Other than that, the only other complaint anyone could have about Pikuniku is that there just isn’t more of it. Not that there’s anything wrong with dance battles, and it’s handled here with the same charm and sunny disposition as the rest of the game, but having Parappa the Rapper-style rhythm games on a console without coloured face buttons (we reviewed Pikuniku on Nintendo Switch) should frankly be illegal. These all work well and serve to spice up the action, with the possible exception of one: a DDR-style dance battle. There are secrets, minigames, changes in dynamics, and large boss battles, too. Pikuniku also has a raft of two-player, co-op missions in addition to the main story (if its similarity to Snipperclips wasn’t apparent enough). From placing objects on switches to controlling water flow to rotating puzzle pieces, almost every basic puzzle platform game trope is touched upon the important thing is they are deft touches, and no one mechanic is leant on so firmly as to become dull. There are also light physics and puzzle elements to Pikiniku, which brings to mind fantastic Nintendo Switch launch game, Snipperclips (or the artist formerly known as Friendshapes, which we think was the better name).
Our favourite is the ability to water plants with a head-mounted watering can, which can allow you to access new areas, but the ungainly, uncontrollable spaghetti arms are hilarious. Some are functional, others allow you different dialogue choices with NPCs, and a few are purely decorative. Your primary verb in Pikuniku might be to kick, but soon you’ll learn a whole bunch of other skills via outfits. Everything from cutesy Nintendo affairs – Kirby, Yoshi – to more complex games – Wonderboy, Ori, Dust – are represented, complete with all of the objectives, new abilities, and backtracking (to enter previously inaccessible areas) they entail.
There are elements of other classic platform games in there, too. Where Loco Roco sees you rolling and flopping and bouncing and growing your way through the levels, though, Pikuniku has you running about on absurd, spindly, almost QWOP-like legs, squeezing through small spaces, swinging on hooks, and generally kicking stuff. To play Pikuniku first brings to mind Loco Roco, a similarly simple, squishy and succulent 2D platformer with a bright, space hopper-like protagonist. The difference in Pikuniku is that you can actually do something about the bad stuff (while still finding joy in the little things).
It’s a heady mix of silly distraction and terrifying news cycle that mimics the ratio we see in real life.