Official Score
Overall - 70%
70%
Shipped’s slippery controls take some getting used to, but those that can stomach its unorthodox approach to play will find a party title that is perfect for short bursts.
A pirate’s life is anything but carefree, as can be seen in Majorariatto’s new competitive party title Shipped. Featuring eight different captains and some perilous conditions, should you climb aboard this ship for adventure?
Shipped Review
Eight chibi girls take to the seas in shipped, each with their own unique style. They all want a golden cookie, which can turn into a key that opens a magic cookie chest after eight days. After choosing your lady, players must hold on to that cookie through eight rounds of ship battles, fighting their way to victory.
Evoking the style of a children’s book, Shipped hits all the right notes in its presentation. Though the seas are full of blues and greens, the soft edges and cheerful aesthetics shine through. This game wasn’t built on the largest budget, but what is here shines brightly with a personality all its own.
Gameplay comes in a number of different flavors, but the core gameplay remains the same throughout Shipped. Players will take control of a pirate ship, and can accelerate by holding down a button. Those that navigate past a crate will be able to get themselves some cannonballs, which can be used to blow up islands or opposing players.
The controls admittedly take some getting used to – it can be far harder to pilot a ship in a straight line than you’d think. The same goes with the cannonball mechanic, as players fire from the sides rather than forward. It’s not the most intuitive thing out there, and it could have been handled a bit better, but what is here is serviceable. Just be warned that this is an unforgiving title – bump against an island or the edge of the screen and it is over.
Players will be able to choose between “Cruise, “Race,” “Chase,” “Yincana,” “Sumo,” or a mix of these modes in a battle to get the most amount of points. Cruise is the most straightforward, featuring a gradually scrolling screen. Race kicks the speed up a bit and has players trying to navigate a quickly scrolling screen. Chase has players controlling this screen scrolling, and forces players to be on the offense just as much as defense. The oddly title Yincana has players hitting four stars, while Sumo zooms things into a very tight playfield.
Got all that? It might sound like there is a lot to keep track of in Shipped, but there is a pretty straightforward goal throughout: survive longer than your opponent. Some of the aforementioned modes are better than others – Yincana is a dud – but it still manages to spice things up enough to keep players on their toes. Just be warned that the stage types aren’t too different from one another – if you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all.
Outside of these custom options, players can also dive into an Arcade mode and can unlock pictures in the Gallery. There is a small amount of achievements, but this is not exactly a 100 hour epic. Though there is support for bots and up to eight players, no online play is available.
Shipped’s slippery controls take some getting used to, but those that can stomach its unorthodox approach to play will find a party title that is perfect for short bursts.
