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If you had told me at the start of 2024 that a Smurfs game would end up being one of the best 3D platformers of the year, I probably would’ve questioned your sanity. And yet here we are with The Smurfs - Dreams, a game so unexpectedly good its mere existence feels like a dream.
Dreams is essentially a Smurfs-themed love letter to platformers like Super Mario 3D World and, to a lesser extent, Super Mario Galaxy. It splices 3D World's vibrant graphics and fixed-camera level design with Galaxy's space theme and orchestral soundtrack to give you the best of both worlds.
The game kicks off with Gargamel, the Smurfs’ longtime nemesis, showing up late one night and poisoning the berry bushes outside Smurf Village. When the Smurfs emerge the next morning and gobble up the berries, they instantly fall into a deep sleep, leaving the village defenseless. Papa Smurf, among the few who didn’t eat the berries, scours his notes and comes up with a plan: launch you, a fellow Smurf, into the "Dream World" so that you can infiltrate the villagers' dreams and free them from their slumber.
The Smurfs whose dreams you get to enter include Chef Smurf, Vanity Smurf, Brainy Smurf, and many more. Each dream is essentially a world made up of several levels. This brings me to one of the game’s biggest strengths and weaknesses: whereas some dreams are heavily themed after their respective Smurf, others are far more generic. Chef Smurf’s dream is full of doughnuts, cupcakes, and lollipops for example, whereas Brainy Smurf’s dream is devoid of any real theme. It’s almost as if the developers simply didn’t have the time or budget to touch up each and every dream. Thematic shortcomings aside, Dreams boasts some truly excellent, inventive level design that’s right up there with the likes of Nintendo’s. It’s one of those games where just when you think you’ve seen it all, you’re taken by surprise by a brand new challenge or mechanic. One minute you’ll be doing some traditional platforming, the next you’ll be playing soccer or even sneaking around trying to recover your underpants (yes, really). Some dreams also culminate in massive boss battles that are as enjoyable to play as they are visually striking.
One of the more rewarding aspects of your overall journey is seeing Smurf Village, which acts as a hub between dreams, slowly but surely restored to its old self as you rescue each Smurf. Initially the village is downright lonely as everyone snores away, but by the end of the game it’s bustling with activity. The music even becomes more grandiose to reflect this change–a small touch that I really appreciated. The village is also where you get to spend your hard-earned collectibles. Once you’ve rescued Tailor Smurf, you can pay him a visit and hand over some of your berries–the game’s primary collectible–in exchange for brand new skins for your own Smurf. Disappointingly, there isn’t much else you can do with your berries. I would’ve liked to have seen an item shop of some sort, or even a character who sells you concept art or images of Smurf cartoons and memorabilia (Painter Smurf would’ve been a great fit for this).
The Smurfs - Dreams might not be perfect, but that doesn’t stop it from being one of the most beautiful, charming, and well-designed 3D platformers in recent years. It pains me to know that because of the stigma attached to licensed games as well as the fact that the Smurfs property simply isn’t as popular as it used to be, Dreams will likely fly way under the radar for most. To sleep on this game would be an enormous mistake, though. Instead, grab yourself a copy and start dreaming–or go check out the free demo for a small taste of the magic that’s in store.