Squish Review: Settle it in Squish

After first witnessing Squish at Play NYC 2021, I knew this would be a party game worth sinking my teeth into with friends and strangers alike. It’s simple premise paired engaging gameplay is the exact formula for a must-play party experience. However, while the chaotic couch multiplayer antics are top-notch, there’s little offered for solo players. Regardless, Squish is a must for any living room gatherings.

Squish Your Heart Out

In Squish, you play as a glowing skeleton that needs to strategically maneuver blocks with the goal of squishing the other skeletons into oblivion. The last skeleton in each round wins the round and gets closer to being the game’s winner. With up to four players locally or online, the craziness quickly becomes one of its best features. In the numerous times I’ve played the game on show floors, I had a blast when playing with strangers. This time around, the fun factor was cranked up even higher. The constant smack talk, silly moments, and constant ghost-dabbing gave the game an unmatched level of party-fun that I haven’t experienced in quite some time. It’s also worth noting that Squish can be played online on multiple servers, but at the time of this review, there were no opportunities to test it out.

Visually, the game looks beautiful and runs fantastically on the Nintendo Switch OLED. The same applies to PC as well. The bright colors and vibrant particle effects really shine on my portable device and don't come close to stuttering on either platform. Furthermore, the music is perfect for the game. Fun techno-pop really hones in on the rave aesthetic, which is even more amplified with the ghost DJ in all the backgrounds. Squish is a feast to the eyes for the players and has enough happening to engage people in the room that aren’t playing as well.

Squishing Up That Hill

The standard mode (Classic Crypt) focuses primarily on being the last ghost standing each round, but Squish also offers a few variations of the game itself. Crystal Caves, another game mode, is nearly identical to Classic Crypt, but instead can have players fall off the edges. Space Rave, also nearly identical to Classic Crypt, however its slight adjustment has players maneuver with much lower gravity (and thus much higher jumps). The last multiplayer game mode, Treasure Grab, is the only truly varied game mode among these five. Like the others, there are blocks falling from the top that you must avoid. But instead of solely trying to squish your enemies, you’re challenged to collect 30 coins. This was my second favorite mode (first was Classic Crypt) since it offered objectives to juggle as well as a steeper difficulty curve for players to master over time.

It’s Lonely to Squish By Yourself

Unfortunately, my biggest disappointment of Squish is the complete lack of single-player modes in the game. The only game mode that is exclusively solo, Gooby Gobble, doesn’t offer much in gameplay. Essentially, it is an arcade version of the game where you want to earn the highest score possible. What’s even more disappointing is the fact that none of the other game modes can be played with bots or CPUs for practice or single player rounds. Additionally, although there are more than 20 outfits and skins for the ghosts from the start, it doesn’t seem like there are any unlockables for the game. All lessen any options to grind or play the game as a single player experience. 

Breakdown

Game: Squish

Developer: Grave Rave Games

Availability: Nintendo Switch, PC

Reviewed on Nintendo Switch & PC

Pros:

+ Simple gameplay for low learning curve

+ Quick rounds for gameplay momentum

+ Fantastic visuals and music

Cons:

- Nearly non-existent single-player modes

- No customization nor unlockables beyond the start of the game

Final Thoughts

Squish is an absolute must-have with a group of friends or for social events. The two-button gameplay and movement is easy to grasp and can result in loads of fantastic moments of engagement. Though there isn’t much in the single-player-sphere, what’s there can be a fun challenge for those who chase high scores. Regardless, you’re bound to have a sensationally satisfying time in the world of Squish.

Reviewed by Harry Loizides