‘Splatterbot’ is simple, but effective. I literally had a smile on my face the whole time playing because it’s just an indie game that is about having fun, and that’s why I love reviewing indie games. Fun is always at the forefront. Developed by the Australia team at Hey! Kookaburra, this 4-player local couch co-op game is more addictive than it initially appears.

The premise is very simple, in a very ‘Splatoon’-esque way, you must steer your little paint-spitting cleaning robot (not a Roomba for copyright reasons, probably lol) to cover the ground with as much colour as you can. There is no story involved, other than teaming up against your friends, the CPU, or teaming up in a 2v2 battle to create your own enjoyment.

There are only two modes: Free For All and Teams. Free For All is a throwdown against 3 others, while Teams is a 2v2 match. The controls are very simple and intuitive; with you moving around and boosting forward, it’s that simple.

There are 6 maps to choose from, and each is unique and actually quite interesting to traverse. My hope for the future is that they expand on this because the ideas they already had were quite innovative and creative. Playing also unlocks cosmetics for your little robot; these are a cute and charming touch, a great driving force to keep you playing.

One thing I would like to see in the gameplay is an ability to increase the difficulty of the CPU players. It needs an added challenge, as at the moment the only thing that drags it down is the constant ass wiping they get from me because at the start I had no friends to play with; they never really stood a chance. A squad of people is the real way to experience it, and it’s just so fun when you do.

Sprinkled around each map are power-ups. These can sway the tide in the battle for the most floor coverage by increasing your speed, size, splatter area, and even dispersing rolling balls of paint. This is another area I would love to see the developers expand on because these are some cool little concepts that really add value to the overall enjoyment.

Visually, it is basic colours, but it’s effective against the environments it presents as playable. While not overtly detailed, the playing field does have some character, and each has environmental features you can use to your advantage or disadvantage, such as springing ropes or watery ditches, for example. It’s actually quite sound in appearance, and the little office block was one map I quite enjoyed in layout and styling.

The audio work was quite generic as I suspected it would be. The menu music is obnoxious, but it doesn’t require much effort to load into the game, and it can be adjusted in the settings. I would love the same energy put into the power-ups, with more enthusiastic crackles of energy from speed boosts or massive thumps as you barge into your friends. This could really elevate the experience.

After a few hours playing Splatterbot alone and with my partner, I can confidently say that this is an enjoyable experience and a great little party game for a ‘pick-up and play’ experience. This is what little indie games are all about, and I couldn’t be more proud that this is Australian too. Let the splatters hit the floor.

Written by: Stacey