After many years reviewing all kinds of games for this website, I thought I had seen everything, and would rarely be surprised by something that would otherwise go against the norm, or even the laws of nature. If you had told me I’d review a Smurfs game someday, and actually really like it, I’d have said you’re a lunatic. Ease off on the booze. But nope, it’s actually true. After a handful of mediocre, but otherwise arguably competent releases, the third Smurfs game published by Microids this decade is actually a really good platformer that’s worth your time. The Smurfs: Dreams is proof that even the most mediocre of media franchises can have their 15 minutes of well-deserved relevance.

The Smurfs: Dreams starts off with a simple but straightforward premise. That one wizard with a penchant for hunting down minuscule forest creatures, Gargamel, has cursed nearly the entire Smurf population with poisonous herbs, putting the village into an eternal slumber. Papa Smurf is the only main character to have avoided the curse, so he devises a magical pillow (?) which can transport one into a realm of dreams. You play as a random Smurf tasked with entering each main Smurf’s dream, solving whichever issue might be happening inside of it, thus rescuing them from said eternal slumber.

You do so by venturing different constellations, each one representing a Smurf’s dream. Each constellation is comprised of a few levels, plus a boss fight. Pretty standard stuff, in fact. Whereas Mission Vileaf was more of a traditional 3D platformer from back in the day, The Smurfs: Dreams feels a lot like that specific kind of “3D-but-as-linear-as-a-2D-platformer” format seen in games like Super Mario 3D World and Super Lucky’s Tale. You can move around a level in full 3D, but there is a clear starting point and end goal to reach. You cannot move the camera, which works on its own. There might be a handful of collectibles in each level, but the main objective is to simply reach the end goal. You know the drill.

I have to say… the level design is actually pretty freaking good. If other Smurfs games felt a bit too generic because they were too focused on being set in traditional forest-like environments, Dreams takes advantage of its premise to come up with more magical and esoteric locales. For instance, the first constellation is based around sweets, but one level is also filled with lava and death traps. There is a lot of room for creativity, and this is what surprised me the most. Each level felt quite unique and pretty impressive to look at. Sure, I played the game on the Switch, and that meant a 30fps cap, but The Smurfs: Dreams still featured some pretty vistas.

Levels are quite long, and that might be a selling point or an issue, depending on the kind of player. Let’s just say that some levels feature tricky platforming puzzles (clearly not helped by the short jumping height) and can go on for nearly fifteen minutes. If you are a child or parent just looking for a family friendly and easygoing platformer, there are bits in Dreams which can be quite tricky and frustrating. Likewise, if you are a bit older and seasoned, some of these slightly more challenging sections can actually feel like a breath of fresh air.

The platforming is clunky, but it’s something you can get used to. You have a short hover and an additional bubble jump (in essence, a third jump that works somewhat like the third cap jump in Super Mario Odyssey), which allows to even skip some trickier sections if you time your moves precisely. The controls themselves are responsive, as long as you simply get used to the short hopping and camera placement. Depending on the level, you can even wield weapons. Yep. Ever thought of playing a Smurfs game where one of those adorable blue beings is wielding a gun? There ya have it.

Each constellation ends with a boss battle, and those can be quite tricky. Each enemy has a handful of different stages, and needs to take a lot of hits before being defeated. On the other hand, your Smurf can only take two hits before dying. Thankfully enough, there are checkpoints within these battles, so you’re not going to lose a lot of progress. In fact… you simply don’t. Tension might pretty much go away because of it, but let’s face it, it’s a Smurfs game. You are not playing one of those to flex your gamer skillz.

Levels are a bit too long, and the platforming could have been a bit better, but all in all, The Smurfs: Dreams is a pleasant surprise. With great visuals, a spectacular orchestrated soundtrack, and quite a lot of content, I simply wasn’t expecting to like this little guy as much as I did. In a console full of platforming juggernauts such as the Switch, it might be hard to justify purchasing it if you’re not exactly a fan of the Smurfs franchise, but I’d still recommend it to any platforming fan.

Graphics: 8.0 There are some really impressive vistas, and the overall amount of assets and creativity put into each level surprised me. It’s just a shame that this is locked to 30fps, but I do understand it’s actually putting the Switch’s hardware to work.	Gameplay: 7.0 The level design is great, even if levels are a bit too long. There are lots of puzzles and gimmicks in each world. Platforming is a bit clunky due to how short your jumping height is, but this is something you can get used to.
Sound: 8.5 The orchestral soundtrack hits surprisingly hard. I never imagined I’d like a soundtrack in a freaking Smurfs game so much.	Fun Factor: 7.5 Levels are a bit too long, and the platforming could have been a bit better, but all in all, The Smurfs: Dreams is a pleasant surprise. It’s colorful, creative, well polished, and quite challenging at times.
Final Verdict: 7.5

The Smurfs: Dreams is available now on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X, PC and Switch.

Reviewed on Switch.

A copy of The Smurfs: Dreams was provided by the publisher.