Hungry for a solid platformer? Then look no further than The Kore Gang for the Wii. This easy going game should feel familiar to any one who has played a platforming game in the last 15 years.  

Ironically according to the web, concepts and planning for this game started nearly 10 years ago as it was supposed to be released on the original Xbox. The first thing I noticed about while playing this game is that it reminded me of the plethora of platform adventure games on the N64. The second thing that really caught my eye was the switching between characters, which felt oddly familiar. Then it hit me! The last game I played with different characters was MDK 2 from Shiny on the Dreamcast. It is a small gaming world as the designer of The Kore Gang is Klaus Lyngeled who used to be with Shiny.

Well reflecting on nostalgia should be left for other articles and reviewers. The Kore Gang at its heart is a solid platformer. The camera is movable, and I am so very thankful for this. Someone was paying attention and taking feedback when the game was being developed. The graphics are colorful, with sort of a 90’s-ish Banjo Kazooie look to them. The combat is easy enough for anyone to pick up and play. Much to this gamer's relief the puzzles are simple and straightfoward as well. Epic Mickey should have taken a few notes from this game.

Pixie, Madboy and Rex are the protagonists and they journey underground to prevent a race of subterranean monsters from taking the Earth over. Did I mention each character occupies the same robot suit, the Kore Suit? How do they all fit?

Gamers can switch between them on the fly. Pixie can jump higher and has a grappling hook. Madboy deals out damage with his huge fists and later he can throw items and deflect projectiles. And Rex, well, he’s a dog. He is good at cracking safes and sniffing out the right way to objectives.

Sounds like a team of winners to me. Of course through the stages, switching from character to character on the fly is a must to get through certain areas and puzzles. As much as I dislike motion controls they work well in this game. Pixie has a grappling hook which is easy to utilize. Madboy has a waggling spin which also works as it should. As with all good platformers there are collectibles which unlock concept art as well as generic “go here and collect that or push that” quests. There are a few hiccups in the game. Although the camera can be maneuvered there are sometimes issues with the default angles. The levels and puzzles can get repetitive toward the end.

The game is still fun and its a good throwback to the late 90s of gaming. If you are fan of platformers or if you have a younger audience who likes to game then this might be perfect for around $20-$30.

 

 

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