Kao the Kangaroo is one of the most unexpected announcements in some time, and it's very obviously looking to shake things up. The 3D platformer by Tate Multimedia celebrated its 20th anniversary two years ago, and the developer has decided to celebrate it by rebooting the series from the ground up. As Kao takes itself in a brand-new direction to come back from retro console obscurity, it's chosen the perfect time to make a proper splash.
Considering the series' anniversary in 2020, Tate Multimedia most likely began work on the new game in order to celebrate it that year. Interestingly enough, as another way to celebrate Kao the Kangaroo, the original trilogy was added to gog.com for PC fans to purchase. Once the games became the most widely available they had been in years, those who played the titles instantly wished there was more. With this circumstance, the new Kao the Kangaroo game was the perfect project for Tate Multimedia to be working on in secret.
Kao the Kangaroo Learns from Past Mistakes
The original Kao the Kangaroo game was met with sub-par reviews by critics back in 2000, with Kao the Kangaroo: Round 2 being received better than its predecessor. Against what critics spoke of the game, fans who played it enjoyed the fun romp it provided through the little kangaroo character. It was compared to (or even seen as a rip-off of) Crash Bandicoot, with the second title being seen as being a bit similar to Rayman 2.
Despite how Kao the Kangaroo began as a linear platformer in the same vein as Crash, the new game is much more open in scale while remaining linear, like Kao: Round 2 ended up being. The beginning of the trailer seems to hint at a hub world filled with other kangaroos and even features the rail grinding seen in Kao the Kangaroo: Mystery of the Volcano. It certainly paints an interesting picture, showing that not only has Kao returned, but also how his new game seeks to improve on the old versions while keeping what set them apart in the first place. It should prove interesting to fans and platformer enthusiasts alike to see just where the developers take Kao from here.
The Lack of Crash Bandicoot and Spyro
While it makes sense that Tate Multimedia moved to bring back Kao the Kangaroo in time for the series' anniversary, it also makes it very clear that this new game is taking inspiration from other returning platformers. In regard to Crash Bandicoot: N-Sane Trilogy and Spyro: Reignited Trilogy, Kao the Kangaroo's new title is running very similar to them in terms of art style and character design. Considering how much Tate Multimedia took inspiration from similar titles for the original games, this isn't much of a surprise.
When it comes to Crash and Spyro, though, lead development team Toys for Bob has more or less moved away from those franchises, and instead has shifted current efforts to work on Call of Duty: Warzone. While fans had been given plenty to enjoy with both of the remastered trilogy collections along with Crash 4: It's About Time, many players could still feel an itch for similar titles. With Kao the Kangaroo's new art direction, consisting of similar design schemes with whimsical bright colors, there's a strong chance that this new platformer could fill the void while new Crash and Spyro titles are missing from the market.
While it all might just be coincidental, the way everything has worked out is turning things immensely in Kao's favor. The cult hit kangaroo may end up once again bringing back the mascot platformer before the trail gets too cold in the second absence of Crash and Spyro. If the demand for the marsupial's adventures remains and pans out, then the success of Kao could lead to other cult classic platformers coming back as well.
However, all of this hinges on a very important factor, and that's if the new Kao the Kangaroo can perform well. Tate Multimedia's franchise may have been turned into a cult classic, but it and the other titles it's released review poorly on average. While this new game appears to be made with plenty of time, effort, and dedication, there's no telling how well it will be received until it's in players' hands.
Kao the Kangaroo is scheduled to release summer 2022 on PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.