Game: Koloro
System: Nintendo Switch
Developer: Sköll Studio
Publisher: QubicGames
Price: £8.99 | $9.99 | € 9,99
Rating: EU 3+| America E
Release date: 22th December 2018
Also Available On: Steam
Review code is kindly provided by QubicGames
One button platformers are fastly becoming a favourite genre of mine. Koloro from Skoll Studio is an atmospheric, one-button autorun, puzzle platformer for Nintendo Switch. As soon as I watched video footage, I was eager to try the game for myself, and thanks to the kind folk at Qubic Games, I’ve been able to do just that.
It’s just a Dream
The game begins by introducing you to Kora who while trying to reach her sister (Lora) falls into a hole. While at the bottom, she’s woken up by her imaginary friend called Boo.
Boo encourages Kora to find Lora and equips her for the task ahead. Kora’s new abilities enable her to transform into a cube-like shape which allows her to jump, wall jump, wall slide and manoeuvre past large numbers of spikes and enemies.
Watch Out!
When it comes to enemies; some are airborne, while others may charge at you from the ground – keep an eye out for them, or they may catch you by surprise!
To make things more interesting; there are switches about that must be activated. They open doors, shift and rotate mechanised platforms, turn spike filled blocks, and you can even make invisible platforms/walls visible, by activating stones (placed throughout applicable stages).
There are maze-like levels that have players experimenting with switches, in order to open up new pathways, collect all the Jewels, and reach the final goal (they are my favourite levels).
The stages of chapter 3 are also fun, as everything is blacked out and requires Kora to collect balls of light to light up each stage. However, the light lasts for a limited time only, so players must act wisely!
Precise Gameplay
Koloro is a challenging game. I’ve played it for more than 5 hours, and I’m still having fun playing through its numerous stages. There’s plenty of content for fans of the genre, and it’s well suited for playing in quick bursts.
I’m also happy with how well the game controls. Everything feels tight, responsive, and well designed. A key element to Koloro is timing. Players must move and jump with precision as stages get harder. It’s important to note that jumps depend on the weight of your button press. A small tap produces a smaller jump whereas a full tap makes Kora jump higher.
Bosses
So far I’ve battled two bosses. Each boss has a particular weakness, and it’s up to the player to figure out what that is. The first boss is quite easy, but my favourite so is the spider boss of chapter 2. I’m not going to divulge secrets except to say that I had a great time fighting this particular enemy.
Atmosphere
Koloro is so atmospheric! The graphical style is simple but effective. Kolo looks almost ghost-like with her wavery hair and the backgrounds vary in colour. Some are bright whereas others are dark and a little spooky.
Regardless of whether you play in handheld or TV mode, a good set of speakers and headphones help to boost the overall experience.
Overall
I love Koloro. Sadly I haven’t been able to play multi-player mode, but I’m thoroughly enjoying the single player experience, and I recommend it to gamers that like a challenging one button platformer. I really enjoyed Jack and Jill DX earlier in the year but this supersedes it on every level.
I declare; Koloro to be my top one button platformer for 2018!
