Heave Ho 2 arrives on Nintendo Switch as a direct follow-up to the grab-and-fling party game, retaining the finger-joint physics that made the original a multiplayer favorite.
Published by Devolver Digital and developed by Le Cartel Studio, the sequel expands the toolbox for cooperative and competitive sessions while remaining focused on short, chaotic multiplayer matches.
This review covers the Nintendo Switch version; Devolver Digital provided the review copy.
Shaun Musgrave's take on the first Heave Ho — that it was an unexpectedly joyous family game and a reliable Sunday-night pick — carries into the sequel, where familiar mechanics continue to anchor the experience.
The basic controls remain intuitive: each arm is mapped to a shoulder button and the stick controls reach, yielding moments of frantic teamwork as players grab, swing, and fling themselves (and each other) toward objectives.
Heave Ho 2 builds on that foundation with several verified additions.
The sequel introduces online multiplayer alongside local play, and both public and private matches are available to accommodate friends or strangers.
The game supports full GameShare locally and online, so additional players do not need separate copies.
The core rule also remains unchanged: the game requires at least two players and contains no single-player campaign.
Musgrave observed that the developers did not just add levels but created meaningful variety.
The game now features eight themed worlds, each emphasizing different mechanics — from puzzle-focused stages and cooperative machine operation to classic navigation challenges with new twists.
These world-specific gimmicks increase variety and difficulty, which can occasionally challenge less experienced players in mixed-skill groups, though they also broaden the range of encounters compared with a straight run of navigation-only levels.
The sequel also adds a competitive versus mode and light emote tools — including a comedic 'fart' action that doubles as a gameplay interaction in some competitive scenarios.
Musgrave found the versus mode less compelling than the cooperative offerings, but noted it helps highlight how effective the cooperative design remains when players are shoulder-to-shoulder.
Verdict: Heave Ho 2 is a strong multiplayer party title on Nintendo Switch.
Its expanded level design, online and GameShare support, and persistent co-op focus make it a recommended addition for groups looking for short-session chaos, even if some modes land better than others.
Version Tested: Nintendo Switch.
Review Copy: Provided by Devolver Digital.
Score reported in the original review: 8/10.
Published by Devolver Digital and developed by Le Cartel Studio, the sequel expands the toolbox for cooperative and competitive sessions while remaining focused on short, chaotic multiplayer matches.
This review covers the Nintendo Switch version; Devolver Digital provided the review copy.
Shaun Musgrave's take on the first Heave Ho — that it was an unexpectedly joyous family game and a reliable Sunday-night pick — carries into the sequel, where familiar mechanics continue to anchor the experience.
The basic controls remain intuitive: each arm is mapped to a shoulder button and the stick controls reach, yielding moments of frantic teamwork as players grab, swing, and fling themselves (and each other) toward objectives.
Heave Ho 2 builds on that foundation with several verified additions.
The sequel introduces online multiplayer alongside local play, and both public and private matches are available to accommodate friends or strangers.
The game supports full GameShare locally and online, so additional players do not need separate copies.
The core rule also remains unchanged: the game requires at least two players and contains no single-player campaign.
Musgrave observed that the developers did not just add levels but created meaningful variety.
The game now features eight themed worlds, each emphasizing different mechanics — from puzzle-focused stages and cooperative machine operation to classic navigation challenges with new twists.
These world-specific gimmicks increase variety and difficulty, which can occasionally challenge less experienced players in mixed-skill groups, though they also broaden the range of encounters compared with a straight run of navigation-only levels.
The sequel also adds a competitive versus mode and light emote tools — including a comedic 'fart' action that doubles as a gameplay interaction in some competitive scenarios.
Musgrave found the versus mode less compelling than the cooperative offerings, but noted it helps highlight how effective the cooperative design remains when players are shoulder-to-shoulder.
Verdict: Heave Ho 2 is a strong multiplayer party title on Nintendo Switch.
Its expanded level design, online and GameShare support, and persistent co-op focus make it a recommended addition for groups looking for short-session chaos, even if some modes land better than others.
Version Tested: Nintendo Switch.
Review Copy: Provided by Devolver Digital.
Score reported in the original review: 8/10.
