Kaze and the Wild Masks

Genre: Platformer

Players: 1

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Review:

Kaze and the Wild Masks is a family-friendly Platformer released in 2021 on the PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch. And while this game has players taking the role of an anthropomorphic bunny jumping on the heads of large, anthropomorphic vegetables, it’s clear that the blood of a necktie-wearing ape is flowing through this game’s veins.

Visually, this game looks very good, featuring a nicely-detailed, colorful pixel art style with a good amount of animation. Nothing truly impressive, but it all looks quite nice. This is backed by an upbeat, cartoony soundtrack that I didn’t find especially memorable, but it works well enough for the game.

Here’s the thing, though – it may not look like it, and it may not sound like it, but this game is clearly channeling the spirit of the Donkey Kong Country series. Everything from the way your character moves, the way secrets are hidden in each stage, the way the temporary mask power-ups work similarly to Donkey Kong’s animal friends, and even the way Kaze spins her ears to slow her fall and uses them to grab items before throwing them is pretty much exactly how Dixie Kong played in the second and third Donkey Kong Country games.

Now, Kaze and the Wild Masks isn’t very original. And it’s certainly not the audiovisual treat the Donkey Kong Country games were (and still are), but it still has strong gameplay, excellent level design and enemy design, good pacing, and plenty of variety to keep things interesting.

Kaze and the Wild Masks isn’t likely to give Donkey Kong a run for his money, but it is still an outstanding Platformer that beautifully matches the gameplay of that series, and anyone who enjoys Platformers will find this to be an excellent entry in the genre. And if you’re a fan of the Donkey Kong Country games, consider this a must-buy.

tl;dr – Kaze and the Wild Masks is a Family-Friendly Platformer that is clearly directly based on the Donkey Kong Country games, and while it may not be very original, the gameplay here is excellent, the level design and enemy design is great, there’s good pacing and variety. This is a superb Platformer, and a must-have for Donkey Kong Country fans.

Grade: B+

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This game has been nominated for one or more of eShopperReviews 2021 Game Awards:

Runner-Up: Best Platformer

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