Make gnome mistake, this game is good ol' silly fun.
The aptly named “Mowin’ and Throwin’” is a colorful party game that has room for four people. Mow your lawn and sabotage the other players to achieve victory by trimming the most grass. This game is entertaining and a little bit silly, but could be a fun addition to any Switch library.
As a garden gnome with a funny hat, your main objective is to cut the most grass. There are two modes of play: one vs one or two vs two. For me, it is a downside that they don’t have a single-player mode, because the gnomish lawn-mowing concept is fun. In one-on-one play, you must juggle operation of the mower as well as use of the sabotage items. You collect gas to power your mower and throw fertilizer to make your opponent’s lawn grow back or rocks to block their mowers. In two-on-two, each team has to share the work. There is one lawn mower and parachutes of rocks, fertilizer, and gasoline. Each one of the six stages offers its own challenges, so you have to work together to figure out the best strategy.
The game’s playability makes it easy for new players to pick up the controls, even if they are unfamiliar with the Switch. The button layout of the joycons is really great for party games because it isn’t overwhelming. Mowin’ & Throwin’ itself isn’t a very challenging game either. However, this means there isn’t a lot of room for players to grow strategically. The different maps help a little but not in a major way. Therefore, if you are looking for a game to occupy a large portion of your guests’ time, this probably isn’t the one for you. However, it does work really well as a casual experience. The rounds are three minutes each, so you can play at your leisure, and if you have more than four, waiting to rotate out doesn’t take an eternity.
The limited modes of play and lack of strategy necessary make Mowin’ & Throwin’ best suited to casual party-gamers who are looking for something fun in short bursts. Silly characters and colorful graphics along with a clever concept make it pretty entertaining. For anyone looking for a simple party game to add to their library, give this one a try!
