A Hat in Time

A Hat in Time is a joyful 3D platformer where players jump into the shoes of the Hat Kid, a space-explorer who must retrieve her valuable hourglasses after they fall from her ship. Split into various story acts, the main adventure sees Hat Kid traveling across an intriguing variety of planets, each one filled to the brim with collectibles and secrets to find. Thanks to Hat Kid's nimble nature, you'll leap and tumble through enemies and obstacles on an exciting cosmic journey! Gamers who enjoy collectible-heavy adventures will have a great time with this colorful quest.

Main Game Features

• Third-person platforming gameplay
• Playable in single-player and co-op
• Explore four magical worlds

Story

At the start of A Hat in Time, the heroic Hat Kid is returning home on their spaceship, resting up after a long adventure. As they pass over a seemingly random planet, their ship is suddenly boarded by one of the planet's inhabitants, a member of the criminally proficient Mafia Town. Demanding a tax for passing by, the Hat Kid and mafia member get into a scuffle, causing the ship to decompress and send them hurtling toward the planet's surface. In the chaos, the ship's vault is opened, causing dozens of precious hourglasses to scatter around the world. Landing in Mafia Town, Hat Kid befriends an unlikely ally named Mustache Girl, and together they attempt to collect the lost hourglasses so the Hat Kid can get home. Overall, the story is simple but extravagant, with tons of different locations and characters. It's funny, cute, and a great story for both adults and younger gamers.

Gameplay

A Hat in Time shares a similar gameplay structure to classic platforming games like Banjo-Kazooie and Super Mario Galaxy. Hat Kid's ship acts as a hub, where you can access four unique worlds, each with a list of story missions to complete. There are over 20 story missions in all, offering everything from chase sequences to boss fights. However, A Hat in Time prides itself on having an open-ended design, which allows players to freely explore the large worlds at any time. Hat Kid is fast and able to pull off double-jumps and mid-air dashes, letting you bound around the colorful worlds as you search for collectibles.

There are plenty of goodies to find that have been hidden in smart hiding spots, including yarn balls, safe vaults, and a currency called pon. If you find enough yarn balls, you can craft different hats for the Hat Kid to wear, with each hat offering a unique ability. As you complete the story missions, you'll also unlock extra abilities, opening up new areas in old levels. This makes it enjoyable to return to previous stages and scour for every last pick-up. If you're up for a challenge, extra levels called Time Rifts are also available, featuring much harder platforming sections.

Conclusion

If you have a soft spot for retro-style 3D platformers, A Hat in Time should spark your interest. Once you get used to the controls, jumping and running around levels feels smooth and fun, with a surprising amount of movement options. There are plenty of stages to complete and secrets to unlock, and thanks to the excellent world design, you'll definitely want to explore a bit.

Pros

• Movement feels satisfying
• Lots of level variety
• Levels are fun to keep exploring

Cons

• Combat is imprecise
• Graphics can be blurry
• Some levels get more attention than others