Game: Clash Force
Genre: 2D Platformer, Action, Arcade
System: Nintendo Switch (also on PC, PS4 and Xbox One)
Developer|Publisher: Spicy Gyro Games | Ratalaika Games
Age Rating: EU 7+ | US Everyone
Price: UK £4.99 | EU € 4,99 | AUD $7.99 | CAD $6.29 | USD $4.99
Release Date: July 3rd 2020
Review code provided with many thanks to Ratalaika Games
Back in the 80s
When I was younger my two favourite ‘80s cartoons were He – Man and Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles (Yes, that’s Hero because at this point in the UK Ninjas were considered evil and too much for innocent children). Looking at the art work for Clash Force I was immediately drawn to the game as it felt like these two great cartoons sorta merged into a different universe and made a video game. Lets find out if this throw back is worth visiting.
Saturday Morning Cartoon
The Evil Crackman is up to no good and it‘s up to Clash Force to save the day and put an end to his evil plans, at least for this Saturday. Clash Force is made up of GuideVoom the green rhino man, Scorpido the scorpion person and finally Echid who I think is a cross between a porcupine and a platypus, who knows what. With the exception of Scopido these are not exactly names that roll of the tongue. They do look the part though. Over the top characters with large heads, just the right amount buff to believe you were watching an ‘80s cartoon. Unfortunately the game doesn’t include any valuable life lessons that you would expect at the end of a He-Man cartoon but one can dream. So I will. The lesson at the end of Clash Force is: don’t get stressed because if you do, Crackman will come over and make things rather tough for you. Take care of yourself, help others and don’t be like Crackman.
Okay, what I’m really trying to say here is Clash Force keeps things very simple. Not just from a story perspective but also from a gameplay one.
Keeping it Real and Simple
Clash Force is a simple to the point run and gun platformer. There’s no ammo so you can happily hold that trigger down throughout the entire level wiping out any enemy silly enough to get in your way. Just remember now and then you have to run over a few platforms. It’s simple but it’s fun. As you traverse the levels you can pick up new weapons which offer a marked advantage over the pea shooter weapon you start with. You can also occasionally find a shield to add some extra protection. The levels are pretty short, so you’ll soon zip through them. There’s a decent variety in level design. I never felt like the design was repeated just to prolong the experience. One moment you’re hopping around mushrooms, the next you’re riding rockets in the sky.
After 3 levels you take on Crackman who tries to wreck your day with a variety of machines. These encounters are wacky and over the top. If you die don’t panic, you just simply start at the beginning of the level, some levels are harder than others but I never really felt frustrated. Probably because the whole experience is so short.
Over Before you Know it
Clash Force gives you just over 20 levels of entertainment. Does it’s thing, then lets you get on with your work day, evening or gym workout. It doesn’t particularly do anything original but the controls are solid, the soundtrack is decent and the game is in a word fun. My first playthrough took less than 2 hours but the games does offer additional difficulty settings and I have to say the short experience did entice me to have another crack or clash in this case. I’m a busy person, so short to the point games like this are enticing, something that’s ideal on Switch.
I originally played this game on PC because you could get a copy of the soundtrack. A music score that I have to say is brilliant in that funky retro way. Unfortunately not a lot has really been done to upgrade the game to Switch. I guess they added some art to the border which you can see in the screenshots. The controls have also been mapped better on Switch whereas the PC seemed to favour keyboard controls over a controller. Other than that its a pretty plain port.
A Decent Episode
Clash Force is a fun simple coffee game that has the nostalgia of the ‘80s but won’t do anything to particularly surprise you. If you’re looking for a simple fun, run and gun platformer this will scratch that itch at a nice price to boot. But if you’re looking for something with more depth you can give this one a miss. Much like an episode of He – Man it won’t cause any harm if you miss one episode. There’s always next Saturday!
Final Verdict: I Like It
