Here’s a pro tip to any PR reading this review: if you want to draw my attention faster than a meerkat, just mention that your game is a 3D platformer with collectathon elements. Having grown up with a Nintendo 64, this subgenre is grafted onto my brain, with titles like Donkey Kong 64 and Banjo-Tooie being some of my favorites of all time. Now, when someone tells me they have a brand new game out there that’s supposedly a 3D collectathon inspired by the classics of the past, and even featuring compositions by Grant Kirkhope, my oh my, you have my curiosity and my attention. The game in question, PaperKlay.

Meet Chick, who’s a chick. Also, meet Nugget. He’s also a chick.

Featuring a simple but efficient plot, PaperKlay tells the story of Chick (who’s, well, a chick) and Nugget (also a chick, but even younger), a duo embarking on an adventure to retrieve a bunch of eggs from their village, after they had been stolen by some furry pirates. Oddly enough, they seem to be the worst pirates in existence, as the eggs end up scattered around the world, guarded by no one. The quest revolves around Chick and Nugget (oh, I see what you did there) exploring each world, completing each level, and recovering each egg, bringing them back to their village.

When people say PaperKlay is a love letter to the Nintendo 64 era of platforming, I somewhat do not agree entirely with the statement. Yes, there are some collectathon elements in it, but it feels more akin to a Super Mario 3D World or Super Mario Galaxy with different hubs. You don’t exactly explore open-ended levels; you explore an open-ended hub, collect keys to unlock smaller levels, and then complete linear levels, with an egg awaiting you at the end of each one. This is by no means an issue or a flaw, as I still had fun with these really well-designed levels, but it just didn’t give me any nostalgic feelings whatsoever. Then again, having enjoyed it for its quality, and not for any nostalgia, is a sign of success in my books.

Finally, a viedogame actually endorsing our childhood schoolyard games.

It’s a very simple and easygoing gameplay loop. The controls are as simple as a 3D platformer can be. Combat is very scarce, with Chick only have one or two different methods of wiping enemies out – it’s just not the game’s focus. The challenges and puzzles are also very easygoing. For the most part, each level is a straightforward linear sequence of simple-but-fun platforms to jump onto, with the very occasional gliding section or button to press. Whenever there’s a puzzle, it’s usually just collecting a few items or jumping from button to button in a literal “the floor is lava” way. The game even literally mentions the actual sentence “the floor is lava”.

Highlight levels are smaller challenges in which you play as Nugget in what’s essentially a miniaturized version of the gameplay popularized in Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker. In essence, you control Nugget, who cannot jump, in smaller, diorama-like levels you can actually flip around like one of those puzzles from Breath of the Wild. There’s usually one of those per world, and were, without a doubt, a highlight in PaperKlay, which is even more impressive when you consider the fact it was created by one person.

Everything is made out of arts and crafts.

Given the near nonexistent staff size, I was in awe with how the game looked. If there’s one takeaway from PaperKlay, it’s that it’s one of the prettiest games I’ve played so far this year. Realistic textural work brings the papercraft world of PaperKlay alive. In short, everything looks like it came straight from an arts and crafts world like Paper Mario or Yoshi, but with more realistic lighting and materials. Everything looks adorable, and to top it all off, the performance is great.

Furthermore, there are some well-known names in the industry helping out in the sound department. The villain is voiced by Kevin Miller, the voice actor for Sly Cooper. One tune in the game, as previously mentioned, was composed by Grant Kirkhope, but here’s the catch: it’s ONE tune. And not even an amazing one. Far from being considered bad, mind you (I don’t think that man can do a bad song even if he wanted to), but it’s not his most amazing piece of work.

Nugget’s levels play like Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker.

All in all, a pretty decent, if unspectacular game, but if I had to point out a major flaw, it has to be something that, this time, actually made me feel a bit nostalgic, as it’s something that has plagued countless 3D platformers in the past: the camera work. Sure, you have free control over it with the right analog stick, but in true old-school 3D fashion, it keeps moving around to try to help you out during many platforming sections.

In essence, that is actually a good thing, an accessibility option or quality of life feature of sorts. The problem is that the damn thing never stops moving, and it feels borderline nauseous. I would have preferred for this automatic camera allignment to have never been included, as I honestly don’t even think this schizophrenic and confusing movement is even helpful for the the younger and/or more casual audience this game is aimed towards.

Move around with your nimble chicken legs and your gliding-ready blanket.

Even with these handful of issues, PaperKlay is still an easy recommendation, with a few asterisks. If you are looking for something very akin to old-school 3D collectathons, you’re going to be a bit disappointed. It’s a bit more linear, vastly less challenging. Now, as an introduction to the genre, a very accessible game to convince casuals to play something a bit more traditional, this works oh so well. At the end of the day, it’s a very competent and easygoing 3D platormer with a lot of charm and heart.

PaperKlay is available now on PC.

Reviewed on Intel i7-12700H, 16GB RAM, RTX 3060 6GB.

A copy of PaperKlay was provided by the publisher.