OpenCritic - 52
Metacritic - 58 (PS5)
Supposedly no codes were out until release so we'll see reviews start coming over the next few days.
VGC - 2/5
VideoChums - 8.2/10
IGN France - 5/10
NintendoLife - 3/10
DigitalTrends - 1.5/5
GameSpew - 6/10
Noisy Pixel - 5/10
Use a Potion - 7.5/10
Cubed3 - 8/10
IGN - 4/10
TheSixthAxis - 6/10
HobbyConsolas - 6.8 / 10
Atomix - 6.5/10
ShackNews - 6/10
NintendoWorldReport - 3/10
NintendoLife - 3/10
Metacritic - 58 (PS5)
Supposedly no codes were out until release so we'll see reviews start coming over the next few days.
VGC - 2/5
For now, Balan is a wholly unremarkable, by-the-numbers example of a bygone era of platforming. If you go into it expecting PS2-era sensibilities, you may get something out of it, but if you're hoping for it to match up to the likes of Crash Bandicoot 4 or other modern platformers, the difference in quality is stark.
VideoChums - 8.2/10
If you have a soft spot for classic 3D platformers and imaginative game worlds, you'll have a lovely time with Balan Wonderworld. With a heartfelt story, plenty of cuteness, a clever costume system, and oodles of stages to master; it's one incredible adventure.
IGN France - 5/10
Starting with an interesting concept, Balan Wonderworld is the typical example of a game that doesn't manage to find a good mix between narration and gameplay. If several ideas are good, it would have been better to find a better balance in order to improve the feeling of the game in hand. In its desire to push the player to experiment and explore, the title takes away too many indications. A freedom that even applies to the controls or the objectives and that is confusing at first. It is hard to believe that this adventure where learning is done in pain and where reflexes are put to the test is intended for children...
NintendoLife - 3/10
We're not going to mince words here, Balan Wonderworld is a waste of your time. Monotonous level design, awful performance, and shallow gameplay combine to make for an experience that is simply not fun to play. It may look pretty (when it's framerate isn't chugging), but there simply isn't enough good content here to justify your time or money, and this is doubly true when you take into account that this is a full-priced retail release. If you're looking for a good 3D platformer for your Switch, this most definitely isn't it.
DigitalTrends - 1.5/5
Balan Wonderworld is a hodge-podge of half-formed platforming ideas that squander a whole lot of charm.
GameSpew - 6/10
If you're the patient sort, chances are you'll have a good time with Balan Wonderworld overall. Costume management is clunky, but you'll deal with it in order to find the secrets hidden within each world, and you won't be too perturbed by the eagerly respawning enemies and repetitive Balan Bout sequences. For most players though, everything combined will probably prove to be a little too much. Balan Wonderworld is a game that's capable of bringing out both delight and dismay in its players, though it serves up a little too much of the latter at times to be easily recommended.
Noisy Pixel - 5/10
Balan Wonderworld contains elements of what could have been a stellar platformer with its compelling ideas of advancement notions. However, its ineptitude with several gameplay design decisions makes it a constant struggle of unfun progression, questionable execution, and ultimately a heap of lost potential.
Use a Potion - 7.5/10
Balan Wonderworld will be divisive, but I actually had a pretty fun time exploring its whimsical levels and using the creative costumes to overcome its platforming challenges. The level design itself is on point too, whilst the wonderful soundtrack and addictive nature of grabbing all of the collectibles kept me coming back for more.
Cubed3 - 8/10
Balan Wonderworld is perfect for those who want a relatively relaxed game that delights the mind while not being overly tricky, fills up the cuteness meter, and rewards those who seek out every collectable. There are occasional frame rate drops and some potential confusion at the start due to lack of narration or knowledge about musicals. Along with what for some will be an issue with minimal lack of difficulty increase outside of boss battles and post-game content, this means overall enjoyment may be restricted for some players. However, for the ideal target audience the world of Balan is a joy to explore; the various textures of clothing, the world and items make it feel immersive. The whimsical and unique costumes add more than a style change, they are central to the thrill of helping chapter characters regain their happiness for their passion, be it a hobby or a job. The darker elements of the bosses' appearance and the regular enemies balance the predominantly cute style, making Balan Wonderworld a great new title from Square Enix.
IGN - 4/10
All the charm in the universe couldn't save Balan Wonderworld's half-baked platforming and ill-advised one-button design from being a complete bore.
TheSixthAxis - 6/10
Balan Wonderworld is a passable platformer marred by a string of increasingly baffling design decisions. It has charm by the bucketload and off-the-wall concepts that land well in spite of themselves, but the experience is inconsistent at best and frustrating at worst. There is a good game in here somewhere, and it is great fun at points, but waiting for those points isn't really worth it.
HobbyConsolas - 6.8 / 10
Mixed feelings: graphics and sound offer a surreal and engaging experience, but gameplay wise, several camera hiccups and uneven level design may become frustrating. Balan is able to appeal your inner child... If that child is a patient one.
Atomix - 6.5/10
Balan Wonderworld feels like a platformer game from 20 years ago, with outdated mechanics, controls and a horrible costume mechanic which locks the player out of many collectibles way too soon.
ShackNews - 6/10
The finished state of Balan Wonderworld is disappointing to say the least. For all of its style, I was really interested to see how they would expand upon the preview. The aesthetic and characters are there, the music is captivating, the level design made me want to explore and experiment where I could, and the abilities mostly gave me options to do so. However, these things are held down by a lot of contrivances and outright holes in either functionality or context. The final release of Balan Wonderworld felt like a rush job where good ideas, visuals, and sounds were forced to dance among either unfinished or unfun nonsense
NintendoWorldReport - 3/10
Wonder how a very well known publisher could stomach having it in their library. Wonder what in the world happened with the Switch version. Wonder where your $60 went.
NintendoLife - 3/10
We're not going to mince words here, Balan Wonderworld is a waste of your time. Monotonous level design, awful performance, and shallow gameplay combine to make for an experience that is simply not fun to play. It may look pretty (when it's framerate isn't chugging), but there simply isn't enough good content here to justify your time or money, and this is doubly true when you take into account that this is a full-priced retail release. If you're looking for a good 3D platformer for your Switch, this most definitely isn't it.
Video Reviews
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