Manic Mechanics review | Nintendo Switch

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There's nothing quite like frantic same-screen coop action. While there are many similar experiences out there across consoles and PC, nothing quite has the same combination of challenges and chaotic moments as Manic Mechanics, and the Switch is the perfect place for it.

by James Michael Parry

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​@james_parry

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Developer: 4J Studios
Publisher: 4J Studios
Platforms: Switch
Players: 1-4

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The team at 4J Studios, with first new IP in well over a decade, having been on Minecraft port duty in the meantime, have channelled all of their creative juices into this effort and rustled up something quite special.

Those familiar with Overcooked will see some familiar elements here, but the team manage to make the format their own with the inclusion of specific mechanics (no pun intended…) to keep the gameplay varied and engaging from the very first level.

For the uninitiated, Manic Mechanics is a one to four player local or online coop experience which has you fixing up cars in a specific time limit by repairing specific parts in a handful of ways.

Car need a new tyre? No problem, just pump up a fresh one from the new parts conveyor. Spoiler needs a fresh paint job? Throw it onto the pain station and have at it. Engine need a tune up? Get that workbench to work.

Each task has its own combination of button presses which are easy at first glance, but deceptively hard to do perfectly in a panic.

Sound simple enough? Wait until you have a battery that needs charging and combined with an engine, that needs repairing first, oh, and if you're too rough with the engine you'll cover the floor in oil which could set on fire and burn your characters horribly.​

The 25 levels offer an impressive mix of hazards and challenges to make your time in the garage even more manic, one particular favourite takes place, inexplicably, in a bowling alley, where you must avoid NPC bowlers themselves while flapping around.

In the later levels there are even more things to worry about, as you start to reassemble vehicles on a production line, where they will only accept certain missing parts in missing places. This is where the concept of communication really comes into play.

While it is possible to play Manic Mechanics yourself, unfortunately without helpful AI pals to assist you the garage can be a very big and unwieldy place – even with the ability to dash and throw items around to help speed up the repair.​

The difficulty is well balanced...as getting through levels, with a bit of luck, isn’t too tough, but feeling like you’ve really got the hang of it is another story...

When combined with three friends though, it really takes the game to a new high, as you panic, rush and generally spam controls hectically, trying to beat both the cog score for the level (basically a one to three rating) and the high scores on the board.

​​There aren’t any individual scores, so your teamwork is what makes the magic happen, and everyone gets to revel in success together. The difficulty is well balanced though, as getting through levels, with a bit of luck, isn’t too tough, but feeling like you’ve really got the hang of it is another story.

Between levels, the overworld has some fun little elements, but no mini games or anything for you to really feel like you need to spend time there. The levels are split into fun themed zones however, and seeing the aesthetics gradually shift and that be reflected in the levels themselves is great fun.

There are a bunch of characters to choose from, but no character customisation, which might have been a nice way to take the character element up a notch without affecting gameplay.

In all the experience has just the right amount of moving parts to make each level feel different and gradually build in complexity to its chaotic and, appropriately, manic peak.

As a party game, this game slips in right alongside other games in this genre like Moving Out, Overcooked 2 and even one of our forgotten favourites – Catastronauts, as a fun time which has only a few controls to remember but takes a long time to master.

Do yourself a favour and pull into the garage to get a full multiplayer service and MOT immediately.

Pros

• Fun pick-up-and-play multiplayer madness
• Bright, colourful and charming, with plenty of variety
• Easy to play, difficult to master

Cons

• Lacking as a singleplayer experience
• Can feel repetitive in places
• No character customisation or memorable moments in the overworld

9/10