Paddle Paddle Paddle from Assemble Entertainment and Zoroarts is a co-op, physics-based boat adventure for 1-4 players on Nintendo Switch. Learn more in our Paddle Paddle Paddle review!

 

Paddle Paddle Paddle from Assemble Entertainment and Zoroarts is a co-op, physics-based boat adventure for 1-4 players on Nintendo Switch. It’s an experience that will demand as much patience as possible as you take on a lava-surrounded parkour journey as you paddle your way through danger with hazards left, right, above, and below. The game’s goal is to keep you from surviving for too long while making you look as ridiculous as possible as you madly try to paddle, paddle, paddle your worries away.

I previously had a chance to work on a review for Makis Adventure from indie dev Zoroarts and publisher Ratalaika Games, a sidescrolling action platformer in which you’ll transform into a shark, and now it’s time to dive into a very different type of experience on Nintendo’s console thanks to Paddle Paddle Paddle.

 

As mentioned before, you can play the game either on your own or by having someone join you thanks to the co-op option. If you do jump into this crazy journey by yourself, you’ll be taking control of both paddles, which does, at times, feel as if the game is asking you to rub your belly and pat your head at the same time. You can play either the Main Game, which will have you exploring a big level, or take on a Racing Mode, which has you paddling against a friend as fast as possible. Oh, and the Main Game section also allows you to take the demo level for a spin so that you can get the hang of things, offering around an hour or so of content so that you can get your feet wet.

For this physics-based paddling experience, coordination will be key as you use the left or right analog sticks to try and look around you as you use the ZL button for the left paddle and the ZR button for the right paddle. Should you be playing with two Nintendo Switch Joy-Con with someone else, the SL and SR buttons will take over for the paddling.

As you can tell from the trailer and screens in this Paddle Paddle Paddle review, there’s a very, very useful deaths counter in the upper-left corner of the screen that will kindly let you know how many times you’ve died. There are many things that can end you with great ease as you try to paddle, so be sure to keep an eye out for anything pointy, sharp, spinning, or moving from left to right, since it will end you with a single hit. Spinning spikes? Check! Spinning blades? Check! Moving pieces of water that magically float around for no reason while moving left and right? Check!

The good news? The game will feature some checkpoints for you to activate, which will save your progress up to that point. When you die – not if, but when – you’ll be magically transported to the last checkpoint you activated. You can review how many checkpoints there are by checking out the progress bar at the top of the screen. Your goal will be to reach the distance marked by the flag in the upper-right part of the screen.

Paddle Paddle Paddle is a co-op, physics-based boat adventure for 1-4 players on Nintendo Switch. It’s an experience that will demand as much patience as possible as you take on a lava-surrounded parkour journey as you paddle your way through danger with hazards left, right, above, and below. The game’s goal is to keep you from surviving for too long while making you look as ridiculous as possible as you madly try to paddle, paddle, paddle your worries away.

As you make your way through the hazard-packed level, you will be presented with the optional goal of taking on some more challenging segments so that you can collect a bonus reward. These can include, for instance, a new straw hat for your character to wear, a colorful new type of boat, or some quirky paddles. You know, to go along with the googly-eyed characters.

Paddle Paddle Paddle is out on Nintendo Switch with a $4.99 price tag. There’s also Paddle Paddle Paddle Deluxe for $7.99, which, along with the base game, also includes the Paddle Paddle Paddle: Up Up Up DLC, a brand-new rage map that flips everything on its head. Instead of paddling forward, you are climbing straight into the sky (…even though you’re technically still paddling forward).

Disclaimer
This Paddle Paddle Paddle review is based on a Nintendo Switch copy provided by Assemble Entertainment.