By Chad Nickell
Released on the 3DS by Wayforward back in 2012, Mighty Switch Force! managed to garner enough success to get an HD port for the Wii U. Promising new content as well as a revamped art style; Mighty Switch Force Hyper Drive edition isn’t just a repackaging of the 3DS version.
You take control of an officer of the law named Patricia Wagon, and lead her on a chase to catch the five escaping Hooligan Sisters. The game really doesn’t concern you with a complex story, and just sends you on your way.
The game itself is a puzzle platformer that spans sixteen stages. You must find each of the five Hooligan Sisters per stage as well as reach Patricia’s robot companion. You can move, shoot, jump and press a button to phase certain blocks in and out of their solid state. Some blocks can be kept solid by standing on them while phasing the others out, and standing in a phased out block’s space while it is being phased in will make Patricia take damage. Other blocks will instead shoot Patricia in one direction by standing in their place. Patricia controls well and the game is extremely responsive. Each stage takes a good degree of forethought to complete as the puzzles can get quite complex, but the game is never unfair. A few stages do get a bit monotonous, and some of the later stages can get a tad bit frustrating because of that. The game allows the use of either the gamepad or the TV for display.
The game’s visual style is clean and clear, with each stage being a joy to look as well as the characters. Animations are smooth, sprites are clean, and the color palette is pleasing to the eye. The soundtrack is quite a joy to listen to, as well. Each track is filled with energy and fits the stage in which it is used.
While the game is short, clocking in at a couple of hours, there are a number of reasons to come back once you have beaten it. For speed runners, there is a par time for each stage that you can aim for. Beating every par time unlocks a different outfit for Patricia to wear. Beating the game itself gives Patricia access to a stronger gun to defeat enemies faster and destroy breakable blocks in less time. There are also five bonus stages once you beat the game, and completing those stages unlocks the hyper editions of every stage, which are remixed to provide even more challenge.
Overall, Mighty Switch Force! Hyper Drive Edition is a great addition to any Wii U owner’s library. There’s plenty of new content to justify a purchase for those who own the 3DS version. For those who do not own the 3DS version, then there is even more reason to consider a purchase. If you like platformers, and like to do speed runs even more, then this is the game for you.
Score: 8.5/10