Since the moment it was first shown off in a trailer a few months back, Nikoderiko: The Magical World stood out as a must-buy. As a fan of the Donkey Kong Country games – especially the SNES trilogy – I have enjoyed games that kept its platforming gameplay flow alive even during a drought in official DKC games. Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair is among the most impressive and most well-known, but Kaze and the Wild Masks came the closest to nailing the vibe of the animal buddies while getting the gameplay right as well.
Hop and Bop
Nikoderiko begins with the playable characters Niko and Luna narrowly escaping their doom after hunting for treasure and going on a globetrotting adventure to get it once again. Now upon starting the game, it was initially a bit concerning because the d-pad did nothing, even in menus. A precision platformer like this excels at having fast, accurate controls and a d-pad makes that far easier to do. Thankfully, in the game itself, you’re able to use either the d-pad or the left analog stick to move, with the former being preferable for side-scrolling and the latter being handy for the game’s 3D sections. Unlike any DKC-like yet, there’s a blend of 2D action and Crash Bandicoot-style third-person platforming action.
Stunning Worlds
The former has a more deliberate pace that feels more on-par with DKC Returns than the original series, but has a faster flow to it than the modern-day DKC games. It strikes a nice balance and does more to encourage exploration than the newer DKCs did, where it could feel more like sheer luck to find hidden areas. Here, they’re hidden in plain sight a bit more and that makes finding all of the goodies in each stage a bit easier.
The 3D sections are surprisingly enjoyable and something that strikes a balance between tough to master right away while still being fair. Animal buddies are back early on and enable that same feeling of power that they did in DKC, but are expanded into 3D sections as well, making the game stand out in its own way since that’s something you never had in a DKC title.
The 3D sections are surprisingly enjoyable and something that strikes a balance between tough to master right away while still being fair.
You can get Nikoderiko for theSwitch,XboxSeries consoles andPlayStation5 now for $29.99. As a big fan of the DKC games and all of its inspirations over the years, this is one of the finer examples of a game that gets a lot right about that series in both its classic and modern incarnations while also putting its own spin on things to an extent that isn’t normally seen. In a bit of an odd move, a PC version is in the works, but isn’t a day one release alongside the consoles, and the release date isn’t known just yet.
Review: Kaze and the Wild Masks
Kaze and the Wild Masks is a must-own platformer – especially for anyone craving a new Donkey Kong Country game.
