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Mighty Switch Force (Hyper Drive Edition) Review
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This review is marked as a Professional Review covering both the original game and Hyper Drive Edition, a remaster of the first game played on the Mighty Switch Force Collection on Steam.
“Mighty Switch Force” is a puzzle platformer developed and published by WayForward in late 2011 for the Nintendo 3DS, Wii U, and PC. It serves as a spiritual successor to “Mighty Milky Way,” both of which along with “Mighty Flip Champs!” are part of the “Mighty” series, a series that's all about platform puzzles featuring a vibrant albeit small cast of characters, wonderful music composed by Jake Kaufman, and developed by the same people who made Shantae. For myself, I haven't played Flip Champs and Milky Way enough to warrant a review of the games yet, but they will come out once I find the time to play them, of course. I still have Super Monkey Ball, Core Keeper, and more to complete, but those will come out when it comes out™.
I was introduced to Mighty Switch Force originally by my sister, who played the first and second installments on her 3DS back in 2012. My interest in the series then didn’t grew as I just found it as another game that was released for the 3DS that I had never gotten attached to playing, but as with most other series like this, my interest grew later in the future when she purchased the collection on the Nintendo Switch. I played it briefly and connected with a fellow enthusiast on Twitter who also enjoyed the series to even be involved in a series of data coming from said company in early 2024. I eventually acquired the games on the 3DS through other means and later purchased the collection on Steam. My primary experience with the game has been through this collection, which is largely similar to the 3DS version, except for “Hyper Drive Edition,’ which is a remaster of the first game released a year after the original for the WiiU and other consoles and PC during this time. This one plays largely the same as the original, but like Dark Witch Renovation, it updates the sprite art of Patricia and the Hooligans to hand drawn renditions of the sprites but leaves the backgrounds and the enemies put under a filter, along with some extra levels to keep the player engaged. Instead of having to make an entirely separate review for this game talking about the stages, I’ll keep everything within this topic.
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Story (1/5)
Something that will become a recurring theme in the game is the simplistic storytelling, which is what the Mighty Series is already known for in the first place. For Switch Force’s case, you play as Patricia Wagon to capture the Hooligan Sisters who have escaped from prison, and are causing havoc in “Planet Land,” the universe that this game takes place in. One thing that I’ll give them the credit for is it being quite humorous, considering that the Hooligan Sisters look like they don't look or feel like characters who would be from prison out of all things. There's also some shenanigans that the game shows every time you've beaten the stage, and the ending with (explain the ending), but that's about it. Things remain the same for the sequel too, with the extra option to kick some disgusting-looking babies while you're on your journey.
⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯
Gameplay (3.5/5)
As with the other games in the series, this is another puzzle-platformer. However, the one that makes this one different is that it’s a bit more engaging as you’re able to walk and move a bit more like a platformer, but have the elements on what makes the first two mighty games what they’re known for: the puzzle aspect, but let me explain what these types of games are in the first place: They’re a subgenre of puzzle and platformers that combines elements of both of them together. For example, in “And Yet It Moves,” the primary puzzle mechanic involves rotating the screen. As you rotate the screen, you must consider how objects, including your character, will move and how gravity will affect them, potentially leading to hazards such as falling or being crushed. In Mighty Switch Force, instead of rotating the screen, players interact with the environment using Patricia’s Siren Helmet to switch blocks, activating and deactivating them to solve puzzles, along with the water, or “pellet” gun that Patricia holds. It can be utilized to interact with the environment, but also to hurt the enemies that impede your progress. That’s all there is to the gameplay through, as this concept is repeated throughout the many stages of this game, BUT with an option to par the stages, which is essentially completing this game in a specific time that the game has, and beating it before it surpasses the limit. For me, I just focused on the game, but I did drop the game because while the has you mostly engaged, I have a skill issue where when it comes to games where I get stuck at some point, I drop the game to play something else that I can go through with minimal trial and error but at one point in MSF, I stopped because I couldn't figure out a stage. For Hyper Drive Edition, I stopped even less because outside of the extra stages which mostly come around the time you beat the game, it’s 100% the same game as the original. This will carry for every entry in the series, so expect every game to be rated as “shelved.”
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Graphics (5/5 Original︱3/5 Hyper Drive Edition)
Mighty Switch Force has a glorious art style, both pixel art and regular art, provided by Henk Nieborg. Sharing the same style as the two shantae games before this (Pirate's Curse and Risky's Revenge), he returns to be the lead pixel artist, and his works are best described as a mix of detailed backgrounds with sprites having more of a cartoony look. While MSF isn't the best in terms of it, it certainly makes it have this unique aesthetic that Indie games at This time didn't have. The regular artist though, I don't know, but they're the same as Shantae too. I guess WayForward at the time really had a set team with set goals in mind. The regular art isn't bad, but it can be responsible sometimes for the mass amounts of inspiration of inappropriate attire of the characters, but that's largely a problem in regards to how WayForward as a company is. Like Inti Creates, and Inside System.
The reason Hyper Drive Edition is a lower rating however, is due to what I’ve said in the beginning: the 'important characters' receiving brand new art for them and the rest of everything being the original art style but with a filter over them. I guess it's better to do this due to time constraints? I don't know, but if they've really wanted to remaster these games, they could've put in a bit more effort into doing them. Hyper Drive Edition is also using the same coding and engine as the original anyways!
⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯
Soundtrack (5/5)
And who would've guessed it, the composer of all time, Jake Kaufman, comes back to work on the music for this game, and like every other Mighty Game (and Shantae at the time) before this one/during this one for Shantae, he cooks extremely well for the Soundtrack. I'm just going to say it now, every song within this game is good and you should listen to it yourself. Anything that the dude composes is great with all of them feeling the vibe of the games that he works on, with all of the songs being upbeat, chill, and rocking when they are.
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Verdict/Other Thoughts (4/5)
Despite its ultimate simplicity, Mighty Switch Force is a great game that is a must-play if you're looking for a game to spend your money on. But if you're looking for a game that provides more content, either skip this one or get the Mighty Switch Force Collection on Switch/PC. But I believe that the nature of it being designed as a Puzzle game through each entry with minimal enemy influence does hinder the experience a bit for me, as I've hoped to have a bit more action instead of a Puzzle. I won't be too disappointed, as every Mighty game is designed specifically like this: Mighty Flip Champs was more of a Puzzle game than this one, Milky Way was more of going from Point A while dodging obstacles, and this game has you in platformer fashion, solving puzzles to find all Hooligan Sisters. Maybe these games aren’t for me, but I will say that I did enjoy my time with them, enough for me to get enough out of this game, MSF2, and MSF Academy.
I couldn't add more to my post, so here is the proof that this is my review of Mighty Switch Force. Granted, this is a bit of a different approach than how this site does it, but I can definitely change up how it's shown and throw in a bit of extra picss.
edit: nevermind, i have a whole lot extra more to add LOL. But it's been automatically merged.
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This review is marked as a Professional Review covering both the original game and Hyper Drive Edition, a remaster of the first game played on the Mighty Switch Force Collection on Steam.
“Mighty Switch Force” is a puzzle platformer developed and published by WayForward in late 2011 for the Nintendo 3DS, Wii U, and PC. It serves as a spiritual successor to “Mighty Milky Way,” both of which along with “Mighty Flip Champs!” are part of the “Mighty” series, a series that's all about platform puzzles featuring a vibrant albeit small cast of characters, wonderful music composed by Jake Kaufman, and developed by the same people who made Shantae. For myself, I haven't played Flip Champs and Milky Way enough to warrant a review of the games yet, but they will come out once I find the time to play them, of course. I still have Super Monkey Ball, Core Keeper, and more to complete, but those will come out when it comes out™.
I was introduced to Mighty Switch Force originally by my sister, who played the first and second installments on her 3DS back in 2012. My interest in the series then didn’t grew as I just found it as another game that was released for the 3DS that I had never gotten attached to playing, but as with most other series like this, my interest grew later in the future when she purchased the collection on the Nintendo Switch. I played it briefly and connected with a fellow enthusiast on Twitter who also enjoyed the series to even be involved in a series of data coming from said company in early 2024. I eventually acquired the games on the 3DS through other means and later purchased the collection on Steam. My primary experience with the game has been through this collection, which is largely similar to the 3DS version, except for “Hyper Drive Edition,’ which is a remaster of the first game released a year after the original for the WiiU and other consoles and PC during this time. This one plays largely the same as the original, but like Dark Witch Renovation, it updates the sprite art of Patricia and the Hooligans to hand drawn renditions of the sprites but leaves the backgrounds and the enemies put under a filter, along with some extra levels to keep the player engaged. Instead of having to make an entirely separate review for this game talking about the stages, I’ll keep everything within this topic.
⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯
Story (1/5)
Something that will become a recurring theme in the game is the simplistic storytelling, which is what the Mighty Series is already known for in the first place. For Switch Force’s case, you play as Patricia Wagon to capture the Hooligan Sisters who have escaped from prison, and are causing havoc in “Planet Land,” the universe that this game takes place in. One thing that I’ll give them the credit for is it being quite humorous, considering that the Hooligan Sisters look like they don't look or feel like characters who would be from prison out of all things. There's also some shenanigans that the game shows every time you've beaten the stage, and the ending with (explain the ending), but that's about it. Things remain the same for the sequel too, with the extra option to kick some disgusting-looking babies while you're on your journey.
⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯
Gameplay (3.5/5)
As with the other games in the series, this is another puzzle-platformer. However, the one that makes this one different is that it’s a bit more engaging as you’re able to walk and move a bit more like a platformer, but have the elements on what makes the first two mighty games what they’re known for: the puzzle aspect, but let me explain what these types of games are in the first place: They’re a subgenre of puzzle and platformers that combines elements of both of them together. For example, in “And Yet It Moves,” the primary puzzle mechanic involves rotating the screen. As you rotate the screen, you must consider how objects, including your character, will move and how gravity will affect them, potentially leading to hazards such as falling or being crushed. In Mighty Switch Force, instead of rotating the screen, players interact with the environment using Patricia’s Siren Helmet to switch blocks, activating and deactivating them to solve puzzles, along with the water, or “pellet” gun that Patricia holds. It can be utilized to interact with the environment, but also to hurt the enemies that impede your progress. That’s all there is to the gameplay through, as this concept is repeated throughout the many stages of this game, BUT with an option to par the stages, which is essentially completing this game in a specific time that the game has, and beating it before it surpasses the limit. For me, I just focused on the game, but I did drop the game because while the has you mostly engaged, I have a skill issue where when it comes to games where I get stuck at some point, I drop the game to play something else that I can go through with minimal trial and error but at one point in MSF, I stopped because I couldn't figure out a stage. For Hyper Drive Edition, I stopped even less because outside of the extra stages which mostly come around the time you beat the game, it’s 100% the same game as the original. This will carry for every entry in the series, so expect every game to be rated as “shelved.”
⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯
Graphics (5/5 Original︱3/5 Hyper Drive Edition)
Mighty Switch Force has a glorious art style, both pixel art and regular art, provided by Henk Nieborg. Sharing the same style as the two shantae games before this (Pirate's Curse and Risky's Revenge), he returns to be the lead pixel artist, and his works are best described as a mix of detailed backgrounds with sprites having more of a cartoony look. While MSF isn't the best in terms of it, it certainly makes it have this unique aesthetic that Indie games at This time didn't have. The regular artist though, I don't know, but they're the same as Shantae too. I guess WayForward at the time really had a set team with set goals in mind. The regular art isn't bad, but it can be responsible sometimes for the mass amounts of inspiration of inappropriate attire of the characters, but that's largely a problem in regards to how WayForward as a company is. Like Inti Creates, and Inside System.
The reason Hyper Drive Edition is a lower rating however, is due to what I’ve said in the beginning: the 'important characters' receiving brand new art for them and the rest of everything being the original art style but with a filter over them. I guess it's better to do this due to time constraints? I don't know, but if they've really wanted to remaster these games, they could've put in a bit more effort into doing them. Hyper Drive Edition is also using the same coding and engine as the original anyways!
⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯
Soundtrack (5/5)
And who would've guessed it, the composer of all time, Jake Kaufman, comes back to work on the music for this game, and like every other Mighty Game (and Shantae at the time) before this one/during this one for Shantae, he cooks extremely well for the Soundtrack. I'm just going to say it now, every song within this game is good and you should listen to it yourself. Anything that the dude composes is great with all of them feeling the vibe of the games that he works on, with all of the songs being upbeat, chill, and rocking when they are.
⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯
Verdict/Other Thoughts (4/5)
Despite its ultimate simplicity, Mighty Switch Force is a great game that is a must-play if you're looking for a game to spend your money on. But if you're looking for a game that provides more content, either skip this one or get the Mighty Switch Force Collection on Switch/PC. But I believe that the nature of it being designed as a Puzzle game through each entry with minimal enemy influence does hinder the experience a bit for me, as I've hoped to have a bit more action instead of a Puzzle. I won't be too disappointed, as every Mighty game is designed specifically like this: Mighty Flip Champs was more of a Puzzle game than this one, Milky Way was more of going from Point A while dodging obstacles, and this game has you in platformer fashion, solving puzzles to find all Hooligan Sisters. Maybe these games aren’t for me, but I will say that I did enjoy my time with them, enough for me to get enough out of this game, MSF2, and MSF Academy.
Post automatically merged:
I couldn't add more to my post, so here is the proof that this is my review of Mighty Switch Force. Granted, this is a bit of a different approach than how this site does it, but I can definitely change up how it's shown and throw in a bit of extra picss.
edit: nevermind, i have a whole lot extra more to add LOL. But it's been automatically merged.
