Kao, the Kangaroo. A vivacious critter that knows no bounds or limits in a world of opportunity and adventure. Help Kao find her way back to home by exploring each new environment with care and curiosity. Travel across vast oceans, mountains high above sea level, rainforests teeming with life-orpesus
Kao the Kangaroo is a platformer video game that was released in 2003. The original version of the game was developed and published by Ken Guru, who also created many other games. The game has received mixed reviews from critics.
REVIEW – According to our Polish friends, the game is a return to an older franchise, so while not everyone will recognize the long-necked (and longer-necked in the past), boxing-gloved kangaroo whose return is one for the fans, the game that bears the same name as the original (I despise this trend…) may appeal to a wider audience.
From Titus Interactive (which justifiably rests in the bottomless pit of hell owing to 2003’s Robocop…) to the Polish developer self-publishing the game, we’ve gone a long way.
Tate-less
Let’s review the franchise’s history: the kangaroo was launched in 2000 for PC and Dreamcast, then in 2001 for Game Boy Advance in a totally different manner. The sequel, dubbed Round 2, was published in 2003 by three different publishers for PC, and much later for PS2, Xbox, and GameCube (2005/2006, with the non-Polish PC version released in 2005…). Cenega published the action-adventure platformer in the United States, JoWood in Europe, and Atari in other countries. The third installment, Mystery of the Volcano, was exclusively available for PC, and it was remarkable that two PC games featuring the kangaroo were published within eight months of one other in 2005. (the publisher here is only relevant for Europe: Cenega, but there were also Russian and Australian releases). Then there’s Kao Challengers (PS2, publisher: Atari, 2005/2006, released in Europe first… yes, _THREE_ Kao games in one year, if you count the localization of part 2), which was a remake of part 2. That’s all there is to it. The swansong was Mystery of the Volcano, however Tate Interactive (which merged with X-Ray Interactive in 2015) brought the kangaroo back this year in a multiplatform format. The kangaroo, which was unveiled over two years ago, has landed on the Nintendo Switch and PC in addition to the two PlayStation and Xbox generations. The good sales of the previous two sections’ Steam/GOG releases enabled his resurrection. TLDR: despite changing publishers at almost every turn, a Polish company has persevered with its product.
Without KO, you can’t spell Kao.
The recap was all that was required for the build-up, and it wasn’t character filler either. Kao the Kangaroo is a basic 3D platformer that faithfully reflects the late 1990s: collectible goods, opponents that can be vanquished via easy combat, and a steadily growing character that learns new powers with time. Is it a relic of a bygone era? Yes. But it’s done on purpose. The plot isn’t very complex, but that’s how the Crash Bandicoot series began: our bandicoot breaks loose, an experiment gone bad turns against the inventor, he reclaims his sweetheart, and the narrative ends. Kao is looking for her sister Kaia and attempting to figure out what happened to their long-lost father, Koby. He must first defeat the evil force’s combat masters, and then confront the Eternal Warrior, a global menace.
The locales are standard (jungles, ice, snowy temples in the mountains, lava caverns), but they are done in a manner that appeals to older gamers. On each map, look for the letters K, A, and O, as well as diamonds, coins, and heart pieces. By collecting runes, you may access the more linear maps from the bigger center sections. Our kangaroo has a three-punch combination and a more powerful attack that he performs after taking enough damage, but he also has the ability to dodge roll, double leap, and stomp, as befitting a kangaroo. The audiovisuals are also extremely enjoyable (most of the time!). The graphic design is simple, pleasant, and cartoonish, and the music is well-suited to the game. Our characters are simple to manipulate, and the controls are appropriate. It’s a pleasurable experience since the game’s design is faultless. For the most part, it seems as if the game was put into a bottle at sea and then washed up on the beaches a decade and a half later.
…but
(I’m referring to Doki Doki Yuuenchi: Crazy Land No Daisakusen for Famicom’s phony ending…)
Kao the Kangaroo is not without flaws. I found the game was a little buggy at times. The ledge detection seems strange; textures often appear in front of your eyes (Unreal Engine 4…), the soundtrack sometimes stops, and the gloves are worth noting whether they’re flaming or ice (this will be important for puzzles). The voice acting, on the other hand, is something else I’d want to call attention to. On purpose, I inquired about the Polish original with a buddy. “It does the job,” I was informed. “It might be better, but that’s the standard for Polish dubs in platformers.” And, come to think of it, the English dub is very close to the original. It wasn’t bad, but it could’ve been better. The way the game is written isn’t great, and the animation quality isn’t great either. There were a few strange allusions (Duke Nukem, srsly? ), the camera wasn’t always great, and the UI seemed like it was ripped from the mid-2000s one-for-one. And they don’t seem to be altogether negative… and if we were to treat it as a game set in a time capsule, we could gloss over these issues (sometimes less is more: e.g. Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy had hardly any speech, right?), but it’s 2022, so Tate Interactive should put wipe the poTateo clean because as soon as we get to the bottom of the second page, we’re ready for the score.
Preserved in its original state
Kao the Kangaroo fluctuated between a six and a half and a seven on a ten-point scale. Then I had a brief conversation with my Polish buddy, who informed me that he had a seven. He persuaded me that he was not patriotic. The game itself does its job: fresh elements, familiar flavors. If Lay’s brought back its wavy black pepper chicken chips, I’m sure many consumers wouldn’t like it, but I’d run to the store and get all of the bags immediately. It has to do with Kao’s return. It’s a delight for the fans, and they get an eight out of ten (and we’ve done the compulsory double scoring with that move). It’s not on the same level as Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time… This game, however, was not created by Activision Blizzard. It was a long-established Polish studio that still adored its pet two decades later…
-V-
Pro:
+ The game’s concept is basic yet effective… + The audiovisual is rather nice + It’s a pleasurable experience
[ezcol 1half] [/ ezcol 1half] [/ ezcol 1half]
Cons:
– Sync, average writing quality – Occasionally buggy and a little pricey…? – The camera (but not necessarily…), and some textures
[ezcol 1half end] [/ ezcol 1half end]
Tate Interactive is the publisher.
Tate Interactive is the creator of this game.
3D platformer with action adventure elements
Originally published on May 27, 2022.
REVIEW – According to our Polish friends, the game is a return to an older franchise, so not everyone will recognize the long-necked (and longer-necked in the past), boxing-gloved kangaroo whose return is one for the fans, but the game that bears the same name as the original may appeal to a wider audience (I hate this trend…). From Titus Interactive (which justifiably rests in the bottomless pit of hell owing to 2003’s Robocop…) to the Polish developer self-publishing the game, we’ve gone a long way. Tate-less Let’s take a look back at the franchise’s history: in the year 2000, the…
Ken Guru – Kao The Kangaroo
Ken Guru – Kao The Kangaroo
2022-05-31
V
A passion endeavor, with all of its benefits and drawbacks.
7.6 out of 10 for gameplay
7.4 for graphics
7.3 for the story
7.7 out of 10 for music and audio
7.5 for the atmosphere
7.5
GOOD
A passion endeavor, with all of its benefits and drawbacks.
Be the first to leave a comment!
Kao The Kangaroo is a video game that was released on November 3, 2018. It is the sequel to the popular game Ken Guru. Reference: kao the kangaroo release date.
Related Tags
- kao the kangaroo (2022 release date)
- kao the kangaroo 1
- kao the kangaroo remake
- kao the kangaroo download
