Snake Pass by Sumo Digital honors its platformer routes with good fun, cute characters, and a host of collectibles to find. Featuring the snake and hummingbird duo, Noodle and Doodle, you’ll need to master the hidden art of “snake physics” as you navigate your way through a series of brightly colored worlds.
Despite having a rather grumpy face, Doodle is a chipper little hummingbird that is always there for his pal Noodle whenever he needs to have his tail lifted.
Meanwhile, Noodle is a lazy, easygoing snake who will fall asleep whenever the player is inactive. Speaking of which, I really enjoy the full range of facial expressions that Noodle has—not to mention how fun it is to change Noodle’s mood by tapping on the d-pad of my PlayStation 4 controller!
I was able to try Snake Pass out on the Nintendo Switch, and I was genuinely curious to see how the game would perform on Nintendo’s latest platform.
While the graphics aren't as crisp as the PC, Xbox One, and PS4 versions of Snake Pass, this doesn’t detract from the game whatsoever. In fact, unless you have another copy of Snake Pass on your PS4 Pro for comparison, you probably won’t be able to notice the difference.
When it comes to docked vs. handheld, Snake Pass excels at both. If you want to take Snake Pass on the go, you’re more than able to. However, I will say that it’s easier to play the game while using the Pro Controller as opposed to the standard Joy-Cons.
In terms of difficulty, just because the game is great for all ages doesn’t mean it’s easy. In fact, it’s actually rather challenging, especially for completionists.
For example, in order to gather all of the game’s Gatekeeper Coins, you’ll need to snake your way through some pretty tricky areas. Like under a bridge and back up again in the first level, Paradise Path.
In Snake Pass, falling over the side is an inevitable part of the learning process.
Fortunately, it also counts for an achievement or two. Which I totally didn’t get by falling over the side dozens of times in my impatient pursuit of Gatekeeper Coins. Ok fine, I did. Why must they be located so far over the edge? Curse you, Sumo Digital!
I jest, but it really is a challenge to gather these Coins in Snake Pass, so if you’re a completionist like me, definitely keep that in mind. One of the things I love about Snake Pass is how original it is, despite being inspired by the retro platformers of the 1990s.
The simple act of moving the snake around is, in and of itself, one of the most original things I’ve experienced in a game.
It’s almost impossible to describe, other than saying you really do feel like a snake. Snake Pass is deeply immersive, and a joy to play no matter your age and background in gaming.
The only downside I can find is the game’s lack of co-op. Now, I know what you’re thinking. Why does Snake Pass even need co-op? Well, I’d really love to just play mini games with my friends.
I feel like once I finish Snake Pass (and by
For $20 USD across every gaming system (PC, Xbox One, PS4, Nintendo Switch), Snake Pass is wholly worth its purchase price and then some. You’ll have hours of fun just moving the snake around, exploring Haven Tor, and unraveling the mystery of the devious gatecrasher.
I can’t express my love for Snake Pass enough, it really is one-of-a-kind!
Review
Pros
- One-of-a-kind snake physics.
- The adorable protagonists Noodle and Doodle.
- Engaging gameplay with plenty of collectibles to track down.
- Beautiful soundtrack courtesy of David Wise.
Cons
- The camera can be a bit wonky, especially when gathering Gatekeeper Coins.
