Snipperclips – Cut it out, together! Review

Snipperclips – Cut it out, together! Nintendo Switch Review

Snipperclips – Cut it out, together! is a Nintendo Switch launch game that allows you to cut your friends in a socially appropriate way, but you are cutting with purpose; to solve puzzles! Snipperclips is lucky to be in the launch lineup (it may have been passed over otherwise). I, myself, may have passed up this cutesy game where players cut out sections of each other’s bodies to solve physics-based puzzles. Although you can play Snipperclips in single player mode, you are going to want to play the game with a friend (or more than a friend for 4 player mode). What makes Snipperclips special (besides the fact that it is so damned cute) is that, despite being a puzzle game, there is a lot of leeway in how teams solve puzzles. There are several different styles of puzzles that will require you to work together in different ways. Whether you are creating scoops to pick up balls or you are spending way too much time trying to make the perfect wrench to loosen a bolt, you and your partner(s) will need to work as a team to figure out how to advance. Aspects of the game reminded me of playing Overcooked; players really need to communicate with each other and work together to solve each level, and you may occasional finding yourself yelling at the other person. There may have been several outbursts of “why did you cut me there” or “no, you need to cut me lower”. All in all, this adds to the experience and fun of the game. One of my favorite things about Snipperclips is that it is a co-op puzzle game. We don’t see a lot of games like this on the market that take advantage of cooperation to solve puzzles, which is unfortunate considering their success (games like Portal).

With the release of the Switch, “how you play”, is a central focus of conversations, but with Snipperclips – Cut it out, together!, you will be playing with the joycons broken off the console, sideways. Each person uses the joycon, (up to 4 players) in this way and the game does not support other modes (such as the pro controller). This is not a big deal considering the only real controls in the game are cutting, reshaping yourself, and movement (walking, jumping, tiptoeing, ducking, and rotating). The controls are simple and although this mode of using the joycons can take some getting used to, I didn’t have any issues in playing the game. If you are at a loss for friends, you can still play Snipperclips by controlling each character and switching on and off to solve puzzles. Additionally, the 3 and 4 player modes are “Hoops” (a basketball game), Dojo (a “fighting” game where you try to clip your friends to death, and “Hockey” (an air hockey/pong style game where you use a button as a puck). All of these multiplayer modes are fun, but they aren’t games you are going to play every time you have a party. They are more like fun demos to try and play when you have a little time to kill).

Snipperclips – Cut it out, together! Nintendo Switch Review

One interesting aspect of the game is that there are puzzles that you can do almost all by yourself and there are puzzles that will take an equal amount of labor and mental acuity on both partners’ parts to advance. The game is not particularly difficult. The game is designed for both children and adults in mind, which makes the games forgiveness acceptable, but there were times I wish puzzles were a bit more complex. A friend and I were able to rush through the first 30 levels with ease. The game does increase in difficulty slightly with each world due to the introduction of new mechanics, but, in general, some puzzles were more frustrating than they were difficult. By this, I mean, you know what the solution is, but you have to snip just right or you will finish the level. You can reform your shape with relative ease, so there is never too much at stake at any point in the game. Although this makes for a good party game, it does not make for an exceptional puzzle game. Some levels can be completed by just jumping around a lot and cutting yourself into a scoop (this was my go to default for each level). That is certainly not always the case but is worth mentioning.

For those who do want an added challenge, there are levels of perfection to reach with each stage. For example, some levels require you to snip your partner (and vice versa) to form a certain shape. The more accurate the shape fills, the higher your success meter fills. If you cut perfectly, you will get a gold check mark and a “perfect” for the level. This dynamic adds replayability after you finish the game (which can be done in a single sitting).

Snipperclips – Cut it out, together! Nintendo Switch Review

I do wish that the game was a big longer. I think 5 worlds (versus 3) with 15 levels each would have made the game a bit more robust. The game was a blast to play and offered diversity in puzzle solving mechanics, but I just wish there had been more to do. The concept is unique, and given the platform, I think they could have pushed the game a little more. I would love to see some DLC or even a sequel in the future (but level packs would be enough) because although there is replayability within the system to perfect each level, once you know how to solve a level, you likely will not be going back for seconds (unless you are showing the game to a friend who has yet to play it).  I did play on both docked mode and tablet mode – both were equally enjoyable.

Overall, Snipperclips – Cut it out, together! was a great introduction into the switch launch lineup. Whether you are popping balloons or scooping fish into the water, you are sure to have a lot of laughs and a lot of fun.

Bonus Tip: If you are of legal drinking age, Snipperclips is also fun with a few adult beverages on hand!

REVIEW CODE: A complimentary Nintendo Switch code was provided to Brash Games for this review. Please send all review code enquiries to editor@brashgames.co.uk

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