Bakeru

WayTooManyGamesOliver Shellding

9.5/10

The tanuki is Japan’s perfect hero vessel. You’ve got a mythical beast that’s also a real animal, but given plenty of mythical properties in lore and stories. Shapeshifting is so underrated, and giving that ability to an entire tribe of cunning bastards is the best bad decision I’ve seen since allowing polar bears to drink and wear armor. The tanuki do best as either side characters or anti-heroes, as their cunning and perchance for self-indulgence makes them better assists than mains...

Final WeaponMatheus Nascimento

Bakeru is a love letter to Japan and its culture, ultimately culminating in one of the best platforming experiences I've had in years. With engaging combat, vibrant visuals, and delightful levels, this is one any fan of the genre should not pass up.

Putting that aside, Bakeru is a warm, delightful thing and one of the best non-Nintendo platformers that I’ve ever played. Admittedly I’m partial to it given that I love roaming Japan for all its little regional quirks and specialties, and I loved discovering the developer’s interpretations of them here, but even if you’re not attuned to the game’s cultural resonance, its relentless joy will surely prove infectious.

MonsterVineSpencer Legacy

Bakeru’s art style is incredibly colorful and pleasant to look at. The characters and world are filled to the brim with seemingly endless charm, while the story has plenty of silly moments as you journey across Japan. Whether you’re traveling around in a flying teapot or infiltrating a cruise ship filled with living water balloons and lanterns, there’s always a wacky new concept popping up at every turn. It’s the best kind of bizarre, and there’s truly nothing quite like it.

Video ChumsA.J. Maciejewski

8.6/10

I love 3D platformers and haven't played anything as clever or as fun as BAKERU in a long time so let's head to Japan and see what's up.

VGChartzEvan Norris

8.5/10

Drum major.The last 30 days have been great for Spike Chunsoft and for English localization. Just last month, the [...]

Impulse GamerGareth Newnham

Bakeru is a bright and varied 3D platformer that fans of Mystical Ninja, Kirby and the Forgotten Land, and random facts will love.

ShackNewsLucas White

8/10

I don’t love Bakeru like I love Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon, and that’s okay. This is very much a vibes game, and Good-Feel in 2024 isn’t Konami in 1998. There’s a lot of nostalgic evocation happening for sure, but it’s more like a collection of smiles and nods in service to a project that very much has its own identity. I appreciate it, even as I understand Bakeru isn’t entirely for me. A kid at the age I was back then, with a budding interest in anime and other Japanese cultural affectations would probably have a blast. And since the barriers for that space are so much smaller these days,...

Worth PlayingChris "Atom" DeAngelus

8/10

In this 3D action game, take the role of the titular character Bakeru on an adventure through Japan's 47 prefectures to defeat the diabolical Festival Troops and restore peace.

Nintendo World ReportNeal Ronaghan

8/10

Bakeru is an enjoyable romp that consistently delivers lighthearted action with a lot of charm even if it gets a little repetitive the deeper you get into it. Good-Feel clearly learned a lot from working with Nintendo because this game deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as Nintendo’s lighter fare. This isn’t quite the Goemon spiritual successor I felt I was promised, but Bakeru is still a good time (especially for younger players) and I hope that Good-Feel both continues working with Nintendo and continues to work on projects like this.

Twisted VoxelAli Haider

7.5/10

Bakeru stands out in the crowded action platformer genre by blending nostalgic gameplay with modern mechanics.

GameLusterMateusz Niewierowski

6/10

BAKERU is a slow-paced education-action-exploration mishmash that does not quite reach the heights I wanted it to, but its lively levels are a breath of fresh air I would love to see more of.