BALAN WONDERWORLD (NSP, XCI) ROM + v1.01 Update

BALAN WONDERWORLD is a 2021 platform game developed by Arzest and published by Square Enix. Assuming the role of two children guided by a magical being called Balan, the player explores twelve worlds themed after the hearts of troubled individuals. They explore levels, collecting items to progress to further areas, and using a variety of powers unlocked using themed costumes.

Balan Wonderworld is the debut project of Balan Company, a subsidiary brand of Square Enix led by Yuji Naka, the co-creator of Sonic the Hedgehog and Nights into Dreams. Development began in 2018; it was Naka’s first collaboration with artist Naoto Ohshima since Sonic Adventure (1998). The aesthetic was based on musical theater, and Naka studied the hero’s journey when creating the story draft.

The scenario was written by novelist Soushi Kawasaki. The music, composed by Ryo Yamazaki and Hironori Anazawa, emulates musical scores and includes vocals from West End performers such as Laura Pitt-Pulford. The cutscenes were created by Visual Works. There were subsequent claims from Naka and other employees regarding internal conflict around the game’s quality and marketing.

Balan Wonderworld was released worldwide for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S on March 26, 2021. Square Enix also published a novelization by Kawasaki. The game received generally negative reviews and underperformed commercially. Critics panned its gameplay and design, although some praised its graphics and music.

GAMEPLAY

Balan Wonderworld is a platform game where players take on the role of either Leo Craig or Emma Cole, two children drawn into the magical realm of Wonderworld by a being called Balan. The game plays out across twelve multi-level areas called Chapters. In the beginning, only the first chapter is available, collecting items called Balan Statues in each area will unlock Chapters. Within each chapter, Leo and Emma must navigate through a sandbox environment, searching areas for collectibles and solving puzzles to progress to the end of the level.

Collectibles include Balan Statues and crystalline objects called Drops. A simple control scheme is used, with two buttons used to change between costumes, and other actions aside from character and camera movement mapped to all other buttons. During exploration, enemies called Negati will appear and attack the player’s character. Each chapter ends with a boss battle themed after the Chapter’s environment and narrative. The game uses adaptive difficulty, adjusting the number and types of enemies based on player performance both on the initial playthrough and return playthroughs of stages.

While exploring, Leo and Emma find costumes from the cast of each chapter; these are unlocked using collectible keys. Costumes grant abilities such as hovering, navigating particular hazards and paths, or fighting enemies. When not wearing a costume, Leo and Emma’s only available actions are jumping and basic movement. 80 costumes are spread throughout the stages, some of them in secret locations. Only three costumes can be held at a time; when a fourth costume is acquired, the costume it replaces is sent into a costume bank which can be accessed at checkpoints.

Receiving damage, or falling off the edge of the environment, causes the equipped costume to disappear. If the player character is hit without a costume, they are ejected from the Chapter. Minigames can be unlocked and played within each chapter using special costumes, such as a football-themed challenge. A recurring minigame activated by finding a top hat in levels is Balan’s Bout. Taking on the role of Balan, players engage in a series of quick time events, matching Balan’s poses with button presses.

Performance is ranked, with the best performance rewarding a Balan Statue upon first completion, and multiplying the current Drop total. Chapters can also be played in two-player local co-op multiplayer. Taking on the roles of Leo and Emma respectively, the players can combine costume abilities to simplify puzzles and open potential new pathways through levels. Chapters are accessed through the hub world, the Isle of Tims—a floating island inhabited by the titular creatures.

In the hub, players can feed Tims with Drops collected in levels, changing their color and consequently their abilities; for example, red Tims aid in fights, while pink Tims recover hidden items. Tim eggs can be found in Chapters, growing the number of Tims in the hub. By picking up a Tim, the player can take it onto a stage. A special construction is the Tower of Tims, which is grown using mechanisms powered by the Tims. After completing the game, a new third stage is unlocked for each chapter, featuring more difficult environments and new costumes.

SYNOPSIS

Balan Wonderworld mostly takes place in the Balan Theater, a magical realm overseen by a mysterious being called Balan. The Balan Theater appears when one’s heart loses its balance and connects to Wonderworld, a realm merging reality and fantasy created from memories and hearts. The protagonists are two troubled children called Leo and Emma. Leo isolates himself from social contact due to an argument with a friend years before, while Emma suffers from anxiety about what others might be saying behind her back. Both are drawn into the Balan Theater and travel through twelve worlds born from the hearts of troubled adults and children alike. Leo and Emma are opposed by Lance, a counterpart to Balan who commands the Negati, monsters born from the darkness of Wonderworld’s visitors.

After completing all twelve worlds and freeing the inhabitants of their burdens, Balan opens a portal for the chosen character to fight Lance. Upon his defeat, Lance is briefly shown in his true less menacing form before the Negati drag him into their realm. Balan then bids farewell to all of Wonderworld’s visitors, though Leo and Emma’s farewell is touching enough that he sheds a tear and shows them his real form; a human-like being similar to Lance in appearance. Leo and Emma are returned to the real world and face their problems; Leo connects with a dancing group he had previously shunned, while Emma learns of a birthday party thrown for her that her servants were keeping secret. The ending credits show stills of Wonderworld’s visitors reuniting in the real world watched over by Balan.