Free to playIs Handshakes worth it?
Handshakes is worth it if…
- you want a puzzle game that stretches your brain without ever stressing it
- you like sokoban but fancy a fresh twist on pushing boxes
- you want something small and charming to play in short bursts
- you enjoy solving puzzles together with a friend on one screen
Screenshots
One keyboard, two hands, zero arguments
Handshakes is built for sharing a couch. It is the rare co-op game where nobody needs a headset or a lobby: you sit down, split the controls, and start pushing boxes. Because every level is a small puzzle rather than a test of reflexes, it works for mixed skill levels too. When the hands finally clasp, you did it together.
Arms that do more than wave
The twist on sokoban is the arms. Your two characters stay put, but their arms stretch out across the grid, pushing crates, holding down buttons and opening doors. Arm length is limited, shown on a little counter, so every tile counts. That severed hand suddenly becomes a box you can shove onto a switch, or a bridge for the other arm. Levels start as gentle tutorials and build up to a few genuinely tricky ones, with an "aha" moment waiting at the end of each.
How long does it take to finish?
How long does it take to finish?
Around one to two hours for the 30 levels, which makes it a tidy evening or a few coffee breaks. If you want more after that, there is a speedrun challenge: finish everything in under ten minutes, which asks you to know every level inside out. It is short by design, a small and complete thing rather than a long grind.
Can you play it solo?
Yes. One player controls both characters, one hand per hand, which is its own little dexterity joke. The puzzles are turn-based, so there is no pressure in playing alone, and unlimited undo plus instant restart mean experimenting is always safe. Co-op is there when you want it, not a requirement.
Is it hard? you get frustrated easily.
It is built to stump, not to strain. Most levels ease you in and teach the mechanics as you go, with only a few demanding real head-scratching. Nothing punishes you: no move limits, no timers, and you can undo or reset whenever you like. If a level resists for a few minutes, the answer is usually a smile-and-groan trick rather than a wall.
What does it look and sound like?
Cute and colourful: simple pixel art with two round, smiley characters, bright tiles and a cheerful little soundtrack. The look is pared back on purpose, so the puzzles read clearly and nothing on screen distracts from the actual thinking. The handshake itself, when it finally lands, feels earned.
