A Hat in Time (v2025.04.18 & ALL DLC)

A tiny astronaut in an oversized top hat turns a stranded-spacecraft crisis into one of the most cheerful 3D platforming adventures around. Hat Kid lands on a strange planet after her precious Time Pieces scatter across its wildly different regions, forcing her to retrieve them before she can continue her trip home. The tone stays playful and colorful even when it wanders into haunted woods, mob-controlled streets, and a bird-operated movie studio. Beneath the cartoon charm sits a fast, responsive platformer that clearly loves the collectathon era of the Nintendo 64 and GameCube.

Each chapter sends Hat Kid through compact, purpose-built missions filled with jumps, moving hazards, enemies, secret routes, and Time Pieces to recover. Her stitched hats act as interchangeable abilities: one lets her sprint, another launches explosive brewing attacks, while others reveal hidden objects or help her reach distant ledges. Badges add further movement and utility options, letting players tailor their loadout for better air control, quicker attacks, or more convenient exploration. Combat is simple and mobility-driven rather than demanding, but later areas test precision with tricky platforming, timed escapes, and boss encounters, while collectibles encourage returning to completed stages.

Variety is the real strength here, as levels regularly abandon standard platforming for unusual objectives such as investigating a train murder, directing a parade, or sneaking through a studio production. The worlds feel like playful toy boxes rather than huge open maps, so exploration stays focused and secrets remain rewarding instead of exhausting. Its bright, exaggerated character designs and knowingly silly humor give it a personality many modern platformers lack, while the soundtrack keeps every location energetic and memorable. Players who miss Super Mario Sunshine, Psychonauts, or Banjo-Kazooie-style collecting should feel immediately at home, and newcomers can enjoy the forgiving early game before optional challenges raise the stakes.