It’s bizarre to think that over a decade ago, the future of gaming was thought to be on smartphones. Now don’t get me wrong, there have been and continue to be massively successful iOS and Android games, but back at the peak of Angry Birds fever it felt like buttons could end up a thing of the past. This golden age of mobile gaming brought with it all sorts of beloved titles, like for example the perspective bending puzzle game Monument Valley. Eleven years since the first game released both it and its sequel are now both available on the Switch, and I can confirm that Monument Valley 1 & 2 are just as magical as ever.
In Monument Valley you play as Princess Ida, who wanders through all sorts of worlds made of impossible geometry. Conversations from a mysterious figure you meet hints at the reason why you’re here, but to go much further than that would spoil some of the intrigue. In the sequel there are actually two playable characters, Ro and Ro’s child. Their story is all about Ro learning to allow her child to branch out on her own, and as the game progresses Ro’s nameless child will go from following you, to following orders, and eventually adventuring off on her own. Both of these games are great examples of how a story can be told with minimal text and still have serious emotional resonance.
What you actually do in each chapter of Monument Valley 1 & 2 is make your way to a goal, by moving your cursor and pressing B where you want your character to go. From fixed camera angles you need to use the perspective to open up paths, because if it looks like two paths connect in Monument Valley then they do. There are plenty of other impossible ways to get around in these puzzling games too, like following a curved path to suddenly walk on a ceiling as if it’s no big deal. This world is essentially one big M.C. Escher painting, but with added puzzles.
It doesn’t take long for new elements to be added to the stages of the game, like levers you can use to turn platforms or blocks you can raise or lower at will. The ideas come in thick and fast, from waterways which you need to use to guide water to switches, to plants that you can grow with sunlight and walk on. There’s something special about every single chapter of these games, and to be frank, some of these individual stages are all-time greats.
Everyone who has played these games before will have favourites they remember, be it the house that folds open or the world where you just keep progressing into smaller and smaller universes. What’s particularly impressive about Monument Valley 1 & 2 is how despite the variety on offer, the difficulty is always consistent. Some chapters require a bit of playing around to beat, but it’s never enough to get frustrating. It’s a perfect balance that means you get to drink in the world without engaging your brain too intensely.
A huge part of the charm of the Monument Valley games are the visuals, which are simply stunning. With immaculate colour palettes and otherworldly geometry, I’d happily hang any screen of this game on my walls, and with a photo mode complete with filters you can share this glorious artwork with the masses if you so desire. The soundtrack for both games is wonderful too, really fitting the overall vibe.
For those who’ve played the games before (either long ago or recently) you’re probably wondering what is included in these releases. The answer is pretty much everything. The original Monument Valley includes the Forgotten Shores expansion which adds eight extra stages, and both games have a bonus chapter that was originally made to raise money for charity. These include sweet messages about supporting causes close to you, which I thought was a lovely touch.
Monument Valley and Monument Valley 2 are both exceptional games, but in this incarnation they have some issues. The first of these issues is the control scheme, which is just so awkward on switch. Using an analogue stick to select elements of the stage to click on is not ideal, and with the Switch having a touch screen this could’ve been so much better. It’s also worth mentioning that both of these games will only take you a couple of hours to complete (even with bonus content) and while this was fine at their low mobile price points the games cost around three times more on Nintendo’s handheld.
Although I wouldn’t say the Switch is the perfect place to play them, Monument Valley and Monument Valley 2 are still extremely special games that are a joy to experience. With emotional stories, intriguing puzzles, and gorgeous visuals, these Escher style games are as unique now as they were over a decade ago – and if you haven’t played them yet then what are you waiting for?