A little girl on a whimsical adventure in a vibrant world with vivacious characters in a game that permeates charm in a nostalgic platforming mix of a Zelda or Mario game; reminiscent of classics while still wholly unique and refreshing. That is the best way that I know how to describe A Hat in Time, but to be able to actually define what it's meant to me as an experience is something that becomes an order of magnitude harder to accomplish. Nevertheless, let's try!

When I was younger, the idea of being able to play as female characters was intensely compelling. In hindsight I suppose that makes a lot of sense, but back then it was something that was far more perplexing. I assume I wrote it off as me just wanting something more unique and, with most protagonists in games being male, female leads was nearly a radical concept. Even thinking back, the only ones that really stood out to me were Terra (FFVI) and Lara (Tomb Raider). I guess that there was also Samus, but back then, she was more of a stretch. I absolutely adored playing Lara because she felt badass and empowered. She felt interesting and strong and the world that she explored was genuinely fascinating to me and I became a huge fan of the series.

When I was playing A Hat in Time, I couldn't help but wish I could have had the game when I was young. There was a sweet melancholy about playing though, both longing for an experience I've never had but simultaneously joyful to have had it nonetheless… and to know that it now exists in the world for others to enjoy.

I've always loved Mario games and took great pains as a young teenager to save up money for a Japanese N64 so I could own and play Mario 64 to my heart's content. Mario Galaxy is still up there as one of my favorite platformers; but A Hat in Time just blows them out of the water so thoroughly. It's charming and it feels so much more alive to me. The humor and the world just speak to me in ways that a Mario game never will. Is it because I get to play a little girl on a grand and whimsical journey? Perhaps. Or maybe it's just an objectively better game. Either way, I highly encourage you to sort through my quite obvious personal bias and see for yourselves~