Co-op puzzle games thrive on communication, but sometimes that communication devolves into hilarious, unhinged chaos. This was certainly the case for a group of friends playing through Sonic Pico Park, a Sonic-themed spin on the difficult puzzle platformer Pico Park.
The game, which requires precise timing and constant coordination, also makes self-sabotage incredibly easy. Kenneth Shepard of Kotaku wrangled friends Brenden Groom, Jesse Vitelli, Kallie Plagge, and Michael Higham for a playthrough that took around three hours and, despite the chaos, was a thoroughly enjoyable experience.
The core of the experience lay in the players' reactions to the game's challenges and character selections, often escalating into playful arguments and absurd commentary. "Dude, I hate the way Espio looks in this game, it’s fucking awful," Jesse Vitelli remarked early on, expressing surprise at the character's design. Later, the appearance of Big the Cat elicited similar bewilderment: "What the fuck? Big the Cat!" Vitelli exclaimed, with Brenden Groom adding, "We gotta get to Big the Cat."
Character choices frequently became a point of contention. When Brenden Groom selected a green variant of Sonic, Shepard declared, "I hate green Sonic with a fucking passion." Vitelli chimed in, "Why do you look like Shiny Espeon? What the fuck is that shit?"
When puzzles proved difficult, the group's frustration manifested in shouted directives and playful accusations. "Okay, I need y’all to lock in. We have to run together," Shepard urged, only to be met with, "You just want to be in front, and I’m Green Sonic. The fastest character in the game," from Groom. Vitelli, meanwhile, declared, "I’m Blaze. Blazing it."
Amidst the struggle, comparisons to other media emerged. Shepard likened a moment of passing a ring back and forth to a scene from Jimmy Neutron, a reference only partially recognized by Vitelli. The need for voice chat in such a chaotic game was also debated: "I’m trying to imagine what a game of this is like without voice chat," Shepard mused, to which Groom responded, "Yeah, absolute fucking nightmare." Shepard countered, "Although I mean, the game’s a nightmare with voice chat too, so I don’t really know if that helps."
As the group progressed, they encountered various character-themed levels. Upon reaching a water level, Shepard quipped, "Green Sonic, you’re blue! Just as God intended." When Big the Cat was revealed to be a hazard to his teammates, Vitelli noted, "Big the Cat is a threat." The appearance of Vector the Crocodile brought an enthusiastic "Vector! Slay!" from Shepard, and the reveal of E-123 Omega sparked intense excitement: "If Omega is gonna be in this next world I’m gonna be freaking the fuck ou-LET’S FUCKING GO!"
Misinterpretations of in-game instructions also led to humorous failures. When the game provided straightforward directions, Vitelli admitted, "I thought the game was lying to us." Groom added, "I did too, that’s why I didn’t do it."
New characters and mechanics continued to elicit strong reactions. When discussing their characters, Shepard asked Groom, "Brenden, how does it feel to be a hedgehog that looks like a booger?" Groom responded, "You didn’t let me change my character." The group also discussed whether characters like Rouge the Bat could be Latina, a question that momentarily distracted Shepard into a trap.
Perhaps the most memorable recurring joke involved Charmy Bee. Vitelli's enthusiastic "I’m Charmy Beeeeeeee!" became a repeated refrain, even outside of gameplay. The group debated Charmy Bee's potential combat capabilities against Miror B. from Pokémon Colosseum, and jokes about the phrase "press down to get off" from a grinding level led to a round of Grindr comparisons.
As the playthrough neared its end, the group expressed a mix of exhaustion and satisfaction. "Yeah, fuck everybody, man. Fuck this game. I’m glad this is the last level. Fuck this shit, man," Vitelli declared, though it turned out to not be the final stage. Upon finally reaching the end credits screen, featuring Charmy Bee, Shadow, and Cream, Vitelli humorously referred to them as the "three main characters: Charmy Bee, Shadow, and Cream, or whatever the fuck your name is."
Despite the profanity and frustration, the overall sentiment was positive. Sonic Pico Park is described as a fun experience, even for those who aren't typically fans of the Sonic franchise. The game is set to release on November 12.