Honestly, if you missed the boat on the 3D platformer revival back in 2017, you missed something special. Gears for Breakfast basically caught lightning in a bottle. Most people look at the colorful visuals of A Hat in Time PS4 and assume it’s just a cute "me too" project trying to ride the coattails of Super Mario Sunshine or Banjo-Kazooie. That’s a mistake. It’s way weirder than that.
It's a game about a space-traveling girl who loses her fuel—Time Pieces—and has to parkour through worlds governed by a mafia of jars, a disco-dancing penguin, and a terrifying shadow ghost who wants your soul. It’s chaotic. It’s fast. On the PlayStation 4, it occupies this strange middle ground between the PC original and the later, slightly more compromised Nintendo Switch port.
People talk about "soul" in games. Usually, that’s just code for "it’s janky but I like it." With Hat in Time, the soul is in the movement. Hat Kid doesn't just walk; she dives, slides, and pounces. If you’ve spent any time in Super Mario Odyssey, you know that feeling when the controls just click. This hits that same nerve, but with a double-jump and a dash that feels aggressive. You aren't just exploring levels. You’re conquering them.
The Performance Reality on PS4 and PS5
Let’s get the technical stuff out of the way because that’s what actually matters when you’re hovering over the "buy" button on the PlayStation Store. For the longest time, the console versions felt like the neglected middle children. While PC players were getting DLC and online parties, the A Hat in Time PS4 version sat there at a locked 30 frames per second.
It was fine. Just fine.
But then 2021 happened. Gears for Breakfast finally dropped a patch that unlocked the framerate for PS5 users via backward compatibility. If you are playing this on a base PS4, you’re still looking at 30fps with some occasional dips when the screen gets busy with particles. On a PS4 Pro or a PS5, though? It’s a transformative experience. 60fps makes the platforming feel significantly more responsive. In a game where the "Train Rush" level literally gives you a countdown to an explosion, those extra frames aren't just a luxury—they’re a survival mechanic.
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There’s also the "Seal the Deal" and "Nyakuza Metro" DLC situation. For a while, these were missing from the PlayStation ecosystem. They’re here now. If you bought the physical version of the game, you’ll likely need to head to the store to grab the add-ons separately. The Nyakuza Metro DLC is probably the best content in the entire game, turning the experience into an open-world neon cityscape that feels like a fever dream mixed with a Yakuza movie.
What Makes Hat Kid Different?
It’s the hats. Obviously.
Each hat you craft using yarn found in the levels gives you a specific ability. The Sprint Hat turns the game into a high-speed racer. The Brewing Hat lets you throw explosive potions. The Dweller’s Mask reveals hidden platforms. It sounds like standard platformer stuff, but the genius is in the cooldowns and the "badges." You can equip badges to tweak your playstyle. Want a grapple hook? Use a badge. Want to take no fall damage but lose the ability to jump high? There’s a badge for that too.
The level design isn't a straight line. It’s segmented into "Acts." You might visit Mafia Town five times, but each time the level geometry or the objectives change completely. One minute you’re platforming across hot taps, and the next you’re engaged in a stealth mission to avoid being seen by crows in a movie studio.
The tonal shifts are jarring in the best way possible. You go from a lighthearted race to "Queen Vanessa’s Manor," which is a legitimate horror level. I’m not kidding. It’s genuinely stressful. You’re hiding under tables while a monstrous shadow stalks you through a frozen mansion. This willingness to pivot from "cute" to "creepy" is why the game has such a cult following. It doesn't treat the player like a child, even if the protagonist looks like one.
Addressing the "Indie Jank"
We have to be real here. A Hat in Time PS4 isn't a $100 million first-party Sony title. It has some rough edges. The camera can occasionally get caught behind a wall during tight indoor segments. Sometimes Hat Kid will clip into a piece of geometry if you dive at a weird angle.
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The voice acting is another polarizing point. Personally, I love it. It feels like a 2000s-era cartoon. Most of the voices were provided by internet personalities and YouTubers (like JonTron in the original release, though his role was a minor cameo as a bird). It gives the game a DIY energy that matches the vibrant, sometimes messy aesthetic.
Also, the local co-op. You can play the whole game with a friend on the couch. This is a rare thing for 3D platformers these days. The second player takes control of Bow Kid. It’s chaotic and the camera struggles to keep both of you in frame if you wander too far apart, but for a Saturday afternoon session, it’s a blast.
Why You Should Play This Specific Version
You might be wondering if you should get it on PS4 or just get the Switch version for the portability. Honestly? Unless you absolutely need to play on the bus, the A Hat in Time PS4 version (played on a PS5 if possible) is the superior console experience. The textures are sharper, the load times are significantly faster, and the framerate is more stable.
The Switch version had to make massive concessions with lighting and texture resolution to run. On the PlayStation, the colors really pop. The bioluminescent forest of Subcon Well looks incredible with the higher contrast and better draw distances. It captures that "toy-box" aesthetic that Gears for Breakfast was clearly aiming for.
Making the Most of Your Playthrough
If you’re diving in, don't just rush the main objectives. The real magic is in the "Rifts." These are pure platforming challenges hidden throughout the worlds. They strip away the gimmicks and just ask: "How good are you at jumping?"
- Prioritize the Sprint Hat: Craft this as soon as you find enough yarn. It completely changes how you traverse the hubs and makes collecting everything else much faster.
- Check the Badge Seller: He appears in different spots, usually near the start of a world. The "Compass" badge is a lifesaver if you're trying to find those last few hidden collectibles.
- Don't skip the dialogue: The writing is genuinely funny. The "Mafia" characters have some of the best one-liners in the game, mostly involving their weird obsession with jars and their misunderstanding of how the world works.
- Experiment with the Mumble Mode: If the voice acting isn't your thing, there’s a badge that turns all dialogue into Banjo-Kazooie style gibberish. It’s a great nostalgic touch.
The game is about 10 to 12 hours long for a standard run. If you’re going for the Platinum Trophy, you’re looking at closer to 25 or 30 hours, especially with the Death Wish mode included in the DLC. Death Wish is essentially the "hard mode" on steroids. It reuses bosses and levels but adds insane modifiers that will test your patience. It’s frustrating, but finally beating a boss with only one health point left is a rush most modern games are too afraid to give you.
A Hat in Time PS4 stands as a testament to what a small team can do with a lot of passion and a clear vision. It’s not perfect, but it’s memorable. It’s a game that stays with you long after you’ve collected the last Time Piece and watched the credits roll.
Actionable Next Steps
- Check your hardware: If you're on PS5, ensure the game is updated to the latest version to enable the 60fps boost.
- Grab the DLC bundle: The "Seal the Deal" and "Nyakuza Metro" packs add nearly 40% more content to the base game and are essential for the full experience.
- Adjust your camera settings: Go into the options and increase the camera sensitivity immediately; the default settings can feel a bit sluggish for high-speed platforming.
- Explore the Hub: Hat Kid's spaceship is full of secrets. Use the "camera" mode to look into vents and corners for hidden Rift Tokens that unlock new costumes and music remixes.