The Magical World is an homage to 90s platformers launching this October – Destructoid

Developer VEA Games and publisher Knights Peak have announced that Nikoderiko: The Magical World will be released on PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X/S, and PS5 on October 15, 2024. The game pulls inspiration from some of the best platformers of the 90s and looks to be filled with nostalgic moments.

In Nikoderiko: The Magical World, you take on the roles of Niko and Luna, either solo or in co-op with a friend. You’ll platform your way through challenging levels and boss encounters and work your way across seven memorable worlds to defeat greedy villain Grimbald of the Cobring Gems Company, who has put the animals of this world to work mining treasure for him. It’s a simple story but one that sets the tone and serves as a great excuse to play through just one more level before you stop.

Relive classic platforming levels in a new light

I grew up playing platformers like Crash Bandicoot, Donkey Kong Country, and my personal favorite, MediEvil. I adored these titles because they had simple gameplay that grew in complexity over time without ever getting bogged down in so many systems that they felt unapproachable.

They also featured so many memorable moments, from boss stages to particularly tough levels that drove me around the bend, and even funny moments between my friends and me as we laughed about how Sir Daniel Fortesque walks.

Nikoderiko: The Magical World looks to have all of this and more to offer with modern visuals and quality-of-life improvements. Bosses can pop through stages as you rush through them using a 2.5D camera. You’ll find yourself working through tight, linear levels chasing an objective or running from something big, pushing to grab every collectible and finish each level just to see what you unlock next.

I don’t have all the information at the time of writing, but based on the trailer, I’d say this game will have just as many reasons to replay every level as titles like Crash Bandicoot did. Collecting items and unlocking hidden paths to secret levels are in the DNA of this genre, so I’d be very surprised if something similar wasn’t in Nikoderiko: The Magical World.

Indeed, the game’s Steam page confirms you’ll collect items to unlock mounts and magical friends. I just hope there’s a little more under the hood when we get our hands on the game.

We cannot wait for the world to play Niko’s adventure. It is truly our (humble) love letter to the past thirty years of fantastic jump & run classics.

Dmitry Smirnov, Creative Director, Nikoderiko: The Magical World

Aside from the minecarts and, quite frankly, gorgeous art direction, I think what sets Nikoderiko: The Magical World apart from other modern platformers is the inclusion of couch co-op. This has always been important, but so few modern games have it as a feature. With less than a month until launch, I’m excited to see how the platforming community receives it and whether the game can live up to the titles that inspired it.