Everybody 1-2-Switch will be your new favorite party game

I’m probably alone in saying that 1-2-Switch is one of my favorite Nintendo Switch games. Sure, it was overpriced and I might have only played it a handful of times before the novelty wore off. But Nintendo has a way with silly party games that I’ve always found irresistible.

So when I was invited to preview a sequel called Everybody 1-2-Switch, I knew I was in for a good time. This new iteration features 17 team-based games and the ability to play with a Joy-Con or your smartphone, a little bit like the Jackbox Party Packs.

In a room with several other video game journalists, I was presented with a handful of these party games. They ranged from intriguing to downright ridiculous – and they were all hosted by a man in a horse mask called Horace.

First up was Balloons. For this game, we worked in teams of four to blow up a balloon using the Joy-Con like a pump. The aim was to get our balloon as big as possible without popping it. This game is all about communication, although that’s admittedly a bit difficult when you’re in a room full of people you’ve never met before. I have a feeling this game – like most others in the collection – will work better with close friends or family.

Nintendo

Prepare to look silly

The next game was Hip Bump, which takes place in a 1v1 format. The rules are simple: Hold the Joy-Con behind yourself and thrust backward to ‘bump’ your opponent out of the virtual ring. It was definitely the silliest game shown off during this preview session and there’s not much substance to it. Having said that, it did get plenty of laughs from the room, so it’ll no doubt be fun at parties.

My favorite game out of the handful I experienced was Color Shoot, which encourages you to channel your inner fashionista. Smartphone in hand, you’re presented with a specific shade of color and it’s your job to find an item in real life that matches it. Once you’ve found your item, take a photo and submit it to see how yours compares to everyone else’s.

It’s a fun and frantic game that even the most technology-averse people should be able to get on board with. It’s also one of the few moments where Everybody 1-2-Switch presents something that feels fresh and exciting.

Nintendo

Everybody 1-2-Sit

Other games I got to try included Ninja Training, in which one person attempted to fend off throwing stars from the rest of the group with well-timed Joy-Con swings. Another was Quiz Show, which saw everyone attempt to answer general knowledge questions as fast as possible. I did question why Musical Chairs – a game that’s so simple to set up with actual chairs – was included, but the addition of a timer to track who flung themselves to the ground the fastest really did bring out everyone’s competitive side.

None of the games here are particularly beefy, but I do think they’ll have slightly more longevity than the micro-games featured in 2017’s 1-2-Switch. This collection also combats the main criticism of that game: the cost. At $29.99, Everybody 1-2-Switch is almost half the price of its predecessor. This feels a lot more reasonable for what is essentially a bunch of novelty mini-games.

Nintendo

Perhaps the most impressive thing about Everybody 1-2-Switch is the claim that up to 100 people can take part in a single game. I refuse to believe anyone has that many friends, but our group of around 20 people faced no technical issues while playing games like Quiz Show and Musical Chairs, so it certainly seems possible.

I also love that many of the games can be played with smartphones, as this removes the need to purchase (or borrow) several expensive Joy-Con controllers just so all of your friends can join in.

While I only got to play a handful of the games on offer in Everybody 1-2-Switch, it’s shaping up to be everything I want from a party game: Ridiculous, good fun, and easy for everyone to pick up and play.

Everybody 1-2-Switch may be a sequel that no one asked for, but I’m glad it exists. Sometimes all you really need is a group of friends and a host in a horse mask called Horace to help you all feel silly together. I’m excited to see what the other games have to offer.

Everybody 1-2-Switch will be available on Nintendo Switch on June 30, 2023.