Snipperclips: Cut it out, Together! Review

Snipperclips: Cut it out, Together! is the kind of game where you can hunker down with a friend or three to put your brainpower together and solve some quirky and interesting puzzles. It’s also the kind of game that will have you yelling things like “Why did you do that!” and “No, no, do it like this!” or even “JUST LISTEN TO ME!”. The idea that drives the game is that you and your friends take control of characters that are made of paper and you need to cut each other into different shapes to satisfy the requirements of the puzzle presented within the stage.

There are three different game modes where you get to put your Snipperclipping skills to work. Puzzle mode is for two players, while the Party and Blitz modes are intended for two to four people. If however, you don’t have any real life friends, you could still tackle every puzzle in the game by yourself. It would just require swapping between two Joy-con. But, like many things, it’s not as fun on your own.

In Party mode, you and a friend take control of one character each. If you play alone, a simple button press swaps you between the two characters. It includes three sets of themed stages, each with fifteen puzzles to complete. Some stages will require you to cut each other up so you fit into a particular shape, while others task you with completing an objective within the stage. Either way, you will need to make use of the main mechanic, which is overlapping your bodies and cutting out that overlapped space from your partner. Naturally, this will often lead to the both of you trying to completely destroy each other. How long this goes on for depends on how annoying your friends are.

At first, the possibilities seem endless, especially for the objective based stages, but things do start to repeat a bit and it seems once you have an idea that works, you apply that solution as often as possible. For example, in the Noisy Notebooks set there is a puzzle that requires you to put a basketball into a hoop. For me and my partner, we optioned to cut a scoop into one of our heads to catch the ball, carry it over to the basket and jump up to get it through the hoop. This was just one possible solution. Later on, you also have some puzzles that need you to put either a baseball or bowling ball through the hoop. Sure, the environment is changed a little, but the puzzle solving was the same. Scoop in the head, walk to the basket. I guess it’s like many games, where you learn a mechanic and then use it in different situations throughout. I’m not really sure if my disappointment in this is the lack of my imagination or my expectation of a little more variety in the 45 challenges. Even though there are some repeating of puzzle ideas, overall there is certainly enough here to keep you scratching your head and saying, “how the hell do we do that?”

Party mode presents you with twelve puzzles (with more you can unlock by finishing Puzzle mode) that can be played with up to four people. No matter how many players are taking part, there are always four characters on screen, which are all required to complete these more in-depth challenges. Personally, I found this more challenging and more entertaining. Depending on how many people you have playing, each brings its own challenges.

Having a crew of four people is very different to Puzzle mode. Everyone has their own idea of how each puzzle should be solved and if you aren’t talking to each other, well, it’ s gonna get frustrating fast. Playing with just two players has you controlling two characters each. The challenge being getting one of them set up perfectly in their position before swapping. This can be difficult sometimes because some puzzles are better suited to quick fine adjustments on the fly. Either way, the mixed feelings of satisfaction and relief kick in when you see the words “GREAT WORK!” emblazoned upon the screen.

Blitz mode isn’t quite as exciting as the other two but is still worth a look. It contains three mini-games. First up is the frustratingly long to finish Hoops. It’s a game of basketball, tasking each team to score three points before the other. The reason why it is so frustrating and long to finish is because everyone keeps snipping one another to death and it’s hard to manoeuvre the ball into your hoop. Yelling and screaming ensures. Next up is Hockey, which I found more enjoyable. It’s really just air hockey, where your character is the paddle. Naturally, cutting up your opponent is a fair strategy. Last up is Dojo, with the only goal being to completely cut up your opponent to death three times.

One thing that stands out about the game is the art style. Everything is flat and 2D and looks as if it could all be made from craft paper. The characters are full of life and have personality, which is surprising, considering they exist in a puzzle game. They have a range of facial expressions that make me laugh every time I play. Whether it’s a sneaky look while creeping along close to the ground or a shy blush when your partner cuts a bit of you away, the characters truly bring the game to life.

All up Snipperclips: Cut it out Together is a great multiplayer eShop title that will keep you entertained. Well, until you’ve had enough of yelling at your friends.

Rating: 5/5