8 /10 0

Part Time UFO represents HAL Laboratory’s evolution beyond Kirby and Smash Bros, delivering a physics-based puzzle experience that prioritizes charm, creativity, and intuitive mechanics over complex systems. Originally conceived as a mobile game in 2017, the Switch port introduces refined controls, expanded content, and local co-operative gameplay modes that justify the platform transition. Metacritic ratings of 78 and OpenCritic scores of 79 reflect critical consensus: the game excels at accessibility without sacrificing challenge. Players control Jobski, a UFO equipped with an extendable claw, completing peculiar jobs ranging from loading farm trucks to stacking circus performers in carefully balanced towers. The game thrives on visual humor, clever level design, and the satisfying physics simulation of moving objects with precision. Casual players seeking bite-sized puzzle satisfaction will discover hundreds of hours of content hidden beneath its deceptively simple claw-manipulation premise.

How to Play Part Time UFO

Gameplay centers on operating a UFO-mounted claw to grab, carry, and precisely position objects to fulfill job requirements. Unlike traditional puzzle games emphasizing pattern-matching, Part Time UFO demands spatial awareness, physics intuition, and manual dexterity. Each of the thirty main story levels introduces unique object types and physics properties, preventing the core mechanic from stagnating through mechanical variety.

1. Controls – Joy-Con motion controls allow intuitive claw manipulation, though traditional stick controls remain available for tabletop mode. The learning curve spans minutes; most players grasp fundamental claw operation within three job completions. Advanced techniques like pendulum swinging and precise stacking require days of practice.
2. Progression – Jobs unlock sequentially in themed categories: Farm, Ocean, Worksite, Toy Shop, Restaurant, and beyond. Each theme introduces 2-3 jobs, with completion unlocking the next category. Five successful medals trigger progression acceleration, encouraging ambitious players to tackle harder variants unlocking additional jobs.
3. Mechanics – Objects possess realistic physics properties: weight distribution affects stability, stacking creates structural challenges, and moving obstacles introduce time pressure. Completion timer serves dual purpose: enforcing pacing while rewarding quick object manipulation through bonus time. Every five objects successfully placed triggers automatic structural stability assistance from the game.
4. Tips – Grab lightweight objects first; save heavier anchor pieces for structural completion. Study object centers of gravity before attempting stacks. Time placement carefully; early completion rewards bonus time for attempting challenging tertiary objectives unavailable in time-restricted conditions.

Who Should Play Part Time UFO

This game appeals universally across age and skill ranges, functioning equally as introductory puzzle title for children and legitimate challenge for veteran gamers pursuing all objectives and achievements. Local co-operative gameplay transforms solo-friendly design into relationship-strengthening activity, making it ideal for couples, parents, and friend groups seeking non-competitive gaming.

• Casual Puzzle Enthusiasts – Players seeking relaxing, bite-sized gameplay sessions find perfect pacing in Part Time UFO’s twenty-to-thirty-minute job cycles. No failure penalties or lives system removes stress; players retry failed objectives unlimited times without progression blockades.
• Co-op Gamers – Local two-player mode enables simultaneous cooperative puzzle-solving, where both players control claws sharing responsibility for completing complex towers. Partner coordination transforms solo-designed levels into collaborative challenges, doubling playtime and interaction opportunities.
• Completionists – Achievement systems reward exhaustive engagement: collecting all costumes, completing feats of glory challenges, and unlocking bonus modes like Tower of Infinity and Treasure Island provide hundreds of additional hours beyond the main story.
• Skip If – Multiplayer-only players disappointed by local-only co-op mode may prefer competitive titles. Speed-running communities seeking pixel-perfect execution may find physics-based randomness frustrating; however, advanced players capable of manipulating physics elegantly will discover deep mastery potential.

Part Time UFO Platform Performance

Switch hardware drives Part Time UFO’s definitive version, optimized specifically for Nintendo’s portable platform architecture. The game maintains consistent 60 FPS in both docked and handheld modes, delivering smooth physics simulation essential for precise claw manipulation. Originally designed for mobile processors before Switch porting, the game’s technical minimalism ensures flawless performance across all Switch iterations, including Switch Lite. Visual fidelity prioritizes artistic charm over technical prowess, scaling beautifully regardless of display size.

Part Time UFO System Requirements

Part Time UFO exclusively releases on Nintendo Switch hardware, eliminating traditional PC system requirements. However, Switch versions require compatible Joy-Con controllers for optimal motion-control gameplay, though tabletop mode supports single Joy-Con or standard controller alternatives. Storage demands minimal 194 MB download space, making it accessible even on crowded SD cards. All Switch iterations from original hardware through Switch Lite support the game without performance compromises.

Similar Games to Part Time UFO

The cooperative puzzle genre expands through several titles sharing Part Time UFO’s collaborative DNA. Snipperclips: Cut the Rope emphasizes paired puzzle-solving through character clipping mechanics. Pico Park distills cooperative challenges into rapid-fire mini-puzzles requiring split-second teamwork. Nintendo Switch Exclusive upcoming title Mouse Work shares identical design philosophy, announced for Switch 2, deliberately mimicking Part Time UFO’s charm and cooperative focus. All share non-violent, visually charming aesthetics prioritizing accessibility and relationship-strengthening gameplay over competitive aggression.

• Snipperclips: Cut the Rope – Cooperative puzzle platform where characters cut each other into shapes solving environmental challenges. Shares co-op focus, adorable aesthetic, and escalating difficulty progression. Unlike Part Time UFO’s physics focus, Snipperclips emphasizes geometric puzzle-solving.
• Pico Park – Multiplayer puzzle collection delivering rapid-fire cooperative mini-games requiring constant teamwork. More intense and chaotic than Part Time UFO, emphasizing speed over thoughtful physics manipulation.
• Mouse Work (Switch 2 Exclusive) – Upcoming cooperative puzzle platformer explicitly inspired by Part Time UFO and Snipperclips. Developers at Nitrome promise similar charming aesthetics and collaborative focus, likely launching alongside Switch 2 hardware in 2025.
• Kirby Co-op Titles – Kirby Star Allies and Kirby Fighters 2 offer HAL Laboratory cooperative experiences, though emphasizing action gameplay over physics-puzzle design fundamentals.

Part Time UFO vs Competitors

Pricing positions Part Time UFO aggressively below competing cooperative puzzlers, undercutting titles like Snipperclips ($34.99) by seventy percent. Metacritic scores remain competitive despite not achieving Snipperclips’ critical acclaim, with user ratings favoring Part Time UFO’s broader accessibility. Playtime metrics demonstrate exceptional value proposition: twelve-hour completionists timelines exceed much pricier titles. Switch exclusivity distinguishes Part Time UFO from platform-agnostic competitors, creating audience segments seeking Nintendo-specific gaming experiences.

Part Time UFO Story and World

Narrative elegance lies in minimalism. Jobski, an alien UFO, lands on Earth discovering that humans exchange currency for completed tasks. The premise establishes gameplay motivation without pretending toward elaborate storytelling. Jobs represent life slices across diverse Earth locations: farmland harvest assistance, ocean fishing logistics, construction site equipment movement, toy shop arrangements, restaurant preparation tasks, museum artifact positioning, circus performance support, and laboratory experiment assistance. Each location carries distinct visual personality through carefully crafted color palettes and character designs. The final story escalation transports Jobski to the Moon, culminating in confrontation against hostile alien forces attempting to interrupt productivity, escalating emotional investment through unexpected dramatic stakes. World-building emerges implicitly through job contexts: humans possess personalities expressed through sprite designs and situational humor. A construction worker demands building materials arranged precisely. Circus performers require safe stacking to perform. Restaurant chefs demand ingredient organization meeting customer specifications. The world breathes with lighthearted sincerity, never questioning why an alien accepts menial labor for currency. This narrative innocence forms the game’s emotional heart, making absurd situations feel genuinely charming rather than mockingly ironic.

Part Time UFO Multiplayer and Online

Local co-operative gameplay constitutes Part Time UFO’s most distinctive feature, transforming solo-optimized level design into collaborative experiences requiring constant partner coordination. Two claws sharing job responsibilities fundamentally alter level strategies; partners must divide labor, communicate placement priorities, and compensate for partner mistakes. The system intentionally avoids competitive mechanics, reinforcing teamwork through shared success conditions. Online multiplayer remains unsupported; Nintendo Cloud Saves enable progression backup across Switch instances but feature no direct multiplayer connectivity.

• Cooperative Mode (Local Only) – Two players share single Joy-Con controllers or utilize detached Joy-Con pairs. Difficulty rebalancing for co-op enables harder object configurations requiring dual-claw coordination. Every main story level supports cooperative replay, unlocking specialized harder variants when both players complete co-op attempts successfully.
• Treasure Island Mode – Post-game adventure mode featuring dungeon exploration, puzzle-solving, and treasure collection across multiple rooms. Supports both solo and cooperative play with identical mechanics. Progressive room unlocking requires collecting keys through successful puzzle completion.
• Tower of Infinity – Endless stacking mode challenging players to build towers as high as possible within time constraints. Cooperative variants divide stacking responsibility, with both players contributing simultaneously toward shared height objectives. Supports both local cooperative and solo competitive playthroughs.
• Online Features Absent – No online multiplayer, no matchmaking systems, no competitive leaderboards. Cloud saves preserve progression across devices, though no direct online connectivity exists. Lack of always-online requirement enables play anywhere without internet dependency.

Part Time UFO DLC and Expansions

Part Time UFO avoids paid content fragmentation entirely. All costumes unlock through gameplay achievements and in-game currency purchases rather than real-money transactions. Treasure Island and Tower of Infinity modes unlock as free content upon completing main story segments. Nintendo Switch version consolidates all expansions from mobile versions plus exclusive content unavailable anywhere else, delivering comprehensive feature set at permanent $8.99 price point. Post-launch patches addressed minor balance issues and cosmetic enhancements without introducing monetization schemes.

• Costume Unlocks – Thirty-plus adorable cosmetics available through job completion rewards and in-game currency purchases. Costumes include functional gameplay modifications: ninja outfit grants speed boost, safety helmet provides braking assistance. Other cosmetics remain purely aesthetic, available immediately upon currency accumulation.
• Treasure Island Mode – Free post-game adventure unlocked upon completing final main story job. Dungeon exploration featuring diverse room types, puzzle challenges, and treasure collection mechanics. Progressive difficulty matching single-player story pacing.
• Tower of Infinity Mode – Endless stacking challenge available free upon story completion. Progressive difficulty through randomized object configurations maintains perpetual engagement long after main content completion.
• Free Updates – Occasional patches address gameplay balance and cosmetic additions. No expansion passes, no battle passes, no premium tiers. Commitment to permanent free-to-update model ensures all players access identical game content regardless of purchase timing.

Part Time UFO Community and Support

Nintendo manages official Part Time UFO platforms through standard eShop support channels. HAL Laboratory maintains development communication through occasional Twitter updates announcing patch releases and celebrating player achievements. The game delisting from mobile storefronts October 2024 prompted community consolidation toward Switch platform, strengthening Switch-exclusive player population. Community content thrives through YouTube speedrunning challenges, co-operative playthroughs, and artistic fan tributes celebrating the game’s charming aesthetic.

• Official Support – Nintendo eShop provides purchase support, cloud save verification, and technical assistance. HAL Laboratory occasionally responds to community inquiries through official Twitter account, though technical support routes through standard Nintendo channels.
• Player Communities – r/partimeufo subreddit hosts community screenshots, challenge completions, and costume showcase discussions. Discord servers coordinate co-operative sessions and speedrunning attempts. YouTube community highlights include full playthroughs with commentary and challenge runs.
• Content Creators – Numerous speedrunners document speedrunning techniques, glitch exploitation, and optimal routing strategies. Family-friendly gaming channels feature Part Time UFO as introductory cooperative title for younger audiences, increasing content visibility and player recruitment.
• Ongoing Support – Patches remain infrequent post-launch, though occasional balance adjustments and cosmetic additions continue. No announced sunset date suggests indefinite support continuation, though limited post-launch development prioritizes stability over new features.