Developer: NAVEL
Publisher: SUPER DOT COM
Platform: Switch
Tested on: Switch
Tilt Pack – Review
Since the release of Overcooked, it seems that there is an exponential increase in party games. While many are just fodder to fill the stores, there are a few outstanding ones out there that bring back the fun of playing locally with friends. These games, that are often most enjoyable with two or more friends, are somewhat hard to judge on footage alone. Some games may look fun, but end up with horrible mechanics, repetitive gameplay or annoying sound design. We recently noticed Tilt Pack, which was about to be dropped on Nintendo’s Switch, and we loved its gimmicky impression. Battling each other as small ‘girders’ with faces on them, only being able to move by tilting, looked original and enticed us to play the game.
Story
The game has no story value whatsoever. There’s a varied cast of characters that are aptly named after their appearance, but they don’t come with any background. You’ll find nothing of a story when playing the single-player mode either. We can’t argue with the fact that a story has been omitted as it would serve no real purpose.
Graphics
Even though the hardware of the Switch is rather limited, Tilt Pack will not press the console to its boundaries. You’re treated to cute girder-like fighters, all with a themed appearance. You’ll find a monstrous girder, but also a sporty and a pirate one, making sure the cast is diverse. The levels all have neat backdrops, but the overall graphics of the obstacles and environments in the different stages are kept really simple. There are some moving objects, but that’s pretty much about it. The game doesn’t clutter your view too much, which is a good thing, as things can get a bit hectic when playing with four players on the same screen.
Sound
The sound design is quite impeccable for the game that’s presented to you. The backdrop is rather entertaining, but it falls somewhat in a forgettable state when you start focusing on the battle before you. The characters all have fitting grunts and gasps, and the sound effects are also decent. The overall soundtrack is somewhat redundant but it serves its purpose.
Gameplay
Tilt Pack is an action party game in which you’ll have to push your opponent outside of the arena. While this may sound reminiscent of games such as Smash Bros, it’s actually a lot simpler in its execution. You’ll play as a cute themed girder that can only tilt/turn left or right. By doing so, you’ll foil your opponents’ moves and hopefully push them far enough aside to make them fall from the platform you’re safely residing upon.
The above might sound a bit on the boring side, as many party games have special power-ups or some entertaining mechanics to spice things up, but the game is actually a lot of fun. The simple mechanics just ‘click’ and the overall result is funny and hectic. There are also a limited amount of power-ups available, such as a mace that insta-kills your opponent, a boxing glove that gives an extra oomph to your pushes and a pill that makes you gigantic. These, in combination, with the stages that have moving platforms (or move themselves) make the game quite action-packed.
There’s one big downside to the game though. You’ll be able to play the single-player mode in a 1v1 format, but only in five different tournaments, which will make you blast through the game in about an hour. The multiplayer format is fun, but all the available characters are already unlocked and there’s nothing else to properly strive for or to keep you motivated. When you have some friends at the ready for some local matches, you’ll be able to sink some time in the game, but if not, things get dull quite fast.
Conclusion
Tilt Pack is a fun addition to the available party games on the Switch, but for its replay value and length as a single-player experience, the price tag is on the really heavy side. We can recommend this game as a party experience to certainly have fun for an evening or two, but the lack of goals in the game makes this game feel like it’s a missed opportunity. Everything is present; a simple concept, great mechanics; fun visuals but sadly nothing to haul you in for the long term.
Tilt Pack - Review,
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