Video Game Review: Kaze And The Wild Masks

Rob Lake reviews Kaze and the Wild Masks on Nintendo Switch...

Kaze and the Wild Masks attempts to re-create the platforming heyday of the '90s. With a clear homage to the likes of Sonic The Hedgehog and Donkey Kong Country, Kaze and the Wild Masks evokes a sense of nostalgia whilst simultaneously bringing the once-great genre into the future. 

Yes, Kaze and the Wild Masks have the benefit of hindsight, with developer PixelHive taking the best bits that the genre has to offer. But is this sense of nostalgia enough, or is it time to move on from the games of our youth? Well, come with me as I find out...

Kaze and the Wild Masks takes place on the mystical Crystal Islands. You play as Kaze, a badass looking bunny who rivals Sonic on both looks and attitude. This idyllic island life is shattered as some evil-looking cursed vegetables turn up and one of Kaze's friends goes missing. This then sets in motion the events of the game as Kaze ventures out to rescue her friend and end the threat of the cursed vegetables.

The story may sound simple but it's rather good. The inclusion of some fantastic animated cutscenes does a wonderful job in conveying both the story and forming a bond between Kaze and the player. It's a nice touch that makes you invested in Kaze's adventure, rather than just speed running through each location...like a certain blue Hedgehog. 

While gorgeous animations is a genral must, the real stand out performance goes to Kaze and the Wild Masks gameplay. PixelHive gives you a nice, yet simple tutorial level that shows you the basic fundamentals, to then throw you into the deep end. Much like its platformer predecessors, Kaze offers some challenging moments and frustrating events. It's not afraid to mess with the formula either and on occasion, you'll think you know what's coming to then be greeted by something different. Even with this new spin on the genre, gameplay largely remains consistent throughout and gives you that nostalgia feeling. 

Levels are also designed incredibly well, with plenty of collectables to discover in the form of purple gems, secret mini-games, and the Donkey Kong Country inspired KAZE letters. There's an abundance of replayability to be had in trying to collect everything that PixelHive have to offer.

When it comes to controls, Kaze is a very responsive game, and considering its inspiration, it can occasionally be quite forgiving. This isn't to say that Kaze and the Wild Masks is easy, but it's not difficult either. If anything it's very much like both Sonic The Hedgehog and Donkey Kong Country, in that some levels are easier than others. It's not too difficult to put you off playing, but it provides just enough of a challenge to make you want to play. To help Kaze along her journey there are hearts scattered across the levels which allow you to take an extra hit before succumbing to an untimely death. 

Visuals feel both fresh and unique with the game being well designed. The world is extremely colourful and each level features a different design to the next. I keep comparing Kaze to previous 16-bit platformers and to be honest it's really hard not to. There's a lot of inspired locations and colours that just made me appreciate my many SNES and Mega Drive years. 

As I briefly touched upon earlier, the inclusion of cutscenes was a fantastic touch. These cutscenes are well animated and do a grand job in putting across the story. They're quick to the point and never outstay their welcome throughout the game. 

The only concern I have about Kaze and the Wild Masks is that it's a little too safe. While it's a clear homage to the games of old, it doesn't try anything new. If like me you have fond memories of 90's gaming then Kaze and the Wild Masks is going to hit you in the feels (and make you feel old too!). But, if your wanting something fresh and innovative then you'll be hard-pressed to find that here. 

Aside from the lack of innovation, Kaze and the Wild Masks breathes new life to the platforming genre. It's an exciting, colourful title that's a great love letter to the games that inspired its creation. Controls are incredibly responsive and the game looks and plays great on the Nintendo Switch. Whether you're a gaming relic (like myself), or a youngster dabbling in retro-inspired games, then Kaze and the Wild Masks is definitely worth your time. 

Rating 9/10

Kaze and the Wild Masks is available now and can be downloaded from the Nintendo eShop here. Also available on: Xbox One, Stadia, PlayStation 4, PC (via Steam) 

A code was kindly provided for this review. 

Rob Lake - For more comic book and video game chat why not follow Geek Culture Reviews on Twitter and Facebook @GeekCultureRev