Video Game Spotlight: Flip Wars

The Nintendo Switch does not lack for multiplayer games. With Arms, Mario Kart 8, and Super Bomberman R in its library there are plenty of games for families and friends to play together. Yet more always comes to Nintendo’s console for you to sink your teeth into as the release of Flip Wars demonstrates.

Flips Wars is a competitive multiplayer game published by Nintendo and developed by Over Fence Co., Ltd. At first look, Flip Wars seems a shallow experience as there are not many modes and stages. But looks are misleading.

When I started up Flip Wars I was playing alone. Flip Wars can work for a lone player with its clever, challenging A.I., and the single-player mode allows you to learn the basics. But the game is built for human competition.

Flip Wars is a competitive tile-flipping game. Four players enter the game board and slam down on tiles to claim a portion of the board in their color. Players can flip panels to pick up power-ups that make them faster, give them a higher panel-flip radius, or change their flip style. Depending on the map there are additional items that change up the game such as a button which claims a greater portion of the board in your color or a laser that will flip panels based on which angle it’s facing.

The game get chaotic as you fight for items and try to control the board. Panels can be flipped continuously so players keep fighting to maintain control. You gain a temporary advantage by strategically aiming your attacks to knock your opponents off the board. This gives you extra time to claim more on the board but is also extremely difficult.

With more control of the board you can move faster – as long as you are on your spaces you move quickly but moving onto an unclaimed space gives you a serious speed drop. If you move slow players can more easily flip you off the board so you have to plan your movements accordingly. All the while there is a timer counting down.

At launch Flip Wars contains three game modes: Panel Battle, Knock Out, and Life Battle.

In Panel Battle you and three other players compete to have the most panels in your color when the timer runs out. This mode may sound simple but is chaotic fun.

In Knock Out players work strategically to flip panels and knock their opponents off the board. At the end of the game the winner is determined by which player has the most knock outs. This game mode is where even more strategy has to be considered. To win you need to watch enemy movements and even adopt fake-out tactics to trick your opponents into making a move so you can quickly remove them.

Life Battle is ultimately the same as Knock Out but exchanges the timer for lives. The last man standing is the winner so you better adopt the appropriate strategies.

At first glance Flip Wars may seem shallow but as you dive deeper there is plenty of strategy and fun. If you own a Nintendo Switch and have gaming friends this is a must-play game. With online battles and local battles you will find some fun in Flip Wars – check it out in the Nintendo eShop.*

*The game is not available in North America until August 10.

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments