Newt One is a 3D platformer developed by DevNari about an apprentice, Newt, and his animal friend Cumo as they embark on a musical adventure to rescue the four missing Elders of the world who have been captured, which could cause The Great Slumber, where all colour will drain from the lands. Newt and Cumo team up and, through 24 levels - across four different themed worlds - bring colour back to these monochromatic levels and restore music and peace. It's a nice-spirited story, and the character designs are endearing, which extends to the cute, storybook-like picture frames in between levels.
The art style is simple, distinct and charming. All of the levels begin in complete black, before you slowly revert them to colourful type by simply touching and landing on the panels that make up the many bridges, islands and rotating structures you'll be traversing over this compact 3-hour journey. The music is almost silent and distorted, as if listening in from afar. However, the more colour is restored, the more the different instruments and melodies are introduced, acting as both score and stage progress. The music is jazzy, calm and catchy, with many tracks proving to be earworms.
The platforming gameplay is easy to pick up and controls well. You may fall from mistimed jumps or disappearing blocks, but careful movement will mitigate these small issues. The game's four different themes are distinct in level structure and music, and also the way some levels are designed. Featured here are disappearing platforms, as well as some that rotate back and forth on a timer, which are classic genre lynchpins. During the game, you'll come across items that act as abilities. One is a pair of wings to soar to higher areas and easier landing across larger chasms. Another is a trio of drums that fill in a small portion of colour in the vicinity, which makes completing the level a lot more enjoyable. Then there is the wand, which is great. It essentially fires multiple spheres of colour while you're moving through the levels, restoring colour on the fly. It's very useful and, when you begin a new themed area, will have to be re-collected in a later level, which can sometimes make manually colouring the world a contrast.
There are collectable musical notes scattered around, which unlock cute new outfits for Newt, which can be cycled with a simple button press, as well as captured parrots that will unlock a bonus level if you find them all. The game also features a meter in the top-left corner of the screen, which highlights the completion percentage of the level's colour.
This game is such a joy to play not just because of the fun gameplay, but also the positive and sweet-natured atmosphere, lovely designs, disarming music and ease of use. With an enjoyable length of three hours and an absence of stressful mechanics, Newt One is a very easy recommendation for anyone looking for a relaxing way to usher in the next cozy Sunday.