Game: Super Adventure Hand
Genre: Arcade, Action, puzzle, platformer
System: Nintendo Switch (also on Steam (Windows))
Developer|Publisher: Devm Games
Age Rating: EU 7+ | US Everyone
Price: US $12.99 | UK £11.99 | EU € 12,99
Release Date: September 21st, 2023
Review code provided with many thanks to Devm Games.
Creepy Crawly Handy
Super Adventure Hand is a puzzle platformer where you play a literal hand on a quest to reclaim your lost arm from some evil feet. It falls into the category of weird physics-based puzzles. I often find these titles hit or miss in terms of their novelty, so I approached Super Adventure Hand expecting a fun but flawed experience. However, to my surprise, this is probably one of the best games in this category that I have played in a very long time. So, it gets a solid recommendation from me. If you want to know more, then read on.
As mentioned, the general game premise is silly, with plenty of humour. It begins with a fully animated cutscene, where you witness the hand and arm crawling through the forest only to be ambushed by feet with eyes. The arm is then stolen, and you are just left as a hand. It really is as bizarre as it sounds, but it works.
In-game graphics use smooth 3D models. Most of the level environments are this familiar stone-like environment with metal pipes and the odd lava pit because why not? It doesn’t present a lot of variety, and yet there are some nice little charms to its design. Each time your hand fails and respawns at a checkpoint, it will have a little plaster indicating its injury.
The hand may even make a witty joke to accompany the failure. The most striking design is the hand movements, which look and feel like a creepy crawly spider. One wonders if a spider was the original protagonist of this game. It looks kind of weird, but it grew on me with time. The games’ performance on handheld and TV was fine, and I would say the experience suits the entire family. Even though you are hand, there is no blood or gore.
Need a Hand?
Within these small 3D levels, the goal is to reach the coffee cup to progress to the next level. To do this, you engage in a variety of puzzle activities. This could include pushing blocks to create a bridge, plugging in electrical devices and swinging off zip lines. There are some really neat sections where you get to ride on vehicles like control cars, ride on trains and skateboards and even command an army of small hand minions. I was quite surprised by these little delightful surprises.
The most common mechanic is collecting keys to insert into some locks to unlock the way ahead. This mechanic was repeated a little bit too often for my liking, lacking the thrill of the more unique features mentioned above.
Most of these levels can be completed in less than five minutes, making this an ideal pick-up-and-play title if you only have a short amount of time. On completing a level, you are awarded a three-thumbs-up rating based on the time you finished. You can also collect a thimble or two to unlock new cosmetics for your hand.
Handy Controls
The biggest surprise to me was how good the controls were. Going in, I was expecting a loose experience where I would often fumble and fight with the game mechanics, as is often the case with these physics puzzles. While I did encounter the odd bit of weird physics, usually when jumping, I generally felt I had control of my hand.
The hand can crawl up walls without you pressing any additional buttons, and movement feels smooth and responsive. You only need to hold a button down when you grab an object, like a key. You are still able to move easily, but jumping is more weighted. Your hand can also flick objects like boxes, but this is usually used to move hazards out of the way. If you’re a little bored, you can even get your hand to emote, such as clicking your fingers or using a certain rude gesture. Don’t worry, parents, this is blurred out.
Challenge and Length
The game is challenging but rarely to the point of stressful frustration unless you’re trying to go for the three-thumbs-up rating. If you’re playing this more casually, you’ll likely find a satisfying experience. I never found I wasn’t sure of what to do or how to progress. The levels are littered with hazards where you can take a few hits or destroy yourself in one. You will likely fall off the edge due to a missed jump.
Luckily, checkpoints are frequent. The game took me around 4-5 long play sessions to finish, with just over 50 levels to conquer. Being a novelty experience, I didn’t feel much drive to return to improve my time or unlock new cosmetics, but those features are present for completionists.
Conclusion: Thumb Up
I really enjoyed my time with Super Adventure Hand. This is a physics puzzler with solid controls and entertaining bite-sized gameplay. The game felt at its peak when it experimented with more unusual mechanics like vehicles and level design. It faulted a little bit for me by relying too heavily on key collecting. Regardless, Super Adventure Hand still had me hooked to the end. While the game is only single-player, I can see this being a fun novelty experience to share with loved ones in the same room. Maybe swapping the controller or Switch between levels. This will likely get a giggle or two, if nothing else. It gets a solid one thumb up from me.
Final Verdict: I Like it a Lot
A free demo is available on the eShop.