Test - Nikoderiko: The Magical World: There is something mediocre between Donkey Kong and Crash Bandicoot

Two mongooses go on a treasure hunt, triggering one flash of nostalgia after the other. The platformer Nikoderiko: The Magical World from VEA Games not only has a tongue-tying name, it was also clearly influenced by classics like Donkey Kong Country and Crash Bandicoot. But how much homage can a game tolerate without seeming bold?

Have you ever played a jump-and-run in your life, you know what you're intoexpected. Most of your time is spent moving from left to right, jumping on funny enemies like walking cobras, crabs and birds, and enjoying 3D sections at regular intervals. VEA Games' debut is rounded off by a pleasantly uncomplicated couch co-op mode, thanks to which Nikoderiko's friend Luna can join or leave at any time.

Déjà vus am laufenden Band

Aside from the familiar feel of the game, other aspects of Nikoderiko: The Magical World will certainly be familiar to those familiar with the genre. Rarely have I felt so reminded of “the competition” as I did here. The developers' motto was probably “Better to copy well than do it yourself badly”. In this specific case it was clearandModel.

You race along tracks in a wagon and avoid all sorts of enemies and traps, which was of course borrowed from Nintendo's famous primate. If the camera suddenly pans around and you have to flee from a rolling rock, Nikoderiko suddenly transforms into Crash Bandicoot in your mind's eye. The boxes distributed everywhere are also reminiscent of the cheeky bandicoot.

The mounts could also come directly from Donkey Kong's private zoo, which he runs together with Yoshi. Because there is actually a toad that munches on enemies and then spits them out again as a projectile. The seahorse, on the other hand, transports you quickly through underwater levels, because of course it goes to the diving station regularly.

The collectibles were also inspired by Nintendo's little monkey, because you actually have to collect four letters in each level, the design of which is strikingly reminiscent of the iconic KONG lettering. What advantage does this ultimately give you? I don't know, it seems more like occupational therapy. The same applies to crystals and keys. At least the fireflies have a purpose: you use them to buy mounts in the shop that you can summon at any time, which is questionable for balancing.

Move it, Mungo!

But Nikoderiko and Luna have more to offer than just running and jumping. At the push of a button, the two figures slide forward quickly, destroying boxes or defeating opponents. I'll just save the comparison to Donkey Kong's roll attack at this point. By jumping from a wall or slowly sliding down it you can reach hidden collectibles or secret level sections.

The hidden mini-games vary massively in quality. Sometimes they are tough challenge levels that are also fun. However, Nikoderiko: The Magical World also sets you some simple collecting tasks in which you have to pick up all the stars in the corresponding section within a time limit. This also feels like occupational therapy, but you can easily skip it. Because the reward is the keys mentioned, which do not bring any advantages.

Despite all the complaining, I have to attest to Nikoderiko: The Magical World: The mechanics that have been put together largely mesh well with each other, never really get in each other's way and create an interesting mix. The controls are reasonably precise, but the last bit of genius is missing. Sometimes Niko reacts a bit too bitchy to your input, and the height of your jump cannot always be estimated appropriately. This is primarily because the normal hop and its higher version feel almost the same when you press the button for a longer period of time.

This is particularly annoying in the boss fights at the end of each world. Some of them rely extremely heavily on good timing and precise jumps. In addition, it is not always possible to clearly estimate where you will end up in three-dimensional space - despite there being a marker under your figure. None of this is a big problem, but in direct comparison with the above-mentioned role models, Nikoderiko: The Magical World clearly has to admit defeat.

As you run, glide and jump through the levels, you'll be accompanied by a fantastic musical background that sounds strangely familiar. It fits perfectly into the pretty environments with their detailed backgrounds. As you move through an idyllic jungle, the soundscape is discreetly restrained, as you flee from traps chasing you it turns up, underwater electric guitars kick in in heated passages - it's pure joy. No wonder, after all, David Wise wielded the baton. The composer played a key role in the Donkey Kong Country series and also created the music for.

In general, VEA Games presents the jump-and-run in a very stylish look. In addition, everything in terms of design remains very easy to read. Only rarely did I confuse background and foreground, which is unfortunately still a common genre disease. This way you can enjoy creative designs with anthropomorphic opponents and characters without running from one frustration trap to the next.