Dear cybernetic eight-headed chimera that I pray to every third Sunday, please give me a video game that's either loaded with problems or has a single insignificant nonissue that I can pretend is actually ruining gaming. Don't lead me to games like Magical Pop'n that do everything perfectly and wonderfully. My filthy soul is not equipped to handle such majestic programming.
For real though, what is this game and why is it so damn good?
If you haven't already played Magical Pop'n, then I implore... no, I demand you to rectify that this very instant. Do whatever you have to do to get the game running and give it a couple hours of your time. If you're just that kind of person who doesn't feel like playing video games now or ever, then... alright, fair. Make my already miserable job even harder. I'm going to try to explain how Polestar's action-platformer is a masterclass in game-design. However, I've spent a lifetime complaining, so there's a pretty good chance I'll fuck up.
The basic premise is that you're a little princess who has to save the entire world. It's a kid's game... except it... No, it's totally a game for kids. This is just one of those small but also massively important details that my brain keeps tripping over. A "kid's game" carries negative connotations, like you have to play 10 stages before you're taught how to press the jump button. What the developer accomplished here is kind-of miraculous. This is a game for small children that isn't condescending in any way. The difficulty is on the light end, but not so light that there are never any consequences. There's always an incentive for someone to try their hardest. If they're thorough, then the game becomes easier. Curiosity is rewarded, often with a huge cake or a heart that increases the heroine's maximum life. Players who want to test their abilities won't explore. They'll face bosses with less health and spend more time learning patterns to maximize what little they have.
Magical Pop'n is mechanically dense. On the surface, it's one of those hop & slash platformers, but there's a richness to the swordplay that isn't typically seen, even in games that cater to adults. There's value in every swing. When the princess strikes a wall or other impenetrable object with her sword, there's a distinct sound and she's pushed back slightly. Jabbing the ground with a downward thrust throws her into the air like her sword is a pogo stick. Enemies that carry weapons will deflect attacks, prompting the player to seek out different angles to attack from. This makes landing hits satisfying. The lack of pushback indicates a strike was executed correctly. These visual and audio indicators really sell the importance of learning the game instead of hurling oneself into everything and hoping for the best.
Mobility is topnotch. I ran descriptions like "second nature" into the ground ages ago, so instead I'll say that this is a fantastic game for kids because it accounts for every possible movement option. Not only can the princess crawl across the ground, pressing the jump button while holding down-forward will allow her to slide. Maybe having both is excessive, but I don't see it that way. Again, it's designed to reward curiosity. Also, holding down and jump will have her drop from platforms. This doesn't overlap or get in the way of the slide. In general, jumping has this nice punchy feel to it. The responsiveness and fluidity make it an exceptional tool for any circumstance, and it's just plain fun. I guess the word I'm looking for here is joyous. After eons of action-platformers, the very act of leaping into the air can feel rote or even bothersome. That's not the case here.
The heroine is also an exceptional magician, whose mastery over the mystical arts grows as she explores each of the six stages. Besides the standard projectile, she'll learn to throw exploding lollipops, fire & ice, and even spin-dash across floors or walls. There is somewhat of a Metroid-aspect to getting around, since powers earned in a stage are typically used to open paths that were inaccessible before. Spells cost stars to use, but the game makes it very clear that players shouldn't be stingy with them. Star pick-ups adorn each room or are dropped from enemies, so don't hold back. Lollipops are particularly useful for nailing bosses from a safe distance. Altogether, it's a great system that is liable to go underutilized, simply because players are so accustomed to having very limited "subweapon ammo".
There is one spell that doesn't cost anything, and it's the grappling hook. This is an essential tool that'll take some time to learn. Princess (we never get her name) throws it at a 45-degree angle, so practice is required to hook onto the floating divots that can be swung from. Early on, this weapon is mostly used to swing across a single gap or to reach a useful treasure. In the late stages, jumping/grappling puzzles will require some serious dexterity. Next to a couple of bosses, they might be the toughest parts of the game. To keep frustration from setting in, the developer wisely chose to avoid including any bottomless pits. It's possible to fall onto spikes or dangerous waters, but nothing that does more than a heart's worth of damage at a time. By the way, the hook can be used as a weapon. It's actually really useful for flying enemies that try to stay out of the sword's reach.
Part of what makes Magical Pop'n so appealing is its willingness to teach players. None of this is done through tutorials or textboxes either. Instead, the level-design is like a subtle guiding hand. Mechanics are introduced in ways so seamless that the player might not even notice them. For example, in the intro to one of the boss fights, control is briefly taken away as the princess runs to challenge the foe. While crossing a couple of gaps, she intentionally walks off of them before jumping a split-second later. This is the game acknowledging that there is "coyote time". It's something that the person might've noticed before in prior stages but couldn't quite grasp what was going on. Towards the end of the game, there's an optional gap that requires coyote-time to cross, a little pop quiz for treasure. Teaching moments like these are interspersed throughout, and they never come off as unwanted or eye-rolling.
Multiple times during the review, I wanted to draw comparisons with the multitude of 16-bit classics this was inspired by, but it's hard to do so without devaluing such a fantastic adventure. Still, it's something I want to acknowledge because I believe that it's the developer's intention to wear the game's influences on their sleeve. The main character resembling Link. Her penchant for curling into a ball while jumping. Hell, I already name-dropped Metroid a minute ago. All of these elements are designed to invoke that sense of familiarity, which enhances its ability to appeal to all ages. Again, there's subtlety in how references are approached. The developer is clearly aware of what the player is thinking but never spells it out and cheapens the effect. Basically, I want to make it clear that this smart-design. The game pulls from multiple sources and creates something special.
A typical play-through can take up to two hours, which leads into Magical Pop'n's single fault: no passwords. Obviously, it doesn't matter these days since everybody just emulates, but I still have to mention that it's an odd omission for a surprisingly lengthy game. There are also a few instances of slowdown... and yeah. Complaint-wise, I'm completely tapped out. You want to know something? The sicko inside of me wanted so much for there to be some wonky hurtboxes, a cheap boss-fight, or something else I could yammer on about. I seriously couldn't find anything of the sort. What's here is just so good, so tightly constructed, and so right.
Magical Pop'n will teach you so much about how action-platformers should work that you'll be disappointed by just how many don't measure up. Every aspect is fine-tuned to an immaculate level. Also, it's ridiculously cute; an endless fountain of adorable charm. Yet not once does it ever eschew its superb mechanics and flawless controls. All I can say is what everyone else has already said: this is an absolute classic.
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