Kalimba Reviews

Kalimba is ranked in the 83rd percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
Geeks Under Grace
Chris Thieblot
8.7 / 10.0
Apr 25, 2015

Kalimba is a must-play for anyone who grew up playing games like Super Mario World and Kirby. This spiritual game effectively captures the spirit of the difficult traversing of a platformer mixed with a brilliant swapping puzzle mechanic that works without fail.

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XGN.nl
Top Critic
8.5 / 10.0
Jan 2, 2015

All in all, Kalimba is a very good 2D platformer. The difficult puzzles, the colorful and triangular world, Hoebear, and the constant thinking about how to move forward all ensure that you get a terribly expansive game. And that the co-op is only playable offline is just a small smear on an otherwise sublime platformer.

Review in Dutch | Read full review

Jan 13, 2015

Press Play brings us a clever puzzle platformer with Kalimba but it may be more frustrating than it needs to be.

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Dec 29, 2014

While it may have flown under the radar for some (I imagine the last minute name change didn't do it any favours), you'd be doing yourself a disservice by dismissing Kalimba, even with its rather straightforward and barebones presentation. As great as it is as a single player outing, Kalimba really shines when you can bring a partner along for the ride.

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9 / 10
Dec 28, 2014

Kalimba - in a lot of ways - is a throwback of sorts. It can be completed in a few short sittings, has an unrelenting difficulty level and features wonderful 2D art. However, the game also manages to put players in gaming situations they have never been in before. It's a surprisingly fresh experience that can be incredibly rewarding and despite it being seemingly impossible at times, players who love a sizable - but fair - challenge will find a lot to love within Kalimba.

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84 / 100
May 8, 2015

A charming platformer that's both tough and fun, Kalimba is a success in almost every aspect.

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9 / 10.0
Jan 30, 2015

Kalimba is a solid puzzle platformer that is trickier than expected. The puzzles and platforming are done so well that the ability to control more than one character simultaneously doesn't feel like a gimmick. The game may have a relatively short campaign, but there are many modes and difficult goals to keep the player coming back for more. Puzzle platforming fans should flock to this sleeper title.

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Cubed3
Top Critic
7 / 10
May 1, 2016

Difficulty is hard to review, and most of Kalimba's issues stem from poor balancing. Running into devious sections only to find the follow-ups to be almost rudimentary is jarring. Fortunately, the core mechanic is very enjoyable. While Kalimba could have spent more time under the microscope, the interesting mechanic and beautiful visuals should be enough to convince even the most dismissive PC gamer that there's much more to explore here, and, for that, Kalimba should be applauded.

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8 / 10.0
May 4, 2015

While there are some problems with release day DLC and graphical display issues, Press Play has created something truly unique in this indie game and it is well worth the price!

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Pardis Game
Only Football Games
Top Critic
8 / 10.0
Oct 6, 2015

Kalimba is a quiet, unclaimed yet remarkable title that offers an interesting experience. Perhaps the existence of problems such as shortness or lack of proper story will make us unable to enjoy the game so much, but for platform enthusiasts, Kalimba will be a satisfying title.

Review in Persian | Read full review

9 / 10
Feb 16, 2015

A wonderfully complete package

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4 / 5.0
Dec 16, 2014

Kalimba is an action-packed platformer that experiments with a lot of puzzles and design gimmicks to consistently provide a genuine challenge. It is devilishly difficult and there are times when the level design and touchy mechanics don't complement this very well, mainly instances that require dumb luck rather than intuitive skill.

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80%
Dec 16, 2014

A bold and smart Xbox One indie platformer, Kalimba takes a simple and clever idea, transforming it into something that's equal parts tough and rewarding. Totem-ally worth a look.

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Dec 29, 2014

While it could have used a handful of additional levels, Kalimba's challenging gameplay, humorous story and colorful visuals help it stand out from the crowd.

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Ray Carsillo
Top Critic
9 / 10.0
Jan 15, 2015

I only wish Kalimba were a bit longer, because its inventive puzzles, charming art style, and tight controls equal a winning combination for this quaint puzzle-platformer.

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80 / 100
Jan 11, 2015

If you're looking for a difficult yet incredibly fun platformer, look no further. While some of the game mechanics will leave you somewhat weary, overcoming the puzzles is very rewarding, especially when doing so with a friend. Kalimba offers a fresh new take on the traditional platformer, one that will cause both fits of rage and laughter.

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Unscored
Apr 28, 2015

Kalimba is relatively short if you're looking to just rattle through the story mode – I got through the it in a couple of hours – but the longevity comes from the repetition and the desire for that perfect run. I am now going back through the levels trying to get gold on all of them and make my totem pole glorious.

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9 / 10.0
Dec 16, 2014

Kalimba is a fantastic, colourful little game with a unique mechanic, but it's no pushover.

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8.5 / 10.0
May 12, 2015

Careful, extremely nice in the design of the characters, with a captivating personality, Kalimba is a game perhaps a little short, but fun and capable of making many expletives to those who decide to complete it in every aspect.

Review in Italian | Read full review

8 / 10.0
Dec 18, 2014

Kalimba is an enjoyable solo romp, but to get the full experience you're going to need a local co-op partner; trust me, the juice is worth the squeeze if a couch friend is hard to come by. That inherently limits the game, but since both adventures are worth playing through fully, there's a lot of meat here for a seemingly small puzzle title. I hope it gets more traction despite the fact that it's limited to the Xbox One at the moment.

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