Set to release tomorrow for PS4, Xbox One, PC, and Nintendo Switch, Sumo Digital’s Snake Pass explores the concept of navigating a world typically built for a platformer, but without the ability to jump. Instead, players control a colorful snake named Noodle, who slithers and wraps themselves around blocks and branches using a rather unique control scheme.
Snake Pass doesn’t appear to venture into the “frustrating for the sake of being frustrating” realm of games like QWOP and Octodad, but rather presents a vibrant and pacifist buddy-platformer that just happens to have a physics-based control requirement that’ll take some getting used to.
The video above from the official Snake Pass YouTube channel goes in-depth about the game’s distinguished controls. However, I found IGN’s Up at Noon! stream to be more informative, which shows off quite a bit of Snake Pass’s tutorial level and core mechanics.
The folks at Sumo Digital have also released a trio of dev diaries that go into Snake Pass’s beginnings as a game jam project, its newfound art direction and character design, and concept of locomotion, which I thought was incredibly interesting.
It’s nice to see a revival of sorts in the mascot platformer, but Sumo Digital appear to be taking a novel approach with Snake Pass, instead of simply following genre tropes and meeting basic expectations. Color me intrigued.
Will you be checking out Snake Pass tomorrow?
Cheap Boss Attack 
If I see it in a sale at least, I’ll get it then. Looks a good-un.
Reuben
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I think it releases tomorrow at $19.99, which seems reasonable. I wonder how long it’ll be before *anything* goes on sale on the Switch eShop?
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A while at least, although some sort of summer sale wouldn’t surprise me.
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These dev diaries are so interesting – love a good game jam underdog story!
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It’s definitely inspiring to see something that began as a weird rope mechanic mishap turn in to what we’re getting tomorrow.
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I love games that kind of break out of the genre. A platformer with an animal that can only slither is pretty neat sounding. Not to mention the game looks beautiful and like it plays really well. They seem to have somehow pulled off that Rareware feel in the aesthetic – I’m seeing some Yookah-Laylee similarities in the soundscapes and cartoonish character design. Definitely going to keep my eye on this one for when I finish Blaster Master Zero!
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It’s definitely interesting and they seem to have nailed down the physics in a way that seems fun while avoiding the frustrating nature of something like Octodad.
I’m looking for something digitally to play in short bursts for car trips, so I may grab Blaster Master Zero today. $10 is worth the gamble, I think. I have Binding of Isaac, but I bought it physically for the extra goodies. Though.. I don’t see me taking Zelda out of the Switch for a while lol.
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This is a really neat idea. I love the art style too.
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It has that vibrancy that took over the N64 era and I’m all about it. Can’t wait to give it a shot.
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Now that I think about it, Bionic Commando was also a platformer that didn’t involve any jumping. It’s certainly an interesting idea when done well.
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Oh, that’s a good one! VVVVVV is another without jumping that was executed very well.
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Definitely going to look into this one! A platformer without jumping? That’s something I didn’t think was possible!
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A lot of folks seem to be enjoying it, but it was ultimately not for me. I hated the controls. Very pretty and unique game, though.
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I just read your review about it. It’s really a shame that I have to give it a…pass :p (I’m mad at myself for not making that pun in my comment on the review itself).
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