Mouse Work: mouse-themed party-game featuring mouse controls announced for Switch 2

Now that the Nintendo Switch 2 has fully been revealed, publishers and developers are finally coming forward with their own announcements. The latest one is Mouse Work, a party-game developed by Nitrome (whose most recent game is Shovel Knight Dig, co-developed with Yacht Club Games).

Mouse Work isn’t just any old party game. It offers a unique twists: it focuses on the mouse controls of the Joy-Con 2 controllers. From 1 to 4 players can play as job-hunting mice, and try to earn money to buy some cheddar (what else?). The game features a variety of minigames making ample use of the cursor functionality.

Here’s the reveal trailer (featuring PC footage):

And here’s some details:

Quit mousin’ around and get yourselves down to the job centre!

Team up with friends or go it alone, facing a range of mini game challenges using the Switch 2 mouse controls. Each job features a unique and inventive mechanic making full use of the Joy-Con 2’s brand new cursor functionality.

In Mouse Work players take on the role of adorable mice that are just trying to earn some Cheddar. Fortunately for them, the local job centre has a wealth of offerings available, each testing our mice with new and innovative cursor-based gameplay.

As a Climbing Instructor, you’ll be dragging the hands of your incompetent students to the next safe hold, or as an Artist, you’ll paint pictures correctly before the time runs out. Use the cursor to play keepy-uppy with all manner of spherical objects in ‘Gym Teacher’, or keep it old school in ‘Spy’, a retro style mouse-avoider.

These are just a few of the jobs you’ll be taking on in Mouse Work. As you play through the jobs available, new ones will unlock, and old jobs will resurface with surprising twists.

Whilst the whole game can be played solo, all the jobs are dialled up a notch when playing in local 2-4 player couch co-op mode. Multiplayer brings the party with a range of new challenges added to every job. You may be getting in each other’s way whilst tied together, or forced to have your climbers hold hands to bridge a large gap. Perhaps you’ll be required to work together to lift and drag objects that would be too heavy for a single mouse.

Asymmetric abilities take this further in some games too, with each player working with entirely different mechanics! All your hard work won’t go unrewarded however.

Successfully completing jobs earns you Cheddar, and you can blow it all customising your mice with cute cosmetics: hats, bow ties, trainers… the lot!

Mouse Work (Switch 2 – eShop) does not have a release date, but is expected to launch “hot on the tail” (pun no doubt intended!) of the Nintendo Switch 2.