It's been almost 5 years since Toki Tori 2 debuted on the Wii U (Click here for Guillaume Veillette’s original review). The '+' version now available on Switch has seen numerous enhancements that help make the at times difficult adventure a little bit easier. If you are up for the challenge, Toki Tori 2+ is a platforming journey worth experiencing.

The games titular star, Toki Tori is a cute yellow puffball that has an unusual move set for a baby chick. Along with waddling about the game's 2D world, Toki Tori has two special actions in his arsenal; whistling short little tunes and performing a butt stomp. While your moves are limited, the game does an impressive job of setting up varied puzzle scenarios.

The puzzle diversity depends on the creatures and obstacles surrounding Toki Tori. For some creatures, a butt stomp will simply change the direction they're facing while others like the lizard will go into a blind rage and impale Toki Tori with their horns. As you progress further, the puzzles can become somewhat obtuse, but there's always logic behind the madness on-screen.

The game is filled with checkpoints, which often dictate the beginning or end of a puzzle. Toki Tori's whistle move is often used to alert nearby creatures to your presence and move them about the play field. However, a specific combination of notes can also trigger special songs that help you on your quest. The song system is very similar to the one found in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. One important song allows you to restart a puzzle by returning to the last checkpoint passed.

Toki Tori 2 can very easily frustrate you. I got stuck on a number of puzzles during my play through. While it's never fun to have your progress halted for a long period of time, it's always extremely satisfying when you finally solve a puzzle (Note: Slightly less satisfying when you Google the solution, but the goal of the game is not to lose your sanity).

The development team at Two Tribes has continued to introduce new tweaks to each re-release of the game. Along with bug fixes and minor changes to the gameplay, players have a new song which allows them to place a checkpoint wherever they wish. The Switch version also includes HD rumble, an in-game achievement system, and video capture support. In addition, the game runs at a smooth 60fps and features a 1080p resolution in docked mode and is 720p when playing handheld.

I've always loved a good puzzle platformer. Toki Tori 2+ follows the mold set by great efforts of the genre such as Braid and The Lost Vikings. Unlike the frequent changes George Lucas made to the original Star Wars trilogy, it's commendable that Two Tribes has listened to criticism and continued to implement improvements. Anyone who enjoys a challenge and likes games where you can temporarily travel in bubbles should give Toki Tori 2+ a look.