Snipperclips, one of the few launch titles for the Nintendo Switch comes to us from SFB Games. It promises to entertain you and up to three friends in a unique way.
Snipperclips: Cut It Out, Together!
Developer: SFB Games, Nintendo
Price: $19.99
Platform: Nintendo Switch
MonsterVine was provided a copy for review purposes
When was the last time that you played a AAA title and felt that it was truly unique and different from most other games? Snipperclips is one of the most refreshingly new types of games that feels like it stands out on its own, and takes little from other puzzle games. It’s hard to think of a title that gives me a similar feeling in recent memory. Snipperclips sets itself apart from other puzzle games by taking extremely simple ideas, like taking a pencil from one end of the room to the other in order to sharpen it, and forces you to use your friends to figure out how to accomplish that seemingly small feat. Simplicity in puzzle design may sound unappealing in the sense of how much challenge the game provides, but over time Snipperclips grows more difficult as you progress through its levels, allowing it to stay fresh.
I spent the bulk of my time playing with one other person. Interestingly enough, my second player was my girlfriend, which is worth mentioning because she generally wants nothing to do with video games. She not only really enjoyed playing this title, she even wanted to play it again a few days after her initial foray into the game. This fact alone speaks on how Snipperclips presents itself as easy to pick up and play no matter how avid a gamer you are. It’s fun whether you never play video games, or play often, such as myself. While Snipperclips is merely published by Nintendo it succeeds with its presentation in feeling like a genuine Nintendo title. Playing with 3-4 players at once is also very fun, because playing with that many opens up “party” and “blitz” modes of play. Party mode is much like 1-2 player mode, where you work together to solve puzzles, whereas battle mode pits you against one another to compete in games like basketball and hockey. 1-2 player mode is more “normal” than 3-4 due to the fact that it forces you to complete levels in order to progress and unlock more.
The basic idea behind Snipperclips is that you and your fellow couch-gamers have to cut one another into different shapes in order to solve the puzzles presented to you, and the characters even make adorable faces as they get cut or exert effort. The beauty behind the game is that it truly just seems to work, nearly effortlessly. Any shape you can imagine, you can most likely form yourself into it with the help of your partners. I found myself forming into a hook to pull down a balloon, or a cage-like shape to trap a bug, and even a cup shape to transport liquid, and many others. While some levels took mere seconds to be figured out and then executed, making me feel like a superior evil genius, some took close to ten minutes, making me feel dumb when finally figuring it out. This contrast in level design proved to be a lot of genuine fun, and sparked laughter and playful yelling among friends.
My only issue with Snipperclips, and this isn’t necessarily an issue to everyone, is that it is generally a short game. There are three “notebooks” which act as worlds, and each houses 15 levels. For a $20 price tag, this is arguably the right amount of content, especially considering that each notebook is more difficult than the last, but it depends on the players opinion on what is enough content. I can firmly state that for the price, there is enough here. Unfortunately the single player pales in comparison to how fun it is to play with friends, but it can still prove to be fun. The puzzles are the same as they are for the two player mode, but you have to swap between the second character and control both, one at a time.
The Final Word
Snipperclips is a wonderfully simple game that balances challenge and fun nearly perfectly. It manages to present completely unique and new gameplay, and still feel like a true Nintendo title. It could be perceived to have too little content, but for $19.99 you won’t be disappointed, so long as you have a friend or three to play with. Regardless of your gaming prowess, there is something for everyone here.
– MonsterVine Review Score: 4.5 out of 5 – Great
