Super Lucky's Tale

Super Lucky's Tale is a 3D platformer developed by Playful Studios and published by Microsoft Studios for Microsoft Windows and Xbox One. It is the sequel to Lucky's Tale, a virtual reality 3D platformer for the Oculus Rift. The game was released as a launch title for the Xbox One X on November 7, 2017. The game is featured as part of the Play Anywhere program. It was announced during the Xbox presentation at E3 2017. In March 2018, the game became part of Xbox Game Pass.[1]

Super Lucky's Tale
Developer(s)Playful Studios
Publisher(s)Original
New Super Lucky's Tale
  • WW: Playful Studios
EngineUnity
Platform(s)Microsoft Windows
Nintendo Switch
PlayStation 4
Xbox One
ReleaseOriginal
Microsoft Windows, Xbox One
  • WW: November 7, 2017
New Super Lucky's Tale
Nintendo Switch
  • WW: November 8, 2019
Microsoft Windows, Xbox One
  • WW: August 21, 2020
PlayStation 4
  • NA: August 21, 2020
  • EU: August 21, 2020
  • JP: September 27, 2020
Genre(s)Platform
Mode(s)Single-player

An expanded version of the game titled New Super Lucky's Tale for Nintendo Switch was revealed on the Nintendo Direct live stream at E3 2019 on June 11, 2019 and released on November 8, 2019. This same version was eventually announced for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on August 21, 2020[2] with a surprise release on Microsoft Windows on the same date.

Gameplay

Super Lucky's Tale's gameplay has been described as reminiscent of 90's-era 3D platformers[3] such as Banjo-Kazooie, Crash Bandicoot and Super Mario 64.[4] Each of the game's five worlds is presented with its own hub, where each individual level can be accessed. The hubs are levels themselves, with coins to collect and some basic platforming required to reach new areas. Each hub has around five main levels, and a number of additional puzzles to complete. The goal of each of these levels is to collect clovers, which enable Lucky to take back control of the Book of Ages from Jinx. Each level has four clovers to find — one for completing the level, one for collecting 300 coins, one for finding the five letters that spell "LUCKY", and one 'secret' clover, which is usually in a hidden area of the level, or by completing a short time challenge.

The levels themselves offer a variety of platforming challenges. Some are 3D arenas with non-linear progression. Others feature 2D side-scrolling. There are also several mini-levels in each world, including Sokoban-style puzzles and mazes where Lucky is trapped in a marble and has to be guided to an exit. Finally, there are several boss fights featuring the Kitty Litter and Jinx.[5][6]

Plot

Super Lucky’s Tale follows Lucky Swiftail, a curious and brave fox on a quest to find his inner strength and help his sister Lyra protect the Book of Ages, inside of which exist entire worlds and characters. The game's antagonist is a cat named Jinx, a mysterious villain who is trying to steal the Book of Ages for his own nefarious purposes. Along the way, Lucky encounters a supporting cast of friends and adversaries. Lucky must confront the Kitty Litter, Jinx's mischievous children. Lucky also meets friends and allies along the way, including misplaced Yetis, Kookie Spookies, a village of farming worms, and other colorful characters, all of whom live inside the Book of Ages and who, without Lucky's help, will fall prey to Jinx and the Kitty Litter's evil machinations.[7][8]

The plot in the Nintendo Switch port, New Super Lucky's Tale, is completely rewritten. Lucky's sister, brother, and parents belonging to the Guardian Order who exist to protect the Book of Ages. With Jinx having been a Guardian and close friend of Lucky's father only to turn evil after Jinx's world vanished, leaving Jinx and his children the lone survivors. Jinx soon then betrayed the other Guardians to claim the book for himself. Lyra and the surviving Guardians flee, avoiding the Kitty Litter for years until finally cornered. But the Book of Ages reacts to Jinx's magic by pulling the villains and Lucky into the book. Lucky collects the pages of the book to reopen the portals to the other worlds within the book as he faces off against the Kitty Litter, meeting friends along the way. When Lucky finally enters Jinx's Castle, he finds his sister Lyra, but this is revealed to be an illusion by Jinx, who steals the book from Lucky, revealing he'd let Lucky gather the pages for him, and now can rewrite history. After a grueling final boss, Lucky emerges victorious, and in the post-game levels, undertakes the trials to become a guardian, earning a final cut scene of Lucky being made a Guardian and a statue made in his honor. The cutscene then switches to Mittens jailbreaking Jinx and the rest Kitty Litter with help from Lucky's brother Lucas, who has fallen in love with Jinx's eldest daughter, Meowmalade.

Development

The character design of Lucky came about after numerous prototypes and concepts for animal characters, including a squirrel, a raccoon, and a lemur. Lucky was ultimately decided to be a fox, though his design would continue to receive tweaks before his final look was settled on. Mickey Mouse and Mario characters were cited as a key inspiration for Lucky’s design, as director Dan Hurd recalled they had a timeless look to them.

The original Lucky’s Tale was developed as a VR experience for the Oculus Rift. When the development team received an opportunity to develop Super Lucky’s Tale for the Xbox One, they saw it as an opportunity to bring the Lucky franchise to a new audience. When the team set up a meeting with Nintendo with an early version of Super Lucky’s Tale running on the Nintendo Switch, Nintendo was very interested to see how a port would turn out. Microsoft, who originally published the game on Xbox One and Windows PC, were supportive of Playful’s choices realizing that a Nintendo Switch release would heighten franchise awareness.

The game was one of the first Xbox One games to feature Dolby Atmos support.[9]

Reception

The original version received "mixed or average" reviews, while New Super Lucky's Tale received "generally positive" reviews, according to review aggregator Metacritic.[10][11][12][13]

Chris Carter from Destructoid gave the game a 7 out of 10 calling it "a clean, responsive platformer" and noted its controls are "an achievement given how sloppy some mechanics are in recent mascot platformers."[14]

Kallie Plagge from GameSpot noted its limited camera controls are frustrating and added, "It's easy to imagine how Super Lucky's Tale would be the highlight of a younger kid's weekend, but it has little to offer anyone looking for an enjoyably challenging 3D platformer."[17]

In his review for Nintendo Enthusiast, Brett Medlock concluded that "from beginning to end, New Super Lucky’s Tale is a much more streamlined experience than the original. Any qualms [with] the original game have been rectified in this re-imagined edition for Nintendo Switch. It’s a fun-filled experience that shouldn’t go unplayed by 3D platformer fans."[23]

Chris Scullion from Nintendo Life summarized that New Super Lucky’s Tale is a "solid port of an underrated platformer with a greatly improved camera. It's a little on the short side and may not provide much of a challenge to more hardened gamers – and if you already own it on Xbox One there really isn't enough 'new' here to warrant a second purchase – but what makes it worth a look is its uncanny ability to make you smile, and this is something that can't be overlooked, especially in modern times."[20]

References
  1. Nelson, Mike (26 February 2018). "Xbox Game Pass: Sea of Thieves, Rise of the Tomb Raider, Super Lucky's Tale and More Coming in March". Xbox. Microsoft. Retrieved 2 March 2018.
  2. "New Super Lucky's Tale is coming to Xbox One and PlayStation 4 on Friday, August 21!". Twitter. Retrieved 2020-08-22.
  3. Fahey, Mike (November 6, 2017). "Super Lucky's Tale is a delightful take on Nintendo 64-era 3D platformers". Kotaku. Retrieved November 6, 2017.
  4. Wallace, Mitch (November 15, 2017). "'Super Lucky's Tale' Is Xbox One X's Charming, 4K Alternative To 'Super Mario Odyssey'". Forbes. Retrieved November 15, 2017.
  5. Snaith, Kim (November 17, 2017). "Super Lucky's Tale Review (PC): This Fox Needs More Love". Gamespew. Retrieved November 20, 2017.
  6. Peeples, Jeremy (November 3, 2017). "Review: Super Lucky's Tale". Hardcore Gamer. Retrieved February 21, 2018.
  7. Hurd, Dan (November 7, 2017). "Super Lucky's Tale Is Here!". Microsoft. Retrieved November 7, 2017.
  8. "Buy Super Lucky's Tale - Microsoft Store". Microsoft. Retrieved February 21, 2018.
  9. https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2017/11/13/xbox-one-x-windows-sonic-dolby-atmos-feature/
  10. "New Super Lucky's Tale for Switch Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved December 30, 2020.
  11. "Super Lucky's Tale for PC Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved December 30, 2020.
  12. "New Super Lucky's Tale for PlayStation 4 Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved December 30, 2020.
  13. "New Super Lucky's Tale for Xbox One Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved December 30, 2020.
  14. Carter, Chris (November 3, 2017). "Review: Super Lucky's Tale". Destructoid. Retrieved November 3, 2017.
  15. Carsillo, Ray (November 6, 2017). "Super Lucky's Tale Review". EGM. Retrieved November 6, 2017.
  16. Perez, Cody (November 3, 2017). "Super Lucky's Tale Review – A Surprising Tale of Varied and Colorful Platforming". Game Revolution. Retrieved November 3, 2017.
  17. Plagge, Kallie (November 3, 2017). "Super Lucky's Tale Review". GameSpot. Retrieved November 3, 2017.
  18. Peeples, Jeremy (November 3, 2017). "Review: Super Lucky's Tale". Hardcore Gamer. Retrieved November 3, 2017.
  19. McCaffrey, Ryan (November 3, 2017). "Super Lucky's Tale Review". IGN. Retrieved November 3, 2017.
  20. Scullion, Chris (November 8, 2019). "New Super Lucky's Tale Review (Switch)". Nintendo Life. Retrieved November 8, 2019.
  21. Rairdin, John (November 7, 2019). "New Super Lucky's Tale (Switch) Review". Nintendo World Report. Retrieved November 7, 2019.
  22. McCormick, John Cal (August 21, 2020). "Mini Review: New Super Lucky's Tale - Short and Sweet Platformer Charms Throughout". Push Square. Retrieved August 21, 2020.
  23. Medlock, Brett (November 8, 2019). "New Super Lucky's Tale is so much better than the original". Retrieved January 2, 2020.
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