Mighty Switch Force! Collection

Mighty Switch Force! is the third game in a saga that mixes platforms and puzzles. Developed and published by WayForward Technologies for Nintendo 3DS in 2011. Mighty Switch Force! Collection contains four video games: (Mighty Switch Force!, Mighty Switch Force! Hyper Drive Edition, Mighty Switch Force! 2, and Mighty Switch Force! Academy). The mechanics are simple (capture the Hooligan Sisters), but attractive and very fun. The graphic and sound section deserves a special mention, you will undoubtedly love it. You'll have a great time. Obviously, Mighty Switch Force! is inspired by classics like Mega Man X, adding the possibility of exchanging maps (main gameplay mechanics), using fire, etc. In short, Mighty Switch Force! Collections is a compendium of simple platform and puzzle games with its own style and inspired by classics such as the legendary Mega Man X. Without a doubt, it deserves a place in your personal video game collection.

What you have here is an aggressively devious little puzzle game series. all wrapped up in a tiny little bow. The objective in all three games (Hyper Drive Edition is a beautiful 1080p remaster of the first game, which is also included here) is to snatch up the Hooligan Sisters in every level while navigating the expertly crafted puzzles throughout. Surprisingly, the gameplay keeps fresh, even with the relatively simple gameplay compared to some other action-puzzle games here on GOG, thanks to its clever use of the block-switching mechanic throughout in order to kill enemies and clear the path. Mighty Switch Force 2 does a wonderful job of adding to the formula with some of the new mechanics based on the water cannon that replaces the original game's blaster, but also includes a brain-twisting optional challenge with the babies that can be found in each level. For those with a suitably large screen and some friends, Mighty Switch Force Academy is a four-player version of the game featuring zoomed-out levels that can be cleared quickly with some good teamwork. I would have honestly preferred that all the games be given the Hyper Drive treatment, rather than having two editions of the first Mighty Switch Force in the pack. Also, as Mighty Switch Force 1 and 2 were originally for the 3DS, the screens in those games seems a bit zoomed in (especially compared to the Hyper Drive Edition of Mighty Switch Force 1!) However, these are such minors gripe for what amounts to a damn good package, and one I heartily recommend.

It's originally a 3DS game. So, there's nothing complicated about it and after a few minutes of play, you'll understand the game's premise and mechanics. Yet the game remains fresh through its entire run, thanks to a few well-thought-out variations in each level. Yes, the game is about solving puzzles, but there's also an important part of the game that involves very precise moves and timing. To this regard, some levels can become extremely frustrating (be prepared to die 50+ times in some levels). So, the game may be best enjoyed in small doses. I'm personally not a fan of the Hyper Drive edition's graphics. I hate those "cheap" HD graphics and much prefer the pixel art of the original version (which is included in this collection). As for the music, I think it's one of the highlights of this collection of games. In short, I recommend this game as a side-game that you pull out and play for a quick 30 minutes to relax. The four games in the collection will give you several hours of gameplay. 3.5/5