October 15, 2024
VEA Games

Nikoderiko: The Magical World

Nikoderiko: The Magical World looks fantastic, plays brilliantly, and hits all of the right spots.

88%Game Brain Score

graphics, music

replayability, grinding

91% User Score Based on 100 reviews

Critic Score 82%Based on 4 reviews

Platforms

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About

"Nikoderiko: The Magical World" is a charming platformer game where players join Niko and Luna on a journey to save a magical island from the evil Baron Grimbald. The game can be played in single-player mode or with a friend in local couch co-op. Traverse through 2.5D levels in seven amazing worlds, packed with cute characters, huge bosses, treasures, and secrets to discover, making it an exciting adventure for both classic platformer fans and newcomers.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Nikoderiko: The Magical World screenshot

91%

Audience ScoreBased on 104 reviews

graphics28 positive mentions

grinding7 negative mentions

The game features vibrant graphics and dynamic animations, creating an enjoyable visual experience.
Gameplay is a delightful mix of 2D and 3D platforming, reminiscent of classic titles like Donkey Kong Country and Crash Bandicoot.
The soundtrack by David Wise adds charm and nostalgia, enhancing the overall atmosphere of the game.

Controls can feel floaty and imprecise, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences.
The game suffers from glitches and bugs, including long loading times and inconsistent hitboxes.
Collectibles feel underwhelming and the game lacks a clear purpose for many of them, detracting from the overall experience.

graphics
38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
74%
18%
8%
The graphics of the game have been widely praised for their vibrant, colorful art style and clean, dynamic animations, creating a heartwarming atmosphere that enhances the gameplay experience. While the visuals are generally considered beautiful and charming, some players noted occasional issues with character visibility due to visual effects. Overall, the graphics effectively complement the game's nostalgic platforming mechanics, reminiscent of classic titles.
- “The graphics are gorgeous and colorful, and this applies to the character and enemy designs as well, all of which manage to stand out as adorable.”
- “One of the best 3D platformers that released in 2024, recommended, the visuals are so eye-catching and beautiful.”
- “Bright graphics, very clean and dynamic animations, super voice acting and fun gameplay - all you need in an arcade game!”
- “The only issue with the game's visuals I came across was the player characters getting lost in or behind visual effects at times, such as being obscured by defeated enemies remaining on screen briefly, or when lots of collectibles are collected at once.”
- “The only issue with the game's visuals I came across was the player characters getting lost in or behind visual effects at times, such as being obscured by defeated enemies remaining on screen briefly, or when lots of collectibles are collected at once.”
- “The visuals?”
music
38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
47%
8%
The music in the game, composed by David Wise, is generally enjoyable and fits the overall atmosphere, featuring varied tracks that enhance the gameplay experience. While some standout pieces are memorable, the soundtrack is considered a step below the iconic themes found in the Donkey Kong Country series. Overall, players appreciate the fun and bubbly nature of the music, which complements the vibrant visuals and engaging level design.
- “The music is enjoyable as one would expect from David Wise, with varied tracks on levels.”
- “The soundtrack has some great standout pieces for me, some even unexpected for the game's style, but in a good way.”
- “The music is also quite bubbly and fun, with several tracks that stick with you long after playing.”
- “It's clearly a David Wise soundtrack with mostly hits, some better than others, and the sound design does work nicely, even though I sometimes almost thought I heard a seagull from the outside in the winter.”
- “I liked the character designs, the graphics, and the music was alright.”
- “The music?”
gameplay
35 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
48%
9%
The gameplay is characterized by smooth mechanics, vibrant graphics, and a charming atmosphere, drawing inspiration from classic titles like Donkey Kong Country and Crash Bandicoot. Players appreciate the variety in level design and gameplay elements, though some feel that the Crash-inspired segments are less engaging. Overall, the game offers a polished and enjoyable experience with a strong emphasis on collectibles and replayability.
- “Bright graphics, very clean and dynamic animations, super voice acting, and fun gameplay - all you need in an arcade game!”
- “Most importantly, the gameplay is very smooth and feels polished. There is a lot of variety in terms of level themes and mechanics, and the boss fights were all creative too; I enjoyed them.”
- “Sure, it isn’t the most original title you’ll play in the genre, but with its wonderfully designed levels, creative variety of gameplay mechanics, and gorgeous visuals, it’s hard not to fall in love with Niko and Luna’s daring escapade.”
- “Not exactly riveting gameplay.”
- “Gameplay collisions could also benefit from more impact juice.”
- “The gameplay is simple but familiar - you're not playing Elden Ring here.”
story
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
50%
14%
The story is simple and clichéd, aimed primarily at children, featuring charming characters and comedic dialogue that some players found cringy and skippable. While the narrative serves its purpose in driving the game forward, it lacks depth, with many reviewers noting its endearing qualities despite its B-grade platformer vibe. Overall, the story is considered enjoyable and fun, particularly for fans of classic platformers like Donkey Kong Country.
- “The story is simple but charming; I think the characters and voices are great.”
- “I just finished the story and it was pretty good and fun. It definitely has that B-grade platformer vibe which I like, and the music is great. You can't go wrong with David Wise; he's a legend. If you like DKC, you're going to enjoy this game; I know I did.”
- “The story has a basic premise, and all of the characters are written well with their own unique identities.”
- “I found myself skipping through every dialog scene (and there's quite a few, which are just there for comedic purposes and serve no story value) because I just found it rather on the cringy side.”
- “The story is simple, clichéd, but the game is clearly aimed at children.”
- “Story content for a kid-friendly platformer like this... you have to be either funny like Mario/Banjo-Kazooie or be a bit edgy like Mega Man/Sonic.”
replayability
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
40%
30%
Replayability in the game is a mixed bag; while many players enjoy the challenge and fun of the stages, some feel that once the game is completed and collectibles are gathered, there is little incentive to replay. The initial difficulty may diminish after the first playthrough, making it easier and potentially less engaging for some. Overall, the game offers high replay value for those who appreciate collecting and exploring, but it may not satisfy everyone due to its limited post-completion content.
- “The stages are quite challenging but very fun at the same time, high replayability!”
- “I personally like this sort of replayability, but it might not be for everyone.”
- “It's a solid game with a lot of replay value for the collectibles in a level.”
- “My only complaint is that there's not much replayability once you beat it, if you collect everything as you go.”
- “There are moves that look like they are hard to avoid but really aren't after maybe the first time, which could hurt replayability in that it could become too easy.”
- “Little replay value; it can be hard to make out what you can and cannot jump on or what you can throw.”
grinding
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, particularly for those aiming for 100% completion. Achieving this goal often requires extensive replaying of levels and farming for collectibles, with a mix of easy and challenging stages adding to the grind. Additionally, the randomness of obtaining necessary items further exacerbates the grind, leaving some players feeling stuck and dissatisfied with their progress.
- “Lots of shiny collectibles for those going for 100% completion, but actually reaching that number seems to involve a lot of replaying levels and grinding for collectibles for those last few percentages.”
- “It also seems required for 100% completion, making it grindy and tedious.”
- “One thing I really disliked was finishing the game and realizing I didn't have 100% even though I completed every stage with all the collectibles, and that's because you have to buy a lot of extra stuff with game money/items. To top it off, getting something new is not guaranteed; it's random. By the end, I was stuck with 92% after spending everything I collected (and I collected a lot), and the only way to get 100% is farming. Terrible choice.”
humor
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by light-hearted, dad jokes and playful banter, reminiscent of classic platformers like Mario and Banjo-Kazooie. Players appreciate the charming personalities of the characters, particularly Niko's amusing quips, which enhance the co-op experience and contribute to the overall fun and chaos of gameplay. The beautifully crafted world also adds to the humor, providing amusing visual moments throughout the adventure.
- “The two main characters are packed with personality, and honestly, Niko won me over the moment he hopped on a boar and said, 'With you, I'd never be boared.' I mean, with this dad humor, how can I resist?”
- “Plus, playing it in co-op is a blast, especially when you’re just laughing at the chaos together.”
- “The world is well made and beautiful to look at; I've spent so much time admiring the background art and it is very funny at times.”
emotional
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players have expressed strong emotional responses to the game, with some reporting tears of joy due to its heartwarming atmosphere, beautiful visuals, and engaging gameplay. However, there are criticisms regarding inconsistent hit detection that can detract from the overall experience.
- “This game is so awesome that I cried and ran to the toilet to cry, but I cried from happiness!”
- “Nice visuals, nice gameplay, heartwarming atmosphere, that's what I love.”
atmosphere
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its heartwarming quality, enhanced by nice visuals and engaging level design. The bouncy soundtrack effectively contributes to the overall ambiance, adding tension when necessary. Overall, players find the atmosphere to be a standout feature that enriches the gameplay experience.
- “Loving the level design and atmosphere!”
- “The soundtrack is bouncy, adds a lot of atmosphere and tension when needed.”
- “I'm loving the level design and atmosphere!”
stability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game suffers from significant stability issues, including persistent glitches and bugs that have reportedly existed since its initial console release. Players have experienced problems such as oversized hitboxes, visual glitches, and level elements failing to load, which can disrupt gameplay and necessitate resets during timed challenges. Overall, these stability concerns detract from the gaming experience.
- “There's a lot of glitches and bugs, some messing with level progress, that to my understanding have been in there since its initial release on consoles months ago.”
- “Bugs, glitches, or ridiculously oversized hitboxes on some enemies and bosses (as in: full character-wide areas of empty space between me and an enemy and I still end up getting hit) are the only things that have ever killed me in this game.”
- “I encountered several visual glitches throughout my time playing, like the character being stuck in a swimming animation long after exiting the water, cutscene pathfinding having consistent problems, or the most egregious: parts of levels and enemies just flat out not loading in, causing timed 'destroy them all' sections to sometimes require a reset.”
optimization
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
34%
33%
The game is highly praised for its optimization, running smoothly without any technical or performance issues, even at high framerates of 144fps in 4K resolution. Players appreciate the ability to adjust various video settings and choose between performance and quality graphics modes, contributing to a stable and enjoyable gaming experience. Overall, the optimization enhances the gameplay, allowing for fast loading times and responsive controls.
- “The game runs smoothly with no issues and I'm getting a stable 144fps at 4K.”
- “Players can adjust video settings such as motion blur, screenshake, and brightness, and choose between performance or quality graphics modes.”
- “I didn't run into any technical or performance issues in my 20+ hours of play, and support for framerates above 60 is hugely appreciated!”
character development
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Character development in the game received mixed feedback, with some players appreciating the character designs and overall aesthetics, while others criticized the quality of the game and found the character designs lacking. Overall, the responses highlight a divide in opinions regarding the effectiveness and appeal of character development.

82%Critics’ scoreBased on 4 critic reviews

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Nikoderiko: The Magical World

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