Tetsumo Party | Xbox One Review
I’ve always loved party games. It gives me an excuse to get people who normally don’t play video games to join me in front of my consoles. The Jackbox Games alone have provided countless hours of hilarity at my house. Which is why I was immediately interested in Tetsumo Party from developer Monster Couch. Its absurd premise and easy-to-understand concept looked like a perfect fit for my next gathering of friends. Although the initial experience gave me exactly what I was looking for, the enjoyment was somewhat short-lived. But considering the game’s low price, it’s still worth giving a shot, even if you only play it one night with your friends.
As Seen on TV
Back in the first decade of the new millennium, a television game show called Hole in the Wall debuted. It only lasted a couple years, probably because of its ridiculous concept. Contestants had to contort their bodies to fit through a moving wall to avoid getting pushed into a pool of water. Sound silly? That’s because it is.
Tetsumo Party takes that bizarre concept and turns it up to eleven. The Contestants are scantily-clad sumo wrestlers. Yes, you read that correctly. Your goal is to fit a full-figured character through a hole in the wall to avoid a concussion.
This is an even harder task than it sounds. As the wall approaches your character, the cutout shape takes the form of certain poses. Your job is to toggle between each of your four limbs to match the shape in order to pass through unscathed. As each wall passes, they move increasingly fast until you inevitably can’t last any longer.
Better with Friends
Playing alone is just OK. The best experience is playing with another friend (or three). It’s chaotic, and will have you punching your friend in the shoulder. Much like most competitive puzzle games, doing well causes problems for your opponent. If you get through a string of walls without mistakes, you might cause the other players’ controls to be switched. This makes it very difficult for your mind to work correctly to stay in the game. But it’s hilarious to watch your friend struggle while he or she screams at you.
And that’s where the true fun lies with Tetsumo Party. Playing against your friends is guaranteed to make you howl with laughter. The slapstick humor is pretty satisfying if you’re a fan of silliness (and are young enough to still find butts funny). If you can get three friends to join, it gets even more frenetic. The chaos makes for a great time, especially if you have some beverages to enhance the experience.
Tetsumo Party Final Verdict
As fun as the game is, the novelty wore off very quickly for me. Considering it costs less than half the cost of seeing a movie at the theater, it’s hard to not recommend. You might only get one night of enjoyment out of it like I did, but the laughs are worth it. It’s just nothing I have any desire to play again. Some might enjoy unlocking other character skins, but Tetsumo Party works best as a bite-sized party game.
This review is based on a copy provided to The Gaming Outsider by Evolve PR for coverage purposes and is also available on Switch, PS4, and PC.
Tetsumo Party
$4.99
Pros
- Hilarious Fun for a Group
- Easy to Learn
- Keeps Couch Play Active
Cons
- Difficulty Ramps Up Too Quickly
- Short-Live Experience
