Back on the N64 and PSOne, there was a trend in the 3D platforming genre. Oftentimes players had to collect all sorts of trinkets in order to progress, with levels having multiple tiers of things to grab while exploring. A great example of this is Banjo Kazooie, a game that can only be progressed by getting so many Jiggies. Spyro the Dragon had elements of this as well, as the last boss battle was usually locked behind a gem door that needed all of the gems in the game. Inspired by this era of gaming, Sumo Digital (Sonic & All-Stars Racing: Transformed and LittleBigPlanet 3) is giving their own spin to the genre with Snake Pass.
Snake Pass follows the adventures of Noodle the snake and Doodle the Hummingbird, who are forced into action when an intruder threatens their peaceful home. To do this, players will slither with what seems to be a weighted physics experience, in which a lot is taken into account that Noodle isn’t like other platforming heroes. Noodle doesn’t jump and must instead climb around obstacles, slither between cracks, and curl around things to activate simple mechanisms. Sure it looks simple, but the further the game goes, players will be tested and challenged in a way no other platformer has really done before.
“Snake Pass is a real passion project for the team. It’s been so fun creating our own characters, visual style and establishing our own voice as IP creators. Our mission with Snake Pass, was to make the simple act of controlling Noodle the Snake as fun as possible. Once players start to “think like a snake”, they will be amazed at the incredible feats of acrobatics they are capable of.” – Seb Liese, Creator of Snake Pass
Looking at Snake Pass puts an inner-child smile on my face. It looks like something we could’ve played on the Gamecube or even the Playstation 2, it just has that cutesy character charm that the gaming world often ignores these days. If the trailer is any indication, this is truly a game for fans of retro platformers should keep an eye out for. Clearly, a lot of love has went into this one.
Luckily, Snake Pass is coming to most consoles and even utilizing the features of higher end consoles. Snake Pass will be available on PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch on March 28th, with a European release slated for March 29th. On the PS4 Pro, players will be able to utilize the higher resolutions and framerates that console is capable of. High Dynamic Range will also be usable with basic PS4 systems, allowing those with nicer televisions to enjoy the vibrancy Unreal 4 has to offer. Xbox One players will be able take advantage of Xbox Play Anywhere, getting them a copy of the game for their Windows 10 PCs. Nintendo Switch players will have the advantage of portability.
Become one with your snake-self on March 28th. For more information, check out the official website.
Personally, I’d love to pick this up on Switch, just seems like a Nintendo-like game worth having on the go.
