Balan Wonderworld is the latest from renowned video game designer, director and developer Yuji Naka. Naka is best known for his work on the Sonic the Hedgehog and Nights series of games, and has collaborated with Square Enix to create Balan Wonderworld.
That said, Naka is far removed from the franchises at this point, and Balan Wonderworld is completely different. The game is a 3D platform, reminiscent of something like the original Jak and Daxter or Lucky’s Languages, but working out its own feel and personality.
Players will explore colorful 3D worlds and must solve puzzles, collect items and complete levels to progress.
The catch in Balan Wonderworld, however, is the game’s use of costumes. The main character (you can choose to be a boy or a girl) is pretty helpless and can only jump on the heads of enemies. However, each level is littered with Kirby-like power-ups that you get from a group of friendly allies. Luckily for these friends, you do not have to eat them.
These power shots are many, creative and niche. In just the handful of levels available in the demo, there are ten different startup programs, and each level challenges you to take advantage of their unique abilities.
To give you a taste, there’s a Sheep power-up that allows you to inflate (like Kirby actually does). While in this state, you can glide and catch wind to prolong your flight.
There is also a swarm of pigs that allows collision, which can damage enemies and pinch certain platforms in the ground to solve certain puzzles or reach new areas.
There are even crap like a Witch / Fox generator that turns you into an invincible cube that you can use to break certain boxes quickly while sliding.
There is also value in tracing with this startup. There are areas and puzzles in earlier levels that are only accessible with startups from later chapters. For example, an acceleration that you can get in Chapter 6 can be used to gain access to an area in Chapter 1.
The main reason for this is to get Balan statues that can be used to unlock new chapters, add new worlds to explore and promote the game.
You can also collect gems in different colors that you can feed for these cute bunny-like things called Tims that hang out in the world. These gems change the characteristics of the Tims and can then be used to help you with various benefits when you go exploring in a chapter.
The story leaves a lot to the imagination, and I mean it lovingly. No one really speaks other than Balan – the mysterious entity that guides the main character through his “Wonder World”. And instead, Balan expresses Wonderworld through character emotion, colors, sound, and music.
Each chapter seems to tell its own short story. Chapter 1 is about a farmer whose crops are struggling due to a storm. The main character and Balan can by their actions stop the mysterious evil entities that are causing the storm and can help the farmer.
What also becomes clear is that the startup you encounter in each chapter is a bit of a theme around the story, which is also a cute touch.
Fighting is not terribly difficult at any stage. The boss battles in the demo contain a specific startup that makes it much easier, but there is also the freedom to use other startups.
For example, one boss throws gusts of wind that you can turn straight with the Wolf startup. Or, alternatively, you can dodge the gusts of wind and use the Dragon startup to drop some fireballs on it.
I really enjoyed the freedom that players have in the demo, as well as the creativity of the different power-ups. However, I wonder how much Balan Wonderland will push this concept forward or if the demo is the ceiling in terms of complexity.
I wonder because the game seems very aimed at children. Do not get me wrong, because as an adult I still enjoyed my time with the demo, but between the pieces of the story’s display and the fairly easy battle, it seems clear that Balan Wonderworld is not a challenge for hardcore is not. fans of games like Crash Bandicoot or even Super Mario.
Whether it’s going to be difficult remains to be seen, but whatever it is, Balan Wonderland forms a very relaxing, heartwarming and fun platform that is accessible to all ages.
There is always room for well-made games that everyone can pick up and enjoy. When I was a kid, I grew up playing great games like Sonic the Hedgehog. It was a game I could handle even at the age of seven or so, and I still love it because it’s a great game.
There are so many awful games aimed at kids, so I can appreciate the efforts of games like Balan Wonderworld to be something that everyone can enjoy. Everything does not have to be hard like Donkey Kong Country.
If you want to try the demo of Balan Wonderworld yourself, it will be out on Friday at midnight ET.