The Scribblenauts franchise quickly became very popular because it did something no other game had done before. It gave you a sandbox-type puzzle where you were free to write down whatever you wanted. Once you got the right word, you solved the puzzle. Later on, adjectives were added to the franchise, making the mayhem complete. The cute style and incredible library of words made Scribblenauts into a huge success. Now, years later, Scribblenauts Showdown hits the market but the focus got shifted towards a mini-game collection. Is it any good? Time to find out!
Party with words
As said in the introduction, this isn’t your ordinary Scribblenauts game. Instead, the game throws you into a couple of party games where writing down words still is an important mechanic. For example, in one mini-game, you had to finish first in a race by riding on top of an animal. Of course, you could go for the pony but a random fish would also be a good pick. The fun of creating crazy things to solve your problem is still present in this spin-off but entering the words got a lot more difficult.
This time, you enter the words in a radial menu, where you push the analog stick towards a circle containing four letters. Found the letter you were looking for? Select it and press the corresponding button on your controller. This works but never gets easy to control. Most of the time, I was struggling to get the word I had in mind. It does help that the game gives you a lot of suggestions once you entered a couple of letters, but it still didn’t feel like the best possible solution out there. I’m a bit afraid a lot of gamers won’t have fun playing this game due to the strange way of entering the words, a mechanic that’s rather crucial for a game like this.
The mini-games lack variation
Creating a mini-game collection using the incredible engine of Scribblenauts doesn’t actually sound like a bad idea at all, too bad the product itself could have been a lot better. The main issue is the lack of variation. Sure, there are different types of mini-games, some will rely on your speed, while others will rely on your knowledge of words. At first, everything feels fresh and it really is a lot of fun to play with your friends. The more you play, however, the more you get the feeling that you’ve seen this before. The mini-games all look rather the same and don’t use original ideas, all of the mini-games have been featured in a different style in a different kind of mini-game collection, truly a shame!
Showdown Mode tries to solve this problem by adding a board game element. Players will have to advance on the board in order to reach the finish. Some heavy Mario Party influence aside, this mode does deliver some fun. The best element is the cards. Players will get different cards to make them go faster or force their opponents to take a few steps back. This in combination with the mini-games is actually fun to play and we can definitely see it work during parties. The lack of variation, however, is once more the main issue.
There’s a sandbox mode
The addition of an actual sandbox mode is something that could have saved this game but it’s not the sandbox you were hoping for. In the sandbox mode, you’re able to play one eight different maps where you’ll need to solve problems by creating the right object. Yes, this is just like the old Scribblenauts games but it never reaches the same level. Most of the problems that you need to solve are either too easy to solve or too hard without using the hints. Also, take note that the eight actual maps are rather small and you’ll understand why you’ll be finished with this mode quickly.
That being said, it’s still amazing to see how Scribblenauts tackles your creativity. With its huge library of words and adjectives, you can really go crazy with the objects you create. During sandbox mode, I had more fun creating and combining creatures and objects rather than solving the problem I was supposed to solve. It’s a bit of a shame that the sandbox mode doesn’t offer more than it does at this point.
Conclusion:
Scribblenauts Showdown is a letdown compared to the other games in the franchise. The mini-games lack variation and the sandbox mode lacks depth. Sure, you still can have a lot of fun thanks to the crazy creations you can make and the silly mini-games but it’s never the same amount of fun you could have with the older Scribblenauts games. There are a lot of better mini-game collections on the market as we speak but this one is a bit more original. If you’re looking for a fun game to play with your friends from time to time, it might be worth considering. Just don’t expect miracles from it.
