Summary
Platform: Nintendo Switch
Release Date: April 26, 2019 (worldwide)
Price: $9.99 USD / 9,99 € / £8.99 / ¥1,200
Developer: HAL Laboratory
Publisher: Nintendo
Category: Puzzle, Platformer
Players: 1 or 2 (local co-op)
Format: eShop exclusive
Size: 543 MB / 569 MB
Questions & Answers
What type of game is this?
BOXBOY! + BOXGIRL! is a 2D side-scrolling puzzle platformer. You play as a box that can sprout a chain of boxes, which you manipulate to overcome obstacles. There's a variety of puzzle elements that interact with your boxes, which keep the plentiful 270+ stages fresh, creative, and fun.
Is there a demo available?
Yes. The demo contains 8 solo stages and 8 co-op stages, just enough to briefly explain the basics and introduce a few of the puzzle elements. It's a pretty short demo, but should be enough to pique your interest!
Can I play the co-op stages by myself?
Yes. You'll control Qbby and Qucy one at a time, pressing ZL or ZR to toggle between them.
Wait, they have names?
Do I need to play the previous games in this series?
No. The stories are fairly abstract and cursory, and each game is separate and coherent on its own.
Nintendo did put together a video called "The Story So Far" (see below). And if it doesn't make any sense, don't worry about it, seriously.
What are the previous games in this series?
The three previous games, all for the Nintendo 3DS, are listed below. A physical compilation of the three games was released only in Japan. For the rest of the world, the games are eShop exclusives.
BOXBOY!
BOXBOXBOY!
BYE-BYE BOXBOY!
Media & Links
Official Website
Box Basics Trailer
Overview Trailer
The Story So Far
Reviews
Nintendo World Report: 8/10
BoxBoy+BoxGirl is a successful and enjoyable puzzler with enough new additions in co-op and the rectangular box segments to feel fresh and new. While some aspects of BoxBoy's design are well-worn and overdone in the fourth entry, the entire package is endearingly charming with its minimalist presentation and clever twists that make most retread portions mere bumps in the road that don't detract from the overall fun.
DualShockers: 8/10
From three campaigns to chasing badges, there is a surprisingly hefty amount of head-scratching puzzles that will pull its weight. Whether you are simply killing time or want to crack some puzzles with a friend, BoxBoy! + BoxGirl! is one puzzle game you should not miss.
TheSixthAxis: 8/10
BoxBoy! + BoxGirl! is another quirky, charming puzzle platformer from HAL. It might not have quite as outlandish box types as Bye-Bye BoxBoy!, but it makes up for that as a welcoming entry on Switch for newcomers, stacks and stacks of bitesized puzzles and a new co-op mode to boot.
USgamer: 4/5
BoxBoy + BoxGirl is the most BoxBoy in any package before it, with three campaigns, co-op, and all sorts of new and familiar accessories to slap on your cubular buddies. The newly introduced cooperative puzzles and some of the new concepts are where BoxBoy + BoxGirl shine the brightest, like a yellow laser striking down pain. Even with a bit too much of a samey feel now four games in, and some performance issues when the levels and abilities get complex, BoxBoy + BoxGirl is a swell puzzle outing for the Switch.
Vooks: 4/5
BOXBOY! + BOXGIRL! is a satisfying puzzle adventure with plenty of challenging levels to keep you coming back. The variety of power-ups and unique hazards result in a game that stays fresh across the course of its three main modes. The addition of co-op is extremely welcome, and the tricky bonus objectives highlight the smart puzzle design on offer. If you enjoy pick up and play puzzle games, this is a great addition to your Switch library.
GameRevolution: 4/5
The game is a joy to play through from start to finish, elevated over its predecessors thanks to a smart co-op campaign. In total, there are three campaigns to play through, each offering a ton of value and twists on the series' tried and tested gameplay.
Game Informer: 8.5/10
Many of BoxBoy + BoxGirl's puzzles require some out-of-the-box thinking, but I was rarely stumped for more than a few minutes. If you ever get completely stuck, a hint system readily shows you the solution and can keep you from pulling out your hair. I also appreciate that you often have multiple ways to approach each objective. But if you really want to challenge yourself, you can tackle each level with a limited number of boxes, which earns you coins that can be redeemed for oddball cosmetic items.
GameSpot: 7/10
Brilliantly, you can also play the whole co-op campaign alone, switching between the two characters. Features like this usually don't work so well in games built specifically for co-op, but it's a good fit for these puzzles, which never require simultaneous action from both boxes. With some of Bye-Bye BoxBoy's more inventive elements--such as different block types--having sadly been dropped, co-op is far and away the biggest highlight that this entry brings to the series.
GameXplain: Liked
Waypoint: (no score)
Given that this was my first time playing a BOXBOY game, and given this is the series' Switch debut, I wasn't too sure what to expect, other than at least one box. What I got was way more than one box, and a delightful, side-scrolling puzzle platformer that, despite its consistently difficult stages, I couldn't put down.
That difficulty shouldn't scare you away, though. This game gets hard—like really hard—but I never got frustrated. Between the rewards and assist items you can obtain, BOXBOY! + BOXGIRL! never left me feeling like I didn't have enough to keep going.
Special Thanks
To Baladium, Squid Bunny, and Dash Kappei for their thread title ideas!
