played a similar game to Samba de Amigo before, you will find it very easy to adjust to the controls and get the hang of it. The best thing is that there are so many different songs to choose from, and you are bound to find ones you will love. Customizing your character is just the cherry on top that will make you love the game even more. Don’t be afraid to give it a try and I’m sure you will have a very fun time!
Big thanks to Zegetron for sponsoring our review!