Color Pals is a single screen precision 2-D platformer where you control a little colored block.  You can collect lightning bolts to change to a different color.  But the trick here is that you can only touch blocks of your own color, otherwise you’ll die and have to start the level over again.  Collect keys to open blocks and stars for points, too.  Make it to the portal in the level to move onto the next.  Color Pals is available on current consoles but reviewed on PS4 here.

Your color block can move left and right and jump.  You can also stick to walls and jump up them like Mega Man X.  When you touch a lightning bolt, you’ll change to the same color as it was.  But you’d better make sure you’ll land on a square the same color or you’ll have to start the level over again.  Collect keys to make certain blocks disappear so you can progress, and collect all three stars in a level for bragging rights.  Be on the lookout for spring blocks that launch you super high.  You must enter the portal to finish the level, but you have to be the same color as the portal, too.

I liked the cute characters and boppy music, but the game gets way too hard about a third of the way in.  It’s also tough sometimes to differentiate your block from the stationary ones.  And the spring blocks are also hard to see.  Plus if you barely touch a block of a different color, you die.  Because of all this, I lost interest in this one pretty quickly.

Kid Factor:

Color Pals is rated E for Everyone with an ESRB descriptor of Mild Fantasy Violence.  If you hit a wrong colored block or other obstacle, you just disappear and immediately start at the beginning of the level.  Reading skill isn’t needed to play, but younger gamers may get frustrated at the high difficulty.

Tags: Game Reviews