Ivy the Kiwi?

There's no denying that Ivy the Kiwi? is absolutely overflowing with charm and personality.

Looking back over my experience, I can safely say that Yuji Naka delivered once again at creating a simple, fun, and challenging platforming game.

Like the platformers of yesterday, Ivy the Kiwi? has an engaging personality all its own– and it's Ivy's table where other games should sit.

If you want a game that will make you think quick on your feet, but not over burden you with a convoluted story, then Ivy the Kiwi may be for you.

The latest Yuji Naka's creation is a cute action-platform that, for a very reasonably price, delivers a charming (but a little bit short) experience.

A captivating, simple and easy gameplay. Unluckily it doesn't take too long to finish the game.

There's a kind of elegance to this game that you don't really see anymore.

Though it's paved with courage and good intentions, the road of experimentation in videogames hides many, too many pitfalls. Ivy the Kiwi? comes as a fresh, delicate and dreamy experience, it's supported by a series of nice artistic choices and furthermore the price is very affordable. The downside, in the Wii version, is represented by the controls, that sometimes may ask you more speed and accuracy of what the Wii-mote is capable of.

It's not heavy on strife, narrative, or story, but there are a considerable number of medals, feathers, and extra levels to collect even after you finish the game. So long as you don't mind guiding a hapless bird to the exit a couple hundred times, Ivy the Kiwi? is a gorgeous tale with a whole lotta heart.

I think that despite the cute visuals and simple, beautiful art style, the difficulty curve of Ivy the Kiwi's later stages are going to put off a lot of gamers.

Ivy The Kiwi? is deceptive. While it looks lighthearted it's really a serious and challenging platform game, but in spite of its difficulty, the simple controls and game mechanics make it very approachable, and while you'll almost certainly die a lot the game is very forgiving.

Ivy the Kiwi is not your normal platform adventure game that it might appear to be. Its unique blend of puzzle and action really set it apart from the normal shovelware found on the Wii.

Appealing simplicity builds to an engaging challenge in this charming, accessible platformer.

Its charming exterior belies a pretty hardcore character-action game. [Oct 2010, p.88]

While the story mode's brevity betrays Ivy's roots as a Windows Phone game, the 50 extra challenge stages and competitive multiplayer modes flesh out the package nicely.

Vine creation is a neat twist.

I prefer the DS version because I like playing a few levels at a time when I'm out and about. But if you prefer the appeal of a bigger screen, and more multiplayer options, the Wii version is just as good.

With its unique gameplay and cool art style, Ivy makes a great first impression. The game mechanics get a little tiring as the game goes on, but there's more than enough depth and challenge to warrant the purchase!

Ivy the Kiwi? is a real winner in the action-puzzle genre, striking the right tone of simplicity while keeping the game's difficulty moving along at a nice pace.

If fantastic, yet challenging gameplay, nasty spikes, frustrating retires and annoyingly placed enemies float your boat then this is made for you. [Issue#231, p.97]

Thus, while it may be difficult to call Ivy The Kiwi? an innovative title, particularly because so much of the gameplay harks back to a five-year-old Nintendo DS near-launch title, Ivy's exploits are a breath of fresh air in today's gaming landscape.

It's a charming little create-a-platformer that will endear itself to you even if – like the real article – it never truly takes flight.

Ivy the Kiwi's simplicity is both a blessing and a curse.

That's not to say that this game isn't a good choice to play with a friend – we'd actually highly recommend playing the main single player game and just take turns handing the controller back and forth.

Ivy is an enjoyable little game, if one that's a bit too short. An extra mode and collecting each of the ten feathers from the game's numerous stages adds replay value, though the stages themselves can be short.

Ivy the Kiwi? is a curious beast and certainly worth at least a rental, but it certainly isn't for everyone. Like Let's Tap before it, it feels more like an experiment instead of a tightly focused game.

Like Yoshi Touch & Go, Ivy the Kiwi? is a nice little game you can treat yourself with like a snack. Not much to keep playing it though, since both the gameplay and content are too light for the long run.

A good first step, but not brave enough to venture very far. [Oct 2010, p.57]