Grapple Dog Review

Grapple Dog is a 2D platformer that was released on 10th February 2022; it was developed by Medallion Games and published by Super Rare Originals. I played it on the Nintendo Switch, but it’s also on PC. You play as Pablo, a puppy who embarks on a quest to stop the evil robot Null from destroying the world. The grappling hook mechanic is unique, and all controls feel responsive. Every challenge has bouncy platforms, blue blocks, and conveyor belts. Once you get far enough in the story, the developer builds on these concepts extensively.

Thankfully, it’s all concise and easy to understand. Each level has a unique gimmick, which added to the enjoyment. As I love to test my skills in a platformer, this was an extra special treat. The final bosses are an even better example because each encounter starts with a whole level’s worth of platforming. It was also wise to make hazards easily understandable with thorns and red pillars warning the player of impending danger. Throughout the entirety of this sidescroller, the challenges were all well-designed, super enjoyable, and a blast to play.

Let’s talk about what you’ll be collecting during your journey. The gems are the key to unlocking stages, and I can see this annoying those who don’t like having to explore every nook and cranny. For me, though, the levels were so well crafted that I never cared. Fruit, on the other hand, is only used for beating the game to 100% completion. It’s never necessary to get any fruit, but I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t satisfying, and it’s something a player should be doing in a platformer anyway. When Pablo dies, a burst of fruit shoots up from underneath him, taunting the player about their mistake.

There are lots of little details sprinkled throughout, such as when the game is left idle, Pablo starts dancing. Your home base is a boat used by the hero and crew to traverse the globe; if you regularly visit, you will find Toni and The Professor passing time. You can talk to them too, and they always have something interesting to say. The writing got a few laughs out of me. Everyone talks in little chirps with words displayed in a text box. It’s all super cute.

The pixel art is excellent, and there was an emphasis on backgrounds; this aspect helped sell the vacation atmosphere and added to my immersion. Grapple Dog’s soundtrack mainly consists of decent tracks, but the final boss theme was especially good. The visuals and sounds are perfect for traversing the tricky platforming segments. I noticed the sound effects, but nothing in this area felt out of place, which is impressive.

Speaking of difficulty, I wouldn’t say it was unbearable, but sometimes I had to squeeze the controller a little tighter while clearing a tricky section. For the less experienced, infinite jumps and invincibility are an option. I initially was a bit put off by how easy it is to discover these features, as I feel it could potentially allow lazy players to beat Grapple Dog without much of a hassle. There isn’t any punishment for using these options either, as the final level is the same no matter what. Although, players will only discover it if they’re looking through the menus, so it wouldn’t matter if they’re not having any difficulties in the first place. I never needed to seek any of it out, but I was offended by how easy it is for someone to use these features without repercussions.

Grapple Dog also crashed in one of the later levels while I was looking for a gem to reach the final boss. Thankfully, all I had to do was restart the level. There were also a few stutters during gameplay, and it would’ve been nice to have these issues ironed out before the game launched. At least none of these problems negatively affected my overall experience, though. It was fun from beginning to end.

I enjoyed Grapple Dog quite a lot; you probably could’ve guessed that by now. However, it isn’t perfect, there could’ve been more substantial punishments for players who take the easy way out, and the performance could’ve used some smoothing out. Other than that, though, I had a great time with this game. It won’t revolutionise the platforming genre, but it’s still a solid 2D platformer. The level design, writing, art style, characters, and music work together to create a captivating experience you should not pass up. If you’re a fan of platformers, make sure you check this one out. You won’t regret it.