Kalimba (video game)

Did You Know?

• Kalimba was both nominated and shortlisted for a 2015 BAFTA award in the 'Best Original Property' category.
• Reviewers described the game's graphics and sounds as 'forgettable'.

Gameplay

A noble shaman on the island of Kalimba protects her people through a mystic totem pole. After an evil shaman destroys both the good shaman and the totem pole, her spirit can control pieces of the totem and plans to save the island's inhabitants by building a new, stronger totem pole. The player controls two colored totem pieces simultaneously; moving one piece in a direction causes the second to copy the action. Totem pieces may pass safely through anything matching their own color but must otherwise avoid enemies and pitfalls. Losing a piece to an obstacle resets both pieces to the most recent checkpoint. Players collect items throughout levels, scoring points upon completion that are reduced by the number of losses. Completed levels unlock a totem piece that ranks performance. In cooperative mode, each player controls a pair of totem pieces of the same color through a different set of levels, requiring teamwork to arrange pieces and complete levels.

Development

First announced in April 2014 as 'Project Totem', Kalimba was developed by Press Play, a Danish studio acquired by Microsoft Studios in 2012. In November 2014, the name changed to Kalimba, with a December 17, 2014 release date for Xbox One and a Windows PC release planned for January 2015. At the initial announcement, Press Play mentioned an Xbox 360 release, but later stated that while there were plans to bring it to Xbox 360 in the future, nothing concrete was in the works. In April 2015, Press Play announced the PC version's release on Steam on April 22, 2015, along with an update adding two new gameplay modes and a DLC expansion with new single-player and co-op levels. One new mode lets single players speedrun levels and compete against ghosts of other players; the other introduces new co-op challenges. The new modes are free, and users can purchase additional levels individually or in a discounted bundle. Xbox One players could obtain the DLC at no additional charge for a limited time. After Press Play's dissolution, Flashbulb Games purchased its library from Microsoft, and an iOS version was released on June 30, 2017.