It feels like the old school traditional platformer has died out in more recent years in the videogame industry. I have many fond memories of the PS1 & N64 generation and a lot of that is thanks to games like Super Mario 64, Croc: Legend of the Gobos and Banjo & Kazooie… in fact I go back to Banjo Kazooie every year or so and I’m happy to report that it still holds up. I have a lot of affection for the platformer, so you can imagine my sorrow as these games have now become few and far between, then when they do come a long, they are inevitable disappointments like Yooka-Laylee.

I was pleased to see then that New Super Lucky’s Tale was coming to consoles. The original although fun, did bring with it a few issues that were perhaps a little too reminiscent of the old school platformer from pervious years. New Super Lucky’s tale takes what was a fun if unremarkable and at times frustrating game and irons out some of the kinks. Gone is the weirdly static camera, levels have been remixed to make them a more fun experience, as well as updated cinematics and new characters to bring the world more to life. These are welcome changes, however with these changes, New Super Lucky’s tale also brings with it some more obvious dropped framerates and an annoying increase in loading times.

If you are coming to Super Lucky’s Tale blind, then New Super Lucky’s Tale is the place to go over its predecessor. It’s noticeably better than the original, if for nothing else than the fact that the camera is now fully controllable. The weird three point camera in the 2017 version of this game was an unwelcome and frankly irritating throwback to the golden years of the genre and in a game that asks for some tight platforming from the player, it’s less a quality of life improvement and more of a basic necessity. What this leaves then is a game that is a joy to control. Lucky feels tight and responsive and with the improvements in in controls, players won’t feel cheated if they die, which is hugely important.

Visually the game is great. It has an old school feel to it with modern graphics. It’s cute, vibrant and engaging. It would have been nice to go a little further down the Banjo Kazooie route and evoke a little more adult humour, but for the most part this isn’t really a problem. Players are here for the gameplay and in that regard it delivers. One of the best things about this title is that is doesn’t follow the same format throughout. There is the traditional 3D platforming section that make up the majority of the experience, however this is regularly interspersed with logic and skill puzzles that vary the pace up nicely, as well as different sections that turns levels into 2D sections, some requiring platforming, while others are speed and timing based. This leaves a varied game that changes things up often enough to keep the player engaged. For those that are really hooked on the format, there is also an additional section of the game that offers a much more difficult challenge akin to the harder levels in the Mario franchise that appear after the game has been completed. This is a great addition that rewards the more dedicated player for their efforts and lets them keep exploring the game long after finishing the basic game.

It’s not all smooth sailing for this game however and there are just enough little niggles to prevent this game from being a true great in the genre. The most annoying aspect of the title is the pervasive loading screens. In many games players will feel tension at the prospect of dying because the aim of the game is to stay alive. In New Super Lucky’s Tale however, many players will dread dying because that means falling back to a loading screen that takes all too long to progress from. This might sounds like a small gripe, even just slipping off of a platforming section is enough to trigger this loading screen, leaving a slightly sour taste in the mouth when attempting the more difficult sections of the game, especially when you consider that these sections would be a lot of fun otherwise.

Overall this is a good outing in a genre that is painfully under catered for in 2020. It’s not perfect, but the improvements it has made over its predecessor are enough to turn what was a game with potential into an enjoyable experience reminiscent of a previous time when the platformer reigned supreme.

Verdict:

+ Responsive and fun to control

+ Cute visuals

+ Fantastic variety

– Horrible loading times

– Lacks a twist of adult humour

Score: 8.0/10