Swords & Soldiers 2 is a Wii U exclusive, only available via the Wii U eShop. This in itself is somewhat noteworthy. As what little third-party support the console has dwindles to a trickle, along comes a wee gem of an indie title to remind us of what an exciting console the Wii U could, and should, be. Swords & Soldiers 2 represents all that is good about the Wii U, but also highlights some of the console’s problems.

As a sequel to Swords & Soldiers, which released on the PC in 2009, S&S2 improves on the formula of S&S while taking elements from Ronimo Games’ (the developer) excellent Awesomenauts. Heavily stylised with a lush cartoon aesthetic, S&S2 boils down the RTS genre into neat, accessible, side-scrolling arena battles. These battles involve two opponents at opposite ends of the playing field who are tasked with overwhelming and destroying the opponent’s fortress.

They can do this in a multitude of ways; quickly overwhelming the opponent before they have the chance to build any resistance, building relentless assaults which stagger the opposition, or by establishing a strong network of defences to slowly build formidable footholds across the map, strangling the other player as they try to break out.

If this appears simplistic, that’s because it is. By stripping down the RTS genre into its most basic elements – resource collection, defensive strengthening, unit choices, and method of assault – S&S2 manages to be both accessible and surprisingly tricky at the same time. A mistake early in the match can mean the next ten minutes are completely ruined as you fail to gain back lost ground. S&S2 conveys the sway of battle well, and momentum gathers and fades as the match becomes slowly bogged down into a pitched dogfight between heavy units.

However, this accessibility comes at a cost. S&S2, easy to pick up as it is, fails to offer much in the way of progression. Any depth that there is only becomes apparent when facing better, human opponents; a limited roster of units and actions result in battles that get repetitive pretty quickly.

This lack of depth is even more apparent with a glance at the main menu. A lengthy, entertaining campaign-mode which follows the Vikings (one of three playable groups) offers a decent enough single-player experience, while the only other option is for local multiplayer skirmishes. Once an army has been chosen, available units are entirely customisable, allowing players to create a roster fitted to their own strengths and weaknesses. These skirmishes are S&S2’s meat and drink, representing the best of what the game can offer.

Unfortunately, without company and with the campaign beaten, you come to the crux of S&S2’s problem; it is desperately in need of an online mode. Now, I’d normally be the last person to say this – I strongly contend that the best gaming is done with or against someone next to you – but this normally applies to feature heavy games. S&S2 is not feature heavy, so to not include any online mode in a game perfectly built for such a thing is not only disappointing but downright bizarre. Awesomenauts has a strong, resolute online community, and it is not as though the Wii U is lacking in online support; the recent launch of Splatoon shows Nintendo gamers are willing and able to play online.

This is a shame, as there really is a lot to like about S&S2. The controller’s touchscreen is used well, with an intelligent and intuitive control scheme allowing for quick and seamless play. This particularly works well in multiplayer, with one player using the screen and the other using the TV as their personal view. Gameplay is frantic and fun, deliciously so at times. As always with Ronimo, S&S2 features a luscious, bright art-style which brings the mayhem to life; full of detail, but clear enough to show exactly what is going on. Thankfully, the music and voices can be easily ignored. Make of that what you will.

As good as S&S2 threatens to be, the wireless connected elephant in the room overshadows proceedings, offering a tantalising glimpse of what S&S2 could have been rather than a celebration of what there is. Fun, accessible, intuitively controlled gameplay with dazzling graphics present the best of the Wii U, but the lack of an online mode suggests a mistrust of the potential benefits and support available for the console.

It’s a strange decision; one made all the more extraordinary when you consider the game is only available as an online eShop download. The choice to make it a Wii U exclusive was brave, but one gets the feeling that this is not the final, ultimate version of S&S2.