Review BurgerTime Party! (Switch)

Review code kindly provided by XSEED Games

I’ve always had a soft spot for fast food. My personal favourite is the quarter pounder with cheese. Due to already facing a battle against fast food in real life, I decided to participate in a virtual one thanks to Burger Time Party on Nintendo Switch.

What is Burger Time Party?

Burger Time Party isn’t to be confused with a common fast-food chain. The game is a modern remake of a platforming classic. Data East published the original game back in 1982. The game’s protagonist is burger diner owner Peter Pepper. The game’s opening sequence shows Peter playing with ingredients in an attempt to create a new burger. To Mr Pepper’s horror, ingredients and condiments come to life to seek revenge against our favourite fast-food connoisseur. That’s some story to tell at Halloween!

Gameplay

Burger Time Party is a fun arcade-style maze type puzzle platformer. Your task is to make burgers by playing through stages that consist of platforms, ladders, and obstacles while avoiding the fearsome foursome. Burger Time Party brings back Mr Hot Dog, Mr Egg, Mr Pickles, and introduces Mr Doughnut. Similar to PacMan’s Ghosts, each enemy has a unique chase pattern. Mr Egg’s movement is sporadic, whereas Mr Hot Dog chases Peter Pepper more directly. Mr Pickle’s movement is more intelligent in his attempts to trap Peter while Mr Doughnut charges at him like a bull seeing red.

To make burgers, Peter Pepper must run over burger parts situated throughout each stage. Burgers can vary in size and types depending on the size of the stage. Once run over, Burger ingredients fall to the next available platform, causing other ingredients to fall too if present. The key to building a high score is to make combos by either causing ingredients to drop while condiments stand on them or by dropping ingredients directly onto them.

I'm enjoying a Burger Time Party on #NintendoSwitch pic.twitter.com/Y5kA8GaElQ
— Jonah (@weloveninty) October 8, 2019

The maze type design of each stage means that things can get tricky. Burger Time Party is more than climbing ladders and running across platforms. It’s crucial to keep an eye on the layout of each stage, or you could easily end up cornered. To defend himself, Peter has a black pepper shaker, which gradually recharges itself as play continues. Pepper startles all villainous foodstuff and allows Peter to pass them without getting it.

To mix things up further, there are a variety of troublesome platforms and ladders. Some crumble as soon as Peter Pepper steps on them; others consist of slippery ice and cumbersome sticky oil. Along with Pac-Man style power-ups, such as spicy peppers and strength inducing drinks.

Game Modes

The game includes multiple modes. At first, players can enjoy smaller stages in Solo Burger mode. Solo Burger mode is a great way to learn the basics of the game. Main Burger Mode boasts larger levels, more enemies, and extra obstacles. Challenge mode offers even more extra levels which are unlocked depending on your progress in Main Burger Mode.

Most modes support competitive multiplayer for up to 4 players, and Battle Burger mode allows 2-4 players to compete against each other in a face off between cooks and cuisine. These modes are great for parties and family gatherings.

If you are extremely competitive, then there are online leader boards for you to compete against high scores worldwide. There are also achievements to win throughout the game too.

Presentation

The game has a nice updated 2D look suitable for modern-day consoles. The game looks great in both TV and Handheld mode, but I prefer playing with larger visuals on a bigger screen. Burger Time also has a fun soundtrack that blends well with on-screen action.

Overall

I love Burger Time Party for Switch. Being a fan of retro games, I was excited to hear about Burger Time Party’s upcoming Switch release, and I’m thrilled to say that the game is living up to my expectations. Simply put, I’m addicted to Peter Pepper’s war against fast food, and I if you’re a fan of arcade classics such as Pac-Man, Bubble Bobble, and Rodland then you can’t go wrong with Burger Time Party!

If you have a family, then the game play suits multiplayer well and will provide hours of fun for friends and siblings. On a side note, the game is instantly recognisable to my youngest son, who enjoys watching the game being played in solo mode.

There is a slight learning curve to building high scores, but after a short while, you’ll soon get the hang of making big combos!

I Like Burger Time Party a lot! 😊