Giving me the feels
Growing up through the SNES and then PlayStation era of gaming I was not a stranger to platform games. There were countless mascots clamoring for my time to jump on boxes and dodge projectiles. While that genre has certainly made several comebacks since then, very few games have left a lasting mark. While I don’t want to prematurely say Kaze will be the next Crash Bandicoot, this new platformer from Brazilian game developer PixelHive certainly has all the makings of a classic. It borrows heavily from titles like Donkey Kong Country and Super Mario World, but brings its own flavor to the mix. Also, Kaze is just an adorable protagonist.
Kaze has all the trappings of a classic platformer. Each level has its own theme. The levels are broken down into worlds, each with their own unique boss. Every single trope from the genre is included, and it plays like a dream. Developers today are the ones that grew up with the SNES, a console that was plagued with so many mascot platformers that it was impossible to not be influenced by them. Kaze pretty much embodies all of that with a modern coat of paint and some true passion mixed in. If someone had told me this was a long lost Super Nintendo title, I would have believed them.
MSRP: $29.99
Platforms: XB1 (reviewed), PS4, Switch
Price I’d Pay: $29.99
Surprisingly, the game presents a pretty decent story to back up the platforming. It opens in a world called the Crystal Islands, where Kaze and friend Hogo are disturbed when a curse spreads across the island. Hogo is trapped, but Kaze is protected by Hogo. This leads to their island being overrun by crazed vegetables. Yeah it sounds ridiculous, but the presentation and cut scenes do a nice job of setting the tone of the game. Kaze sets out to break the curse and rescue Hogo, who has become trapped in a jeweled bracelet.
As I mentioned, this game hits all the checkboxes of a platforming game from the mid-90s. Each level introduces new mechanics and obstacles. What I love is the subtle tutorials in each stage. For example, when I made it to the snow world and there were falling ice projectiles, the game opens the level by dropping some over Kaze while protected by a platform. It is this kind of environmental tutorial that games like Mega Man X made famous. Teaching the player what is to come by foreshadowing is a brilliant way to teach the player of hazards. Every level and every area works like this.
Every level also has a trio of things to achieve outside of just reaching the end. There are letters that spell K-A-Z-E to collect, two hidden challenge rooms that consist of defeating enemies or collecting crystals, and of course the “collect 100 crystals” that every game of this type has. None of them are required, but the game does a fantastic job of tracking these things and making me want to revisit and 100% each level. This is the kind of replayability I really enjoy. There are also bonus levels that unlock for completing the two optional objectives in every stage of each world. These new levels are much more of a challenge and add incentive to go back and complete them all.
The hook of Kaze is right in the title. Along the journey Kaze will discover these masks that alter the way the game plays. For example, the bird mask gives Kaze flight. Tapping the jump button will allow Kaze to maneuver through areas. Other masks include new movement mechanics and are introduced throughout each area. This changes up the game play dramatically. The one thing the developers at PixelHive have nailed with this game is changing up the pace at just the right time. I was never bored with a mechanic or an area before it ended. The boss battles are also unique and implement things I had learned up to that point. This team just nailed the pacing and difficulty to make Kaze truly memorable.
I absolutely adore the look and sound of Kaze. Each stage feels ripped out of the ‘how to make a SNES game’ book. There are snow levels, desert levels, and everything in between. The enemies are large and vibrant and extremely well animated. Kaze is a wonderfully designed character and everything just emits charm constantly. The music is whimsical when it needs to be and the cut scenes are actually entertaining to watch. There is nothing I did not love about the look and presentation of this game.
I cannot recommend this game enough. I loved Kaze and the Wild Masks, and hope it finds the audience it deserves so we might get more games from this team. It really ticked all the boxes I would expect from a game inspired by the mascot platformers I grew up with. It also helps that the game is coming to every platform imaginable. Do not hesitate if you love titles like Donkey Kong Country or even have the most minute nostalgia for that plethora of mascot platformers from the mid -to-late 90s. This game hits all those notes while injecting its own flavor to the cause.
Review copy of game provided by publisher.
