Game: Melbits World
Genre: Puzzle, Arcade, Multiplayer, Party
System: Nintendo Switch (also on PS4)
Developers/Publishers: Plug-In Digital
Price: £8.99| €9,99|US $8.99| AU $14.99|CA $11.90
Age Rating: PEGI 3, US E
Release Date: December 19th, 2019
Review code kindly provided by Plug-In Digital
Puzzles, Parties and Melbits, Oh My!
Melbits World is a co-op party puzzle-platformer (try saying that five times over) that made its debut on the PS4 in early 2019. Co-op is key in this cute puzzle game that has you working with friends to remove obstacles and bounce little Melbits from one level to the next. Melbits Worlds’ migration from PS4 to Switch was probably in part due to the Switch’s natural capacity for couch co-op mode, as this is what this game is all about (the game requires a minimum of two players). Instead of players having to log in with their phones, they simply have to swipe a joy-con to maneuver the cute little Melbits from point A to B. Of course, this is easier said than done.
Maneuvering your Melbits
The point of this game is to simply have fun. Unlike other co-op puzzle games on the Switch, like Spelunker Party, the game does not start with some kind of minor objective that gives purpose to your puzzle solving endeavors. Gameplay is simple. You start with some Melbits, which are nothing more than cute and silly little creatures that like to dress up and dance, then send them off into a twisting and turning world of your choice. There are four worlds your Melbits can navigate through, each with nine levels in them that progressively get harder as you go. I say this very lightly. These puzzles are not very hard.
My first impression when looking at the bright colored platform levels of Melbits World was, “Oh, this is like Captain Toad Treasure Tracker.” I expected the worlds to spin and reveal some hidden passageways or the like. Rather, the platforms are stationary. There are logs that can be moved, buttons that can send Melbits flying, and walls that can be lifted and dropped. The job of controlling these features is split between the 2-4 players. So no, you cannot be the cute Melbit. They simply walk through the platform without a care in the world as you, an omniscient observer, simply mashes one or two buttons on your joy-con to move these obstacles in a way that directs your Melbits to safety.
As I mentioned before, these puzzles were not hard to figure out. Honestly, what had me replaying them over and over was my need to ensure that all four of my Melbits safely exited the platform. Sometimes the little critters would accidentally be pushed off the ledge of a platform or be eaten by an evil Melbit that prowls certain levels. Such accidents would often be followed by that particular Melbit’s scream as it met its demise. Yes. Melbits die. Of course, you can still pass a level with only one Melbit remaining and the rest of them reappear by the next level. But there’s something just so sad about seeing my little creatures plummet to their death that had me continuously pressing the restart button.
Collect ‘em and Dress ‘em and Dance with ‘em
Melbits aren’t particularly useful creatures. They’re cute, they can be dressed up, and they dance around. Honestly, there’s not much more to them. However, I was still excited when I would finish a level and a Melbit egg would suddenly float down from the digital heavens and another uselessly cute creature would hatch on command. I admit, I had fun seeing what big-toothed or chunky creature would arrive next. And I quite liked adding ribbons and scarves to the ones I fancied most.
After deciding which Melbits you’ll send to their demise- I mean- dance party, the rest of them kind of just exist in this empty space. Better said, the menu screen doubles as a goldfish bowl that allows you to just watch your little creatures walk around and interact with each other before jumping into some puzzles. Some of them even kept their little accessories on.
Watching your cute Melbits walk aimlessly and do silly dances is just a notch more fun than watching fish in an aquarium. What I found disappointing was the fact that you can’t really interact with your Melbits. They’re just kind of…there. But, hey, at least they’re cute.
There’s Something Funky going on, and I don’t mean the Dances
I played Melbits World on my T.V, and for the most part the game had sharp, bright graphics that went along with the themes of the different platform worlds. The way the Melbits interacted with their world was also, for the most part, quite smooth. They would jiggle a bit if two or more Melbits bumped into each other, they would hop and turn at all the right places, and not once did I see a Melbit slipping off the ledges from some weird glitches.
Sadly, Melbits World isn’t a perfect game. I can’t speak for its performance on the PS4, but while playing it on my Switch I did encounter a few bugs or weird controls. The scariest thing that happened was during the dress-up menu that appears before you set them free in a puzzle.
I was trying to get a 360 view of my bunny Melbit to see the tail accessory I put on it, but then it got stuck. No matter what I pressed the little bunny wouldn’t move. So, I decided to return to the main menu and try again. In other words, I was trying to reset this feature. Once I arrived back on the dress-up menu, the bunny Melbit and the bear Melbit my boyfriend was simultaneously trying to dress-up disappeared from my collection. They were neither in the dress-up menu or the main menu. Worried for the wellbeing of our digital companions, we exited and re-entered the game. You could say I audibly sighed in relief at their return. Even though they came back, (perhaps from some kind of auto-save feature), the charm of the game is the Melbits that you can collect and customize. To have them randomly disappear from existence is a bit worrisome, to say the least.
Another, rather frustrating, experience I had with the game was in the controls of the second world. As you move through the various worlds, the type of buttons and controls you press change. In world one there were walls that could be moved up and down by simply pressing the “a” button. To keep things feeling fresh and different from level to level, the actions changed depending on the world you were in.
World two often has you moving your joystick in a particular motion to either raise or lower a little platform elevator your Melbit would be standing on. There would be times that I would be moving my joystick as instructed, but the elevator would start to slide down instead of up, preventing my Melbit from getting off. In a game where time is of the essence to ensure your Melbits avoid getting in traffic jams or missing a certain platform, its rather frustrating to have the controls not be as accurate as they should be.
However, I must say that I am unsure of whether this was the game’s fault or that of my own joy-con. Also, this only happened a few times, not every time, when having to rapidly twist the joystick.
Creatures Born to have Fun
Melbits World isn’t a game that is trying to do anything groundbreaking in its genre. It’s a short puzzle platformer that just wants you to have fun. Admire the little Melbits, laugh a little as you accidently push a Melbit off a cliff, and gain some slight satisfaction from growing your collection of cute creatures. I think this fairly short and simple game is great for families, young kids, and those that just want something to smile at. Despite its few issues, Melbits World had me smiling all the way through. (Yes, even when they fell to their death.)
Final Verdict: I like it
