Bloo Kid 2 (Nintendo 3DS) Review

Nothing brings back memories of the early days of console gaming like a good old school platform title. The indie studio behind the acclaimed Bloo Kid has now delivered its successor on Nintendo 3DS eShop, and the long and short of it is that Bloo Kid 2 gives more of what the original delivered - platforming goodness.

The first thing that catches the attention is the fact that it never feels repetitive, a trap that many newer examples of old school platform games fall into after a while. This is due to the great level design that differs from stage to stage in similar fashion to the classics of the genre, filled with secrets and several different routes to the finish line. The game pays homage to classics like the Thwomps from Super Mario Bros 3. and the cart stages from Donkey Kong Country, helping give a nostalgic feel from the 1990s, yet Bloo Kid 2 comes with enough content of its own to ensure that it does not end up feeling like a rip-off.

There are several normal stars on each stage, and collecting all of them will earn the reward of a trophy. Additionally, there are blue stars that work similarly, but there are only three on every level. As well as that, there are several other achievements, such as finishing the stage with full health or within a set time limit. All of this ensures that Bloo Kid 2 has great replayability and increases its longevity considerably for those who enjoy reaching that 100% completion point.

Even though there are many positives, there is one glaring issue, namely one that is seen in too many modern 2D platformers - the "leap of faith" - a jump in which the protagonist does not see what is below, which can cause several unfair deaths. These leaps of faith do sadly offer too much of a 'fake difficulty' level at times. It does not, however, ruin the experience, and they are further apart in occurrence than in some other genre examples, thankfully.

Bloo Kid 2 is a worthy successor to the original release and one that definitely deserves enough attention to give hope for a third entry further down the line. The title does a great job in capturing the spirit of the old school platformers, and although it is not a classic like Super Mario Bros., it is still an enjoyable romp that is well worth looking into.