Other times, it amounts to little more than a key, which is effectively worthless except to be used in one specific spot - and that's where things go drastically wrong. Sometimes, this is a universal purpose like a longer jump. The one-button nature of the game means that any costume you get can serve one purpose. The problem with the costume concept in Balan Wonderworld is that it goes for quantity over quality. If you take damage, you'll lose your costume and need to find a new one if you want to continue to use its powers, just like in Super Mario Bros. You can hold multiple costumes at once, but you still need to pick and choose. Sometimes this is an attack, a new way to move, or a key to solve a puzzle. Each level has a variety of goofy outfits, each with a unique skill that replaces the default jump action. Balan Wonderworld lacks that strength.īalan Wonderworld's biggest gimmick involves costumes that you can locate throughout the stages. Sonic the Hedgehog was a title that had nothing but jump buttons, and it's entirely possible to make that work if your level design is strong enough. Admittedly, this gives it a short learning curve, as once you can move and tap a button, you can finish the game. By default, that button jumps, and any button you hit is going to cause you to jump. All the while, they are menaced by a dark creature that resembles Balan but seems intent on stopping them.īalan Wonderworld is a 3D platformer with a distinct concept: You can move and use only one button. Aided by a magician-like creature named Balan, the two set out to help people overcome their tragedies and trauma. The two are drawn into the mysterious titular Wonderworld, a realm that's connected to the hearts of humans. Players control two characters: a boy named Leo or a girl named Emma. Instead, it creates something far more disheartening: unmemorable and boring.īalan Wonderworld's story is told through minimal use of cut scenes. Unfortunately, Balan Wonderworld doesn't quite meet the expected highs or dreaded lows. The game looked like a mix of Sonic and cult classic NiGHTs, and assuming it captured the feel of either of those titles, it would've been a delight. When Yuji Naka, the man who effectively created Sonic the Hedgehog, said he was coming back for one more platformer, it seemed hopeful. 9 went from Kickstarter darling to internet joke, while similar ousted developer Koji Igarashi's Bloodstained was met positively. When an esteemed developer sets out to make a new game in the genre that made them famous, it can always be a mixed bag.