Moving Out is another Couch Co-Op Hit

Moving Out is another Couch Co-Op Hit

Release: January 1, 1970
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Genre: Switch Reviews
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The creation and release of wacky, fun couch co-op titles has ramped up over the past few years, with great hits like Overcooked and it’s sequel, Overcooked 2. This style game has created a number of fun and wacky similar titles, and the latest and greatest is Moving Out, developed by SMG Studio and published by Team 17, the great folks behind the Worms franchise. But can Moving Out capture the wacky fun of Overcooked? Let’s take a look.

Moving Out is broken into two separate sections – in one, you’ll drive your truck around the small but lively town, making various stops at homes, businesses, and more, to help with their moving needs. The bulk of the game, however, takes place within each level. Whether a house for living, or a warehouse, there will be a number of items that players will need to transport from the building or yard, and into the moving truck.

Prior to the start of each level, the camera will pan around the area highlighting the items that need to be grabbed, and indicating how many players you’ll need to move said items. My wife and I like to call this the “planning phase,” where we work out our strategy before hitting go.

And then it all goes to hell. And that is what makes Moving Out so a fantastic couch cooperative game. While we had our frustrations trying to move oddly shapped couches around corners, or attempting to pull TVs so the cords popped out of the wall, it was all done with a smile and a laugh. And we ALWAYS enjoyed having another shot at a level where we only earned a silver trophy, instead of that elusive gold.

And while you won’t find a ton of levels to play through, there is enough to keep you moving – getting a gold rating on any level is extremely difficult, and you’ll need to backtrack to obtain the three optional goals as well, which could range from placing an animal on the moving truck, to shooting a soccer ball into a goal, to scoring a basketball through the hoop. After playing a few levels, it was pretty easy at times to identify what the hidden objectives might be, even if it was your first go at the level.

Control wise, Moving Out is simplistic in the best possible way. One button to grab items, one button to jump, and one button to throw. Mastering each doesn’t take long, but doing it in sync with a friend – throwing that is – can be a learned skill here. Not a difficult skill, mind you, but one that will take practice with whomever you are playing with!

What kept us laughing was how we chose to tackle each level. Jumping and throwing stuff through windows is great fun, and launching items from a second story down into the truck was also a hoot. But it was the frantic moments when things just were not going your way, when my wife and I found ourselves having the most fun, and the most laughs.

With many different environments to explore, and different game play mechanics to master, Moving Out has proven to be a fantastic pick-up-and-play, couch coop experience, one that my wife and I will return to time and time again. 100%ing this title won’t be easy, but we are determined to get it done!