[Review] Hoplegs - Nintendo Switch

Developed By: WhyKev
Published By: Aurora Punks
Categories: Platformer
Release Date: 11.12.21

Hoplegs is…interesting. It’s another take of those physics based platformers/get to the goal types. That is to say an incredibly awkward, but fun experience. One that also be played with friends, making for an excellent game to pop out at a party.

A prophecy from long ago is being fulfilled. Whatever that means we don’t know yet, but out lead Hoppus, the apprentice of a wizard knows he must go on his way. He uses the teleportation spell, but bungles it in a catastrophic way. Shouldn’t have been thinking about his luggage…it turns him into a box. A box with many limbs. So with this change, he goes on his journey.

Each of the face buttons is a limb. The limb is the same regardless of direction you’re in, so this may be awkward, but the game always lets you know which is where. You can spin your body left and right if needed. This can work in and against your favor. It can get pretty silly and just make things much more chaotic.

Each stage has a little set of challenges. Can you beat the stage without spinning? It’s harder than you think. Can you make par for each stage? This too is also harder than you think. Don’t even think about attempting both at the same time. I’m nowhere near that coordinated.

There’s actually unlockables for Hoplegs! You can customize Hoppus to your liking if you unlock new legs, faces, skins, etc…Sometimes you’ll get them by just…getting good, sometimes it requires you to find certain objects in stages. The game isn’t incredibly long with it’s story, so this stuff is always nice. If that isn’t enough for replayability or extra however, there is a long all in one stage.

So personally, I never really enjoyed the physics based flusterclucks like this. They’re fun, but shallow, very, very shallow. That said, I did have fun, the story being included probably help. That said, this game can be and is frustrating. It’s the genre, but sometimes, especially if you are fishing for that par time, it feels like the game is just messing with you and not in a good way. Like I mentioned earlier, this can luckily be played with friends. And in co-op…I wonder if this game will kill friendships.