They say that music heals the soul, but can it actually save the entire universe? Wandersong seems to think so. You take on the role of a passionate bard who uses his tuneful singing voice to defeat enemies, solve puzzles, and cross bottomless pits as you embark on a journey to collect pieces of the legendary Earthsong (no, not the Michael Jackson one). It’s a platform game that disregards the usual violent means of combat for a more laid back approach, resulting in a welcoming, accessible experience that will almost certainly put a smile on your face.
With striking visuals that remind us of a more rustic Paper Mario, Wandersong takes place across a range of locales – some more fantastical and dreamlike than others. There’s a wonderful use of colour here, with beautiful gradients displaying an almost pastel-like quality. As you traverse the land, you can sing a tune at will using the right analogue stick, and the foliage will change colour accordingly, with small animals following the sound of your voice. Little touches like this really bring the world of Wandersong to life, alongside some excellent writing and dialogue guaranteed to make you giggle.
The main gameplay, of course, sees you making use of the bard’s vocal cords, blasting out some tunes to complete various objectives. The game starts you off with some fairly simple tasks, such as copying short tunes played by NPCs, before moving onto more involving tasks like moving and moulding platforms at will, or repelling swarms of advancing enemies – all with the power of your singing voice. There’s plenty of variety on display here, and it feels like a wonderful breath of fresh air after the streams of platform games that focus on basic melee combat.
Designed to be as breezy an experience as possible, Wandersong may be a bit too easy for some. Sure, there are some hazards to be aware of; you’ll often fall off ledges during some of the more tricky platforming sections, but the game is incredibly generous with its checkpoints, meaning you’ll always respawn just a few feet away from where you fell. It’s also quite lenient with the singing mechanic, so if you accidentally sing the wrong note at any point, you’re rarely penalised. The low level of difficulty fits in nicely with the overall tone of the game, so even though the story has high stakes along with plenty of poignant moments, there’s an ongoing feeling of happiness throughout the entire experience.
If you’re after a unique experience, Wandersong completely has you covered. The singing mechanic works perfectly, and while it may feel a bit too easy at times, the combination of the visuals, writing, and various gameplay objectives across a generous seven-act structure make for an incredibly compelling platforming experience that you’d do well to check out.
Comments 30
Sweet, nice to see this one finally reviewed!
I should probably go back to this one at some point. I played a bit of it and it was fun but it didn't fully drag me in and then I got distracted by other games and never got around to finishing it. Felt like maybe a 7-8 for me from what I played.
I logged in especially to leave a comment for this game, lovely little game, loved the trailer. Once I finished it I never opened it again just to leave it the way it ended
Yeah! I think it's great that this game gets attention. The comparison with paper mario is well deserved.
It didn't take me long to love this game when I got it a ways back... I think closer to launch? Has a lot of charm to it.
Incredibly lovely game, packed with a surprising amount of emotion, too. Loved this one to bits, man.
@nintendolife Now do Songbird Symphony!
I really hope Whip! Whip! Gets a mini review. I know the fans who specifically hype for kill-em-ups (single-screen platformers) are probably a small group, but it’s a big deal when one comes along for us, especially out of Japan
This game gave me strong paper Mario vibes. Not in terms of its combat, but in terms of the execution of its globe trodding adventure
@chewytapeworm We're on it!
The attention it finally deserves.
@Damo You guys... 😄
@NinChocolate just bought that game in the eShop sale. It is really lovely!
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Currently playing this game. It's really charming, but my girlfriend can't stand me making the character sing in any direction like crazy . (plus dancing )
I'm currently giving this game another play. It feels more like an interactive story to be enjoyed in the same way a film is. It's one of the funniest games I've ever played.
Thank you so much for giving it a review!
first off, I love that you are doing reviews of some missed gems of the recent past... great work!
For this game specifically I am so bummed I was not able too get into this one. I bought it on a sale sometime last year and for some reason it did just not click with me on any level. I complete nearly every game I start and this was a rare one I stopped playing in the middle.
Oh well, every game cannot be for everyone and I am very happy that so many like this one. Can't wait to see the next "classic" review!
Great! Thanks for listening to the community 😄
A 9 seems too generous for this one, but hey, fine.
Protagonist must be the best person in the world, really, I love him.
Yesss thank you! One of my recommended games to cover.
My 2 cents - love the vibe, the writing, The singing, the uniqueness all around. Did not love the platforming/some of the oddly infuriating bits, and I wished there was just a bit more going with the gameplay— by about halfway thru I just wanted to get it over with which is too bad bc it really is a charming experience.
I would agree with this review it was simply fantastic and I still think of this game fondly even when I played it around it’s launch way back when.
I love NintendoLife, love the reviews, read it all the time, but have had only one comment here - and that was to say that Wondersong is just so awesome.
It's the story that gets me, the warmth, the atmosphere, the good narrative, the stories and the messages. A wholesome, warm and goodfeel story.
Ah, so glad to finally see a NL review for this one. It was the only one I requested in the original thread.
Mine bugged out way in to it and I lost my save file. Never went back. I loved what I played though.
Bah. Now I regret not nabbing this via LRG when I had the chance.
Wow this is really late.
Awesome game though. One of the best from the last couple years. It deserves to be mentioned among all the other indie greats
Great to see this game get more exposure
If anyone wants to play a game similar to Wandersong, albeit more dark, give A Night in the Woods a shot!
this game has one of the best stories I've ever seen in a video game. buy it
Every character in this game is memorable. EVERYONE.
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