Upin & Ipin Universe Nintendo Switch 1 Review – A Colorful World Undone by Flawed Execution

July 23, 2025July 23, 2025 Handheld Players 0 Comments Streamline Media Group, Streamline Studios

Game Title: Upin & Ipin Universe
Released: July 17, 2025
Price: $39.99 / €37.69
File Size: 4.7 GB
Developer: Streamline Studios
Publisher: Streamline Media Group
Platform: Nintendo Switch 1
Version: 1.0.1, played in Docked mode

As I had never heard of the animated series before, I was curious to dive into Upin & Ipin Universe and experience its open-world adventure.

📝 Review

Upin & Ipin Universe is based on the beloved animated series set in the heart of Southeast Asia – Malaysia. According to the game’s description, it was crafted by Malaysians for the world. And while I agree that the setting is beautiful and the world has undeniable charm, the gameplay experience leaves much to be desired.

On paper, the open-world adventure sounds promising. In practice, it’s often unclear what to do next – the main quest doesn’t always trigger automatically. If you miss parts of the dialogue, figuring out where the story picks up again becomes frustrating.

The voice acting is professional, and you can tell the developers made a genuine effort to showcase Malaysian culture and activities. But that ambitious scope may be the game’s downfall. It tries to do too much and ends up lacking polish in almost every area.

The controls are inconsistent. Surprisingly, they’re not shown during the main quest, which would be essential for clarity. In mini games, controls do appear – yet even there, things fall short. The cooking mini game, for instance, was unplayable for me due to poor instructions.

Navigation is another headache. There’s no mini map, only a large map that’s slow and awkward to use. The camera system also becomes a problem – it shifts from third-person to center view in certain areas, like gardens, which can be disorienting.

My biggest concern is technical performance. On Switch 1, the game suffers from severe frame rate drops in both handheld and docked modes. In handheld mode, the blurry visuals were so harsh they hurt my eyes. I strongly advise against playing it that way.

There are also notable bugs – such as the rooster freezing before reaching its destination, leaving me unsure of where to go next. On top of that, the opening cinematic suffers from severe sound issues. Altogether, it’s clear the game lacks polish and feels like a rushed release.

Overall, the game is a poor representation of the animated series. As someone unfamiliar with Upin & Ipin beforehand, this game did nothing to spark interest in the show. It’s a disappointing adaptation that fails to deliver a cohesive, enjoyable experience.

✅ Pros

🌍 Cultural Richness: The game showcases Malaysian culture with charm, adding a unique regional flavor.
🎙️ Solid Voice Acting: Performances feel professional, adding depth and personality to the characters.

❌ Cons

🕹️ Unpolished Gameplay: Quest triggers, navigation, and control inconsistencies make progression frustrating and unclear.
📉 Poor Technical Performance: Severe frame rate drops and blurry visuals—especially in handheld mode—affect playability.
🚫 Overambitious Scope: Trying to represent too many aspects of Malaysian life seems to have compromised gameplay polish and cohesion.

🔚 Final Verdict: 4/10 – BAD

With a $40 price tag, Upin & Ipin Universe simply doesn’t deliver the value players deserve. Between technical flaws, gameplay confusion, and lack of polish, it’s hard to recommend, especially at full price.