A Hat in Time

A Hat in Time isn’t shy about its inspirations. The jump/forward dive/midair recovery combo had me thinking Super Mario 64 [スーパーマリオ64] right from the start, and A Hat in Time has liberally cribbed many other elements from that classic game as well. Stars have been replaced by time pieces but they function in much the same way – grabbing one kicks you out of the stage and collecting enough of them unlocks new areas to explore.

It’s not a game above criticism. Collision detection is wonky; there were times when I got stuck inside a wall and hand to completely restart a stage. Some checkpoints seem poorly placed, and after falling in certain spots I felt like the walk of shame was overly long. Subcon Forest is too easy to get lost in and Alpine Skyline is too meandering. Targeting and attacking enemies feels janky. The story is hit-or-miss and the Italian/mafia stereotypes are cringeworthy. (Although, to be fair, Mr. “Itsa-me” Mario isn’t exactly innocent in this regard.)

But hey, you know what? Running, jumping, and collecting hour glasses is a blast, and the game’s simple sense of fun is more than enough to overcome any rough edges. A Hat in Time leans hard into its influences and does not disappoint.