Synth Riders Is Bringing One of My Favourite VR Rhythm Games To Switch
Overdrive is a standalone follow-up with a story mode, new mechanics, and more.
Synth Riders is one of my favourite rhythm games and a VR classic, so a new standalone game coming to Switch is a major surprise.
Rather than directly adapt the original Synth Riders game, developer Kluge Interactive confirmed it's “reinvented” the 2018 neon-soaked hit specifically for Switch. Overdrive features a campaign story mode, three difficulty modes, and new mechanics with a third-person perspective. Co-op and competitive multiplayer support is also available for up to four players.
This new storyline sees you stopping a ruthless AI called Xander from seizing control of this metropolis, performing stunts while smashing through shapes to score points. Featuring up to 64 different songs - how many depends on which edition you pick up - that includes artists like Queen, Charli XCX, David Guetta, and One Republic. Further DLC packs are promised further down the line, too.
In a sense, I'm reminded of what RapidEyeMovers and Wolf & Wood did following C-Smash VRS, which reimagines SEGA's classic arcade game Cosmic Smash. I certainly enjoyed the original C-Smash VRS in 2023, later giving it 4/5 stars over on UploadVR. That eventually received a flatscreen mode called New Dimension last year, also giving it a third-person perspective.
Given the rough state of the gaming industry, I have to question whether this is a survival move. I've discussed this before in considerable depth, but to summarize, many VR developers are struggling. One thing we're witnessing is more developers taking a hybrid approach to reach that wider audience; Deisim and Drop Dead: The Cabin both come to mind here.
Granted, Kluge Interactive has never shied away from new platforms, and few VR games are more widely available than Synth Riders: I count Quest, Steam, Pico, PlayStation VR2, and Apple Vision Pro. That's before mentioning deprecated platforms like the original PSVR. Even if it's a new standalone title, moving to a flatscreen platform like the Nintendo Switch is something else.
Still, I'll be keen to see how Synth Riders: Overdrive compares to the original game for my own curiosity. That's out later this year on Switch.
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