A sport with its sense of humour baked into its core, KinnikuNeko: Tremendous Muscle Cat layers its signature goofiness over basic 2D platformer mechanics. The silliness kicks off earlier than the sport even begins; an elaborate and dramatic trailer introduces the setting and story and definitely units the tempo for the chaos as a consequence of unfold.
You play because the titular KinnikoNeku, a small cat that may rework into an extremely muscular bodybuilder with the assistance of magic underwear. You might be needed for seize by antagonist aliens which might be within the technique of taking on the world, pursuing you and your baby companions across the ravaged planet. You turn between enjoying because the cat, who can sprint and scale partitions to entry completely different areas, and the bodybuilder, who can assault the invading aliens littering the world.
Your journey takes you thru a variety of 2D platformer ranges, starting from cities within the technique of being overrun by invaders, to high school halls, to seashores. These aren’t terribly difficult, requiring solely fundamental platforming abilities. You run, you bounce, you assault aliens blocking your means, you turn between varieties to search out hidden areas. As soon as a degree is full, you may return and replay it. This isn’t vital, however there are secrets and techniques hidden behind—as an example, monumental stone blocks that may solely be damaged when you’ve constructed up your power to a excessive sufficient degree.
The platformer ranges are break up up by boss ranges wherein you deal with the alien leaders face to face. Once more, these match a reasonably basic platformer type. Every boss has its personal particular strikes and a sample of assault that it constantly follows. They don’t have well being bars, however remembering their strikes so you may ration your individual well being isn’t massively troublesome.
Alongside the alien invasion, KinnikuNeko: Tremendous Muscle Cat tells a narrative of friendship in opposition to the percentages. Lengthy cutscenes exhibiting the core characters bonding and standing up for one another are sprinkled by the sport, giving the story an emotional coronary heart. The gravity of the narrative fluctuates between being a matter of maximum urgency and taking a again seat to squaring off in opposition to faculty bullies. This may be jarring, however it matches with the sport’s usually bizarre and chaotic ambiance.
KinnikuNeko’s bodybuilder muscle tissues are rendered in intense element—as are the minute options of the overtly sexualised alien invaders. Your assault transfer will not be in contrast to the pose of an underwear mannequin. Performing your particular transfer triggers a close-up in your magical bulging underpants. Loads of effort has gone into discovering any occasion the place the sport’s foolish sense of humour will be injected. At occasions, it may possibly border on juvenile, however the sport is a comfortably concise size so the crudeness doesn’t overstay its welcome.