Snake Pass (Nintendo Switch) Review

By Drew Hurley 29.03.2017

Review for Snake Pass on Nintendo Switch

While at EGX last year Cubed3, checked out plenty of new upcoming titles. Dishonored 2, World of Final Fantasy, PSVR titles, even the upcoming Yooka Laylee, and yet even amongst all these titles, it was a certain indie game that was kept coming back to again and again. That game was Snake Pass. A very simple concept executed superbly, the game is now hitting numerous platforms, including the recent Nintendo Switch. It's time to see if the full game can be as impactful as the demo was all those months ago.

The concept in Snake Pass feels so familiar and yet new, like a remaster of a classic retro title. It's a simple premise: control a snake as it slithers through numerous stages, collecting a series of gemstones to open a portal to the following stage. There are also two type of collectibles to track down in each level to add a bit of extra exploration and depth to the experience.

Playing as Noodle, the snake, is fun and challenging. To move, hold the trigger. The other trigger makes Noodle grip whatever he's slithering over. To go faster, you have to think like a snake, swaying left to right to build up speed. A face button lifts Noodle's head, while another lowers it. In worst case scenarios, a friendly hummingbird named Doodle can be enlisted to carry Noodle's tail, too. All simple enough until it comes to the stages.

Filled with different platforms, rocky outcrops, spiky obstacles, and many, many wooden structures, Noodle has to be weaved through the obstacles on each stage to reach new areas. For example, a common occurrence is a collectible perched upon a wooden pole out above oblivion. Getting to it means taking Noodle out onto it, then wrapping his body under the pole, then up the other side to ensure he doesn't fall to his doom. This then requires keeping track of how Noodle's tail is creeping up, ready to unfurl and unceremoniously dump him off the side.

Screenshot for Snake Pass on Nintendo Switch

It sounds simple enough, but it takes some real getting used to, ensuring to grip at certain points, then releasing to speed along, then doubling back to get a steady hold on the scenery. It takes a long time to really master, and it's the ideal game to hand around to friends to see them stamp their feet in frustration and yet refuse to hand it back until they've gotten the hang of it. Fantastically addictive.

Falling off into the stages doesn't take a life or even result in a "Game Over," sadly. This is one small gripe in that each stage has checkpoints to be slithered over, and a death then just gives an instant respawn at the most recent checkpoint, making things a little too easy, as they can just be backtracked to every time a difficult-to-reach item is collected.

This looks great on the Switch, the Unreal 4 Engine filling each world with rich tones and vibrant colours. The characters of Noodle and Doodle are charming in their style and animations, and rounding out the presentation is a soundtrack by prolific composer David Wise, who previously produced amazing compositions for titles such as Donkey Kong Country, Battletoads, and the recent Yooka-Laylee, amongst many others.

There is one problem plaguing this game on the Switch, though, and it's a problem that many new Switch titles seem to have. The more the system is played, the more noticeable it becomes. The HD Rumble feature is… hit and miss. Occasionally, huge powerful rumbles will explode out, sometimes for falling from too great a height, sometimes for seemingly no reason at all - and it can be very annoying. It's unclear if this is an issue with the hardware or the implementation of the developers, but it's something that needs to be addressed.

Screenshot for Snake Pass on Nintendo Switch

Cubed3 Rating

8/10
Rated 8 out of 10

Great - Silver Award

Rated 8 out of 10

You'd think a game set around playing as a snake wouldn't have a leg to stand on, and yet this simple puzzler about a snake on a plane has no ereptile dysfunctions. Sorry, sorry… Snake Pass is a truly enjoyable, addictive and original platforming puzzler gem that really stands out. The only real issue is how short it feels. There are four worlds to complete, with fifteen stages in all, and an unlockable time-trial mode, but even with all that, there is a desire for more.

Developer

Sumo

Publisher

Sumo Digital

Genre

3D Platformer

Players

1

C3 Score

Rated $score out of 10  8/10

Reader Score

Rated $score out of 10  7/10 (1 Votes)

European release date Out now   North America release date Out now   Japan release date None   Australian release date Out now   

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