Game developer & publisher Chibig has charmed their way into our hearts in recent years with Summer in Mara, and Koa and the 5 Pirates of Mara, both wonderful games in their own rights. There’s something alluring about the bright and vibrant worlds that give you a warm feeling while gaming as you sail across the oceans to discover the secrets the universe of Mara holds. So it probably goes without saying that I was very excited to play their latest entry “Mika and the Witch’s Mountain.” What’s it Like? Grab your broomstick, put on your pointy hat, and prepare to soar as we review Mika and the Witch’s Mountain for Nintendo Switch.
Mika and the Witch’s Mountain follows a young witch named “Mika” who is about to start learning what it is to become a witch. Her first lesson is being thrown off the mountain and has to make her way back to the top alone. To do so, she needs a job to fix her broom, and there just so happens to be a job opening in the town’s local delivery business. It’s a simple enough story but it still has its charms, largely thanks to the denizens of Mika’s world. To fulfill your obligations as a good delivery person, you will be given a delivery card that has a summary of deliveries, and each delivery will be awarded a stamp depending on performance. Green means you’ll get paid, yellow means you won’t, and red means you’re fired. Players don’t really need to stress, however, as these ratings generally play out in the narrative. There are some things you will need to have due diligence on, as that’s that some packages can’t get wet, some packages can’t be bumped, and some can’t have either. Failing a delivery or breaking an item simply means it respawns back at the location you started, meaning the stakes aren’t high which adds to its cozy charm. This forms the core gameplay loop, essentially giving you something to deliver, usually something to take back, rinse, and repeat.
While the loop may seem stale and formulaic, it’s quite enjoyable due to the movement of Mika, who gets around town on her broom which doesn’t fly, more glides around the world assisted by air currents similar to that of Pilotwings. It’s a little slow to start in the beginning since your broom is broken, but once you receive an upgrade or two Zooming about the place feels nice, and you will begin to get the hang of how to get into higher-up places or shortcut through areas in a similar fashion to Koa and the 5 pirates of Mara, albeit, at a more relaxed pace. There are plenty of collectibles to find, lost packages to deliver, and secrets to uncover as well that are hidden around the world which can be cashed in for new outfits or charms. While set in the “Mara” universe, Mika and the Witch’s Mountain stays confined to a singular island which has different areas to explore but also means the runtime of the game is significantly shorter than previous Chibig games, clocking in at around 4-5 hours running through the story. This time can be padded out for completionists with some post-game content, lost deliveries to find, collectibles, and tarot cards to collect. I also really enjoyed the nods to other franchises, as well as a delightful little cameo that made me smile when I discovered it. It’s that charm that makes Mika and the Witch’s Mountain so hard to put down at times.
Graphically, Mika and the Witch’s Mountain follows the bright and colourful style of the Mara universe, full of delightful characters brought to life by 2D character portraits during conversations, as well as stylish anime-style cutscenes to flesh out the world even more. Areas of the island are diverse, if a little sparse at times, and characters have style and charm as well as unique personalities to boot. The performance runs well in both docked and handheld mode, with only minor hitching that’s almost negligible and rarely happens. There are a few graphical glitches throughout the game, mainly with flickering assets, like builders flicking in and out of existence in a cutscene, a rather buggy water fountain, and for some reason, the day indicator seems to be half missing when welcoming you to a new day on the island. The vibrant art style is accompanied by an orchestral soundtrack with violin and woodwinds. There are a few tracks on the loop ranging from playful and happy tones to triumphant and uplifting ones. For my vision-impaired delivery witches, there are no accessibility options, so I recommend further research to find out if Mika and the Witch’s Mountain is for you.
Despite the minor graphical hiccups, I can genuinely say that my biggest problem with Mika and the Witch’s Mountain is that there isn’t enough of it, which is a shame. Sure, there’s post-game content to do in the form of lost deliveries, statues to collect, and other secrets to explore, but I just felt like I wasn’t ready for the credits to roll despite the narrative being perfectly wrapped with a bow on it. It was a beautiful ending and a bittersweet moment that felt like it came around all too quickly.
At $30 AUD, Mika and the Witch’s Mountain is okay value with completionists getting a bit more bang for their buck. It is a short yet sweet adventure full of vibrant colours and charming characters, all set in a lovely seaside setting. Its core gameplay loop may not be for all, but those who don’t mind a bit of a cozy grind will have a fun time exploring the world of Mika and the Witch’s Mountain to uncover its secrets. It may have a few visual glitches, but they don’t really detract from your time, no matter how short it may be. Mika and the Witch’s Mountain is a great addition to the “Mara” universe with nods to the games that came before it, and I can’t wait to see what’s next from Chibig and the vibrant wonderful worlds they have created.
So, What’s It Like? Mika and the Witch’s Mountain is like Koa and the 5 Pirates of Mara crossed with A Short Hike.
In the interest of full disclosure, a review copy was provided by the publisher, but this doesn’t influence my score.
