Snow Bros. Wonderland review

2017’s Kirby’s Blowout Blast offered a resourceful 3D spin-off for its habitually 2D lead. In definitive Kirby style, enemies became ammunition that were flung at clusters of foes in HAL Laboratory’s enjoyable score-chaser. Although Snow Bros. Wonderland’s developers haven’t acknowledged Blowout Blast as an influence for their 3D adaptation, the similarity is notable.

Much like its 2D predecessors, Wonderland’s anthropomorphic snowmen can unleash a volley of pellets that bombard adversaries, gradually turning them into giant snowballs. The gimmick is that you’re prone while icing up friends and it takes several hits before they become rolled up into a snow boulder. But once a snowball is rolled up, you can aim and kick it – preferably bowling over a procession of opponents and earning a scoring bonus. Just don’t linger when targeting, since foes will only stay frozen for a short period of time.

How do Snowman Heal in an Onsen?

Like Blowout Blast, Snow Bros’ showdowns blend action with a morsel of strategy. Typically, your snowman is like a lion scanning for vulnerable prey, identifying the enemy who has foolishly strayed from the pack. Ice them up without alerting their brethren to sustain your predatorial stance. Once you do kick your spherical weapon, you’ll want to use every available advantage. Occasionally, that means aiming it down a tight corridor to take down a procession of rivals. Other times, you’ll want to jump on the orb and ride it, making a quick exit from a horde of besieging baddies.

There’s even some very light puzzling, with floor panels that redirect the path of your snowball and pinball-style bumpers that require a bit of forecasting. Gradually, you’ll earn new abilities, like being able to pick up and hurl your snow-globe at unsuspecting goons on an adjacent vista. Expectedly, each of the six worlds are punctuated by a boss battle. Largely, these showdowns are enjoyable, eschewing the exhausting difficulty that can often accompany these faceoffs.

Navigation Can Be a Bit Chilly

Like HAL’s outing, there’s a bit of platforming that accompanies the snowballing, and it’s sporadically irritating. Part of the issue associated with navigation is rooted in a game camera that’s persistently pulled back to accommodate four-player cooperative action.

But other times, it’s just slack level design where you’ll need to cross a narrow footbridge to aim at enemies or navigate through a room full of floor launchers that bounce your bro skyward.  Fortunately, these are the exceptions rather than the rule. Wonderland offsets this by providing an abundant number of health recovery opportunities.

Winter’s Hottest Looks

But despite a few wayward moments, it’s hard to not enjoy your time in Wonderland. Unquestionably, the game is a visual delight, offering a fluid framerate on portable PCs like the Steam Deck. Close ups of Nick and Tom’s playable progenies (this is the next generation of bros, after all) flaunt unlockable clothing. As such, all the money gathered across the game’s 50 stages can be used to purchase cosmetic hats and gloves to customize your snowmen. Better yet, you can purchase and equip a trio of different assists that can complement your playing style.

And like the original game, defeating enemies leaves behind absolutely delectable looking sushi. Score chasers will want to bowl over every adversary in a single roll, which awards an array of 10K-point gifts. Visually, the only blemish is the sporadic blank screen while a new area loads in. It’s not a deal breaker but does tarnish the pacing as you navigate through each stage map. Undoubtedly, returning players will appreciate the musical references to the original game’s soundtrack.

Conclusion

The only nagging omission from Nick and Tom Jr.’s outing is context. Without the inclusion of any of the original coin-op, console, or handheld versions of Snow Bros., players might not immediately appreciate the effort that went into this adaptation. Sure, it’s probably another one of those instances of licensing restrictions. But with Wonderland, the Bros uphold their legacy as Bubble Bobble’s best rival. Why not honor the Snow family tree?

Snow Bros. Wonderland was played on PC with review code provided by the publisher.