Again in 2020, Chibig launched Summer season in Mara, a slice-of-life farm sim recreation set in a tropical world and… effectively, for our cash, it actually wasn’t superb. It evidently offered effectively sufficient for Chibig to justify persevering with the IP, however somewhat than make a sequel that constructed on the strengths and glued the issues of the unique, the studio determined to make the successor a 3D platformer within the vein of Tremendous Mario 3D Land or Sackboy: A Massive Journey. Weird as the selection could appear, it was clearly the appropriate one, as Koa and the 5 Pirates of Mara is a considerably higher recreation than its predecessor and holds its personal as a strong 3D platformer.
The story begins someday after the occasions of Summer season in Mara and facilities round a contest staged by an area band of pirates whereby rivals should overcome a sequence of trials to grow to be an official pirate. Koa naturally enters the competitors, beginning off one other seafaring journey as she island-hops and collects maps on her climb to be the easiest. The narrative isn’t a lot to write down dwelling about, and it could possibly get awfully textual content heavy in some locations as you’re nagged by aspect characters grabbing Koa’s consideration, but it surely principally stays out of the way in which.
Earlier than getting into a degree, the world map is offered to you as a small ocean you possibly can traverse in Koa’s boat that’s vaguely harking back to the Nice Sea from The Wind Waker. Islands and collectibles are scattered round this explorable house, and there’s even a cute treasure-hunting minigame that’s clearly impressed by the salvaging from Phantom Hourglass.
Every island is dwelling to at least one to 3 ranges that take just a few minutes every to clear, presenting you with concise platforming gauntlets that don’t overstay their welcome and offer you simply sufficient problem to maintain issues entertaining. Breezing by these is fairly straightforward by itself, however these searching for extra problem can choose to snag the hidden collectibles in every stage and race towards the clock for a gold medal. Koa is fast and responds rapidly to controller inputs, and whereas she’s no Mario by way of her moveset or basic athleticism, we had been nonetheless happy by how responsive the platforming controls felt.
For its presentation, Koa and the 5 Pirates of Mara sticks to a simplistic and considerably drained artwork model, with the numerous nautical locales typically feeling like up-rezzed variations of one thing you may discover in a PS2 platformer. This isn’t essentially a foul factor, although we want a extra formidable, memorable visible model had been tried right here. Fortunately, all of it unfolds at a silky clean and fully strong 60 FPS, which works a great distance in the direction of elevating the standard really feel of the gameplay.
Koa and the 5 Pirates of Mara isn’t precisely a daring reinvention of the 3D platformer, but it surely repeatedly proves that it’s received it the place it counts. Easy controls, first rate degree selection, and plenty of collectibles all make this one a reasonably straightforward suggestion, even when it’s a little simplistic wanting. Should you’re after 7-10 hours of strong, vibrant 3D platforming, we’d recommend giving this one a shot.