
The same goes for a ground pound, or in Ayo’s case, a headbutt pound where he slams his head against switches to activate parts of the environment. For example, the player doesn’t have the ability to jump during the first stage. Uniquely, the player unlocks a new skill every few stages, even the most basic of abilities that are taken for granted. On a quest to find his dog, Ayo must overcome obstacles, enemies, and even bosses along the way. Long time platforming fans, however, will probably crave something a little more.

While not has complicated, difficult, or action packed as a Mario, Kirby, or even a Yoshi platformer, Ayo is purposely slower paced and more methodical, making it a perfect entry point for beginning gamers. You may want to think twice before buying the game for younger children, but playing as a family will most certainly offer several hours of entertainment.Ayo The Clown is a family friendly 2.5D platformer designed for young or inexperienced players. The few missteps it makes are annoying, but won’t stop you wanting to fight through the colourful bosses and friendly faces to find Ayo’s dog. You may well end up spending several minutes looking for an item only to realise you’ve already collected them all.Īyo the Clown is a fun platformer with a few interesting ideas. The additional objectives – a highlight of the game – aren’t displayed until you collect the object, even on the pause screen. You can go waltzing up to an enemy ready to hit them with a stick only to find out that it’s expired, and subsequently take a hit. For example, the game never tells you which weapon you have equipped, or if you even have one at all.

Sadly, for each clever idea Ayo the Clown offers up there’s also a significant misstep. You also begin the game without the ability to jump – a platformer with no jumping? Strange to say the least, but it’s only shortly after beginning you unlock the ability. You can even drive a rocket propelled tank. For example, you can obtain multiple weapons and the ability to float. There’s further interesting ideas in the game. At first these challenges will present themselves quite obviously, but latter in the game they will require some hunting to even begin – let alone complete. Presented as optional, this ability is typically required to complete the level. But furthermore, some levels present a unique collection challenge that will reward you with a new ability. Every level has two collection challenges lollipops and bears. Those additional objectives litter Ayo the Clown. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, though may make parents think twice before buying this for their three-year-old. While a basic completion is quite easy, getting all of the additional objectives requires knowledge of how such level design functions. And that you’re ready to dive straight in.

The game starts with the assumption that you already know what a platform game is. However, despite it’s family friendly appearance, Ayo the Clown can be a little challenging for beginners. A lightweight story narrated with a friendly British accent and a toy like appearance similar to the The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening remake, Ayo the Clown has a very approachable aesthetic. That’s when Ayo the Clown goes searching for his lost dog.Īyo the Clown is a cartoonish adventure designed to be inoffensive in every way. That’s when it’s time for a new hero to strike. Whenever the portly plumber heads to retail shelves we see a resurgence in popularity, but in the months between the landscape is often bare. The classic genre seems to ebb-and-flow with Nintendo’s Super Mario release schedule. Platform games aren’t in fashion currently.
