[Review] A Short Hike: A casual stroll through a charming world

When I first got a glimpse of A Short Hike during Nintendo’s Indie World presentation on August 18, I instantly fell in love. From a quick glance, it seemed like something I’d enjoy. There seemed to be an emphasis on exploration, with a relaxing atmosphere connecting it all together. The best way for me to describe A Short Hike would be if The Legend of Zelda and Animal Crossing had a baby. You have the exploration and sense of discovery of Zelda combined with the witty charm of Animal Crossing.

To The Top

A Short Hike takes place in the Hawk Peak Provincial Park, a mountainside filled with colorful characters and secrets to uncover. The player takes on the role of Claire, a little bird who is awaiting an important phone call, but the only problem is that there’s no cellphone reception! Her Aunt May tells her that the only way to resolve the problem is to climb to the top of Hawk Peak. With this knowledge, Claire begins her journey to hike up to the summit of the mountains.

As the name suggests, the hike is going to be short. The title of the game is a literal description of the game’s length. Don’t expect anything too longwinded, as A Short Hike can be easily finished during a single sitting. However, this doesn’t stop the adventure from being utterly charming. Although heading up to the mountain is the primary objective, Claire is able to interact with a plethora of charming characters. They’ll often task our feathered hero with fun side activities, including racing an insecure bird, collecting sea-shells for an arrogant child, and becoming the champion of ‘Beach Stick Ball’.

The writing was engaging, so much so that I had a smile on my face for the entire journey. It was also funny. I couldn’t stop laughing at some of the absurd jokes scattered throughout the game. One such instance focused on a member of the Rock Climbing Association who tried to brag about the organization’s influence throughout the world.

Explore to your heart’s content

Throughout the game, you can go anywhere you want with full freedom to interact with the environment. Claire has the ability to soar through the skies by gliding, which can be used to discover secrets. It is especially fun when you experiment with the height of the take-off, as you are able to pick up momentum when doing so. Some areas even have an updraft, allowing you to get a small boost.

The controls are simple too, making it an accessible adventure for anyone to play. Most of your time will be spent climbing, walking, and flying as you explore the mountainside of Hawk’s Peak. This made me reminisce about my first play-through of the original The Legend of Zelda, where exploration was the key to progress. There’s a ton of optional objectives, which means that trailing off the main path is a worthy investment.

Discovering a new secret never failed to feel rewarding, and there was always something enticing for me to go out of my way. For example, finding a lost rabbit’s headband rewards you with running shoes — which give you the ability to run at the cost of stamina. Speaking of stamina, throughout the adventure, you’ll encounter an item called a Golden Feather. These collectibles are hidden across the valley and essentially act as a stamina meter. This instantly reminded me of Breath of the Wild‘s similar game mechanic, with Golden Feathers being depleted when double jumping and climbing surfaces.

Later sections of the main adventure require you to be tactical with your stamina. It can be a complicated final push to the end if you haven’t mastered the mechanic. I wouldn’t say it’s extremely difficult or anything, but compared to the rest of the game, it stands out from the crowd. There are also other mysteries to discover, with you being rewarded appropriately for a particular task. If you’re like me, and like in-game achievements- there’s eight of them to unlock.

Charming compositions and the Phantom Hikeglass

The music in A Short Hike fits the mood of what’s happening on screen. It’s full of wonderful arrangements that give off a warm, wholesome, and friendly vibe. Depending on what you’re doing, the music will appropriately shift to a more suited track. The best example of this is the music of Celeste. If you’re familiar with that game, you’ll understand what I’m getting at. There are some light-hearted moments with accompanying music that best represents them, and a certain, more intense track plays during the final push to the end.

A Short Hike boasts a Nintendo DS-like style in its visuals. There’s a strong resemblance to a certain Zelda game. Of course, I’m talking about Phantom Hourglass. Or should I call it, Phantom Hikeglass? Putting that terrible pun aside, the game is downright gorgeous. Exploring the distinct sections of Hawk’s Peak was breathtaking. The map isn’t huge or anything, but there’s plenty of variety. Snowy Peaks, lush forests, vast fields, and sandy beaches are just a few examples of what to expect. My favorite example of the game’s beauty takes place near the end of the journey, so I’ll avoid spoiling it for now.

One thing that has become popular with games are filters for the visuals. There are a few options to customize the games look, so you can turn down the intensity of the pixels. If you’re wanting a smoother, less-rigid look, then you are able to select a sharper visual filter. Some of these options can only be selected in docked mode on the Nintendo Switch, which is probably due to the bigger screen and higher resolution.

The character designs are also really adorable! Every friendly face you meet is an anthropomorphic animal, emphasizing the similarities to Animal Crossing. Claire suspiciously looks similar to the penguin Roald, my favorite villager. Claire is not the same type of bird as him (made obvious by her ability to fly), but I can’t ignore how the character’s face is oddly similar to Roald’s. This might be because I’ve played way too much of Animal Crossing: New Horizons!

A hike worth taking

For some people, the game’s length will probably be off-putting. As I mentioned before, it won’t take long to wrap up the main adventure. However, despite its short duration, A Short Hike is filled with a ton of optional objectives that are worth discovering. There is even an in-game speedrun clock, so you can try your best to reach the peak in as little time possible.

If you enjoy games that are all about the experience, A Short Hike is definitely worth playing. The journey from start to end will be something that I’ll remember for years to come. Now that I’ve reviewed this charming little adventure, it’s time to dive back in and beat my “Beach Stick-Ball” score. I might also consider challenging that guy who’s obsessed with parkour to a rematch!

Score: 9/10