Developer: Mad Gear Games Publisher: Jandusoft Release: 03/27/25 Genre: Action Also on: Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series
One thing I like about indie games that take inspiration from the classics of old is that they have had decades to study what works and what doesn’t. As a result we are getting games that may look like your retro favorites but largely avoid their more frustrating elements. Kemono Heroes is the type of action platformer that would have flown under the radar on the 16-bit platforms but become a beloved classic by any who were fortunate enough to give it a chance. With its excellent art direction, gameplay that has been razor polished to a sheen, and measured challenge this one is the perfect way to kill an afternoon alone or with friends.
The story in Kemono Heroes is a means to an end. The Moon God Tsukigami awakens and turns the inhabitants of the forest to stone with his gaze. The four animal ninja masters embark on a journey to Mt Fuji to confront him and to reverse the spell. Originally Kemono Heroes was a Nintendo Switch exclusive before releasing on Stadia of all things a few years ago. With the change in publisher from Nippon Ichi to Jandusoft it is now available on PlayStation, Windows and Xbox platforms. This is a perfect reason to revisit this great game, not that I needed the excuse. I am here to bring it to your attention.
Kemono Heroes is an homage to 16-bit gaming and achieves that goal spectacularly. The gorgeous pixel art will remind you of late generation SNES games like the Goemon series albeit in higher resolution. The aesthetic draws heavily from Japanese mythology with its cast of anthropomorphic animals decked out in samurai garb. The character designs are immaculate and the animation is superb. Literally every environment is dripping with detail with layers of scrolling three or four layers deep. In addition every time you play the environments change time of day or even season! The game throws around tons of sprites that explode spectacularly and with four players it gets incredibly chaotic. Together with the great soundtrack and you have a game that is an audible and visual treat.
Each of the four characters share a similar move set with a special move uniquely their own. Fudemaru can transform in to enemies and use their attacks. Miyuki can climb walls, Hanako can glide and slide attack and Yu can climb the various ropes in every level. In addition you receive a few ninja tools like bombs to blow up walls and a grappling hook to get around levels. The gold you acquire can upgrade various facets such as maximum health, weapon power and to purchase extra lives. Gold is abundant meaning you will be able to level up some aspect of your character a few times every level.
Your choice of character will have a direct impact on gameplay. While the general toolkit and weapons is similar across heroes their abilities and weaknesses will change your approach. Fudemaru is the most balanced and was my first choice. Hanako’s glide enables you to skip large swathes of levels. However physically she is weak; she takes massive damage from even the most common enemies and dies quickly initially. There are an extensive number of ropes and vines for Yu to climb making a play through using him interesting. Only Miyuki kind of gets the short shrift as wall climbing is not as useful next to the grappling hook.
Regardless of your hero fluid best describes the game. Between the numerous abilities such as double jumping, dive kicking, and swinging movement through the levels feels damn near poetic. This is apt as you are a group of ninjas. Beyond the tight controls the game’s pacing is impressive. There are only four worlds with three levels each but every segment is unique and presents different challenges. One moment you use cover to avoid being turned to stone and in the next you are in an auto-scrolling level atop a dragon. You get several opportunities per level to buy upgrades in preparation for the frequent boss battles. These encounters are a triumph of design as their attacks are telegraphed but still require execution. I am continually amazed with this one; they understood the assignment and created a game that not only references the 16-bit classics but surpasses most of them.
The degree of polish extends to the overall difficulty as well. The best way to describe Kemono Heroes is measured. Enemies inflict reasonable amounts of damage, life restoring food drops semi frequently, and gold is abundant. The price of upgrades is moderate allowing you to purchase a few at every shop to prepare for what’s next. No matter how hectic the action it never feels unfair; on the contrary it is welcoming. Your overall experience will vary depending on the character but I would say the normal setting might be too accommodating. I blitzed through the first half of the game so easily I forgot the game had lives!
What I just described applies to your first run. Kemono Heroes pulls a Ghouls ‘n Ghosts and has you play through the game twice. This second run is different as it takes place in the spirit world. This means previously harmless enemies are now dangerous among other changes. The enemies are more aggressive, hit harder, have new abilities and attack in greater numbers bumping up the difficulty. The bosses in particular present a greater threat and I actually found myself dying unexpectedly a few times. Yet despite that it never feels unfair and in fact a welcome challenge to overcome. This is in stark contrast to Capcom’s series where it often feels downright cruel. If you want the challenge of the game’s second run immediately hard mode is available from the start. Personally I enjoyed Kemono Heroes balance so much I did not bother.
In Closing
Kemono Heroes is a delightful action-platformer that combines nostalgic 16-bit aesthetics with engaging gameplay and cooperative fun. While it may have some minor imperfections, its charm and appeal make it a worthwhile experience for action fans in general. I cannot recommend this one enough,
