SkyScrappers

SkyScrappers is a neat idea that just needs fleshing out. It's a fun game at its core, and with more characters, levels and modes, it could be something great.

While there is a bit more depth than first appears in SkyScrappers it doesn't often rely on any of this. It is fairly easy to accidentally die because you didn't see a falling rock or fall behind because the platforms are just slightly out of reach. The game itself can be a fair bit of fun with friends, but the single-player is little more than an hour long tutorial and sadly there isn't anything else to do.

The thing is, other than changing up the scenery and playing with between 2 and 4 players there’s not much more to talk about. Exclusive to the Switch version of the game you do have the ability to play in vertical mode, which I suppose is novel, but even in single-player I found the scale of things a bit too small and I can’t imagine more than one person trying to play this way. Neat, but I’m not sure it’s practical. Overall, while there’s nothing outright awful about SkyScrappers there’s just not very much compelling about it either. If you have some friends available and are looking for something anyone could pick up perhaps it will be a reasonable choice but otherwise there are simply too many solid action games on Switch for this to make a major impression.

There’s not really much more to be said about SkyScrappers other than that having a vertical Tate Mode is always a nice feature if you happen to own a stand to support it. I suppose the benefit of such an addition along with multiple Joy-Con controllers at the ready does make this particular game somewhat suited for Nintendo Switch. It’s just a shame that there isn’t enough here to keep you coming back for more.

A decent game, but nothing groundbreaking, SkyScrappers is not among the eShop's best local multiplayer games.

So if you wanted SkyScrappers from the PS4 and PC on your Switch, you’ve got it. You have the definitive version thanks to the brilliantly executed Tate Mode, allowing SkyScrappers to be played in a far more natural orientation. There lack of any real updates elsewhere is a bit of a shame but let’s be honest, I’m just glad I now have SkyScrappers on my Switch. It’s a welcome return to a game I thought I’d never see anything more of again and that’s just fine by me.

SkyScrappers is a fun game that taps into the spirit of 2D classic fighters well, whilst also being truly unique. Unfortunately, while many of the concepts work, there's just not enough content or character to discover, so once you've gotten over the dynamic setting for the fighter, plus its rather specific challenges, you realise that there's not much to invest in. This is a shame, since, had the series been given more resources and a more pronounced sense of identity, it could have been a real classic. Perhaps a second instalment might fix a lot of these grievances, but for now, this is a fun title that lets itself down because there's not much to pick at.

As far as a final verdict, I'm still a bit on the fence. Some difference between characters would go a long way, but the pace and design of the game make it a blast to play.