Overview – developed by Medallion Games and published by Super Rare Originals, Grapple Dogs: Cosmic Canines is the follow up to the breakout adventure about a Dog and his grappling hook. As Pablo, go on an interdimensional adventure to save the cosmos, accompanied by Luna, a mysterious pup that has a mastery of weaponry. This title is available on Nintendo Switch, Steam and Xbox Series, with a link to each version of the game at the bottom of this review.
Disclaimer: before I get into the review, I would like to thank Super Rare Originals for providing the copy of Grapple Dogs: Cosmic Canines that was used for this piece, via the Keymailer Service. The provision of this software has not influenced the contents of this review, all thoughts and opinions contained within are my own.
Now with the introductions out of the way, let’s get into the review, starting with the story. I will be covering the game in a general way, as I don’t want to spoil some of the surprises that the game has for players. Please note, I will be calling the game Grapple Dogs for the sake of brevity.
Story – Pablo, the adventurous Grapple Dog sets off on an adventure with his friends, looking for a Cosmic Gateway that came to him in a dream. Upon discovering that it is real, Pablo and his friends are transported to a distant world, meeting the Beyonders who keep balance in the Cosmos. While exploring Vyr appears, invading the dimension to try and take over. During this invasion, Pablo is rescued by Luna, and now the two of them must stop Vyr and save the Cosmos.
Gameplay – Grapple Dogs is a fast paced platforming adventure, where the objective of each stage is to reach the goal and destroy the Goo Generator. Both of the characters share a single unified trait, they are Grapple Dogs, with the ability to use their grappling hook to swing from point to point. The grapple has a momentum system, where swinging and adjusting the length can allow for further leaps. They can also wall jump, allowing them to reach higher points.
The stages for this game have two distinct styles of play, split between Pablo and Luna. As Pablo is an acrobatic pup, he can run, jump and bounce across the various platforms. With each jump, Pablo tucks himself into a ball, which can allow him to slam down and break boxes below him, while also taking out enemies. Pablo can also use a punch, which allows him to dash across the ground, as well as the ability to break boxes in front of him.
Then we have Luna, who is a fearless run and gun warrior. She is tough and armed with a blaster called the Rattler, using it to break barriers, shoot down jars and take out the Goo Goons that appear. The player can control the gun, firing in all directions and there is also an aim assist, letting the player hit enemies in awkward positions. Luna can also dash, allowing her to cover gaps in either a straight line, or diagonally for enhanced manoeuvrability.
The gameplay is split between 6 worlds, each with multiple stages to challenge. There are two types of stages that can be challenged, with Platforming stages and challenge stages. When playing the Platforming stages, there are items hidden throughout them. These consist of three special Gems, as well as a chest with a special item inside. If the player can collect all of the items, they will unlock a special reward, the ability to pet Pablo and Luna during the ranking screen.
Alongside the standard platforming stages there are the special time trial challenges. These put the player on a special time based challenge, with three time limits for a medal. The challenges include destroying targets and racing to the goal, completing these challenges will provide the player with a medal and a Gem. The platforming stages can also have time trial stages, letting them challenge to earn medals for beating the target times.
There are stages that will have special gimmicks tied to them, Pablo can harness the powers of the elements. By picking up special gems, Pablo can interact with stage elements like electricity, allowing him to traverse dangerous environments. Then there is Luna, who can pick up special weapons like the flame thrower, which can burn away tangled thorny vines. These power-ups last for the stage they appear in, only lasting until the player reaches the goal or a set point.
Going back to the Gems, they are critical to the completion of the different worlds. Each of the worlds is made up of gates separated into different sub areas, connected together that Pedro’s friends sail through. The gates that lead to the different areas have Gem requirements, needing to hit the required amount before the player can pass them. By opening all of the gates, the player will be able to access the boss of the world.
Each of the worlds have a boss that either Pablo or Luna will battle, these are challenging encounters that will have multiple phases. During the battles, the Goo commander will have unique mechanics, making full use of the skills that the Grapple Dogs use. By defeating the boss, the player will be gain a piece of the Allkrystal, which will then open up the next area. After collecting all pieces of the Allkrystal, the player will be able to challenge the final boss.
Alongside the collection of Gems, the shards of the Allkrystal and the medals, there will be many fruits throughout the different dimensions. Collecting these fruits will be added to the total carried throughout the game. They do serve an important use, as Pablo’s girlfriend Toni operates a shop, where the player will be able to buy special items. The items are health increases, adding extra hits to Pablo and Luna, as well as special cosmetic items.
The cosmetics are split between Costumes and Grappling hooks. The costumes have designated variants for Pablo and Luna each, with different colors and even special variants that are unlocked later. The grappling hooks can be customised freely, changing them between both Luna and Pablo, with things like fruits, pointers and even emojis. This makes the game a little sillier and adding to the charm of the gameplay.
The last thing to discuss is the bonus content in this adventure. When set requirements are met, a new challenge will appear, containing multiple levels and challenges. These will be tied to the completion of the other worlds, with gates that require all of the Gems from a world to unlock. This set of additional stages enhances the overall value on offer for players, giving them something else to sink their teeth into alongside the main story.
Now with the gameplay covered, it is time to discuss the other aspects of this release, starting with the controls.
Controls – Grapple Dogs uses a relatively traditional control system, where the player controls the pups using the D-Pad or left thumbstick. For both characters, their quick movement skills, general platforming and grappling is handled with the face buttons. The weapons for Luna are controlled by the Right stick, letting the player aim across all 8 directions, shooting with the triggers. Pablo’s special elemental powers use the triggers, allowing for quick easy use.
Difficulty – in general, there is a pretty balanced and fair difficulty curve, with all of the stages being fairly easy to reach the end of. This makes it easy for players to get into the groove, but the real challenge comes from finding the Gems in a stage. Due to Gems being hidden, it can be hard to collect them all, leading to some frustration. But there is no definitive fail state, as death only causes a loss of fruit, and there are accessibility options to help players.
Presentation – this is an adorable game, using cutesy sprite work for the characters, with vibrant and colourful environments that are filled with charm. Everything flows as smooth as silk, with no issues in terms of slowdown or lag. There are cutscenes and interactions that are humorous and further add to the wonder. The sound is excellent, with Jazz Mickle providing the soundtrack, offering many memorable tracks and beats that really bring it all together.
Final Thoughts – sadly I missed out on the first Grapple Dog game, which I thought looked adorable and fun, so I was more than happy to get my hands on this sequel. The world presented is gorgeous and vibrant, offering a modern 2D platformer, with a unique identity, but feels inspired by classics of the genre. I have a great appreciation for unique platformers, both classic and modern, as there are many that feel very samey to most offerings.
There are a couple of very, very minor hiccups with the game, like the hidden items that can be difficult to find, as well as some tricky platforming. But I have to say, this is one of the better indie platforming adventures I have played in recent times. It is one of those games that can be a little frustrating at times, but can be beaten by everyone with a little time. So with that being said, I am happy to recommend this game to everyone looking for a fun platformer.
In the end, I give Grapple Dogs: Cosmic Canines a final score of 4.5/5. This is a very good and fun platforming adventure, with a cute and colourful cast of characters, an engaging play loop and lots of secrets to discover, all wrapped in an amazing soundtrack. This is a great choice for people looking to get into the platformer genre. If you want to check this game out for yourself, a link to each version of the game will be below.
Link to Steam version (HERE)
Link to Nintendo Switch version (HERE)
Link to Xbox series version (HERE)
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