Kaze and the Wild Masks Review- A Retro Return Romp
As far as good 2D platformers go, the genre has been noticeably lacking in the past few years. Apart from the typical Mario and Sonic entries, there seem to be hardly any new games coming out anymore- even for traditional series like Donley Kong, which hasn’t received an original entry in almost ten years. Even worse than this, however, is the indie 2D platformer scene. Whilst there have been some standouts like Pizza Tower, there’s hardly any consistency when it comes to the release or quality of games in this genre. However, one game that managed to transcend this was Kaze and the Wild Masks, which was released back in 2021 and has quickly become one of the best original 2D platformers in decades.
Image by Soedesco
Gameplay
But why does Kaze stand out above mediocrity and why is it worth playing? It does so with a return to old-school 90s-level design and overall game feel. Kaze takes a lot of inspiration from the classic Donkey Kong games. From the two hits until death approach to the KAZE letters (much like KONG) sprinkled throughout every level. This feels like a modern iteration of the old formula with quality-of-life improvements in every way. Kaze herself feels fantastic to play and never feels too slippery or loose. That’s helped by the Dixie-Kong-inspired hover, which allows you to safely navigate downwards onto platforms. Even in the craziest of levels, you still feel fully in control, which is something that is required in some of these stages.
Much like those old-school games of the 90s, Kaze does not pull its punches. It quickly ramps up the difficulty until you’ve died a couple dozen times per level. Thankfully, with the removal of any archaic life system, you never feel pressured to beat every challenge the first time. This allows you to learn as you play each level and, therefore, you can see yourself quickly improving at whatever the game throws at you. The way that it does this, however, it nothing less than genius. The challenges seem just out of reach with every increasing level, forcing you to play better and improve until you feel like you’ve truly earned the victory by mastering the stages. This is a real feeling of accomplishment that is often lacking in more contemporary 2D platformers.
The game manages to keep things varied too- with level gimmicks not dissimilar from the animal buddies seen in the later Donkey Kong games of the 90s. From rapid swimming to auto runners, the developers sprinkle in enough variety to keep you engaged without overusing these gimmicks and tiring them out. Another way they do this is through the collectibles of each level. You have the option of collecting three types of pick-ups- from racking up purple gems to KAZE letters and even bonus stages found in each level. These are rewarding to collect too- with each collectible offering either story details, additional stages, or even a secret ending. The way that the gameplay of Kaze comes together is incredible- with each part complementing the experience while never detracting from it. The only downside is its short length- with the 35 or so levels being able to be beaten in around 5-7 hours on average.
Image by Soedesco
Presentation
If you return to a lot of old 90s platformers today, you may be surprised to find that they don’t look quite as good as you remember them. Even with upscaling, the murky textures and difficult-to-see platforms can be hard to navigate in more modern times. Thankfully, Kaze is a lot more accessible thanks to its fantastic pixel art. This not only makes platforming easier but also reduces the frustrating deaths that often occur thanks to these unclear designs. One thing that these old-school platformers (especially Donkey Kong) managed to nail, however, was the atmosphere. From the animalistic sound effects to the eerie music, everything felt very alien. Whilst the same effect is not quite captured in Kaze thanks to its improved visuals, one positive that carries over is the soundtrack. Each song that plays is catchy and fits the theming of the levels quite nicely
On top of this, while not quite reaching the heights of its predecessors, there are still moody atmospheric levels found within this game. With rainstorms and desert sandstorms with their matching fitting music tracks, each area feels distinct from the other and- more importantly- real. One thing that does let it down is the often-random seeming level placement and uninspired level select screen, but this is a minor nitpick on a game that has a fantastic presentation.
Image by Soedesco
Story
As you may expect from a 2D platformer, Kaze’s story is quite limited. After a short introductory cutscene, you’re sent off to your first level. I won’t speak about the story in detail here, as much of this can be found by collecting the KAZE letters in each level, which reveals the plot piece by piece. Whilst simple, it was a tactic that worked, as I was more invested in what was happening than most other games of its genre by the end. However, the problem with this method is that a lot of the scraps of story you do receive are quite confusing and, if you don’t collect every single collectible, you’re missing out on chunks of story. However, as this is still quite a simple narrative in general, its not too much of a detractor and gives you a bit more investment rather than just watching a cutscene between worlds.
Image by Soedesco
Conclusion
In a gaming landscape that seems to have forgotten all about 2D platformers, Kaze and the Wild Masks stands out fantastically. Whether it’s the challenging levels or the ability to transform into four different animals to spice up the gameplay, this experience manages to maintain its momentum until the very end. I only wish the game was slightly longer as, if you ignore most of the collectibles, you can blaze through this in a few short hours. If nothing else, however, Kaze shows the untapped potential of old-school 2D platformers in a modern era. This experience was pure fun- and you’d be doing yourself a disservice if you don’t check it out even if you’re not the biggest fan of the genre.
