The Tide Is High But I’m Holdin’ On
HIGH A wonderful aesthetic and gameplay loop.
LOW Weird holdovers from its mobile origins.
WTF Why the hell did this game open with a plane crash?
Hello Kitty Island Adventure was originally released in 2023 for Apple Arcade, the exclusive subscription service offering games for iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV — it’s the tech giant’s own version of Microsoft’s GamePass. Based on Sanrio’s most popular character, Hello Kitty, the title combined elements of life simulators such as the ever-popular Animal Crossing and standard adventure-platforming games. After little over a year of mobile exclusivity, HKIA finally has a console release with the Nintendo Switch.
Players start by creating their avatar, choosing between a limited selection of face, clothing, and color options, with more to be unlocked later. I created a brown dog in a green shirt, and then the story began.
The player’s avatar starts on an airplane with Hello Kitty and her friends, all of whom are on their way to a mysterious island where they intend to open up shops or find spots to relax. All is good until the plane is about to crash and everyone on board is forced to jump out, only to land on their destination.
The game is played from an isometric point of view and the island can be fully explored. Players are tasked with completing quests given to them by an array of characters, with an interesting and surprisingly addictive gameplay loop.
Quests are varied and involve different tasks, such as exploring the island, finding new tools, and trying to reach higher friendship levels with the population. For example, an early mission tasked me with looking for folks who were scattered across a section of the island after the crash. It was there I met with a few familiar faces — My Melody (a pink and white rabbit who opened up a furniture store) and Badtz-Maru, a penguin who has a comic book shop on the docks.
Talking to them introduces players to the concept of leveling up their friendship, which is achieved by completing quests with specific characters or giving them gifts. The latter part of that process is one of the most prevalent aspects of play, as players can give NPCs items from their inventories. Everyone on the island has interests such as sweets or items for crafting. For example, Hello Kitty loves and will accept pineapples from the player.
The gift-giving option is an easy way to raise friendships but comes at a cost, as players can only gift things three times per day. I suspect this was a holdover from its roots as a mobile game and to prevent players from jumping a bunch of levels by simply unloading multiple gifts at once. Thankfully, there are other ways to level up friendships (such as completing quests) so this method being nerfed isn’t an issue. Reaching certain friendship levels nets rewards such as customization items, new items, and even brand-new quests.
Completing tasks on the island is enjoyable, and I liked how each one led to some discoveries or new thing to try. For example, one quest had me exploring the island for yellow gear that opened a gate. One piece was across a huge body of water, so I had to complete a quick favor for My Melody, whose expertise in her furniture store allowed her to fix a bridge which then enabled me to cross the water.
There is an abundance of things to do, and as someone who isn’t big into life simulator games because of their lack of direction and goals, I appreciate Island Adventure’s more focused approach to progression. Completing quests nets the player tons of rewards, like customization options, crafting recipes for new items, and even furniture for the player’s home, and these were a great motivator.
Another aspect I loved is the focus on platforming and adventure gameplay. There’s a jump button that makes moving around the island easier, and some areas require light platforming and a few simple puzzles to solve, similar to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild’s shrines. There’s nothing deep about the platforming elements and it won’t dethrone Mario, but it does add variety to Hello Kitty‘s open-ended island to explore and the seemingly inexhaustible supply of things to unlock.
Presentation-wise, HKIA is a winner with a bright and colorful aesthetic throughout. The island is full of charm, and the biomes looking great. I also appreciated that the character models are expressive, with the dialogue matching their personalities. My only knock is against the few moments of slowdown that happen when walking around the island, though long loading times can be an issue as well. None of it is anything major to disrupt my enjoyment, but the issues are still a little annoying nonetheless.
I’m a huge fan of licensed games and I was definitely in need of a calm experience. Hello Kitty Island Adventure fit the bill and ended up being a good time, as it kept me engaged with a satisfying gameplay loop and cute looks. As the weather outside remains frightful, taking a trip to this tropical paradise and meeting a few new friends is a great choice.
Rating: 8 out of 10
Disclosures: This game is published and developed by Sunblink. It is available on PC, PS4/5, iOS and Switch. This copy was obtained via publisher and was reviewed on Switch. Approximately 10 hours were spent in single-player and the game was not completed. There is multiplayer.
Parents: According to the ESRB, this game is rated E. According to the site: This is an adventure game in which players help Hello Kitty and friends restore a mysterious island. Players explore the island, interact with friends, complete quests, and engage in various activities (e.g., cooking, fishing, gardening).
Colorblind Modes: Colorblind modes are not present in the options menu.
Deaf and Hard of Hearing Gamers: There are subtitles and visual cues such as button prompts and a minimap. These elements cannot be resized but the game is fully accessible without sound.
Remappable Controls: The controls cannot be remapped. There is no control diagram. B is to jump, X is to use an item, A is to speak or interact with NPCs and Y is to give gifts. The bumpers and triggers are used to navigate menus and open up quest lists.
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