In this Hello Kitty Island Adventure review, a longtime and avid Sanrio fan (me), discusses the game’s mechanics in detail and why it’s a new staple cosy game. If my review has managed to convince you to give it a go, you can download it now from the Nintendo Switch Shop – or, learn more about the features of Hello Kitty Island Adventure via the official website!
Hello Kitty Island Adventure Review
Before I start properly, let’s just say that I was more than happy to find out that Hello Kitty Island Adventure was coming to PC and Switch. I played the game when it first came out on Apple Arcade, but I much prefer playing it on my console and it’s given me a chance to explore the game fully! I’m a Kuromi girl at heart, though I’m quite partial to Cinnamoroll, and the nostalgia of Hello Kitty.
Because of this, I immediately sought out Kuromi and showered her with gifts to increase our friendship level. The friendship system is a fun addition to the game, where you give your favourite characters 3 gifts per day. You need to work out which items they like best, represented by how many hearts an item has before you give it to them. The more hearts, the more your friendship increases. Each level milestone rewards you with a furniture piece, an avatar colour palette, a new quest, and even a Stamina Apple Slice.
Easy Exploration
Now, the idea of having to travel around the large map to hunt down each character on the daily sounds tedious, right? Luckily, you can unlock teleport points to quickly make your way to NPCs, speeding the process up quite a bit. There’s also the fact that the map displays where the character is currently located and whether or not they’re on the move. This is a feature that I think every game within this genre should have (thank you to the mod creators who solved this issue in Stardew Valley!).
As you unlock more of the island, the teleport points really do come in handy. Whether you’re diving in the ocean or exploring the dark forest, quests take you to various locations. Don’t forget to open the treasure chests you find too!
Customise, Craft, and Play
Customisation is another strong factor of Hello Kitty Island Adventure. You play as a cute animal, which you can alter the appearance of. Whether it be the colour palette, markings, or type of animal, the world is your oyster! You can visit Tuxedo Sam’s shop for new clothes daily or you can collect crafting plans to make your own. As well as crafting a range of items that can be given as gifts or used to progress in the game, there are machines across the map that allow you to make delicious goodies too.
Fancy a coffee? Head to the underwater Comedy Club to brew a cup. Hello Kitty teaches you how to bake, and Pompompurin has a dessert maker machine! All of these foodie items are perfect to use as gifts to increase your friendship levels. Plus, part of the fun is figuring out recipes by combining random ingredients you find along your travels.
Whilst exploring, you may come across the minigames that offer various rewards at random. One of my favourites is the purple and green monster hat that I got by completing the maze game in the forest! The rewards drop at random but are advertised on a board closeby to the alien that starts the game, so you at least know what you could get. These minigames are a great pass time!
Snuggle Up With Sanrio
To me, Hello Kitty Island Adventure is the perfect game to snuggle up with. Even if you play for just an hour, there’s so much to do, and it’s all so relaxing. With an abundance of side quests and main quests, you’ve always got something to do. One of my favourite things to do is collect new clothes for my character to wear! There are also seasonal events, similar to Animal Crossing, which provide players with limited-time rewards such as furniture items.
Speaking of furniture, you can decorate your own house and deck out cabins for visitors! These visitors come to your island for a vacation, and you never know who might arrive next. I was honestly shocked when I found out that Lloromannic (Berry and Cherry) were in the game. They’re two of my favourite Sanrio characters who are finally getting the spotlight they deserve! No matter who you like best from the Sanrio franchise, there’s something for everyone in this game.
The good
- Huge cast of Sanrio characters (and more niche ones too!)
- Lots of tasks to do, including side quests
- Crafting and decorating feels fulfilling
- Large map with lots of unique areas
- Teleport waypoints!
- Great customisation options
The bad
- Climbing can be a little tedious at times
- Seasonal events expire, resulting in having to log in and grind event content