Heave Ho 2 is out now on PC and both Switch consoles

The physics-based party sequel Heave Ho 2 is officially available today on PC, Nintendo Switch, and the newly released Switch 2. Publisher Devolver Digital and developer Le Cartel Studio launched the title this morning for $9.99.

According to a launch post from Le Cartel Studio, the team spent five and a half years creating "farty, legless dudes" for this follow-up. The release follows a development cycle that began shortly after the original game became a couch co-op staple in 2019.

As we previously reported when the release date was confirmed last month, the core premise remains intact. Up to four players control floating heads with long, grabby arms. The goal is simply to cross a gap and reach a goal without plummeting to your death.

You grab a wall, swing your momentum, and launch yourself. Usually, you miss. Then you grab your friend's hand in a panic, pulling both of you into the abyss. It works because the controls are dead simple, but the physics are completely unforgiving.

Adding online multiplayer

The biggest change for the sequel is the addition of fully functional online multiplayer. The 2019 original was strictly a local affair. If you wanted to yell at your friends for letting go of your hand at the wrong time, they had to be sitting next to you. Now, you can ruin friendships over the internet.

The sequel also introduces eight new themed worlds. The environments range from weightless outer space levels to chaotic kitchen setups. The original game relied heavily on static platforms and spikes, so adding environmental hazards like zero gravity changes the momentum math entirely.

Alongside the cooperative campaign, the developers have added dedicated local versus modes. Players can now actively compete against each other instead of just accidentally sabotaging the team effort.

From beat-em-ups to party games

The Paris-based team at Le Cartel Studio first made a name for themselves in 2016 with Mother Russia Bleeds. That game was a hyper-violent, gritty retro brawler heavily inspired by Streets of Rage. Pivoting from pixel-art drug syndicates to colorful, screaming blobs holding hands is certainly a choice. It clearly worked out for them.

Devolver Digital is publishing the sequel, which fits perfectly into their catalog of eccentric indie hits like Cult of the Lamb and Balatro. They have a knack for finding games that generate organic clips on social media. Heave Ho 2 is basically a highlight reel generator.

Early Switch 2 support

The game is part of the early wave of software supporting the Nintendo Switch 2. It is a cross-generation release, meaning players on the original 2017 Switch hardware can still play it. The hybrid nature of both consoles makes them a natural fit for a party game that only requires a single Joy-Con per player.

Physics-based party games have carved out a massive niche over the last decade. Titles like Human: Fall Flat and Pico Park proved that players love fighting against intentionally awkward controls. Heave Ho 2 takes that concept and boils it down to two analog sticks and two trigger buttons.