HYPERCHARGE: Unboxed

HYPERCHARGE: Unboxed is a co-op shooter from the British studio Digital Cybercherries. You play as action figures defending the Hypercore against attacking toys. The reduced perspective turns ordinary rooms, gardens and shops into vast battlefields. The game combines firefights with exploration and building defensive structures.

The German Switch version of HYPERCHARGE: Unboxed was released on Jan 31, 2020. The full version on Steam followed on Apr 27, 2020. On Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S the title has been available since May 31, 2024, and on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 since May 30, 2025.

According to the developer, work on the project had already begun in 2015. Later major content updates should be distinguished from these native product releases.

Native versions are available for PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PS4 and PS5. Xbox lists a version optimized for Series X|S and Smart Delivery. Sony lists PS4 and PS5 separately; Steam lists Windows and Linux as PC environments.

Compatibility of the original Switch version with a Switch 2 is not evidence of a separate native Switch 2 version. The platforms are therefore not merged where separate releases are concerned.

Players explore apartments, children's rooms and other everyday places as action figures, which seem vast because of their small size. Between missions they collect resources, search for extra equipment and choose defensive positions. You can switch the view between first-person and over-the-shoulder camera.

The Supporter Pack and the Breaker & Mightus Pack are available as optional extras. The add-ons offer additional character content and cosmetic content, and on some platforms they are sold with the main game as the Complete Edition. The major Switch update planned for October 2026, by contrast, is offered for free.

Steam lists the minimum as Windows 10 64-bit, an Intel Core i5-4460, 8 GB RAM, a GeForce GTX 750 and 13 GB of free storage. The recommended configuration includes a Core i7-4770, 16 GB RAM, a GeForce GTX 1050 and 15 GB of free storage.

Windows requires DirectX 11. For Linux, Steam lists separate requirements; the PC specs do not automatically apply to consoles.

In the fictional game world, the Hypercore preserves people's memories of their beloved toys. Sergeant Max Ammo and the other characters try to save it from Major Evil. The story campaign links different missions and adds concrete mission objectives to the pure survival waves.

The modernized versions on PC, Xbox and PlayStation already include the campaign. For Nintendo Switch, its content alignment has been announced for October 2026, so this version should not be assumed to be identical until then.

The cooperative missions are designed for up to four players and can be played in the same room or over the internet. The Switch version offers, among other things, split-screen for four players in TV mode; for some online modes, more players are possible depending on the system.

Competitive player-versus-player rules for up to eight participants are available. Online matches on consoles are subject to the membership requirements of the respective platform holders.

The PC, Xbox and PlayStation versions already support cross-platform matches. According to Digital Cybercherries, the Nintendo Switch version is set to receive a free update on Oct 15, 2026 that enables crossplay with the other systems and adds several pieces of content that are missing there so far.

On Oct 14 this is still an announced release. Only once the update is actually available can the intended parity between game versions be checked. A separate Switch 2 version is not part of this.

HYPERCHARGE offers several competitive modes alongside the cooperative Hypercore defense. Steam and the console stores list Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, Capture the Battery, Infection and King of the Hill. Depending on the mode, the focus is on individual scoring, teamwork or tasks around an object.

The mode selection of the original Switch release still differs from the other platforms before the announced October update; aligning them is part of the update plan.

German on-screen text is listed for Steam and the respective console versions. According to Steam, the voice audio is in English; other languages cover the user interface and subtitles only.

The PlayStation Store lists the ability to adjust different volume ranges among its accessibility options. Nintendo lists support for the Pro Controller and several play modes for handheld and docked use on Switch.

The game can be played offline and alone. Optionally, computer-controlled teammates help with collecting resources, building and completing tasks. Single players can also unlock the regular progress. Online matches, by contrast, require an internet connection.

The developer and publisher is Digital Cybercherries. According to its own statements, the team started the project in 2015. Network features and parts of the Unreal Engine implementation were reworked for later platform versions. The planned Switch alignment is meant to make the platform versions functionally uniform.

Defensive installations can be set up between game rounds. Towers, walls and traps determine how well the central Hypercore can be protected. The building phase complements exploration and active intervention during the waves.