Nikoderiko: The Magical World Review by Guggs

At completexbox we are very much community driven, and welcome guest articles, opinion pieces and reviews. This review of  Nikoderiko: The Magical World is written by the very talented Guggs.

If you’re a child of the late ‘80’s-early ‘90’s there’s a good chance you found yourself playing a platformer as you began your foray in to video games. The genre’s popularity reached incredible heights as Donkey Kong, Crash Bandicoot, Mario & Sonic the Hedgehog’s bright visuals and distinct soundtracks created a sense of infectious fun.

In the years that followed we saw dynamic duos Jak and Daxter & Ratchet and Clank step into the spotlight, bringing deeper mechanic and broader adventures. Despite the heavy dose of nostalgia with the Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy, and Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time’s attempt to put a modern spin on a timeless classic, there’s always been room for new characters, adventures and narratives – Step forward Nikoderiko: The Magical World, a game that’s filled with charm and great level design, as well as reminding us of those early titles.

The story is a simple one – Niko and his female counterpart and fellow protagonist Luna, learn that an artifact has been stolen by the despicable Grimbald. It’s nothing you haven’t seen several times before in these sorts of games, but it’s passable enough to give some background as we set out on our adventure.

A Platformer can sink or swim based on how the controls feel, so it was a relief to find that s fter stepping into the shoes of Niko I was met with a sense of familiarity, with good balance of being both responsive and intuitive. New and younger players can pull off the basics with ease, whilst there’s a few more complex moves available, allowing players more familiar with this kind of movement to complete dash-jumps across larger gaps with ease

The worlds reminded me of those formative games I played when I was younger but also had enough of their own identity. The game’s seamless switch between 2.5D and 3D perspectives gave levels depth, and it was nice to see this was something that continued throughout the other worlds. Whether I was traversing rocky caverns, a hazardous volcano or swimming through the coral reef, each set of levels were a joy to play. Before long I was collecting each of the letters that made up Niko’s name, foraging for hidden keys and gems in well-hidden areas off the beaten path, with cascading waterfalls and dense trees serving as a backdrop. Completing each of the set of levels resulted in a showdown with a well-designed boss, which could sometimes provide a much-needed challenge. That isn’t to say playing through the game is easy, but it didn’t provide enough of a challenge as I’d have liked. For the younger player or those trying to refamiliarise themselves with the genre, it will provide more than enough to keep them satisfied.

The minecart levels, something the studio were quick to joke about on their Instagram, seemed like a love letter to the notoriously difficult ones in Donkey Kong, but as I progressed further and unlocked more levels and challenges, it became clear that VEA Games weren’t happy to create a mild tribute to those that had come before but had created something strong enough to stand on its own merit.

Accompanying the visuals is an equally impressive soundtrack. Created by David Wise, whose previous work includes the Donkey Kong Country series, the music is as catchy as you’d expect. Each piece of music fits well with the biome it’s used for, but it wasn’t until I stopped playing between sessions that I realised what an important part of the experience each piece was, as I often caught myself with certain pieces of music on a loop in my head.

At a time where couch co-op is on the decline, I was surprised to see that the entire game is playable with a friend. I didn’t test the co-op for myself, but did speak with others who had played through the game with their children. They were happy to share the experience, and one told me that it sparked a conversation with their son about games from their own childhood, who has since wanted to play some of those games.

So often we see video games pulled apart from a technical perspective, as well as expecting them to be genre defining titans, that we sometimes miss sight of the most important thing about them – That they’re fun, and Nikoderiko IS a lot of fun. The downside of so many positives is the fact that at 7-8 hours, I can’t help but feel that it could have been a longer experience. It doesn’t outstay its welcome, but I would have happily spent another 4-5 hours with some tougher challenges or perhaps some bonus worlds.

If you’re looking for a robust, family friendly platformer at a good price, I can’t recommend Nikoderiko highly enough.