Kaze and the Wild Masks

88%
Game Brain Score Based on 1,196 reviews
  • music
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Kaze and the Wild Masks Game Cover
Kaze and the WIld Masks is almost the perfect 90s sidescroller throwback, and a perfect way to fulfill your 5 a day.
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"Kaze and the Wild Masks" is a 90's style platformer where you play as Kaze and use the powers of Wild Masks to save your friend Hogo from a curse. Explore over 30 levels in the Crystal Islands, complete bonus levels and enjoy the smooth yet challenging gameplay with high quality pixel art.

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

88%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,196 reviews
music166 positive mentions
grinding18 negative mentions
  • Kaze and the Wild Masks is a beautifully crafted platformer that captures the essence of classic 2D platformers, particularly the Donkey Kong Country series.
  • The game features tight controls, engaging level design, and a variety of mechanics that keep gameplay fresh and enjoyable.
  • The art style and music are charming, contributing to a nostalgic atmosphere that appeals to fans of retro platformers.
  • The game can feel short, with some players completing it in under 10 hours, which may not justify the full price for some.
  • Boss fights can be tedious and may require memorization, which can detract from the overall enjoyment of the game.
  • Some levels rely heavily on trial-and-error gameplay, which may frustrate players who prefer a more forgiving experience.
  • music314 mentions

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising its catchy and vibrant tracks that complement the gameplay, while others find it generic and lacking the memorable quality of classic soundtracks like those from the Donkey Kong Country series. Many players appreciate the fitting nature of the music to the game's aesthetic and level design, but some feel it doesn't stand out enough to be truly impactful. Overall, while the soundtrack is generally considered solid, it often falls short of being exceptional or memorable.

    • “This game is definitely inspired by the Donkey Kong Country series, sporting evolving platforming challenges, gorgeous art direction, and a catchy soundtrack.”
    • “The worlds and levels look pixel sharp, almost all the music (especially boss music) is an instant banger and the namesake wild masks you play as all alter the gameplay significantly, causing each level to be something special.”
    • “The music is fantastic, the story is simple but charming, the artwork and designs are astonishingly well done, and every bit of gameplay feels extremely well polished.”
    • “The music in this game is dull compared to the moody melodies composed by David Wise for DKC.”
    • “You can hear a bit of inspiration in this, but without some good melodies it's ultimately resulted in dull background music rather than moody & melodic foreground music.”
    • “The music isn't anything to write home about, but you can't really expect anything to compare to the DKC series.”
  • gameplay313 mentions

    The gameplay of "Kaze and the Wild Masks" is widely praised for its tight controls, fluid mechanics, and engaging level design, drawing heavy inspiration from classic platformers like Donkey Kong Country. Players appreciate the variety introduced by the "wild masks," which alter gameplay dynamics, although some criticize the linearity and repetitiveness of certain levels. Overall, the game offers a challenging yet fair experience, appealing to both nostalgic fans and newcomers to the genre.

    • “The gameplay is very fluid and fun.”
    • “Kaze and the Wild Masks delivers a variety of levels and mechanics that do not overstay their welcome.”
    • “With tight and responsive controls, fantastic level design, varied gameplay through the different masks, and a difficulty that is just right, this has become not only my favourite platformer of 2021, but possibly my favourite game.”
    • “The problem and the reason why I can't recommend it is because of the gameplay: levels are very straightforward, there is just no two ways of doing them, so it feels like a rhythm game or a quick time event most of the time.”
    • “Level design is fairly underwhelming, stage gimmicks range from meh to infuriating, bonus stages range from tedious to frustrating, and there's just a constant feeling that everything is a little off with the gameplay.”
    • “Sorry, you superficially copied the gameplay from Donkey Kong Country, but you simply didn't manage to capture the core element, which is the tight but fair gameplay.”
  • graphics229 mentions

    The graphics of "Kaze and the Wild Masks" have received widespread praise for their beautiful art style, vibrant colors, and charming animations, effectively capturing the essence of classic platformers while incorporating modern HD visuals. Many reviewers noted the game's aesthetic appeal and attention to detail, although some mentioned that certain environments felt bland compared to iconic titles like "Donkey Kong Country." Overall, the visuals are considered a strong point of the game, contributing to an engaging and nostalgic platforming experience.

    • “Amazing graphics (really!), sharp platforming, fair gameplay, fun theme, optional difficulty & challenges, fair price.”
    • “Graphics are charming, colorful and superbly detailed, everything is insanely well animated and the scenery as a whole always feels super alive, the art design people did a damn good job at making everything so smooth.”
    • “Fantastic graphics, each level is unique and with great level design.”
    • “With its uninspired graphics, bad art, and derivative music, there is no reason why anyone should be playing this instead of the many great platformers it badly apes.”
    • “Graphics: crisp visuals but the environments are bland and unimaginative in comparison to something like DKC.”
    • “Especially in the late levels, you have chasing hazards for some part or the whole level, making admiring graphics and level design very hard.”
  • story144 mentions

    The story in "Kaze and the Wild Masks" is generally considered minimal and straightforward, often described as a simple "stop the bad guy" narrative with little depth or dialogue. While some players appreciate the nostalgic charm and the way the story is presented through collectible images, many feel it lacks coherence and could benefit from more development. Overall, the focus remains on gameplay rather than storytelling, making the narrative feel secondary to the platforming experience.

    • “The story is good; while it is your simple 'stop the bad guy' story, there are plenty of these little letters that, if you collect them all, unlock a narrative that explains how everything came to be. I found it quite interesting, as it had a 'Kung Fu Panda' sort of vibe to it, especially with the main villain, Typhoon.”
    • “The music is fantastic, the story is simple but charming, the artwork and designs are astonishingly well done, and every bit of gameplay feels extremely polished.”
    • “Kaze and the Wild Masks is a 2D platformer that goes straight to the point: the focus is not on the story, but rather on the gameplay, which is really well done and well complemented by the wonderful level design.”
    • “The story is more or less non-existent, consisting of a few still images, but you're here for the platforming.”
    • “The only small negative I have is that the story is underdeveloped.”
    • “Don't expect much of a story besides images for lore.”
  • replayability22 mentions

    The game offers moderate replayability through short levels, time-trial challenges, and collectibles, appealing particularly to completionists. While some players find replay value in the exploration and leaderboard competition, others feel the game lacks depth and challenge, making it less enticing for repeated play compared to other titles like "Freedom Planet." Overall, the replayability is seen as decent but not exceptional, especially given the game's short length.

    • “There are also time-trial challenges, collectibles, and such that add some replay value.”
    • “No collectible is needed to progress, only beating the levels is necessary, but if you're a completionist you'll find good replay value in this game. There's a handful of different collectibles you can go after in every stage that incentivize your exploration.”
    • “Luckily, the lack thereof makes difficult stages (precise platforming, bottomless pits, death spikes, etc.) and time attacks, as well as bonus stages, instantly and infinitely replayable.”
    • “It's fun for its runtime, but it's not challenging and not replayable that much because if you are at least halfway decent in platformers, you already mastered the game after the first minute, since everything is so 'been there, done that before.'”
    • “I feel the short length of this game and the fact that it doesn't have that much replayability value may not be worth that price, especially compared to Freedom Planet which costs $15 and has so much replayability value with 3 different characters and alternative story paths.”
    • “Replayability is alright for 100% and leaderboards.”
  • grinding20 mentions

    Players have mixed feelings about the grinding aspect of the game; while some find it enjoyable and rewarding, particularly in the early stages, others criticize it for becoming excessively tedious and frustrating, especially in later levels where precision is crucial. The repetitive nature of certain sections can lead to a lack of creativity and enjoyment, with some players feeling that the level design and stage gimmicks do not alleviate the grind. Overall, the experience can vary significantly, with some players appreciating the challenge while others find it overly punishing.

    • “And the sections get so long after island two; dying and having to do 2 or 3 whole godforsaken minutes of the same platforming over and over because you keep hitting one in a long sequence of precise buttons a couple frames too late or accidentally got slowed down by a missed jump you think you can recover but nope there's the danger ready to autokill you... it just gets tedious.”
    • “No room for creativity, no room for any errors - it's tedious really.”
    • “Level design is fairly underwhelming, stage gimmicks range from meh to infuriating, bonus stages range from tedious to frustrating, and there's just a constant feeling that everything is a little off with the gameplay.”
  • atmosphere14 mentions

    The atmosphere in the game is a mixed bag; while some levels excel with ambient music and thoughtful design that enhance the experience, many others fall short of creating a compelling atmosphere. The standout elements include the musical identity contributed by tracks from Evelyn Fischer, which range from catchy to melancholic, and the effective integration of level design and gameplay mechanics. Overall, the combination of music, level design, and controls resonates well with players, though there is a consensus that not all levels achieve the desired atmospheric impact.

    • “The atmosphere, the music, the level design, the change of play style thanks to the wild masks, and the controlled rise in challenge are near perfection.”
    • “The highlight is definitely the more ambient music that plays in certain levels and really helps complement the atmosphere.”
    • “The atmosphere, level design, and especially the controls were hitting all the right notes for me all the way through.”
    • “Those tracks, even from Evelyn Fischer, just have a certain atmosphere to them that give the musical identity of the series.”
  • character development12 mentions

    Character development in the game is praised for its creative and charming designs, reminiscent of classic 90s mascot platformers, with animations that enhance gameplay mechanics, such as a rabbit using its ears for movement. While some visuals may not have aged well, the effort put into character design and the overall aesthetic is noted as a strong point, contributing to a rewarding experience.

    • “The visuals might not have aged the best, but I'd argue that the character designs and animations most certainly have.”
    • “Good character development - the rabbit glides using its ears and grabs ropes with them... the developers put in some effort.”
    • “Character design is top notch, creative, and wouldn't be out of place for a mid-90s mascot platformer.”
    • “Kaze sees fit to copy some of the enemies from the original trilogy with worse character design.”
  • humor8 mentions

    The humor in the game is highlighted by the amusing voices of the evil vegetables and the hilarious enemies, contributing to a fun and engaging atmosphere. However, some players feel it falls short compared to the charm and humor found in the Donkey Kong Country series, particularly regarding the lack of charismatic NPCs. Overall, the game is considered a funny 2D platformer with a groovy soundtrack.

    • “The challenge is correct, the music is groovy, and I really like the sounds, especially the very funny voices of the evil vegetables!”
    • “Very funny 2D platformer.”
    • “Enemies are hilarious.”
  • emotional6 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its ability to evoke stress and excitement through gameplay mechanics, such as enemies that chase players based on their actions. Additionally, players express a heartfelt appreciation for the game's nostalgic charm and its contribution to the platforming genre, emphasizing its wholesome and expertly crafted experience. Overall, the game resonates with players on an emotional level, fostering a sense of connection and hope for its future.

    • “Hoping we can see more of Kaze in the future; it's always heartwarming to find new platformers keeping this style of game alive and kicking. This underrated gorgeous masterpiece truly deserves your attention.”
    • “It's just a solid, wholesome package that seems to do no more than it needs to and just offers a classic experience with expert execution.”
  • optimization6 mentions

    The game is praised for its excellent optimization, with no performance issues reported and a smooth gameplay experience that enhances time trials and speed running. Levels are designed for seamless navigation, allowing players to master timing and routes effectively, although the streamlined nature may limit the challenge in more difficult time trials. Overall, the cartoon-style cut scenes complement the game's polished performance.

    • “First, you'll likely notice that the game has several achievements which favor time trials and speed running--each level is designed to be run smoothly from start to finish and once you've mastered the timing of your jumps and enemy placements, you'll find it satisfyingly silky smooth.”
    • “I never had any performance hiccups and the cut scenes have an excellent cartoon feel.”
    • “But like I said, since everything is so streamlined, even harsher time trials wouldn't be so much fun, because you already are able to play the most optimized route from the get-go; the only thing you have to consider is not making any mistakes.”
  • stability4 mentions

    Overall, the game is largely stable and bug-free, with only one reported issue that required players to skip levels. However, the "ziplizards" segment is noted for its significant bugs and awkward timing, detracting from the overall stability experience.

    • “The game is virtually bug-free; I encountered only one issue that forced me to skip some levels.”
    • “The game runs smoothly without any major glitches, providing a stable experience.”
    • “I appreciate the stability of the game; it rarely crashes and performs consistently well.”
    • “Well, that is for most of the game except the either buggy, pixel perfect, and/or just incredibly awkwardly timed endless runner widow-maker that is 'Ziplizards'.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

83% average critic score

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Play time

16hMedian play time
14hAverage play time
5-21hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 6 analyzed playthroughs

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