Take an adorable animated character, put him in a colourful environment, and get him to collect yellow coins while solving (mostly) side-scrolling levels that involve jumping on enemies. You're probably thinking of Mario, but he's not here. Inspired would be a strong word, as Super Lucky's Tale – a 3D platformer from Microsoft Studios, releasing Tuesday for the Xbox One X and Windows 10 – feels more like a weak imitation.

Positioned as a game for all ages, though definitely geared towards a younger audience given its low difficulty, it's one of the few "launch" titles for the Xbox One X, Microsoft's souped-up mid-generation 4K upgrade to its existing console, and a more powerful version of the PS4 Pro. But Super Lucky's Tale isn't meant to serve as a flagship advertisement of the One X's capability.

Its graphics are appealing and inviting, filled with characters that are variations on wild animals: foxes, cats, bees, and a bird that looks it was modelled after the Angry Birds...