Pleasantly diverting is probably the best way in which I can sum up Kao The Kangaroo. A classic-style 3D platformer, there’s something immediately reassuring upon seeing the game’s first map, with its bright, cartoonish art-style, and golden coins as far as the eye can see. Cast in the role of the young Kao – a boxing kangaroo with actual boxing gloves – players have to guide him through tropical islands, dark forests, lava-filled caverns, and snowy, avalanche-prone mountains, in his attempt to rescue his sister and father, who have both gone missing. Along the way, he will also face off against some of the greatest fighting masters the game’s world has to offer, uncover the secrets of his sentient boxing gloves, and come across a fairly colourful and whimsical cast of friends and foes.
Being a platformer, players basically work their way through a variety of obstacle courses – whether these be floating platforms to jump between, pipes to slide upon, walls to climb, or whirling, spike-covered lumps of wood. There’s also plenty of loot to collect. Gold coins are a definite favourite, and can be used to purchase extra health and life, as well as new outfits for Kao (while I generally have little interest in the latter, the outfit which made Kao look more like he was from the Outback was a plus). Then there are letters which spell ‘Kao’ hidden in each level, as well as blue crystals that can be collected. Although, even after having finished the game, I wasn’t entirely sure what they did or why I should even be collecting them (never mind, at least the crystals make an amusing ‘ping’ sound when you run into them).
When you’re not jumping between platforms, running into coins or smashing the numerous coin-filled breakable items each map contains, you’re smashing the eclectic collection of whimsical foes that populate the levels. Thematically tied to each location, perhaps the most tame of these is a wrench-wielding monkey. There’s also mountain goats who practise ‘fringitsu’ (the art of fighting while your vision is obscured by your fringe), others who throw an endless stream of piranhas at you, and – my favourite – one which fires comically bug-eyed sheep as projectiles. While combat for the most part involves getting up-close and personal and punching as hard and fast as you can, ranged enemies give the player the ability to execute a very satisfying counter, sending their spear, durian fruit, or demented sheep back towards them. Not deep by a long shot, but definitely fun, and whether it was the visceral sensation of seeing foes flung back by a well-aimed punch or the satisfaction of luring them into their own traps or beating a large group of foes, I was always enjoying myself.
Both the platforming gameplay and the combat can be described as solid and well executed. While neither are particularly challenging (I don’t think I ever lost a fight), they still keep the player sufficiently on their toes to keep them engaged. It also helps that the game mixes things up by the inclusion of challenge arenas (taking the form of a trap-filled obstacle course, or a combat arena), boss fights which mixed combat with basic puzzle solving, and the occasional pursuit-style level where you have to flee an oncoming hazard (like an avalanche, or a gorilla riding a huge barrel). It also doesn’t take itself too seriously, with multiple references to Doom, Skyrim, The Fantastic Four, and even The Wizard of Oz.
I think this all ultimately stems from the fact that Kao the Kangaroo seems to be aimed at a younger audience. An impression given by it’s simple art-style, and a story that reminded me of the sort of kid’s cartoon I used to see when I was young (you know, an uncomplicated adventure tale where the villain was more misguided than anything else, and nothing seriously bad happened).
In fact, there are only two real criticism I can level at it. The first relates to the hooks scattered throughout the later levels, which Kao can use as an anchor point to swing from. These were the only things that made me feel frustration as the animation made it difficult to tell how close to the end of the swing you were: release a bit too early, and you probably don’t have enough height to reach your target, but release too late, and you’ve already started the back-swing, lost all momentum and will plummet to your demise. Considering that this is something that Rayman 2: The Great Escape, that was released in 1999 got right, it seems strange that Kao gets this wrong, especially given the level of care evident in the tight controls and well-behaved camera. The second criticism, which really has nothing to do with gameplay, regards Kao’s accent. I guess I was expecting an Aussie accent, and always found it jarring whenever Kao opened his mouth out came what sounded like a young American with a blocked nose.
All in all, Kao the Kangaroo is a solid entry in the 3D platforming genre. While it probably won’t hold much appeal for older gamers looking for a challenge and something with a more mature tone (unless they’re fans of the genre and want a trip down nostalgia-lane), for younger gamers, or for those looking for something to buy younger gamers, this is definitely worth considering. ■