Snake Pass by Sumo Digital is a puzzle platformer that features two charming characters, Noodle the Snake and Doodle the Hummingbird. Created by Seb Liese while he was learning Unreal, he designed the game’s serpent protagonist after carefully studying the unique movements of his pet snakes.
As a result, the mechanics of Snake Pass are incredibly immersive, as you really feel like you’re controlling the body of a squiggly snake. According to Sumo Digital, Noodle is comprised of over 30 individual segments each with their own properties of movement and grip.
They call this in-depth tactile approach “Snake Physics,” which is a pretty accurate summation of how it feels to control Noodle.
The main objective of the game is to collect three different objects of varying shapes and colors in order to unlock the “snake pass” at the end of each level. There are over 15 levels in total, and the collectible items will vary as you progress.
On the first level we played, we gathered Coins and Orbs in addition to the aforementioned items needed to complete the level. In order to comfortably maneuver around and obtain some of the harder to reach items, you’ll need to master Noodle’s abilities.
For some, this can take hours. For us, however, we were able to pick it up instantly. To increase your forward momentum, simply move your left stick from side to side to prompt Noodle to slither along.
To scale the array of bamboo poles and ledges, you’ll need to lift Noodle’s head up, then coil and wrap around your object of choice.
If you feel Noodle begin to unravel, squeeze the left trigger to tighten your grip. Doodle, while primarily acting as your hummingbird sidekick, does come equipped with one extremely helpful maneuver—picking up Noodle’s tail.
We used this mechanic when hunting down the location of the last Orb. Once we spotted it, we realized there were a few ways in which we could reach it. After a few moments of contemplation, we decided to have Doodle pick up Noodle’s tail as we slowly lowered ourselves over the ledge to a slim platform on the other side.
Without Doodle’s help, we would have missed our target entirely and gone flying off the side. Fortunately, we were able to snag the last Orb and wind our way along the ground toward the finish line.
We were particularly celebratory at this point, having collected all items available in the first level. Prior to returning the controller back to its rightful spot, we were given a glimpse at another cool feature in Snake Pass—changing Noodle’s facial expressions. You can make Noodle look happy, sad, confused, and our personal favorite, devious.
Snake Pass differs from its retro platformer inspirations in that there are no enemies to face. Instead, Snake Pass is a relaxing game of strategy. Speaking of retro platformers, Snake Pass also acquired the musical talents of Rare’s David Wise.
Upon loading into Snake Pass, we were greeted with a musical aesthetic that instantly transported us back to our childhood. To hear for yourself, head over to SoundCloud to listen to a few samples.
Finally, to pick up your very own copy of Snake Pass, the game is scheduled to release on March 28th across all platforms including PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and the Nintendo Switch. Want to know more? Be sure to follow Snake Pass on Twitter, and check out the official Snake Pass website!
