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“Tetsumo Party” Review (Nintendo Switch)

Tetsumo Party by Monster Couch is a fast paced, goofy, and fun – albeit incredibly short – experience which is far better when played co-op.

Tetsumo Party is as basic as a game can get. There are no levels to speak of, nor is there a story. There is simply you and a never ending stream of walls that you must swiftly maneuver your character through.

"Tetsumo Party" Review (Nintendo Switch)
Credit: Monster Couch

Speaking of characters, there are a total of nine to choose from – although only two are available at the beginning. Each character functions essentially the same way, so the changes are cosmetic more than anything. But having a variety to choose from does alleviate some of the monotony that comes from repeating the same tasks repeatedly.

Each character does have a specific set of challenges, which lends some much needed diversity to Tetsumo Party. You may be tasked with surviving twenty walls without an error, or conversely – you may need to be hit by ten walls, etc. These can be rather challenging to complete and make up the bulk of the replayability factor.

"Tetsumo Party" Review (Nintendo Switch)
Credit: Monster Couch

Once you’ve chosen your character you will have the option to practice moving their limbs into various positions using only the X, Y, A, and B buttons. Be sure to take full advantage of this practice space as once the level starts there is little time to think about what button controls which body part.

For example, if you press Y once, your Sumo will stretch his arm out horizontally. Pressing Y again will have him bend his arm, while pressing it a third time will have him sticking his arm straight out. A further press of Y will have him revert back to his starting position. This is true for all the buttons whether they control an arm or a leg.

"Tetsumo Party" Review (Nintendo Switch)
Credit: Monster Couch

Your goal is to cycle through these various positions in an attempt to mimic the hole in the wall that is quickly approaching you. This is a game more about reflexes and learning the button order than it is outright skill. Nobody will be good on their first try, but by their twentieth they may be surprised with just how much they can pull off. What seems convoluted at first eventually becomes second nature, but by no means does Tetsumo Party become easy. Everytime you think you’ve mastered the game you’ll get thrown a wall that will leave you scratching your head.

Unfortunately, that’s it for the single player portion of the game. All you have is one never ending gauntlet of holes in the wall to conquer, with various items popping up from time to time to help you, such as a clock which slows down the speed at which the walls approach.

"Tetsumo Party" Review (Nintendo Switch)
Credit: Monster Couch

Thankfully, there is a co-op mode which brings a fun batch of chaos to the proceedings and breathes life into the game. With a friend you can either compete or work together to control various parts of the Sumo. It truly is amazing how something rather mundane when played alone can be brightened up so quickly when played with a friend.

That said, it is questionable just how much time you will spend with Tetsumo Party. But considering how cheap the game is to purchase, even if you only get an hour or two, I’d say it has earned its price. Tetsumo Party may be somewhat bare bones, but for only $4.99 it is a fun couch co-op game to play with your family during a night in and worth picking up.

Tetsumo Party is available now on the Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Windows for $4.99. Thanks to Monster Couch for providing Fan Fest News with a review code.

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