Parents' Guide to Kao the Kangaroo

This platformer is a great resurrection of a kids' video game franchise from the 90s with a modern remake. Kao the Kangaroo has cute and wacky character designs alongside colorful, creative environments that will please players of all ages. While the dialogue and voice acting is subpar, the story and characters are characterized by a lighthearted and amusing spirit that captures the nostalgia of the 3D platformer genre. Indeed, Kao the Kangaroo is a wonderful introduction for younger kids to this kind of game. Combat feels nice with its punches, slides, and ground pounds, yet sticks to the basics with no complex combos. Other elemental abilities are brought in over time, but these are integrated with existing mechanics rather than throwing in new ones, which teaches players how to use familiar moves in different ways. Some players will be disappointed with the overall lack of depth, especially since enemies have little to no distinct weaknesses to exploit or moves to avoid. Some technical issues will also result in some annoying falls, but these are only minor gripes with the controls.

Levels have plenty of treasures and secrets as players jump up ledges and cross chasms aplenty. They can often be well hidden and accompanied by small puzzles that add a dash of optional challenge to the experience, especially with regard to the "Eternal Wells," which are bonus arenas that lightly stress the player's skills. Many classic staples of 3D platformers are present within levels, such as sections where the player dashes toward the camera away from a bulldozing enemy or slides down vines while leaning side to side and jumping to collect items. Minor glitches aside (like music cutting out on occasion or optional items not being breakable), there's very little that's original to Kao the Kangaroo's gameplay; it owes a lot to its inspirations. Even still, it distills the 3D platformer down to an essence with a casual, carefree experience that has some simple fun to offer everyone.