Kao the Kangaroo is back with a reboot of Tate Multimedia, with which they seek to introduce a new generation of players to Kao. Kao is a 20+ year old character who fills a void left by three generations of 3D action platformer games, also called collectathons.
The first Kao the Kangaroo game was released on the SEGA Dreamcast in 2000, and the style of the new installment has a similar feel to 3D platformers of that era. The new Kao the Kangaroo is available on Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PS4, PlayStation 5 and PC, so you can get it on any modern platform.
An adventure for the whole family
The story of Kao the Kangaroo begins when Kao’s sister mysteriously disappears from their home, some time after the same thing happened with their father, so Kao decides to put on some magic gloves to go on an adventure to find out what happened to them. The game’s plot is simple, with family humor aimed at younger players, making it a good choice for younger players.
Those who have been playing since the time the first Kao the Kangaroo games came out will be in for an enjoyable experience, one that feels like a game from back then made with today’s technology. Still, it seems to me that Kao the Kangaroo is a game designed for new players who have never experienced a collectathon of this style, perfect for players 5 years and older.
Kao the Kangaroo is a collectathon with semi-open worlds full of secrets and alternate routes, with levels that offer all the challenges that we would expect from a 3D platform game. Platforms that move, that disappear. that are activated with buttons, sections on rails, puzzles, boss fights, and much more.
Kao the Kangaroo’s collectibles are coins, diamonds, letters (K – A – O), and runes. Coins are used to buy items in the store; runes are used to unlock new levels; letters are collectible on hidden routes and diamonds are rewards for small challenges.
A game from before with the controls and graphics of today
Kao the Kangaroo’s control is very good, as the kangaroo’s movement feels great both in the platforming sections and in combat. The game constantly introduces us to new enemies, which makes the combat entertaining, but the difficulty never really increases. Because of this, Kao the Kangaroo’s strong point is in its platforming and level design.
The worlds of Kao the Kangaroo function as one big sandbox level full of coins to collect, plus some platforming challenges with collectibles and a few runes to unlock new levels (as well as the stars from the Mario games). However, the levels present a mainly linear design following one challenge after another, but full of hidden alternate routes that lead to some collectible. Also, in each level there are portals to special areas with more specific challenges, so you are doing something all the time.
Kao the Kangaroo’s levels are full of crates and barrels that you can break to get coins, which feels very satisfying, especially when you’re destroying large stacks with one hit or rolling. Destroying boxes by spinning and collecting loads of coins sometimes feels like Crash Bandicoot, so if you like those marsupial games you’ll probably enjoy this one.
Each world of Kao the Kangaroo consists of about 4 or 5 levels, and each level introduces new mechanics with the magic gloves you wear. These gloves can absorb elemental powers that serve to solve environmental puzzles, in addition to affecting combos thanks to more powerful finishers depending on the equipped element. The three elements are fire, ice and wind.
Kao the Kangaroo’s music isn’t bad but it isn’t memorable either, as it works to keep your mind clear while you’re playing but probably won’t stay in your head after the game session is over. Still, Kao the Kangaroo is flawlessly presented, with simple graphics that look great, apt music, and dialogue aimed at the whole family.
Despite its low difficulty, Kao the Kangaroo turns out to be a very good experience and there isn’t much to ask of it, because in terms of 3D platform games it has all kinds of challenges that we could expect. In terms of duration, an experienced player could finish Kao the Kangaroo in a marathon of about 6 hours, but a new player could spend several more hours exploring.
Something that Kao the Kangaroo could use some improvement on is the fact that it doesn’t have more than one save state, so it’s not possible to start the game over without deleting a later save. In addition, the game has a couple of bugs that I expected to be fixed on the day of its release, but it was not. These bugs don’t break the game, but sometimes they limit jumps after revives, make kao invisible, or turn off the audio momentarily.
Verdict: A worthwhile collectathon
Overall, Kao the Kangaroo is a very good experience that filled a void left by 3D platformers from a few generations ago. If you’re a long-time fan of the genre, you’ll surely enjoy the game’s levels, but I think Kao the Kangaroo will be more remembered by new players who are just getting to know the collectathon genre with this game.
The good:
- Pleasant graphics and very good control, essential in the genre.
- Well designed levels full of secrets, hidden routes and collectibles.
- A story suitable for the whole family
What could improve:
- Only one save slot per profile
- Some minor bugs