New Super Lucky’s Tale is a 3D platformer positively oozing with charm. As the name of the game may suggest, you play as Lucky, a plucky little fox on an adventure to retrieve lost pages from the Book of Ages so he can get home to his family.
There are six vastly different worlds to explore, all with a unique hub-world and a cast of cute characters. Whether it’s the worm-populated Veggie Village, or the bright and bustling Gilly Island, every single area is beautiful and full of tiny details that make the game something special. There are adorable little animals to spot, such as owls and snails, and one small thing that I just found incredibly cute is that Lucky will turn his head to look at them and smile. My heart.
Lucky himself is very expressive and full of character. He’ll sometimes turn to the camera to give you a big beaming smile, and he’s so cute that his joyful giggle at the end of every level is honestly all the reward you should need for completing it.
Each world is full of different levels, a boss fight, and secret puzzle areas where you can find extra pages. You can complete the levels in any order you like, and they vary from 2D side-scrolling adventures (some of which play like runner games) to 3D story-based ones, all of which are lots of fun. Each of these levels contain four collectable pages; one that’s hidden away (often in a mini puzzle room), one that you get for collecting all the secret letters that spell out “LUCKY”, one for collecting 300 coins, and one for finishing the level.
Finishing a level also adds new characters to the hub-world you’re in, giving you a very satisfying sense of progression, as well as making the area look even more fun. Collecting pages also unlocks new costumes in the shop, which are often themed to the world you’re in. With so much to unlock, it feels very rewarding to make the effort to collect everything you can, adding more replay value to the levels.
You can interact with all the characters you see dotted around, who sound almost like Sims in their odd gibberish voices, but they all have unique accents to set them apart, which is a lovely addition. My particular favourites are the worms, with their distinct country twang. The dialogue is often very funny too; it’s definitely worth talking to every character you can.
None of the levels are particularly challenging, so they hopefully won’t get you frustrated. I did admittedly struggle on some of the extra puzzle levels though, so it’s not without challenge! However, if you’re looking for something more along the lines of Crash Bandicoot’s level of difficulty, this probably isn’t going to satisfy those needs.
The worlds don’t take particularly long to complete, even with all the collectables, so finishing everything isn’t going to take a massive amount of time. However, it all feels so well polished and fleshed out that you get plenty of bang for your buck.
Overall, New Super Lucky’s Tale is pure joy in the form of a little fox. If it’s fun you’re looking for, you’ll absolutely find it here. It’s a game that’ll have you smiling from start to finish, and it’s an experience you won’t forget.
5/5 stars.
