Kaze and the Wild Masks Reviews

DKC at home /complimentary

Just found it to be a boring platformer.

Very good DKC-like platformer. Any word on a sequel?

Loving it so far. This game is a '90s-style 2D platformer with characters reminiscent of Sonic & Tails and level design reminiscent of Donkey Kong Country, but with unique music and an art design that makes it all its own. It's got tight retro style platforming (no double-jumps or dashes here!) with a spin attack and slow glide that can be used just right to kill a few baddies or get to the bonus stage is hidden in each level. The art style and unique mask mechanic are creative and fun without feeling gimmicky.

This is a game I am enjoying thus far. I beat what I believe was the final boss. However, I get the impression that I did not get a true ending. And I am looking forward to going back to the earlier levels and get 100% in as many levels as I possibly can. Definitely the first time that has happened with a video game for me in 2025, And probably the first time that has happened in the 2020's. The game play is extremely similar to Dixie Kong from Donkey Kong Country 2 on the Super Nintendo, all of the same moves plus more. There are 4 different masks that changes your character's appearance and controls. The 4 masks are similar to the 4 different creatures in the various Donkey Kong Country games (Looking at DKC 1 and 2, I never played DKC 3 beyond the first couple of levels.) Here's an unpopular opinion, I think this game was more exciting and fun to play than Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze. (I played the game on Wii U, not going to play the Switch version). Playing through Tropical Freeze was comparable to mundane shifts at work and the game just felt like soul less drag. Kaze and the Wild Masks has a lot more soul. I also think this game improves upon the mechanics of DKC 1 and 2 (and maybe 3?). There's a nice steady challenge! The level design is better and more varied. The visuals are very nice. The music is very good. One OST to listen to in the shower or when I go on walks. This one is a hidden gem. EDIT: I knew I forgot something. Those bonus levels are top tier! I remember thinking some of them made better made me better at the game. And loving the music for the bonus levels. Looking forward to play the ones I missed. Bottom Line: If Dixie Kong controls sound to good you, WISHLIST OR BUY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This may be my favorite traditional platformer outside of the Donkey Kong Country titles. Some things it does in fact do better. For instance, the flow of level design ─ which, coupled with the synchronous rhythm of enemies and environs, teases one with a strong sense of the possibility of the "perfect run," which in turn compels repeated striving for mastery without the need for exploitation of weaknesses in mechanical design. Besides, it is pleasant to the sight, and with amusing creatures ─ all monstrous plants, which return to their benign forms when defeated. The "masks" of the title transform the lagomorphous protagonist into unique animal forms: shark, tiger, and lizard; each with their own abilities. These are encountered in phases, and culminate in a grand finale in which the player must demonstrate their mastery of all these various forms in order to defeat the final boss. Everything about this game has been deftly executed, so that it marries familiarity of form with enough conceptual and aesthetic uniqueness, while also managing to restrain ambitions that might otherwise overextend it beyond comfortable tautness. It plays much like Donkey Kong Country, but with leanings toward more rhythm-oriented games like Bit Trip Runner. It may be too difficult for younger children, but it is nonetheless entirely inoffensive to their innocence and all the more rewarding of their efforts. A "Casual" mode allows one to play through the game with more frequent checkpoints. Adults will likely be contented with "Original" mode, which is joyfully challenging without brutality or unfairness. A wonderful game of a type increasingly rare at present, and as such a welcome addition to Steam. Fingers are crossed for more from this developer. Highly recommended!

amazing level design and difficulty curve, every level throws something different at you and all of them are interesting and fair, all of this makes 100%ing levels in this game is consistently satisfying, this is definitely a good game, and a solid purchase on sale.

The short review: PLAY THIS GAME! It is gorgeous, has spectacular level design, and a uniquely told narrative. If you like the DKC games, you'll like this! The long review: This game is fun, beautiful, and well-made... although it is not perfect. First, positives (of which there are many): The graphics are very beautiful, and pretty to look at. While the pixel art characters on fully-rendered backgrounds is odd, both styles are well-made and appealing to the eye. The characters and plot have a sense of urgency, while still having the occassional light-hearted moment to break tension, with a backstory being told for collecting the KAZE letters. Speaking of characters, I think Kaze is a cool, yet caring character, with motives to save her friend Hogo as well as the islands from the tyrannical Typhoon. I also like how Typhoon and the masks' backstories are intrinsically tied. Not to mention, the levels and bosses are top-notch, with a wonderful difficulty curve that starts invitingly, but slowly tests the player as they go further, culminating in some fun and difficult challenges that are very satisfying to play through. All 4 masks are fun to have and control, from the dashing tiger, the swimming shark, the flying eagle, and the mysterious dragon, with levels reminiscent of minecart/rollercoaster/toboggan stages from the DKC series. And with this comes some comes my grievances. While the game has its own identity aesthetically, from a gameplay perspective, it feels too similar to the Donkey Kong Country series. While it is my favorite series of all time, I do wish the game did a bit more to differentiate from its inspiration in the gameplay-department. The tiger mask, however, is pretty unique, and maybe more acrobatics or more moves could've gone a long way. As it stands, the game teeters on the line of spiritual-successor and clone; a darn good clone that is on similar terms to what it was inspired by, but a clone nonetheless. The length of the game does not bother me, as the DKC games are of similar length, and the price of the game is low enough that I do feel I got enough bang for my buck, so to speak. If anything, the length makes it more approachable for replay-value, something I admire in short-but-sweet titles such as this. I also find the music to be well composed, and very pleasing to listen to, but none of the melodies are strong enough to stick with me after the game has ended. This criticism may change with time, and enough replays, but it is a criticism nonetheless. With all that being said, I had an amazing time playing this game, and would HIGHLY recommend it not only to DKC fans, but also platforming fans in general. I eagerly await my inevitable replay of this game, and look forward to what this team makes in the future.

Basically, a super hard donkey game where you fight vegetables instead of those alligator guys.

One of the better platformers I've played. Great difficulty curve, starts easy and gets pretty challenging. Super fast restarts though so its never too frustrating. Lots of optional objectives (collect all the things, collect the letters KAZE, find the hidden challenges, beat the par time on each level). Obviously a throwback to the old DKC games. Runs perfect on Steam Deck as well. A+ great game.