Orbitals is a work of art. I usually hate this phrase, given how it’s often bandied about for things you’d once describe as “moderately pretty”, but Orbitals is nothing short of stunning. It’s just a huge relief that the wider experience lives up to the hype it’s generated over the last few months.

Tokyo-based developer Shapefarm, backed by hit-machine publisher Kepler Interactive, doesn’t reinvent the wheel with this one; instead, it takes the best elements of modern, split-screen two-player co-op adventure titles and seizes every opportunity to make things look and sound as beautiful as possible, using an innovative blend of 12fps and 24fps graphics, alongside a best-in-class soundtrack, intuitive controls, and a challenging but family-friendly difficulty that always feels rewarding.

What’s more, its retro late 80s, early 90s art style makes it an actively emotional experience — one that immediately transported back to my childhood bedroom with its VHS player and 14” TV, watching anime shows on repeat.

The last thing I want to do is spoil Orbitals for anyone, so I don’t apologize for keeping this short and entirely spoiler-free.

Orbitals ’ story follows young heroes Maki and Omura, who must work together to stop a deadly storm from destroying their space station. They’re effectively immortal after their minds were copied into the ship when they were kids, so every time they “die,” they’re “reprinted”.

The intro has all the hallmarks of classic shows and movies like Neon Genesis Evangelion and Cowboy Bebop , thrashing out the theme song of the year while laying down a quick, relatively straightforward premise and threat without getting too serious, as we watch our youthful protagonists grow into teenagers with their own personalities, quirks, and senses of humor. From here, the story is light-touch, but not to Orbitals ’ detriment.

The transitions between anime videos and gameplay are near-seamless, thanks to its smudgy, Vaseline-lensed presentation; the first time Orbitals transferred from FMV to active play, we didn’t even realize we were meant to move. The purposefully low framerate never undermines the action, either; it doesn’t demand too much precision, and really does feel like you’re controlling characters in a TV show.

Orbitals is clearly designed with the Nintendo Switch 2 audience in mind. While it doesn’t exactly hold your hand, its puzzles and more time-pressured platforming sections are much more forgiving than the likes of Split Fiction , which Orbitals’ game director, Jakob Lundgren, previously worked on. It also departs from Hazelight’s tried-and-tested formula by giving both characters full freedom to complete the task or use the tools of their choosing; you’re not ringfenced by special abilities or fixed paths for your specific person.

Its central, third-person platforming mode is essentially non-combat, focusing on three core tools: the Scrap Hook, Liquid Launcher, and Beam Cannon. Using dual abilities, these devices combine in increasingly clever ways and are often paired with in-level pickups like a ground pound or jump pack. In the spirit of Maki and Omura’s occasional childishness, you can also use tools to mess with each other. In fact, you’ll probably die more at each other’s hands than the wider game.

There are also a few sections in your spaceship where one person pilots while the other controls the turret. Flight is linear, keeping you on the same horizontal plane; it takes some getting used to, but it removes another unnecessary complication. Thankfully, the turret’s directions are independent of flight, a deliberate design choice that keeps the action smooth and the puzzles flowing.

In the best possible way, Orbitals doesn’t waste an opportunity to waste your time. Alongside the weirder and wackier moments of the core story, your ship is filled with minigames, which gradually unlock, turning your living quarters into a mini arcade between missions, complete with a leaderboard for each distraction. Laser tag, jump rope, and old-school punching bags are all at play.

What’s more, Orbitals ’ simple story makes the universe all the more alluring to explore — the tiny creatures, robots (CH1B1 is an all-timer), and even your pet cat feel more interesting precisely because you’re not really told anything about them. The lack of time pressure in many puzzle areas encourages you to check around corners, and you’re regularly rewarded with something interactive or a stunning view.

Whatever you face, you’ll overcome it with a little practice and, occasionally, luck. It’s less about critical thinking and more about skill. The only time we really got stuck was on a Dance Dance Revolution -style challenge, where the controller timing was just a little off, and even after we failed it a handful of times, it took pity on us in a goofy and genuinely laugh-out-loud way.

While there’s a good chance that a patch will have already fixed the few little issues we faced, Orbitals had a couple of notable bugs, and rare performance drop-offs. After dying in certain sections, the camera remained fixed for one character, making the game unplayable, but nothing a quick reload couldn’t fix (thankfully, checkpoints are very fair). Other times, it’d remove mission markers completely, leaving us lost.

Yet it’s hard to find any real criticisms of Orbitals . Our main gripe was its mission overlays; area goals can take up large sections of the screen (on both sides), and there’s no way to temporarily disable or hide them.

If any game in 2026 deserves a jukebox or character art archive, it’s this, but there’s no option. The soundtrack, too, feels a little sparse, especially after such an unforgettable start. Orbitals always leaves you wanting more — just another mission, minigame, or song. The sheer strength of the IP and TV show format makes a sequel an utterly irresistible option.

Another killer exclusive for Switch 2

Orbitals isn’t just a coup for Switch 2 owners; it’s yet another reason to finally buy the console. If you’re waiting for that exclusive to finally bite the bullet, this is the one for you.

Ultimately, Orbitals is a game that’s made by artists with a clear respect and love for what influenced their work. It never feels like a parody, even if it often makes you laugh like it is. You walk away from it after each session wondering why your face hurts, before remembering that you’ve been grinning like the Cheshire Cat the entire time.

Orbitals is pure, undistilled joy, and the only thing that makes it even better is that you’re guaranteed to share the whole experience with someone close to you. I’m already looking forward to playing it again with someone else — which they’ll enjoy for free, thanks to its Global Friend’s Pass, even though the game is a steal at $40.

Needless to say, Orbitals should go down as one of 2026’s best games outright — like Big Walk , it should easily break free from a solo listing in the multiplayer category come awards season.