Again in 2020, Chibig launched Summer time in Mara, a slice-of-life farm sim recreation set in a tropical world and… properly, for our cash, it actually wasn’t superb. It evidently bought properly sufficient for Chibig to justify persevering with the IP, however somewhat than make a sequel that constructed on the strengths and stuck the issues of the unique, the studio determined to make the successor a 3D platformer within the vein of Tremendous Mario 3D Land or Sackboy: A Big Adventure. Weird as the selection could seem, it was clearly the suitable one, as Koa and the 5 Pirates of Mara is a considerably higher recreation than its predecessor and holds its personal as a stable 3D platformer.
The story begins someday after the occasions of Summer time in Mara and facilities round a contest staged by an area band of pirates whereby rivals should overcome a sequence of trials to grow to be an official pirate. Koa naturally enters the competitors, beginning off one other seafaring journey as she island-hops and collects maps on her climb to be the perfect. The narrative isn’t a lot to put in writing residence about, and it may possibly get awfully textual content heavy in some locations as you’re nagged by facet characters grabbing Koa’s consideration, nevertheless it largely stays out of the way in which.
Earlier than coming into a stage, the world map is introduced to you as a small ocean you possibly can traverse in Koa’s boat that’s vaguely harking back to the Nice Sea from The Wind Waker. Islands and collectibles are scattered round this explorable area, and there’s even a cute treasure-hunting minigame that’s clearly impressed by the salvaging from Phantom Hourglass.
Every island is residence to 1 to a few ranges that take just a few minutes every to clear, presenting you with concise platforming gauntlets that don’t overstay their welcome and offer you simply sufficient problem to maintain issues entertaining. Breezing by way of these is fairly simple by itself, however these searching for extra problem can choose to snag the hidden collectibles in every stage and race towards the clock for a gold medal. Koa is fast and responds shortly to controller inputs, and whereas she’s no Mario when it comes to her moveset or normal athleticism, we have been nonetheless happy by how responsive the platforming controls felt.
For its presentation, Koa and the 5 Pirates of Mara sticks to a simplistic and considerably drained artwork fashion, with the various nautical locales typically feeling like up-rezzed variations of one thing you may discover in a PS2 platformer. This isn’t essentially a foul factor, although we want a extra bold, memorable visible fashion have been tried right here. Fortunately, all of it unfolds at a silky clean and utterly stable 60 FPS, which matches a good distance in the direction of elevating the standard really feel of the gameplay.
Koa and the 5 Pirates of Mara isn’t precisely a daring reinvention of the 3D platformer, nevertheless it repeatedly proves that it’s acquired it the place it counts. Easy controls, respectable stage selection, and plenty of collectibles all make this one a reasonably simple suggestion, even when it’s a little simplistic wanting. When you’re after 7-10 hours of stable, vibrant 3D platforming, we’d recommend giving this one a shot.