I'd probably like Balan Wonderworld more if it was the first video game I ever played.

That's not a slur. Wonderworld is a fun, open-ended 3D platformer directed and co-written by the original creator of Sonic the Hedgehog, and I can imagine kids or newer gamers getting a lot out of it.

It's cheerful, optimistic in its own way, not too complex and full of hidden objects and challenges that reward exploration. I would give this game to an 8 year old without hesitation.

But as an adult who’s spent more time with video games than I care to admit, Balan Wonderworld mostly confuses me. There’s nothing about the game I wouldn’t have forgiven if I’d played it in 1997, but in 2021 it feels like it’s deliberately making the same mistakes it did yesterday.