Mighty Switch Force Collection (Switch) Review

CUTE AS A BUTTON AND TOUGH AS NAILS

The Nintendo 3DS had a ton of games that deserve to be on more consoles; I would love for the Switch to have an accessory that allowed for the playing of DS/3DS cartridges. One of the more prominent developers on the handheld is Way Forward who released games like Shantae and the Pirate’s Curse, Centipede: Infestation, and the Mighty Switch Force! series of puzzle platformers. Back when I was using my 3DS as a primary platform, I sought out digital titles on the eShop, which is how I initially found Mighty Switch Force! where it was cheap and highly rated. It was one of the few games that I played that used the 3DS’ 3D features well. Now, the series has been released as a collection for Switch, PS4, Xbox One, and PC bringing a pile of mind-melting puzzles to even more players. 

The Mighty Switch Force! series stars Patricia Wagon, a police officer and later a firefighter, who carries the ability to flip platforms into the background and foreground of the given level. This is used in platforming challenges and puzzles where the player must rescue all of the escaped convict cuties (or in the case of the sequel, ladies in danger of a burning city) and then bring them all to Corporal Gendarmor, a bulky police robot who serves as the exit of the stage. Players can challenge themselves by hitting the stage’s proposed par time, which actively incentivizes mastery of each level. In Mighty Switch Force! 2, there is a harder-to-reach infant in each level that can be comically saved for an added challenge. Patricia is also armed with a simple blaster and a firehose in the sequel to dispatch enemies. 

In most stages, Mighty Switch Force! focuses on puzzle solving and timing rather than action. Platforming is simple in appearance but eventually becomes more and more complex when tasked to do things like switch blocks mid-jump or cycle a switch multiple times while being shot out of a special block. Sometimes enemies will have to be cleared to open a gate, which usually results in getting the enemy to fall into an open block which can then be smashed into the foreground. Patricia can also slam herself if she’s not careful with her switches. 

Smashing enemies never gets old.

Most levels are linear in nature but there are several where the player can choose which cutie to save first. This is where routing and maximizing efficiency can become addictive and fun. That said, I often find myself frustrated with the precise timing of some challenges. There are some stages that are just brutal and require seemingly pixel-perfect precision. In fact, I struggle to play any of the Mighty Switch Force! games for long periods of time. For me, this is more of a palette cleanser game that I can quickly pivot into and out of.

These booster blocks are both fun and frustrating.

Frustrations in gameplay aside, Mighty Switch Force! Collection has so much charm injected into every asset. Character design, in particular, is delightful with charming ladies and funny scenarios. I have never laughed so hard at an optional goal than when I did when first reaching an infant in Mighty Switch Force! 2. I enjoyed getting to the end of a stage just to see the silly character art. Character sprites are well-animated and move in deliberate ways and this carries into the HD remake of the first game Mighty Switch Force! Hyper Drive Edition which uses hand-drawn assets. 

Each game in the collection is a fun collection of puzzles and smile-inducing characters. The only title that I didn’t see much appeal in is the multiplayer capable Mighty Switch Force! Academy, which features a much more zoomed-out camera angle, making it hard to see what’s going on. I can only imagine how hectic it would feel to try and coordinate rescues with three other players. Speaking of camera angles, I do wish that the main games were pulled back just a bit more. There are several moments where I was going on memory, rather than reacting to what was ahead. 

Typical of Way Forward, the music of the Mighty Switch Force! series is catchy and bouncy. It’s not nearly as infectious as “Toss a Coin to your Witcher” or some of the tracks in Shantae: Half-Genie Hero but each song fits the gameplay perfectly and I do hum the tunes during tasks sometimes. 

Overall, Way Forward seems to be mostly honoring their legacy more than anything with this release. Each game runs smooth as silk on Switch and controls are sharp by default. I don’t find Mighty Switch Force! as appealing as Shantae or River City Girls but they are fun, simple, yet challenging platformers that some players may really enjoy. Speedrunners also will likely find the time to beat by default to be a hook for learning a run for that level. 

Find Mighty Switch Force! Collection on PS4, Xbox One, Steam, or Nintendo Switch for $19.99 USD. More information is available on the official website. Limited Run Games is currently offering pre-orders for physical editions of the game.

SCORES

GAMEPLAY - 5/10

VISUALS - 8/10

SOUND - 8/10

CONTROLS - 7/10

REPLAY VALUE - 7/10

OVERALL - 7/10