Smash Hit Plunder is an interesting addition to the PSVR library. Combining equal parts of gaming classics Katamari Damaci, Luigi’s Mansion, and Minecraft, Smash Hit Plunder tasks gamers with ransacking their way through a pixelated castle to try to garner enough money to pay off their late Grandmother’s debt in an attempt to keep the family’s castle.
The gameplay couldn’t be simpler; using either the DualShock or the PS-Move (preferred) controller, gamers under the PSVR headset use their magic wand to grab, smash, toss, and shake everything in sight. Any liberated loot is then vacuumed up by the player and applied toward the debt.
Gamers remain stationary, teleporting about the rooms by pointing to spots on the floor and clicking to move. This makes in-game movement a bit wonky, but far less dangerous to the players than having blindly walking around in real space.
As mentioned earlier, the optimal control method is the PS-Move controllers, although they are not a requirement as the standard DualShock can be used as a motion controller. The only real difference being that gamers with two PS-Move controllers will effectively have two wands to work with while DualShock gamers only get one, which slows down the action significantly.
The visuals are undeniably inspired by the pixelated universe of Minecraft, which was a big selling point with the kids in our house. Similarly, the audio is along the lines of Minecraft, and by that I mean all but nonexistent.
Where Smash Hit Plunder really shines is in its two cooperative and two competitive multiplayer party modes which put non-VR wearing players into the game using the television. You can have a friend drop in at any time to help you on your epic adventure in ‘Treasure Rush’, ‘Scavenger Hunt’ or ‘Free Play’ or go head to head in hide-and-seek ‘Poltergeist Panic’ or fight for possession ‘Jewel Duel’. The modes are all along the same lines as the main game – smash and loot – but some have gamers seeking out specific items rather than simply trying to amass piles of loot.
Smash Hit Plunder is a refreshing addition to the PSVR library. While the gameplay is little more than a one-trick pony, the numerous game mode and unlockables add some replay value and it is still great fun to play, especially with friends. You can find the game on the PlayStation store or at you favorite North America retailer.
