Trouble Witches FINAL! Episode 01 Daughters of Amalgam Review (Nintendo Switch)

In 2007, the developers behind Cotton Reboot! released a side-scrolling, witch-themed shoot ’em up (SHMUP), bullet hell game titled Trouble Witches. They have now released a finalized version of the game that includes an arcade mode and a story mode titled Trouble Witches FINAL! Episode 01 Daughters of Amalgam.

Game Name: Trouble Witches FINAL! Episode 01 Daughters of Amalgam
Platform(s): Nintendo Switch (Reviewed), PlayStation 4
Developer(s): Rocket Engine
Publisher(s): ININ Games
Release Date: December 15, 2025
Price: $29.99

Trouble Witches FINAL! Episode 01 Daughters of Amalgam features a host of game modes, including Arcade Mode, Score Attack Mode, Boss Battle Mode, Story Mode, and even a Classic Arcade Mode. You can select from 12 playable characters, with EX versions of characters unlocked by completing their respective story modes.

The Good

The art and visual effects in Trouble Witches FINAL! Episode 01 Daughters of Amalgam are excellent. It is always very clear what is in the foreground and actively threatening you versus what exists purely as background art. Older games often struggled with this distinction, especially when effects looked too similar to enemy projectiles.

There is a lot of variety in how cards can be used throughout the game. Cards can dish out heavy damage to bosses or save you when your magic is low and you are about to be overwhelmed by a stream of bullets. Cards can be purchased from shops found throughout the stages, using money earned by destroying enemies or converting bullets into coins. A mental note: use your magic to collect coins, otherwise they will fall off the screen.

Trouble Witches FINAL! Episode 01 Daughters of Amalgam is very forgiving to players. If you die, you can choose to continue exactly where you fell. Upon revival, you are given three defensive cards that will activate automatically when hit or manually by pressing the A button.

If you do not like the new features or the generous approach Trouble Witches FINAL! Episode 01 takes toward players, you can select Classic Arcade Mode. This mode removes many quality-of-life features, such as auto-activating cards that grant brief invincibility when hit, or receiving three cards after revival.

The Bad

There are only six stages in Trouble Witches FINAL! Episode 01 Daughters of Amalgam, and it becomes noticeable over time. While each stage has a unique locale and plenty of personality, repeatedly completing Story Mode with multiple characters makes the limited number of stages stand out. You quickly learn enemy placements and behaviors, and much of the surprise is lost outside of dialogue scenes and story moments.

There is a story mode for each character, and while these segments add charm to the playable roster, they do not leave much of an impact. The dialogue is serviceable and it is nice that everything is fully subtitled, but the story is not essential to the experience. The artwork is easily the strongest part of these segments. The actual narrative itself feels fairly generic.

The Verdict

Overall, Trouble Witches FINAL! Episode 01 Daughters of Amalgam is a solid side-scrolling shoot ’em up bullet hell experience. It controls well and is packed with content. While the repetition of the same six stages can make the experience feel a bit samey over time, it is still an enjoyable game.

Trouble Witches FINAL! Episode 01 Daughters of Amalgam is available now for PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch.

Review Disclosure Statement: Trouble Witches FINAL! Episode 01 Daughters of Amalgam was provided to us by ININ Games for review purposes. For more information on how we review video games and other media or technology, please review our Review Guideline and Scoring Policy.

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