Brazilian Indie studio PetitFabrik has announced that their cute as heck 3D platformer Kukoos – Lost Pets, is officially available in Early Access.
It’s an adorable looking game that the devs say will remind people of N64 era classics like Mario 64 and Banjo Kazooie, and judging by the trailer, that comparison is pretty spot on.
There are plenty of cute, cartoony characters, bright and colourful levels, and, of course, collectibles and coins — apparently Google Pay doesn’t exist in this world. The game did pretty well at the 2021 NYX Game Awards, snapping up multiple awards, including PC Game – Best Visual Art, PC Game – Best Gameplay, and PC Game – Best Music, so it should fit the bill for anyone looking to enjoy a “feelgood” platformer with some legit quality baked in.
Keeping with its throwback theme, the story in the game is pretty simple. Players will journey through a cheery cartoon world where they must rescue a series of brainwashed pets being held captive by a robot frog. No hard-hitting political commentary or deep metaphors here, but hey, video games are meant to be fun sometimes. Each rescued pet—of which there are five—joins the player and offers unique strengths and styles.
There will be multiple biomes to explore, each thematically different from the others but retaining a specific style. An ice cream mountain filled with platforming sections made from candy, murky swamps soaked in toxic gas, and a factory rife with shifting gears, collapsing bridges, and vats of molten lava etc.
If you’re after a game that doesn’t require razor sharp twitch aim, hours of grinding, or adult themes, Kukoos – Lost Pets might fit the bill. It looks like the classic 3D platformers we all grew up with and could be a great way to escape the winter blues. The game launched on Steam Early Access today and will come to consoles at a later date.
