For people who love solid co-op play, the last year or two have been pretty solid for Switch fans. Granted, there very much could always be more titles out there to enjoy with others, but given that they’ve sometimes been a style of game neglected entirely it’s great not just to see some making their way to the eShop, but many of them generally being well-made to boot!

All Hands on Deck is a more playful and creative take on the subgenre than most, but that absolutely doesn’t mean that it’s easy either. You’ll each play as one of two hands, Lefty and Righty, as you work through each stage trying to grab every coin you can, also keeping an eye out for elusive buttons as well. Using your own platforming skills, a variety of tools, and sometimes a bit of ingenuity, you’ll work through every obstacle in your way. For an extra challenge each stage also includes a timed challenge where you’ll try to grab a number of puzzle pieces, and these can absolutely get tricky in spots, making both players work together and sweat a little bit rather than one player always being able to muscle through it all.

Where the creativity kicks in first is that you’ll each have the ability to use some skills in rock, paper, or scissor modes, bonking buttons, cutting elements of the scenery, and more. What you’re able to interact with isn’t always easy to see, sometimes making you recognize subtle details in the scenery, so each player will need to keep an eye out and think devious thoughts since the developers have some tough-to-find spots where they’ve hidden things. 

There are some challenges as well though, starting with the fact that at times the camera isn’t your friend, and your sense of depth perception can make some platforming areas more difficult than they should be. If you and your partner are expecting some degree of handholding you also may be surprised, as once you’re on your way and armed with the basic things you need to know, you’re generally expected to figure things out yourself. All that said, if you don’t mind some quirks, and maybe a little jankiness here and there, this is a pretty great co-op experience overall, especially since it just feels novel in its approach.