'Song of Nunu' Promises a Fun Romp Across a Frozen Landscape

Song of Nunu: A League of Legends Story may be based on a multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) title played by serious gamers, but this single-player entry really takes aim at the kids.

Nunu (the little boy) and Willump (the four-armed yeti) are best of friends traveling frozen lands to find Nunu's mother, who's left mysterious clues as to her whereabouts. The game puts you in control of Nunu on his own and atop Willump, the large, friendly beast with a powerful, ice-crunching swipe. You'll end up using Nunu to climb across various environmental puzzles and Willump to fight the ice wolves and other enemies that threaten their progress.

"Nunu and Willump's relationship is the driving force of the game and we can't wait for players to join this inspiring duo on their epic journey," said publisher Riot Forge's Rowan Parker in a press release. "We are thrilled to partner with Tequila Works to tell the story of these fan-favorite characters as they traverse the frozen wilds of the Freljord."

It's a fun ride, to be fair, and while the threats are occasionally scary, nothing seems too dire as the two best friends travel from area to area, finding secrets and hints as to Nunu's mother's location and heading to the next set piece. It's colorful, fun, and can be challenging (but not too much) to figure out how to solve each location's tricks and platforming escapades.

The violence is fairly low-stakes, too, as Nunu throws snowballs and Willump swipes with his big paws. Enemies lose health, which you can track via a little hit point bar above their heads, and then disappear into smoke when they go down. There's a little "finishing move" you can engage when you get close to a downed enemy, too, for some extra button mashing, but it's all fairly easy to figure out.

The visuals are delightful and the platforming and combat is fun, but the real star here is the relationship between the boy and his yeti. While it would be nice to have a girl companion, that's not who the character is in League of Legends, so it makes sense it wasn't presented here. Nunu and Willump have a playful relationship that informs every interaction, whether it's a snowball fight early on to teach you how to throw, or the little asides while you're solving a puzzle. "Yeti catapult!" Nunu yells when the big blue galoot tosses the small child up onto a nearby ledge.

Willump doesn't talk, but his grunts and various growls and purrs are translated in the closed caption-like words at the bottom of the screen, so you always know where he stands. Nunu's voice actor has a fun, self-assured approach to almost everything he comes across, but there's a vulnerability there that you can't help but want to protect, or perhaps identify with if you're a kid.

There are some spots where Nunu has to break out his flute, an instrument he plays more like a clarinet. On Nintendo Switch, you'll have to pull one of the four shoulder buttons and triggers to get Nunu to play the note with a shape that matches one in the game. In one early section, you have to play several of these notes in order to move various levers and explode bomb flowers to help clear the area for Willump to catch up to Nunu. It's a nice change from platforming and combat, but might be a little complex for younger players.

Ultimately, how much you like this game will depend on your preference for cuteness. The characters and interactions are super sweet and will appeal to younger gamers who will enjoy the simple challenges of a game that doesn't try to brutalize them with complex systems or too-hard boss fights. Older gamers and fans of League of Legends might enjoy Song of Nunu, too, but perhaps only as a way to see more of the world they play in every day (there's also a surprise visit from another hero in the MOBA, Braum, which fans will love to see).

Song of Nunu: A League of Legends Story will be available November 1 on Nintendo Switch and PC for $30, while a collectors edition will retail for $100 and includes a Willump plush, a Poro plush, a Song of Nunu art book, four Freljord postcards, five collectible enamel pins, a collectible artwork print, and a campfire pop-up diorama.