Kukoos Lost Pets Switch Review – Time to Save Our Precious Pets!

Welcome to the fun world of the Kukoos! Kukoos Lost Pets is a 3D action platformer from Maximum Games, Modus Games, and Petit Fabrik. It is a stunning 3D world where up to four players can enjoy and play together on a planet covered in water.

So is Kukoos Lost Pets a new 3D platforming experience that we desperately need? Or is this another failed attempt that is going to thoroughly disappoint fans of the genre? Let’s find out!

It’s Pet Day in Kukoo land, and this is a competition where the Kukoos display the skill of their wonderful pets and how coordinated they are with them. Things start off wild and fun, with Gramma doing some amazing stunts to start the competition. Once things get started, it appears that a special collar is responsible for the winner’s success, and that collar becomes the most sought after item.

Unfortunately, that collar does more harm than good, and before you know it, all of the pets are now going crazy and attacking their beloved owners! Because the pets are now obeying the evil mechanical frog now, they have unleashed all kinds of chaos upon the Kukoos. Now it is up to you and even some friends to open up the appropriate Fwiendly Doors to save the pets and put a stop to the frog once and for all.

Kukoos Lost Pets is a riot. There is a lot going on right out of the gate, and it is so much fun. The characters are varied, and everyone is voiced, which brings so much more life to the story. The premise is a bit silly, for sure, but considering the world and its inhabitants, I couldn’t see it any other way. This is a lovely world with adorable characters, and the story, albeit simple, is a fun ride that entertains to the very end.

Gameplay in Kukoos Lost Pets is similar to other 3D platformers out there, like Banjo Kazooie, and it is a fun and familiar feel, that’s for sure. The biggest problem for this genre, as is the case in most games, is depth, and this is no different in Kukoos Lost Pets. I would say the depth perception is even more deceiving here, because the camera pans out often for a wider view, and it is very difficult to see exactly where your little Kukoo is at times.

Outside of that, though, the game plays incredibly! There is tight platforming, some minor puzzle solving, and plenty of items to find as you reach the end goal, which is a key to the next stage. The stages are the perfect amount of content, which allows the player to knock out one stage in a period of roughly 10-15 minutes, so if time is tight, this is a lovely game to play on breaks on train rides. However, it is so easy to get sucked in and play multiple stages in succession without noticing.

Each stage and world is full of personality and style, and all the obstacles, enemies, and puzzles are unique to the area you are enjoying, and each stage has collectibles to find and pick up as well. Controls in Kukoos Lost Pets are rather simple, but again, like other 3D platformers, they are difficult to master. As you progress, new items and gimmicks will be introduced to keep things fresh and interesting, and by the time you reach towards the end, you will be feeling like a master of the Kukoos and their pets.

At the end of each area, there is a boss fight, and my goodness! I was surprised by this one. The bosses in Kukoos Lost Pets are on the easy side, but they are so unique and fun to fight against that I did not mind at all. You basically use the gimmick(s) learned from the area to take down the boss, and once you figure things out, it works magically. I was so happy with how the bosses turned out, and they are genuinely my favorite part of the game.

Kukoos Lost Pets looks really good, too! The character models are unique and adorable, and the stages are chock full of life, color, and personality. It is so refreshing to play an indie 3D platformer that has this much love put into it. Unfortunately, I did notice some stuttering at certain points, which got me killed a few times because of when the stuttering happened, but thankfully this is the exception. However, when it happens, it is upsetting, without question.

The soundtrack is pretty fun, but some songs do become a bit grating after a while. The voice acting is fine, but there are moments where it sounds like the voice actor was just calling it in, as certain voices tend to become lifeless at random points. Also, and this is a weird glitch, but if you hit the home button during a cutscene and return to the game, the cutscene itself will continue normally but the vocal track starts over, which makes the whole thing go out of sync. Weird stuff, but that should be an easy fix down the line.

Kukoos Lost Pets is a solid 3D platforming experience. It may not be up to the same standard as some of the greats that have come before it, but for a new potential series, there is a whole lot of promise here. The story and characters are pure fun, the gimmicks and puzzles are excellent, stages and areas are varied and entertaining, and boss fights are simply incredible. The fact that it can be enjoyed entirely with up to four players makes this an even better ticket!

Sure, Kukoos Lost Pets has its issues, mostly due to depth perception and some graphical hiccups here and there. Hopefully the stuttering and the vocal track glitch will get patched out over time, but please do not let any of this discourage you. Kukoos Lost Pets is a legit 3D platforming experience, and any fan of the genre should get excited about this one!

So get ready to save your pets and solve the mystery, because the Kukoos need your help and they are absolutely worth you time and money.

Kukoos Lost Pets Review provided by Nintendo Link
Publisher: Maximum Games, Modus Games
Developer: Petit Fabrik
Release Date: December 6th, 2022
Price: $29.99, £24.99, €29,99
Game Size: 7.7 GB