Walkabout Mini Golf might be the most simple and perfectly executed VR game I've ever played. The courses look fantastic, the soundtrack is lovely, and the putting is so responsive, it really doesn't feel far off from actual mini-golf. But to add to this, the developers have taken the time to ensure the necessary quality-of-life improvements are there to simplify proceedings. You can manually move around the courses, which is great for exploring and looking out across the landscape, but a measure like pressing the trigger to immediately position you behind your ball for the next shot is a simple but easily overlooked mechanic, which in this case makes the gameplay loop seamless. The lost balls are a great addition to provide that extra dynamic to your single-player game (though these can also be found in multiplayer) and in turn provide you with lots of great ball customisation options.

The only thing holding this back from 5 stars is the lack of a rank-based matchmaking system. The majority of players playing online have mastered these holes by now, with some extremely impressive strategies. As a new player, the vast majority of them end the game with me when they realise I'm no challenge, which can be a little demoralising.

I can see why people picking this up for the first time in 2021 wouldn't gel with Alex Kidd. It's an oft-frustratingly precise, punishing platformer with luck elements and obscure puzzles.

But as a massive fan of the original, I feel Jankteam did exactly what it needed to do in order to give this title a new lease of life. Barring minor changes to the controls, a merciful save system between levels, and the obvious audiovisual overhaul, DX feels just like the original did. And that's what I wanted. Alex Kidd in Miracle World was a really unique platformer, and this version remains just as unique while providing one of the freshest layers of polish I've ever seen added to an old game. Seriously, it's bloody gorgeous and the soundtrack is beautifully done.

Jankenteam didn't fuck with what made the game special, and it seems, as per the critical reception, that they were punished for that. Hopefully, they're aware that some of us love them for it.