“It’s lastly right here,” are phrases many will say upon booting up Hatch Tales: A Heroic Hookshot Journey. The Kickstarter for this recreation (when it was often known as Rooster Wiggle Workshop) launched almost seven years in the past! Whereas that marketing campaign struggled with a mixture of a number of unexpected occurrences and administration lapses, it’s lucky that the completed product is sort of good.
The truth that Hatch Tales is profitable shouldn’t come as a shock. Rooster Wiggle was a PNM favourite on 3DS (although beware, the bodily model has a game-breaking bug). Hatch Tales isn’t simply an HD port of its 3DS predecessor, regardless that that’s the way it obtained funded. It morphed over these years right into a sequel with a number of issues however predominantly optimistic modifications.
First, kudos for including “A Heroic Hookshot Journey” to the title. Hatch Tales was such an extremely generic and unclear title. That mentioned, the title change led to a change in character. The rooster and worm duo have gotten pushed apart for a hawk and a hookshot. The explanations for this alteration, being much less of “a younger, kiddy recreation,” are curious at a minimal, and the ultimate result’s Hatch Tales has sadly misplaced a few of its authentic appeal. Rooster Wiggle didn’t fail to fulfill expectations by being a child’s recreation, however due to fierce competitors from the just lately launched Change and a slew of different 3DS finest sellers launched that very same yr. However I digress.
Together with a brand new character, you’ve got a brand new (albeit cliched) story. It’s pointless for one of these recreation. However whereas emphasised on this title’s itemizing for no matter motive, it doesn’t get a lot emphasis in-game, even when a cutscene to bookend every would’ve been sensible. You get dumped proper into the motion, and it’s enjoyable. And it’s factor this motion’s enjoyable as a result of one oddity is the weird variety of gems wanted to advance. The primary world has 21 gems in the primary levels, and also you want 20 to advance. Fortunately, I obtained extra from aspect quests, however can they be referred to as “aspect” at that time? This design selection flaw may doubtlessly flip off some gamers, much more so since Hatch Tales noticeably boosts issue from Rooster Wiggle. Whereas the latter solely had a single coronary heart, its levels had been extra simple. Hatch Tales ranges are usually longer, requiring faster reflexes for the quicker motion, even so sometimes reverting to a single coronary heart.
To be clear, I welcome the rise in problem as a rule, even when some unforgiving spikes in world 5 had me stepping away from the sport a bit. The checkpoint spacing varies extensively—some ranges even have none—however failing repeatedly at the very least grants you an additional coronary heart, generally. I initially didn’t discover this characteristic till the beforehand talked about stage, however I vastly respect it. It helps when looking for wanted gems you missed earlier, particularly through the superior retro challenges of Sparkle’s Arcade Mutant Mudd ranges.
When briefly stepping away from the problem, I needed to replay Rooster Wiggle in all its pixel artwork glory (you possibly can change between the unique and HD, although not “at any time” as promised). The sport was nowhere to be discovered, solely accessible by a code entered on the title display. Whereas a part of me smiles at this (I’m an NES child from the period of passwords), that is yet one more odd occasion. Does Atooi wish to give the impression of downplaying the primary recreation? Wouldn’t they suppose promoting extra content material is an effective factor? Alongside these strains, the extent editor (half the enjoyable of the unique) will get no commercial. Creation will get buried underneath a tiny “on-line” icon that minimizes it. Curiouer and curioser.
Nonetheless, having the nice 3DS content material is nothing to sneeze at. Alongside the contemporary ranges, it makes for a launch filled with content material. On the danger of repeating myself (however doing so for emphasis), this recreation is enjoyable, even when the F-U-N letter collectibles at the moment are gems. Attempt mastering flying, pecking, operating, and extra whereas aiming to 100% the sport and having fun with some catchy music, together with a pair of tracks from Grant Kirkhope.
Hatch Tales: A Heroic Hookshot Journey had a tough highway to launch, and the ultimate product displays that in some respects with a number of odd selections. Nonetheless, it’s an excellent platformer, a lot as a rule, difficult and content-rich. Releasing late within the lifetime of the Change exposes it to a few of the identical dangers the unique recreation confronted later within the lifetime of 3DS. I hope Hatch Tales secures success and advocate it for a enjoyable time.
I additionally advocate you share your stage designs with Pure Nintendo. Right here is a well-liked one which bears our title (Quest ID 268) We’ll characteristic them in a future journal and present Atooi that downplaying the extent editor was a mistake. AGABOOSH!
