The puzzle game Ultra Hat Dimension from Kitsune Games is now available on Xbox One. The game’s description advertises the player’s ability to punch the chapeau wearers, but a catch prevents the gameplay from resembling Grand Theft Auto.
The 2D top-down may feature cute hats and a penchant for pretty, pastel colors and friendly puzzles, however, there’s a twist. The dungeon crawler gives players the opportunity to punch various characters for wearing the titular hats, but the punching cannot be done by the player alone. The only way to set about your enemies for donning the many ultra hats that don’t suit their style is to use the power of the hats to manipulate the characters to do the punching themselves. If you’re puzzled by the concept, don’t worry, as the game’s main objective is to locate and battle with the Spluff that caused these abnormal hats to wreak havoc.
Ultra Hat Dimension gives players a female protagonist sporting a vibrant pink dress to animate throughout the hat adventure. The main challenges facing the player will involve solving various puzzles, progressing through levels of a place called Spluff Palace to eventually meet the final boss. The Spluffs that stand in your way resemble Blob’s design from puzzle-platformer A Boy and His Blob that will presumably be the pesky critters that will start throwing punches. The game features four pixelated hats, customizable map support, charming music as well as many entertaining slap fights along the way.
Kitsune Games was founded by Emma ‘Eniko’ Maassen who works with a small collaborative team to produce games that appeal to a more traditional gaming crowd. Kitsune’s main goal is to create games that are “accessible” and “diverse” for gamers whilst honoring the classics gone before. The developer also seems to be a strong advocate of sidekicks within gaming and pop culture in general whose mascot ‘Mid’ is introduced as a ball of joyful fire. Kitsune’s website also introduces members of the staff as various avatars with fantasy names and inventive descriptions of their jobs within the company.
It’s apparent that Kitsune has tons of creativity bubbling at the surface and has a real passion for bringing imagination to life. Its respect for traditional games that would appeal to a more retro audience is commendable and its fresh and inventive ideas keep this style alive in the current market.
Source: Major Nelson
