Ultra Hat Dimension (Switch)

Thanks to Ratalaika Games for the code for this this rather interesting game to review!

Ultra Hat Dimension is an interesting and fun, albeit at times annoying and simple, game. It's a puzzle game, set up in maze format, and the plot is that you are punched for wearing hats. Really? Yes! You are punched for wearing them, and the plot involves your character using the power of the hats to convince others to do the punching for them.

The goal of Ultra Hat Dimension is to make your way through a variety of mazes, getting punched by hats, to make your way to the top of Spluff Palace and defeat the archnemesis who started this game. For the most part, it's pretty simple and straightforward. You first make your way to a key whilst getting punched by hats and then after you retrieve said key, you move your way to the door being punched by hats. Every level even has its own name, in addition to a number. However, I wasn't able to make it past Level 1-3, entitled 'Which Way, George?' without a walkthrough. In between levels, your character makes an observation on a screen about the various hats and the levels to break up the routine between levels.

Controls are straightforward; the control stick moves your character. X is an undo button that lets you undo a mistake and Y resets you at the start of the level. A and B are not used in Ultra Hat Dimension.

The graphics of this game are simple and colorful. It looks a lot like an old NES game, even though it was made with modern technology. The graphics are 2D and the perspective is top-down. It is played in real time.The music is simple and playful, but the sound effects are annoying. For example, on Level 1-3, the character's shout of 'OW' are often heard as the way forward is very difficult, if not impossible. I had to turn down the sound because it was so irritating.

The music, on the other hand, is fun and playful and fits the atmosphere well. The tracks are light-hearted and playful and add a lot of colorful music to a game. It is basically circus music.

How does the game hold up morally? Well, it's pretty squeaky clean. There are no occult or sexual references or any foul language. If you want to get picky, I guess the hats punching you could count as violence, but this isn't a game I would hesitate about giving to anyone from a moral perspective. But from a plot perspective? It's simple and straightforward and not a lot of excitement.

What else is there to say? This is a game to plow through maybe if you have some free time or a boring day, but it isn't very exciting. I was able to complete it in under 3 hours. It's not bad, and it's not anything that requires a warning for parents or that bothered my conscience. It just didn't hold my interest for any longer than a few hours.