Speaking honestly, I was at first not happy about the idea of combining Knytt and WaDF in this manner, because I preferred Knytt and KS greatly over WaDF, especially in terms of control.
But all that melted away as soon as it became apparent that I could freely switch between the two states at any time for the majority of the game. The ball for me became a tool I could use on occasion instead of a handicap at all times.
As for the story aspect, it was hard for me to relate to the ball, because apart from certain locations in the game, it has no relevance to the overall plot apart from some back-story details. Mi, to me, was much more relatable.