Bridge Constructor Ultimate Edition Review
Bridge Constructor Ultimate Edition
Publisher: Headup Games
Developer: ClockStone
Genre:
PEGI:
Comments:
Originally released in 2011, Bridge Constructor is one of the most successful physics-based puzzle games ever to grace our presence. Using a variety of materials, you are tasked with constructing a plethora of different bridges. Somehow, the folks over at ClockStone took this simple concept and created a wildly entertaining and seriously challenging game. While Bridge Constructor has been around for a long time, the Ultimate Edition was released on the Nintendo Switch just last week and includes the “SlopeMania” and “Trains” DLCs. How does this classic physics puzzler fare on the Switch? Let’s take a look!
First of all, I must admit that I have always been a huge fan of physics-based games. Rocket League is my go to game for those “I have 15 minutes to game at my PC” moments and Cut The Rope has been installed on my phone for almost a decade. With that being said, it should be no surprise that I have had my encounters with Bridge Constructor in the past, but it never seemed to catch my attention. For some reason, it just lost its appeal after the completion of my 6th or 7th bridge.
As such, I approached the Bridge Constructor Ultimate Edition with caution, and what I found was that the Switch truly lends itself to this type of game. Renowned for its quick pick-up and put-down capabilities, the Switch is the only console I would ever want to experience this game on. I personally did not have many difficulties with the controls, but having a precise touch-screen stylus would likely benefit many players.
The ease of playing one level at a time on the go or wherever those brief windows of down-time appear is a convenience level offered by the Switch that remains unrivaled by its competitors and I honestly feel that puzzlers and similarly contained, level-based games benefit the most from this style. For me, this makes Bridge Constructor a perfect match for the Nintendo Switch.
Bridge Constructor excels in encouraging player creativity, allowing complete freedom in structure and materials which your builds are comprised of. The only limit is the budget that you must stay within. The exception here is Free Build mode, which removes that limitation entirely.
The most tense part of this game is the stress-test. That’s right, simply building a bridge is insufficient. In addition to creating your engineering masterpiece, you must watch as some poor people are forced to drive over the monstrosity you have just erected in the hopes that it will hold the weight of the vehicles and not come crashing down. For such a relaxing game, it can be quite stressful to see the colours of your bridge change as the stress begins to reach critical levels.
The Ultimate Edition of the game includes both DLCs, which is exceptional value when you realize they essentially double the content of the game! The SlopeMania DLC cranks up the difficulty by offering 24 new and uneven bridges to build. The “Crazy Levels” offered in the DLC are the ultimate test of your bridge building prowess and are not to be taken lightly!
The Trains DLC is, well exactly what you would expect from a DLC simply labeled ‘Trains’. Instead of driving cars or trucks across your bridge for a stress test you will now watch full-blown commuter and freight trains attempt to chug across your rickety contraptions.
At the end of the day, the Bridge Constructor Ultimate Edition offers great value and tons of fun, just as easily enjoyed for 5-10 minute or 2-3 hours at a time. The included DLC doubles the game’s content and the Free Build mode allows aspiring engineers to let their imagination run rampant. If you have any interest in physics puzzlers, this $15 gem is not to be overlooked!
For more information, visit: https://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/bridge-constructor-ultimate-edition-switch/#game-info