Nikoderiko Review (PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Switch, & PC)

It’s easy to dismiss Nikoderiko: The Magical World as just another copycat. After all, nearly every stage has a familiar mechanic to Donkey Kong, Crash Bandicoot, and Rayman, among other groundbreaking platformers. Yet, after your time with the game, you come out having enjoyed a unique experience. Perhaps it’s the mash-up of tried-and-tested ideas. Or rather, the bold aesthetic that fills the soul with joy. Either way, there’s something special here worth checking out. But don’t take my word for it. Here’s a full breakdown of all you can expect in our Nikoderiko: The Magical World review below.

Same Old

No one boots up a platformer hoping to unravel a profound story. So, when Nikoderiko: The Magical World crafts a lackluster premise that you’ve probably heard before, I didn’t take it to heart. Essentially, titular Niko and Luna are your protagonists. They’re treasure hunters whose next quest is on a magical island. After securing a lucrative treasure chest, the evil Baron Grimbald and his nefarious Cobring cronies nab it for themselves. So, Niko and Luna set off to get their stolen banana hoard, uhm, sorry, treasure chest back. 

The hunt for the treasure chest isn’t the only similar idea Nikoderiko: The Magical World borrows from Donkey Kong. Kicking off your hunt is a starting screen showing the seven worlds you’ll need to traverse to get to Baron. You select the next level just like you would in Donkey Kong or Super Mario, with each one ending in a spectacle boss fight. Undoubtedly, any fan of platforming, especially veterans who’ve stuck around since the ‘90s, should know their way around.

Furthermore, David Wise, the legendary composer of the Donkey Kong soundtrack as well as Yooka-Laylee and other popular games, has worked on Nikoderiko: The Magical World’s music score, too. So, at the very least, you can expect to have a blast listening to thumping tunes that match the magical landscape and fun-filled atmosphere of the game. Nikoderiko: The Magical World is, indeed, magical, with its colorful and bold aesthetic. Beyond its beautiful charm are distinct biomes boasting deeply detailed flora and fauna. 

In the Thick of It

When you get down to business, it’s often controlling Niko or Luna as you run, jump, and slide your way to the end goal. You’ll traverse 2.5D levels that are packed chockfull of wild chases reminiscent of Crash Bandicoot, minecart rides reminiscent of Donkey Kong, underwater odysseys, obstacles, and hidden secrets, which I’m sure are all familiar to platforming gurus. Hardly much will be new as far as the gameplay is concerned. Nikoderiko: The Magical World doesn’t try to hide its heavy inspirations, either. Apparently, it’s a tribute to the classics. But perhaps paying homage to the greats might have been taken a little too literally.

But in a surprising twist, Nikoderiko: The Magical World still manages to stand out. See, despite the obvious similarities in the gameplay mechanics, playing through the game feels oddly fitting. It all gels perfectly, serving up immense satisfaction when you beat the stages and encounter the varied enemy types of the game’s magical world. Enemies are, indeed, distinct flavors, with different abilities that require devising various ways to take them down. Some enemies will fall to you, jumping on their heads. Others will be vulnerable to your slide attacks. You can throw objects like barrels at enemies or ground pound them to oblivion. 

No matter the attack sequence you decide, it all plays seamlessly. Even more so, it feels great to thwart enemies on the ground, mid-air, or underwater. But Nikoderiko: The Magical World has more ways to spice up your playthrough. You can collect letters, keys, crystals, gold coins, and glowing orbs that are the in-game currency. You can turn in the glowing orbs for mounts, which can be your animal companions, in addition to chipping in during platforming and enemy encounters.

Buddy Up

Animal companions are rideable beings you can summon on the fly. They help you cover larger distances in shorter time frames. However, they have special movements and attacks, too. Todd the Tead can hop and spit venom at enemies. Oceanis, the Seahorse, can wade through water and shoot laser beams. Meanwhile, Dino the Dinosaur can eat and spit out enemies. Again, all these are familiar concepts. Rideable mounts aren’t anything novel. Yet Nikoderiko: The Magical World has mastered the execution of the mechanic. Merging perfect execution with the breathtaking biomes, you can have a blast.

Besides collecting glowing orbs to unlock new mounts, you can also find them in the world. So, there’s an incentive to explore. In fact, the collectibles and hidden secrets in Nikoderiko: The Magical World are quite a ton; you’ll almost never run out of exciting goodies. There are even the letters “N,” “I,” “K,” and “O,” yup, just like Crash Bandicoot’s “C,” “T,” and “R,” that you can find in the levels as well as bottled messages. Moreover, there are mini-games that you can always return to for repeat play. It’s all interconnected. For instance, there are two keys on each level. Finding the first key is only half the battle. You’ll have to find the second key, which will require beating a minigame, which varies from collecting all the stars, finding the second key, or destroying all the enemies under a set time.

As for the rewards for searching for all the collectibles, well, other than the joy of exploring and soothing the completionist in you, fireflies or coins collectibles can unlock 3D character models. You can buy concept art, too, as well as behind-the-scenes content like the music. 

Easy on You

Now, it would have been grand if the collectibles unlocked more health or upgrades. However, the game is rather simple. This is definitely no Crash Bandicoot 4. You won’t find the absurdly long distance between checkpoints or too many deaths. In fact, you don’t really die but are sent to your last checkpoint once your health is depleted. 

Nikoderiko: The Magical World is definitely on the easier end of most platformers. Veterans will likely beat the game in under a few hours. Meanwhile, newcomers and even gamers of a younger audience can take it on. Except for very few instances that require strict precision, making jumps, or targeting enemies, the rest of the game is rather lenient. It’s all welcome, too, given the ultimate fun you have simply cruising through the levels and enjoying the breathtaking world around you. 

Part of the reason Nikoderiko: The Magical World’s leniency works pretty great is the creativity in the boss fights. They’re all unique and wield distinct abilities. Now, you may have to play through certain boss battles multiple times. But it’s all in good fun as the “defeats” never feel unfair. Some more credits where credit is due: the switch between 2.5D and 3D is phenomenal. You can be sidescrolling and then be thrust into Niko or Luna, moving toward or away from the screen. This way, the enemy perspective changes, as do the platforming and battles. You even discover hidden secrets that unlock more bonus stages. That, and the local co-op feature, paves the way for enjoying Nikoderiko: The Magical World with family and friends.

Verdict

Nearly all of the enjoyable bits of Nikoderiko: The Magical World can be traced back to platformers you may have played before. Riding mine carts as enemies chase you relentlessly? Mounting animals and letting them do the dirty work for you? Butt-bopping enemies’ heads and sliding underneath waves of enemies to reach the end goal? They’re all similar in some way to legendary platformers from Donkey Kong to Crash Bandicoot. It’s pretty concerning that Nikoderiko: The Magical World lacks any new ideas except for its characters, narrative, and world. But even with the narrative, it’s one we’ve heard before, just with a twist. 

Breaking apart Nikoderiko: The Magical World from a creative perspective, it’s easy to find faults. However, the game runs splendidly well. It’s technically flawless, with an impeccable execution of its mechanics. Despite its many similarities to classic and modern platformers, it does execute all of its inspirations to perfection. Moreover, the game steeps all of platforming’s best ideas in the most delightful and fun-filled world. You tag along with exciting characters who have memorable personalities. Even the villains are fun and match up their bustling characters with engaging enemy encounters. 

Sure, the narrative won’t be winning any awards. But platformers are never great because of their profound storytelling. Rather, the gameplay takes the spotlight, and against all odds, Nikoderiko: The Magical World manages to appease platforming fans. While the next Crash Bandicoot and Donkey Kong title takes its sweet time, Nikoderiko: The Magical World can be a wonderful distraction. It’s ultimately so much fun to breeze through its relatively easier levels, polished and packed chockfull of exciting collectibles. Plus, heading back for repeated runs is a no-brainer, given the immense hidden secrets in the main and bonus stages.