You know, when I read the words "inspired by N64-era platformers like Banjo-Kazooie and Mario 64", I sit up and pay attention. Kukoos - Lost Pets, developed by Brazilian dev house PetitFabrik, claims such immaculate inspirations, and from the look and feel of the trailers I've see, the team is on the right track as the game enters Early Access on Steam. Check it out:
Pretty fantastic, right? It looks like someone took an N64 platformer and ran it through a zillion upgrades to give it high-def visuals and modern lighting. This one is speaking to me in a big way. The story sounds like the usual platformer insanity - something about a mischievous robot frog that has kidnapped a bunch of pets from an annual festival.
As fun as the story sounds, it is the fantastic visuals and gameplay that really sing in these trailers. Some features from a recent press release:
We'll be keeping an eye on Kukoos as it moves through Early Access towards an eventual full release on Steam and Consoles in 2022. If you are interested in getting an early start retrieving your pets via the Early Access version, you can find Kukoos - Lost Pets here for $29.99.