Corn Kidz 64
- October 16, 2023
- BogoSoft
- 4h median play time
In "Corn Kidz 64," Seve the one-horned goat, tormented by a recurring dream, must confront a problem in the palindrome-themed town of Wolloh's Hollow with the help of his friend Alexis. This 3D platformer, reminiscent of 64-bit classics, offers a smaller and larger world, tower worlds, and a hub with bonus stages. The game features enemies, NPCs, a boss battle, a dynamic soundtrack, and weightier physics, providing approximately 4-8 hours of gameplay.
Reviews
- Nostalgic throwback to N64 platformers with charming visuals and humor.
- Tight controls and satisfying movement mechanics that enhance platforming challenges.
- Dense level design with plenty of secrets and collectibles to discover.
- Short length with only a few levels, leaving players wanting more.
- Occasional frustrating platforming challenges and camera issues.
- Some puzzles can be cryptic, making progression feel aimless at times.
- gameplay370 mentions
- 32 % positive mentions
- 65 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Corn Kidz 64" is characterized by its nostalgic homage to classic N64 platformers, featuring a blend of simple yet deep movement mechanics that encourage exploration and creativity. While many players appreciate the polished controls and engaging level design, some express frustration with certain mechanics, such as inconsistent lock-on features and a lack of clear direction in objectives. Overall, the game offers a satisfying and challenging experience, though it has minor flaws that could benefit from further refinement.
“I really hope the creator makes DLCs for this game, because holy hell this game has some of the most fun gameplay I've played in years.”
“The gameplay is very solid and polished, and it just genuinely feels good to move around in the world.”
“Not only does it perfectly emulate the look and feel of N64 collectathons, it does so with style, humor, and extremely tight game mechanics.”
“This is exacerbated by the fact that actually executing mechanics consistently within the anxiety tower involves actively fighting almost every mechanic of the game, and setbacks frequently feel like the game's fault and not your own.”
“It's one of those old-school frustrating difficulty spikes that comes completely out of nowhere and drags everything else around it down and teaches you to hate the mechanics then tops it off with no reward for the experience.”
“Good ideas and world building but the movement, camera, and collision detection hold back basic gameplay from the beginning onwards.”
- graphics363 mentions
- 41 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The graphics of "Corn Kidz 64" are widely praised for their authentic emulation of the Nintendo 64 aesthetic, featuring low-poly models, vibrant environments, and charming animations that evoke nostalgia for classic platformers. Reviewers appreciate the game's unique art style, which combines elements reminiscent of 90s cartoons with a playful, quirky atmosphere, although some express a desire for options to reduce the heavy CRT filters that can obscure clarity. Overall, the visuals are celebrated as a successful homage to the era, enhancing the gameplay experience with their colorful and imaginative design.
“N64 graphics, sound design, and animation make you feel like you're playing a lost game from the era; and I fully believe you could fool someone into believing it was a classic ported over to Steam.”
“The art style is super nice and it accurately mimics the N64 style they were going for, hitting it out of the park.”
“The visuals are full of soul and the platforming is amazing.”
“Platforming can be a bit more difficult with the graphics making distances and depths harder to perceive; but it's all part of the experience, I suppose.”
“I appreciate the core of the simplistic N64 aesthetic but the harsh framerate limit and heavy-handed blur + haze filters (even on text) made it intolerable to me but thankfully there's a branch you can enable in Steam with all that disabled.”
“Graphics make my eyes hurt, music is low-ish quality, and controls and platforming make me exhale aggressively from my nose.”
- music362 mentions
- 42 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its catchy, nostalgic quality reminiscent of classic N64 titles, while others criticize its repetitiveness and lack of diversity. Some players found themselves whistling the tunes outside of gameplay, highlighting the soundtrack's earworm potential, but noted that certain tracks could become grating over time. Overall, the music is seen as a strong aspect of the game, contributing to its charm and atmosphere, despite some calls for a more varied and longer soundtrack.
“The music is incredible.”
“The music in this game is so catchy!”
“The music is great, too!”
“My biggest and harshest criticism is the songs are garbage.”
“The only negative part about the game is the way too short soundtrack; the same 1-2 minute song will play on loop throughout the worlds, and it can get pretty headache-inducing after a while.”
“The music is probably the weakest aspect.”
- humor197 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in "Corn Kidz 64" is a nostalgic blend of early 2000s internet and 90s cartoon styles, featuring quirky, offbeat characters and witty dialogue that often elicits laughter. While some players appreciate its "lol so random" approach, others find it hit-or-miss, with a mix of crude and charming elements that may not resonate with everyone. Overall, the game successfully captures the playful spirit of classic N64 platformers, making it a delightful experience for fans of the genre.
“Plays well, nails the aesthetic, loved the weird early 2000s Nickelodeon-esque humor and style.”
“The game has a 'lol so random' sense of humor with our protagonist venturing to collect some nachos; it's akin to something like Invader Zim, a style that can be groan-worthy but is executed well with various comedic moments.”
“It's unapologetically proud of the era it's inspired by, has a silly and sarcastic sense of humor, is packed with 90's energy, has loads of personality, and plays fantastically to boot.”
- story100 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 79 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The game's story is generally described as simplistic and bare-bones, often lacking depth and character development, which some players found refreshing while others felt it detracted from the experience. Despite its minimal narrative, the humor and surreal elements, such as the quirky premise involving nachos, provide a charming and fun atmosphere reminiscent of retro platformers. While the main quest is short, players appreciated the abundance of secrets and side content that extend gameplay beyond the story itself, leaving room for potential sequels.
“The cartoon art style is awesome and the atmosphere, story, and characters lend themselves to it nicely.”
“This game comes off as if it just does whatever it wants to, with the story and overall sense of humor often being completely ridiculous but so uniquely charming.”
“It's also the type of atmosphere that I miss about older games; not having much of the story explained so as to encourage using your imagination, 'secret' areas to spend a lot of time pondering how to access, the eerie sense that there is always something 'beyond.'”
“Both the main story and 110% achievement run were surprisingly insufferable, emphasizing the worst elements of retro/N64 gaming.”
“The story is really bare bones; it's about as simple as you can get in a video game, so don't expect anything groundbreaking.”
“This game will be more appealing to those who don't mind playing games for the sake of playing it with nothing to work towards, because it has no real story to discover, no depth to explore in characters, no costumes to unlock, etc.”
- atmosphere67 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its nostalgic homage to the N64 era, featuring a charming cartoon art style, engaging characters, and a soundtrack that enhances the overall experience. Reviewers highlight the blend of child-friendly yet eerie elements, encouraging exploration and evoking a sense of mystery reminiscent of classic platformers. The low-poly aesthetic and quirky design contribute to a unique, immersive environment that resonates with fans of retro gaming.
“This game is genuinely a masterpiece at creating such a perfect N64-styled atmosphere.”
“The music and atmosphere... it feels like something that you shouldn't have found, and is on the sublime edge of arcane, slightly creepy but relaxing and evokes self-reflection.”
“It's also the type of atmosphere that I miss about older games; not having much of the story explained so as to encourage using your imagination, 'secret' areas to spend a lot of time pondering how to access, the eerie sense that there is always something 'beyond.'”
“The music and atmosphere... it feels like something that you shouldn't have found, and is on the sublime edge of arcane, and slightly creepy but relaxing and evokes self-reflection.”
“It's also the type of atmosphere that I miss about older games; not having much of the story explained so as to encourage using your imagination, 'secret' areas to spend a lot of time pondering how to access, the eerie sense that there is always something 'beyond.' There is very little explanation of the two main character’s origins and their relationship, the dream world, and their life outside of the perpetual dream -- I love games that don't explain the logic of their world past the core mechanics/basic setting, and have a good sense of ‘mystery without resolution,’ so this was a big highlight for me.”
“Enemies and textures convey the grotty, adolescent atmosphere extremely well.”
- character development48 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 44 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is highly praised for its charming and expressive character designs, particularly the main characters Seve and Alexis, which evoke nostalgia for 90s platformers. Reviewers highlight the fluid animations and unique personalities that contribute to the game's overall appeal, noting that the character designs are both cute and well-executed, enhancing the immersive experience. The combination of quirky dialogue and a vibrant art style further enriches the characters, making them memorable and engaging within the game's world.
“The character designs and art style are super charming, with some really authentic N64 visuals and fluid, bouncy animation.”
“Came for the wonderful character design, stayed for the fun and challenging gameplay.”
“I think the issue is expectations; the character design and quirky dialogue with the girl goat in the beginning makes it feel like a tween platformer with attitude, when some of the jokes and concepts being explored are more on the teen to adult side.”
“The character designs in this game, mainly Seve and Alexis (the main characters), are great, especially with how they're drawn in some of the promotional art of the game, but they're both fairly expressive both in-game and out of it.”
“Imo this should be 20 bucks but I guess it is short (depending on what kind of player you are); I love the character design and humor, game of the year for me.”
- grinding29 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players have mixed feelings about grinding in the game, with some finding it tedious, especially when it involves repetitive tasks and obscure collectibles. While the platforming elements and puzzles provide some variety, the overall experience can feel inflated by the need to retread steps and engage in grinding-like mechanics, leading to frustration rather than enjoyment. However, the presence of well-placed checkpoints helps mitigate some of the tedium.
“It stops being fun and becomes tedious, obtuse and in the final level, a rom hack difficulty gauntlet of platforming not designed with such heavy controls in mind.”
“I will say that the 110% completion process is a bit tedious and most secrets are extremely obscure.”
“It quickly starts to get repetitive and grinding on the ears.”
- emotional16 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players express a deep emotional connection to the game, describing it as a nostalgic experience that evokes childhood memories of playing classic platformers like Super Mario 64 and Spyro. The whimsical elements, such as the "corn kidz," and engaging mechanics create a sense of joy and wonder, making players feel like kids again, reminiscent of carefree days spent discussing games with friends. Overall, the game is celebrated for its ability to elicit strong feelings of nostalgia and happiness.
“The way it made me feel when I played it was nothing short of a religious experience.”
“This game made me feel like a kid again.”
“I've never played a game that made me feel like I was right back at recess during elementary school, discussing all these silly theories for Easter eggs and secrets with my school buddies just because we wanted to know everything about our favorite games.”
- replayability8 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The game offers significant replayability, with many secrets to discover and a focus on 100% completion that encourages thorough exploration. Although the main storyline is relatively short, players find ample value in revisiting the game to uncover all its content.
“Infinitely replayable (or almost).”
“Despite it being pretty short, it has lots of secrets and replayability, making it feel like I'm robbing the dev by paying so little for it.”
“Finding everything for 100% completion will require intensive inspection, so there's lots of replay value despite the main game being a little short.”
“Despite it being pretty short, it still feels like I'm robbing the dev by paying so little for it, even though it has lots of secrets and replayability.”
“Finding everything for 100% completion will require intensive inspection, so there's a lot of replay value despite the main game being a little short.”
- optimization4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received criticism for being limited to 30fps by default, with 60fps only available through a beta update. Players have reported performance issues, including a frustrating experience where improper setup can lead to significantly lower frame rates, such as 15fps. Overall, the performance is considered subpar for a Unity game.
“I also have some minor gripes in terms of performance, where the game's ability to run at full FPS in v-sync is locked behind your monitor's refresh rate being limited to 60Hz. It's a weird move because the max the game will run is at 30fps, so I played the game for about four hours at 15fps, which is what happens if you don't set it up properly.”
“Performance, the game is limited to 30fps unless you download the (as of writing) beta update and 60fps is as high as it goes. For a Unity game, that's not great.”
“I also have some minor gripes in terms of performance, where the game's ability to run at full FPS in v-sync is locked behind your monitor's refresh rate being limited to 60Hz. A weird move because the max the game will run is at 30fps. So I played the game for about four hours at 15fps, which is what happens if you don't set it up properly.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability has been criticized due to frequent glitches that cause players to fall through the environment, leading to a frustrating experience. Overall, these issues significantly detract from gameplay enjoyment.
“Falling through glitches, I can't seem to wait!”
“Falling through glitches, I can't seem to wait!”