I'm a big fan of couch co-op games and have fond memories of my children's first attempts at gaming together: smashing blocks together in the family-friendly LEGO games or mastering levels with Sackboy or the, in my opinion, criminally underestimated Knack, that it was just fun. These days the boys prefer to keep to themselves, but I'm always up for a cozy game night on the sofa with friends or family and fresh couch co-op fodder is always welcome.
Although Manic Mechanics was released for the Nintendo Switch in July last year, the cooperative – and now also competitive with the new Versus mode – vehicle repair game completely passed me by. On the occasion of the versions for PC, PlayStation and Xbox, which will be released on March 7th, I threw myself into the busy action and, together with a few colleagues, equipped cars, UFOs and submarines with new components under time pressure.
The Scottish developers from 4J Studios from Dundee have not reinvented the wheel, but are consciously relying on the tried and tested formula of successful indie productions such as Overcooked and Moving-Out. Incidentally, it is the first independent development by the studio, which has been exclusively involved in console ports such as The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, Perfect Dark and Minecraft since 2005. Does the proximity to well-known representatives of the genre reduce the fun of the game? Not at all: Manic Mechanics has enough fresh game mechanics and its own charm to become a couch co-op favorite for me.
The principle of the game is quickly explained: up to four players put on their overalls and have the task of getting vehicles back on the road. The required parts run continuously through the factory hall on a conveyor belt; tires, engines, doors or spoilers are picked up and processed at stations. Once the door has been painted, the tire has been inflated or the engine has been worked on with a hammer, you run to the waiting vehicles and install the spare parts. If time is running out, throw your component towards the vehicle at the last minute and secure the points.
Manic Mechanics
It sounds easy, and it is. At least at the beginning of the 30 levels in the six colorful worlds. But the requirements become trickier when new parts are added and electric motors first have to be charged with a battery or, in a spooky level, parts possessed by ghosts first have to be exorcised. And there are further hurdles in the workflow. Each component is processed at the workstations with a mini-game and you have to press a button several times or hit a displayed area in time.
This isn't difficult, but it does require full concentration as the process becomes increasingly chaotic, especially when further chicanes are added with abysses, lava flows and moving boxes. And then there is the time pressure, because only if you have repaired enough vehicles in the allotted time will you achieve the necessary points to be able to tackle the next level. At the end you can expect a boss fight in which a nasty opponent makes your work life difficult. If you defeat him, you will gain access to the next themed world of Octane Island, where the story takes place.
When you're not repairing vehicles such as cars, motorcycles, trucks or UFOs in the factory levels, you're racing around the overworld in small cars and looking for secrets that will give you new outfits for your characters or unlock shortcuts. The developers want everyone to be able to play. The learning curve is gentle and new game mechanics are introduced carefully.
For children or inexperienced players, help can be activated in the settings so that the mini-games at the workstations are carried out automatically. But if you're looking for a challenge and only feel comfortable in total chaos, then you'll get that too. The campaign can also be completed alone, but for me it's only really fun when an effective team works together where everyone does their job.
You don't necessarily have to meet in person in front of the screen, you can also look for colleagues online. However, these must be in your friends list; matchmaking with strangers is currently not an option. The developers value a friendly and peaceful atmosphere that would otherwise not be guaranteed. My friends don't know them, but I understand the idea.
A big plus for me is the new Versus mode that 4J introduces. The upcoming versions for PC, PlayStation and Xbox will include “Contrast” directly, and the Switch will receive a free update. There are six versus arenas available, one from each of the six themed worlds. Here you divide your squad and play either one against one, two against two or two or three against one for the highest score. To be honest: That put me in a really good mood, especially since you can run over your opponents or simply steal parts that have already been assembled. After all, schadenfreude is the most beautiful joy. If you always want to have a few hours of fun with friends in co-op or versus mode, then you can't go wrong with Manic Mechanics. For me, the wild screwing is a real alternative to Overcooked and Co.