Every new(ish) console has its fair share of ports and remasters, and Nintendo Switch is no exception - especially when it comes to those that previously graced the perpetually sinking ship that was Wii U. And while we’ve been treated to Bayonetta/Bayonetta 2 and Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, we’ve also got to contend with less memorable titles such as Legend of Kay Anniversary.
That’s not to say this port of port (the original appeared on PS2 back in 2005) is a bad game as such, but rather it’s simply an unremarkable experience that would have otherwise been lost to time had it not been for THQ Nordic picking up the licence. It does all the things you’d expect a 3D platformer from the mid-’00s to do - the combat is fun, the platforming does its job and the martial arts schtick adds an extra flavour - but even in 2015 it felt undeserving of a remaster. Also it doesn’t help when you just happen to be sharing a platform with the majesty that is Super Mario Odyssey.
So while it’s pretty standard fare when it comes to platformers - and a carbon copy of the version you may have already played on Wii U - there are at some mechanics here that are as enjoyable as they were 13 years ago. You take on the role of the titular Kay, an upstart young cat living on an island inhabited by a community of anthropomorphic tribes. With rats and gorillas forming a deadly alliance, Kay sets out to bring balance back to his homeland by unleashing all manner of martial arts.
So you’ve probably guessed where Anniversary’s strongest trait lies: combat. Combos are the big selling point, with myriad movesets on offer along with a directional block system to help counter incoming attacks when you’re fighting more than one foe. There’s a variety of weapons you’ll get your paws on over the course of your journey, with each one offering a distinct style, as well as consumables such as bottled hornets for disrupting groups of enemies mid-battle.
It also plays into traversing the terrain as well, with a press of ‘X’ sending you flying right into the next enemy for another strike. If you can keep your timing right you can zip around a group of enemies in seconds (a la the Batman: Arkham series), or use it to strike rotating bells that enable you to cross large gaps or reach higher ground. It can be tricky to get the hang of, especially when the game changes up weapons mid-combo, but it’s a unique mechanic that helps the rest of its pretty standard platforming fare feel a little less rote.
Unfortunately, the issues with the game’s camera persist, just as they did in the original and in the Wii U remaster. Cameras have often been a problem for 3D platformers, but the twitchy and unpredictable nature of Anniversary’s makes it an incredibly frustrating experience. Attempting to string together a series of combos, or avoid being overwhelmed by a group of enemies increases its difficulty tenfold. Should you stray into an enclosed area where the camera is forced to adapt, then expect to frequently lose sight of Kay.
Level design is hit and miss at best. The Ancient China feel occasionally affords the game some authentically designed buildings or motifs, but on the whole both the look and the general layout of its levels are incredibly dated. Like a lot of the game, its levels feel trapped in a time capsule that’s long been improved upon by other developers in the intervening years. Compared to the creativity and depth of Yooka-Laylee, Anniversary becomes a difficult sell to anyone other than platforming die hards.
Oh, and let’s not even go into the voice acting. While the soundtrack has its moments, the voice work for Anniversary is abysmal. Kay might be the most irritating character in the entire cast, which doesn’t bode well considering he’s the hero of the story, while the various rats and gorillas you’ll encounter will often spout the same cheesy lines over and over during combat. The use of the occasional ‘naughty’ word also still feels bizarre for a game trying so hard to be Kung Fu Panda before Kung Fu Panda was a thing.
From a technical point of view, it’s still a much improved graphical update over the original game. Character models and environments have been given an HD upgrade, although this does serve to show how undetailed and blank some levels are. The frame rate also holds up a little better than the Wii U version, with frames no longer evaporating with wanton abandon when the screen fills with enemies.
Conclusion
Legend of Kay felt dated in 2005, back when the PS2 platforming renaissance was already fading, so its transition to Wii U - and now Nintendo Switch - brings with it all the same tropes that were already out of fashion long before its inception. Anniversary's combat offers something of a saving grace, with plenty of depth to be found with its combos and warping, but you’ll have to contend with camera issues and poor voice acting while you’re at it.
Comments 37
Never played the original or Wii U version so I was hoping this would be good. Too bad.
It is really strange, the fixation that they have with this game. It doesn't seem to fit the definition of a "classic" in any way, yet they keep on resurrecting it.
No thanks! I knew there was a reason I first discovered this game existed in a Wal-Mart clearance section.
'Kay.
meh, i already have this on steam.
I think this is a legendary port of a legendary Wii U game,but I don't know....it just seems too similar to the Wii U version for me to bite,perhaps in a couple of months my memory will fade and the game will not feel so farmiliar...and of course the price will drop too.
I got this on Wii U, had no experience with it prior and thought it would give me nostalgia for its era... no. I mean maybe if you’ve played the game, but it’s not even a good representation of that genre from a dozen years ago, it’s incredibly bland and overstays its welcome far too long. And there are way too many missables since you can’t go back to prior stages.
It's legendary how many times this game gets rereleased...
And the number of times I've said this is becoming a legend in its own right...
I played this on the Wii U. It's okay. Nothing exceptional. It doesn't seem to hold up too well over time.
I also like how this one is about 30CAD in physical form and almost 38CAD in the eShop.
This game was only a couple bucks on PSN not too long ago and even at that price point I wasn't interested, I don't buy games because they are cheap, they have to be good and worthy of my time too.
A legend to be forgottOn...
Is @Dom not a native english speaker btw? Because that would explain quite a bit.
Got it for $5 on the Wii U. It never really captured my interest, and doesn't seem worth the time investment.
Terrible game
@Ooyah they've ported it about a thousand times so I'm guessing they will keep porting it until they manage to recuperate their costs, can't think of another explanation
Never heard of this game before and now I know why. I wonder why someone feels the need to bring it back again?
Is ‘forgotton’ a pun or something?
Bought this during one WiiU drought. Actually had a decent time. But I won’t pretend I’m any judge of fine whiskey:P
Well the Wii U version got 7 out of 10 and said the game holds up surprisingly well by modern standards. Switch version gets 5 out of 10. Guess different reviewers have different opinions.
I actually like this game considering it's price. It's worth it if you like oldschool adventure platformers with a more in-depth combat system. There are waaay worse games than this one tbh. Sonic Forces scored 6 and this game 5 when it imo is better than Sonic forces. Sometimes NL doesn't make much sense to me. 😂
@wazlon haha yeah. This just shows how weird NL is sometimes 😂 Maybe they should have just linked to their wii u review....
I remember playing this on PS2 back in the day, it's really weird seeing how many re-releases it's had since then considering it's a fairly mid-tier game that flew under the radar.
I got this on a sale for dirt cheap on Wii U years ago, but I never even booted it up. I’ll just play it there if I ever feel the need (or have the time).
It was pretty stupid of me to buy this game a few years ago for the Wii U. I thought it was enjoyable at first, but almost immediately I came across a game-breaking bug, so the game has gathered dust since then.
Again, I love Nintendolife for the reviews it provides but a game that's been released twice before... the e-shop is jam-packed of smaller release games and games that haven't been reviewed by as many outlets. I'd love to see more attention and time given to those.
I would love to re-buy this game for on the go platforming but for now I'm waiting for Crash so sorry Kay.
I love Nintendolife reviews where the subhead says it all.
I bought it digital on Wii U(with a huge discount) and really liked it.
Get the Wii U version, you get twice the video, of price of one.
@Gibb the problem is journalism/criticism is a second language. He tries so hard to write in endless tropes that the content and substance of the subject is lost.
@Gibb I've noticed that the writing quality around here has gone down in the past few months. There have been a lot of typos and things like that, it's like no one edits these articles.
I might pick this up some day.... I know it isn't great, however I absolutely love 3-D platformers (good or bad) and could see this killing a couple plane rides. On the wishlist only to be reminded it exists when i see it on sale
I really wanted to play this back then but i got the DS version instead
@ottospooky @VIIIAxel Yeah I've noticed that too. I may be a little picky, but hey. I generally check other sites for news (since they report them so much earlier) and come to NL for the comments mostly.
@ottospooky Then maybe his attempt at humour just goes over my head. I always thought he just makes an awful lot of mistakes.
Under game options there is a new camera mode. and you can also invert the camera left/right or up/down.
So just wondering if anyone complaining about the camera tried any of these options. As for the default option when you start the game. I didn't like the camera settings either.
I downloaded it on Wii U on sale and it’s fine as a retro game. Obviously it shouldn’t be compared to Super Mario Odysee as it is quite old. But for what it is, it’s fine. Neither terrible or amazing. And frankly, I’ve played worse games rated higher.
Just picked it up for £10, to be fair not worth more than that
the wii u ver. got 7/10 and it's the same game but you give the switch ver. 5/10? why the decrease in score
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