​Snipperclips Review

By Kevin Mitchell  |  Posted: March 16, 2017

Before getting hands-on with Snipperclips, I wasn't quite sure that the core gameplay would match the concept. After spending an entire weekend playing the game, it has easily become one of my favorite local multiplayer experiences on the newly released Nintendo Switch. Clearly, Nintendo believes that players need to experience the game before writing it off, as they have included a demo in the Nintendo eShop for all users to try. Snipperclips is best played while the Switch is docked and you can play the game in front of a television. Using the Joy-Con controllers, each player moves the charming and expressive characters in the small game area across various goals. I would have liked to see the game add Pro Controller support, as I find using a single Joy-Con to be uncomfortable when held in my hands.

Although the game includes a single-player option, the game is best played with another player. The basic mechanics are quite simple to understand. Players control pieces of paper and can cut chunks out of other players to form the required shapes to complete objectives and puzzles. Depending on the mode, you may have two or as many as four players working together. In one puzzle, you are simply trying to match the required shape, requiring two players to cut each other into precise shapes. The next objective might be to get a basketball through a hoop, while the next one tasks you with grabbing floating balloons and trying to pop them. As you progress, the puzzles become much more intricate. While the solutions may not always be apparent at first, you can try a trial-and-error approach or take a moment to get your creative juices and teamwork flowing.

As mentioned, you can play Snipperclips as a single-player experience, but that requires you to control both characters. You'll swap between characters, leaving each one in a set pose to accomplish your tasks. While doable, I found the puzzles took way too long to complete playing by myself and weren't as enjoyable. Snipperclips simply works best when you are playing with others. Outside of the cooperative game modes, there is a competitive multiplayer game mode called Blitz. You can freely challenge others in a game of basketball, air hockey, and it even lets you fight to the death. Things do spiral out of control once you figure out that you can snip pieces off each other in the middle of the matches. While a happy alternative to the game's main mode, there isn't enough content to warrant playing more than a few rounds.

Simply Put

Snipperclips is certainly a surprise, something that you don't see at the launch of a new platform all that often. While featuring both a single-player and local multiplayer experience, Snipperclips is at its best when played with others. The lack of Pro Controller support is regrettable, but sharing Joy-Cons with a family member or friend and working together to solve puzzles is quite enjoyable. With that said, there aren't too many reasons to play through the game multiple times, and Snipperclips is a digital-only experience. If the game added daily or weekly challenges, there would be a reason to return to the game once you figured out the solutions to the included puzzles.