There are plenty of co-op puzzlers on Nintendo Switch, and why wouldn't there be? The fact that you can quickly pick up a Joy-Con, hand it to a friend and start playing is incredible. The next title to to be added to this genre is Deru. Made by INK KIT Studios, Deru is a game that came out of nowhere for me. While I was walking through the Indie Arena, I just noticed a Nintendo Switch pod standing there. Without hesitation I walked up and found out what true cooperation is all about.

You might think that the last sentence there is rather obvious, but the gameplay is heavily built on those fundamentals. Each player takes control of a shape, moves it across the stage and tries to make it to the end safely. In the short demo that I got to play, one player was tasked to block streams from the opposite color. This allowed for a safe passage to the other side and you were constantly switching turns to make it through together.

In the later levels, this proves a lot trickier than you might think. The player will be required to block multiple streams and quickly switch to another set of streams to ensure an opening. Deru is a game in which talking to one another really beneficial. There is a small window between your moves, so making your intentions clear is critical. Together, you will bring color to the world of Deru in a true abstract spectacle.

As I walked away from the pod, I caught glimpses of the PC version. It seems to become quite a crazy affair over time. The shapes of both players will change and there is a lot more introduced that you’ll need to keep in mind. In one instance, one player needs to be the other's shield to make it across safely. As the streams went up fast so you needed to keep moving. There were also cubes that shallowed up streams and filled up the stage. This and more examples can be seen in the video above.

So yes, Deru left me very surprised. For a game that I didn't hear about before, it showed a ton of promise. With both players actively working together, the game is an excellent fit for the Nintendo Switch. With it being available to play anywhere you want, you can shout at each other where ever you go. INK KIT Studios will release Deru by the end of 2017.