Snipperclips Review

Everyone is going to buy a Nintendo Switch for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, that’s as clear as day. But you can't play the same game non-stop without a little break here and there, and that’s where Snipperclips, the Switch’s second best game, comes into play.

Snipperclips offers the opposite of what Breath of the Wild does, quick five minute long play sessions that can be enjoyed before boarding a flight, while waiting to go out and see a movie, or any other moment that’s too short to immerse yourself in the sprawling hills of Hyrule. It’s a fantastic example of the Switch’s portability and on-the-go multiplayer functionality.

You take control of one, or two if you’re playing solo, little piece(s) of paper and you’ll cut, jump, squat, and rotate your way through all sorts of puzzles. From guiding a small basketball into its hoop or providing an egg safe passage through some remote controlled paper chickens, it’s varied as it is fun.

A Co-operational Conundrum

While Snipperclips can be played solo, it isn’t meant to be. If you choose to forge the path alone you’ll take control of both bits of paper, switching between them using the X button on the Joy-Con controller. And while going through a bunch of levels with your lovely self can be entertaining, it’s nowhere near as fun as it is with a friend, spouse, or random stranger at the bus stop.

Like most games on the Switch, Snipperclips is incredibly easy to jump into from just about anywhere. Set the screen up with the kickstand on any flat surface and grab the two Joy-Cons. You’ll be playing in a matter of seconds.

Puzzle-icious

It may not see like much, but once you manage to finagle a pencil three times the size of your paper body into a small sharpener, you feel a rush of accomplishment. And that’s not because the puzzles are significantly challenging, although some of the ones further into the game put up a fight. You feel accomplished after figuring out your way to finish the puzzle, it’s easy to redo one of the levels three times using three different methods to complete it.

And that freedom is part of what makes the game memorable. In many cases, if you think something will work logically, it actually will. Balloons will pop if you cut your paper dude a sharp edge and a basketball will fit snuggly in your head if you cut your noggin into a nice round bowl. In many levels, you aren’t given an objective. So it’s up to you to figure out what shape you need to dice yourself into.

It’s a simple concept that works. It does have a little learning curve, especially for casual gamers getting their hands on the Switch for the first time. It took my girlfriend and I a good amount of time to get past the first few levels, mainly due to our combined puzzle solving ability crumbling into a paper cut deathmatch constantly.

Well Worth the Paper

Snipperclips isn’t going to last you very long. It only has a few dozen levels that last between five and fifteen minutes, depending on how dynamic your problem solving abilities are. It has a few competitive modes where you try to cut each other to bits, but the cooperative levels are what really sell the game. Making it more than worth the $20 price tag to add this to your digital library.

It’s perfect for getting young siblings to get along for a little bit, short bus trips from home to campus, or as a quick break between Breath of the Wild play sessions. It’s short natured fun, inventive cooperative gameplay, and it’s lovely amount of charm make it a small treat in the empty kitchen of the Switch’s eShop.

Conclusion

As of right now, Snipperclips is the second best game on the Nintendo Switch, more than deserving of a small investment of time and money. If you enjoy anything about Nintendo’s newest piece of hardware, you will definitely get a couple of great hours out of this game. Just be sure to bring a friend along for the fun.