The makers of Party Golf are back at the local multiplayer scene with the release of Party Crashers on Nintendo Switch. As can be expected, this game aims to rile up the room with a second round of its neon aesthetics. This time, we’re taking it out on the road in an assortment of colored cars. This one was a lot harder for me to really pin down. Admittedly there were things I did like, while there were other aspects that felt more like a turnoff.
Graphics
Party Crashers sticks with the multi-color neon themes that made its predecessor a stimulating journey for the eyes. That is, except for the fact that the game is now played from a 3D (usually behind the cars) perspective. While the style isn’t bad on its own, I feel like the game doesn’t take that much advantage of it. All the tracks tend to look the same aside from the layout. In fact, multiplayer sessions can cause the framerate to be downright jittery depending on how much action goes on. This was particularly distracting during the battle mode, where we’re not even on a track – rather a compact arena! Why is the framerate having a hard time staying stable?
Audio
Weirdly, Party Crashers recycles much of the same, if not all of the same, music as its predecessor. It’s the same instrumental pop and techno that was present before, and it’s topped off with the same celebratory jingles that are triggered when a player declares victory. I suppose the developers are using these as series staples. But hey, if you like explosion sounds and HD Rumble accompanying it, the items in the game can feel fun to use.
Gameplay
This is a racing game where players have to try to not fall off of the track. Depending on the mode, you either respawn and have to catch up to the other player(s) or be eliminated entirely. The cars also have health bars, which can be depleted by being attacked with items. Fun as it could be once you start to get the hang of things, I couldn’t help but feel like something’s off. The magic isn’t as there as it was in Party Golf. Maybe it’s because it doesn’t feel like it changes up nearly as much. There are plenty of modes and features in the game, but the changes they make to the gameplay amount to minimal. It continues feeling like the same song and dance. Elimination does get pretty intense thanks to the death bar revving up behind the players, but take that element out of the question and the game ends up meandering.
Verdict
It’s not to say it is a bad game when everything is taken into account. There are good things about it, as it is a party game that can get a few laughs out of unsuspecting players. It just feels like the idea isn’t fully realized when it comes to how Party Crashers would be able to harness its staying power. You can feel free to give it a go if it sounds like it’d be a blast for your get-togethers, but there are other party games I’d personally recommend over this one.
Review copy provided by Giant Margarita
