Summary
Nikoderiko: The Magical Worldis a recently released platformer that feels like a combination ofDonkey Kong CountryandCrash Bandicoot, and it’s readily available to play on Steam. Steam is home to its fair share of excellent platformer games, and nowNikoderiko: The Magical Worldcan be added to the list.
Previously released on PlayStation, Xbox, and Switch earlier this year,Nikoderiko: The Magical Worldhas finally made its Steam debut.Nikoderikois highly derivative of other platformers, and it has some texture pop-in issues and occasional jank, but it’s still a very fun entry in the genre. And with no brand-newDonkey Kong CountryorCrash Bandicootgamesin sight,Nikoderikocan help fill the void for fans of the classic platformers.
Nikoderikois a co-op platformer that mixes 2D side-scrolling and 3D platforming. Players take on the roles of Niko and Luna as they explore a variety of colorful levels filled with hazards and enemies. The game is not shy at all about itsDonkey Kong Countryinspirations, and in fact, it often feels like you’re playing Retro Studios’Donkey Kong Country Returns. Levels end with the button mashing gimmick fromDonkey Kong Country, rockets hidden throughout the levels take players to secret mini-game stages (but instead of collecting yellow bananas, you collect yellow stars), and there are animal mounts, just like in theDKCgames.
Nikoderiko is Inspired by Donkey Kong Country and Crash Bandicoot
On top of all that,Nikoderikoeven features David Wise as its composer. Wise has worked on dozens of game soundtracks over the course of his career, including theDonkey Kong Countrygames and Playtonic’sYooka-Laylee. Clearly, the developers were hoping to pay homage to theDKCgames, and they definitely succeeded in doing just that withNikoderiko: The Magical World.
WhenNikoderikoisn’t taking its cues fromDonkey Kong Country, it’s borrowing fromCrash Bandicoot. Many times throughout the game, the camera switches from its usual side-scrolling perspective to a rear-view angle that is highly reminiscent of thePS1Crash Bandicoottrilogy. With all these borrowed ideas, it sometimes feels likeNikoderikodoesn’t have an original bone in its body, but that’s not a bad thing. It successfully fills a void left by the neglected platformer franchises and is an easy recommendation for fans of the genre looking for something new to play, especially if they want to play co-op.
Nintendo has not announced a new Donkey Kong Country game, but it is porting the Wii’s Donkey Kong Country Returns to the Switch as Donkey Kong County Returns HD in January 2025.
I haven’t finished the game yet, but what I’ve played ofNikoderikohas left me impressed enough to want to recommend it to fellow platforming fans.Nikoderiko’s co-op supportand homages to classic platformers make it a must-play for fans of the genre.
