Game: All Hands on Deck
Genre: Co-op, Puzzle, Platformer
System: Nintendo Switch (also available on Steam (Windows))
Developer|Publisher: Studio Mantasaur |Wikkl
Age Rating: US E | EU 3+
Price: US $12.99 | UK £11.99 | EU € 10,99
Release Date: November 11th, 2025
A review code was provided, many thanks to Game-Drive NL.
All Hands on Deck has sprung from the creative minds at Mantasaur, a small studio based in the Netherlands. All Hands on Deck is a 2-player cooperative puzzle platformer that’s as whimsical as it is clever. Launching on Nintendo Switch and Steam, the game is part of a growing wave of couch co-op titles that emphasise communication, creativity, and charm over competition.
In a genre that’s seen a resurgence thanks to titles like It Takes Two and Unravel Two, All Hands on Deck carves out its own niche with a unique premise: you and your co-op partner each control one of a child’s hands, Lefty and Righty, as they explore imaginative worlds to rescue missing plushies from a daycare.
Working Together in Co-op
The daycare’s plush toys have vanished, and it’s up to Lefty and Righty to find them. You can only play All Hands on Deck together on your Nintendo Switch with another player in local co-op with one game and two controllers, or the two Joy-Cons. Or you can play online with a friend who also has the game. In true retro-Mario style, the game only saves progress when you’ve finished a full level and you swing open the big blue door together.
You’ll use gestures like rock, paper, scissors, along with gadgets like extendable arms and rubber-band slingshots, to solve puzzles and traverse the environment. Expect a mix of platforming, item manipulation, and timing-based challenges, all requiring coordination and communication with your co-op player. Overall, the experience in both co-op modes is smooth.
The game you play with a friend over WIFI isn’t the same one as you play in local co-op, there’s no combo co-op (mixing local and online). Both save in different files at the end of a level, and both save on the Switch user account. So when you play local co-op you pop back in the playroom and enter the level you’re at, and when you play online with a friend, you both see the right level too when you jump back into the game. At the moment, the game is released on Switch and Steam, but there is no cross-platform online play possible yet, but the developers are working on that.
Enter the World of Toys
At the start of All Hands on Deck, you enter a playroom, where each new level is represented by a toy. Each level looks like a child’s imagined world, filled with oversized toys, colourful contraptions, and playful hazards. But when I say toys, it’s like they’ve come to life in a grown-up world, like the toy cars that drive in line in really heavy traffic, just like we do in the daily rat race to work (that is, before hybrid working became a thing!). You can collect items, coins and puzzle pieces, and when a level is finished, you’ll see how you both have fared. And later on, you can get cool rewards for them too!
What makes All Hands on Deck stand out is its hand-based control scheme and imaginative gadgetry. Each hand has distinct abilities, and puzzles often require clever combinations, like using one hand to hold a lever while the other launches across a gap. Or having one hand pick up an extendable ladder and the other hand jumping on top it. And the high five at certain points really made me smile: jump both at the same time and high five it to get ahead. It’s hands-on (sorry, couldn’t resist), silly, and surprisingly strategic.
The game eases players in with a gentle, hands-on tutorial that introduces mechanics through play. At times, a small toy person in the game gives tips to help you progress. That turns out to be annoying, as the text bubbles tend to interfere with what’s on the screen.
All Hands on Deck is accessible for younger players but layered enough to keep seasoned gamers engaged. As I can testify, as this old(er) player really had some issues solving a puzzle, while fortunately, my young co-op partner breezed along.
Soundtrack, Controls & Graphics
The music is light and playful, the specific sounds of the levels (like the heavy traffic) match the game’s toy box aesthetic, and it’s not intrusive, but it adds warmth and whimsy to each level.
I played the game on my Switch 2 and found the controls are responsive and intuitive. You can detach your Joy-Cons and make them Lefty and Righty.
Visually, All Hands on Deck is a treat. The toy-themed environments are colourful and full of delightful details. Animations are smooth, and the characters, despite being just hands, are expressive and full of personality.
Conclusion for All Hands on Deck
All Hands on Deck is a cozy, clever co-op adventure that’s perfect for friends, partners, or families looking to play together. It’s not about high scores or fast reflexes, it’s about communication, creativity, and shared laughter. This one is great for playing at family gatherings and hanging out with friends.
Final Verdict: I Like it a Lot
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