Dave the Diver was one of the surprise hits of 2023, and the new In the Jungle expansion breathes fresh life into the game with a brand new area to explore, along with new gameplay additions and improvements. The game was also recently released on the Nintendo Switch 2, making this an ideal time to dive in, especially for those who never played it on PC or other consoles.
If you’ve never played Dave the Diver or finished it on another platform, there’s no need to worry, as the game gives you the option to jump straight into the DLC from the main menu. The expansion takes place after the end of the main game, so there are some light spoilers if you care about the story, but it begins immediately after the ending. Dave learns about a new region, and the group quickly sets off to investigate it, eventually meeting a new community deep in the jungle.
Dave and Bancho have to earn the trust of the villagers through their underwater scavenging and cooking. There are plenty of new characters to meet and build relationships with, including the village elder. The DLC introduces an entirely new underwater region, allowing Dave to gradually explore its hidden depths and bring back a wide range of new resources and ingredients. There are also plenty of side quests, featuring unique events such as UFO investigations and other mysterious occurrences. The expansion also opens up the central area of the game, giving players a much larger space to explore.
The main gameplay loop remains the same. Dave spends most of the day gathering resources underwater, while Bancho manages the new restaurant. As you progress, the villagers are introduced to new types of cuisine and gradually become your friends. There’s a lot of content here, with the two main gameplay pillars, restaurant management and underwater exploration, complementing each other well. The expansion also improves the overall flow by bringing most of the game’s key locations together in one central hub, reducing the need to travel between separate areas. The diving spot, restaurant, shops, and Dave’s living quarters are all conveniently located and can be accessed at any time. Dave can also walk around the village, chat with the locals, learn more about them, and unlock new side quests along the way.
There are plenty of new additions as well, including the Jungle Gun, a weapon with multiple firing modes, new mechanics such as turn-based combat and levelling, and beetle battling, which plays like a simple rock, paper, scissors game. The developers have added a huge amount of content to this expansion, making it feel more like a half-sequel to Dave the Diver than a small piece of side content. While it takes around 10 to 15 hours to complete, there’s also plenty of replay value. It feels as though the developers are using this expansion as a launchpad for a bigger, more ambitious sequel, and I honestly don’t mind that at all.
The performance on the Switch 2 is also worth mentioning. The game looks great in both handheld and docked mode, although I did notice some minor performance stutters while exploring the village. They’re noticeable, but not enough to significantly affect the experience. The soundtrack is another highlight, blending Asian jazz with hip-hop. The music complements the gameplay really well.
The art style is, as always, excellent. The game features some of the most gorgeous 2D visuals I’ve seen, with beautiful animations and polished cutscenes that are a joy to watch. The new jungle area is a clear step up from the base game’s main hub, making it feel like you’re exploring a fully realised 2.5D world.
Overall, I really enjoyed this expansion and feel the developers have delivered excellent value for money at its launch price. Minor Switch 2 performance issues aside, this is a great game and an even better expansion that’s well worth playing.
Dave the Diver: In the Jungle Game Information
- Price: $9.99
- Publisher: MINTROCKET
- Developer: MINTROCKET
- Platform: Switch 2 (Reviewed)
- Disclaimer: A review code was given by the publisher
