HackyZack from Digerati is a precision platformer puzzle game on Nintendo Switch that is worth checking out. Find out why in our HackyZack review!

 

HackyZack | Trailer | Nintendo Switch

You are Zack. Juggle balls, bounce off walls and avoid fatal falls as you try to make it through more than 100 levels of precision puzzle-platforming. Collect stickers along the way to unlock optional time-trial challenge levels as well as extra playable characters (who are also extra cute!).

Key Features

• Precision-platforming puzzle-stunt game
• Multiple ways to conquer 100+ levels across 6 challenging worlds
• Keepy-up with a variety of balls, including extra-bouncy and slo-mo
• Master movement and aiming: Bouncing! Ricochets! Wall jumps! Much more!
• Goal Mode: guide the ball to the exit to complete the stage
• Target Mode: use the ball to smash all diamonds on a stage as quickly as possible
• Collect stickers to unlock Target Mode levels and additional playable characters
• Relaxing, stress-alleviating soundtrack by Vincent Rubinetti
• Local 2-player mode: Take on Hacky Zack with a friend,

Hacky Zack is an interesting new hacky sack game from SpaceBoy Games now on Nintendo Switch. It’s got an interesting premise with you needing to kick a hacky sack to the goal in a level around as you try to navigate around some difficult obstacles.

 

Each level takes place on a single one screen, and you have to bounce the ball using the right stick. Depending on what direction you want to kick it to you just point the right stick there and you’re ready to go. Then you still have the standard movement for controlling the character and jumping. This is the focus of the game as you move yourself and your hacky sack around the level aiming to get it to the goal. The first few levels felt simple, but the difficulty ramps up quickly even before you get out of the initial set of levels.

You soon start to find obstacles such as invisible lines on which the ball will land on, but you won’t, destroyable blocks, portals, switches, and more, which complicate the gameplay. Add in some wall jumping mechanics, and you are in for a challenging platforming experience. I’m warning you about this, as I don’t think the game will be for novice platformer players. In a typical hard platformer, it’s you against the obstacles, but this game throws the hacky sack into the mix as well. IT’S-A-LOT to keep track of on the go. You will be wall jumping, hacky sacking, wall jumping hacky sacking, hitting switches, using portals and more as you go through a level. There are stickers that you can collect in all the levels, but you can’t die when you get them or else you have to do it again, so good luck with that!

I found that the movement of the main character never felt quite right. When I tried to make small adjustments, it was hard to get the precision I was hoping for. In a game like this which requires precision that’s a bit thing to adjust for, so do keep that in consideration.

The games art style is really great. It uses an 8-bit aesthetic in really interesting ways. It allows the levels to vary quite a bit, throwing unique backgrounds and changes at you. You have some different characters, and while they control the same, they have different animations and visual flair as you navigate the levels, which adds to the overall experience. The music is very simple and relaxing, but with how chaotic the game gets I’m surprised it never ups the tempo or beat.

Final Thoughts

I liked HackyZack. Its tough platforming experience that is enjoyable, but the high difficulty might keep people away. I think juggling your character, the sack, and the obstacles can get overly complicated, but I do like the structure of the game and its art style. As long as you know what you’re getting into, then you’re going to have fun.

Disclaimer
This Hacky Zack review is based on a Nintendo Switch copy provided by Digerati.