It may sound like some sort of bargain barber shop, but Snipperclips has the distinction of being in the launch line-up for Nintendo’s newest console. And seeing as there are only a handful of games at launch, Snipperclips has gained quite a lot of attention.
At its heart, Snipperclips is a puzzle game with a simple premise; using two paper characters (we will call them Red and Yellow), cut and snip them to solve both environmental and physic based challenges. These range from cutting out specific shapes in paper to more complex puzzles that require moving various items around the screen. The early stages are used to introduce the mechanics, but as you progress, they become a lot more challenging and devious; with the later levels requiring plenty of trial and error. That may sound frustrating, but the levels are quick and easy to reset if you mess things up. A press of a button will reform red or yellow to their original state and any level that would require a reset has an on screen button that will instantly put everything back in its place. Something that proves incredibly useful further on in the game.
Credit also has to be given to the level design, with each level feeling different from the last, even though many of the puzzle types are repeated throughout the game. The way they are presented means I never felt as if one particular puzzle type was being overused. It also helps that every 15 levels are split up into themes, each with their own unique style and puzzle types. Unlocking these different areas requires all of the previous area’s puzzles to have been beaten, adding a sense of progression to the game.
Controls are also implemented well, whether players are using a full controller or a Joy-Con. The left stick will control the movement for Red or Yellow, the L & R buttons rotates them and the buttons used for jumping, snipping and reforming, simple stuff that allowed me to concentrate on the task at hand, instead of worrying about which buttons to press.
Snipperclips can be played solo, but this is not what the developers had in mind when they made this game. It is perfect for two player co-op, with each person taking full control of either Red or Yellow. In fact, playing on your own is cumbersome in comparison, with the X button used to swap between the two paper dudes. It’s much, much better to grab a friend, unhook the Joy-Cons and solve these puzzles together. In fact, some of the puzzles are almost impossible to complete without a second player helping out. But it isn’t just a two player experience; the game also features two modes that support up to four players; Party mode and Blitz.
Party mode takes the co-op mode one step further and adds even more challenging puzzles to the mix, four brains are better than two after all. Blitz mode is slightly different, with it being a competitive mode that includes their own versions of Basketball, Hockey and even a game where the goal is to snip your friends into nothing. All of this is wrapped up in a nice little cute art style, with fantastic animations for the characters and a chirpy soundtrack, which fits perfectly to the game’s aesthetic.
