Generic platformer that’s fine for an hour or two.
The first thing to mention is that it is developed on a game engine. This includes annoyances like starting the game in a forced small window mode. I also had occasional trouble with gamepad support. It’s there and works, but sometimes it fails to register gamepad buttons.
There are over twenty levels to choose from on a map. You cannot skip ahead because they are unlocked in order. There is nothing new about the stage design. There are enemies you can jump on to kill, pits and hazards, coins and boxes to smash, and hidden walls containing mysteries and collectibles. They are short, yet there are many hidden walls to be discovered, even shortcuts to later stages.
There are checkpoints but the game doesn’t handle this very well. When you die, you’re thrown back to the map where you need to enter the stage again and continue from the last checkpoint. I’m not sure why you simply can’t respawn at the checkpoint without the extra steps.
The gameplay, albeit generic, is actually quite fun. This is due to the fact that as you purchase or find additional powers, you can return to previous stages and reach new places. There's one ability that allows you to survive in water, and another that turns invisible platforms solid. You'll need to return once or twice if you want to obtain everything from a stage, such as hidden gems and three pieces of fruit.
Because abilities are expensive, you should gather as many coins as you can. Fortunately, you cannot lose money when you die. It's yours as soon as you grab it, just like other treasures. This eliminates the frustration of completing a stage only to "save" everything you collected.
Sadly, finding everything is a chore. There’s no way of spotting fake walls or hidden parts of the stage. Beating the game doesn’t give you a compass or anything that would help you find collectibles.
