What Witchtastic is
Witchtastic is a co-op game about brewing magic potions and getting them delivered as fast as you can. You play as an aspiring witch, gathering ingredients like deadly nightshade, garlic, mandrakes and mushrooms, then throwing them into the boiling cauldron to work through dozens of recipes. Every second counts, so it is built for people who like chasing their own best times. The world takes you through villages, forests, swamps, cities and snowy ruins, with haunted forests, hungry wolves and deadly swamps waiting along the way. Your companion Owly gives advice when you get stuck. Along the way you collect magic gems and spend them on outfits, headdresses and other cosmetics to customize your witch.
Playing together as a group
Witchtastic supports 2 to 4 players, so you can run it as a duo, a trio or a squad. You can share one couch or play over the internet, and Steam Remote Play Together is supported as well. The whole thing hinges on quick, accurate communication: someone has to know which ingredients are needed, someone has to get them, and someone has to keep the cauldron moving. Splitting jobs and calling them out clearly is what makes a run fast. The broom helps you move quicker and get over obstacles, which matters when you are racing the clock. Expect some yelling between friends, which is part of the appeal.
Before you start
The game is tagged as difficult, so runs will punish sloppy coordination more than slow reflexes alone. If you would rather learn the recipes and the routes without an audience, there is a single player campaign for training. Progress unlocks cosmetics through rewards, so early runs are also about building up your collection. It is family friendly and works well as a casual session game, but the speedrunning angle means there is always a tighter time to beat once your group has the basics down.