Kao Kangaroo is set in the great land down under, Australia, and its story tells of one kangaroo captured by a fearsome hunter. Not the Crocodile Hunter, mind you, but a hunter nonetheless, leading players to expect, perhaps, a game akin to those played by that maniacal brute on Animal Planet. But before gamers start polishing up their machetes, expectations should be kept a bit in check.
First, the Crocodile Hunter cozies up against his continent's most venomous reptiles with nary a protective fiber in place. Kao Kangaroo... well, Kao doesn't. Second, the Crocodile Hunter wrestles hundreds of unadulterated, writhing pounds of pure crocodile flesh with his bare body and no weapons but his formidable chest hair. Again, Kao Kangaroo doesn't (evidently, Kao doesn't have any chest hair). And last, the Crocodile Hunter's target audience comprises armchair safari-goers and wannabe survivalists. Kao Kangaroo's target audience is made up, most likely, of children under the age of seven.
Still, all things considered, Kao Kangaroo promises some pretty exciting stuff. The hops, punches and tail smacks are in, and Kao looks to be on its way to some good kangaroo-hopping fun. The chipper little marsupial, the story goes, has been abducted by the evil Hunter, so Kao must make his way through the levels, fighting foes, collecting coins and defeating bosses as he struggles to return to his homeland. Realtime movies that develop this story are promised, and a "unique" audio soundtrack should make the journey a thrilling one (though currently Kao's tunes are of the simply synthesized lounge variety -- pleasing to the ear, no doubt, but not particularly "unique").
The preview version of Kao Kangaroo boasts worlds that are beautifully rendered and gorgeously lit, with nice textures and backgrounds. The layout is creative and fun, and from the looks of the 25 levels and 21 hidden bonus levels, players won't tire easily of the visual variety and interesting level architecture the game presents. Kao's motion is currently a bit erratic and slow -- it seems that Kao currently doesn't run, only hops and jumps -- but control is easy to figure out. The third-person perspective and camera are adequate; some work is still needed to minimize the delay while the camera adjusts to an unexpected change in Kao's direction.
Gameplay so far is simple and straightforward. Kao hops and jumps to his little kangaroo heart's content. The coins he picks up along the way help him buy powerups (alligators, hang gliders, motorboats, snowboards and a space scooter are promised) and earn bonus lives, which will definitely come in handy should Kao fall to a fiery death in a pit of lava on his way. Throughout each level the plucky kangaroo faces pools of lava, deep canyons, spiky boulders and, among other nemeses, a lollipop-wielding wild boar. Kao currently has two attacks: an uppercut and a spinning tail punch. Both are effective in destroying his enemies, and when Kao gets the other promised melee attacks and combos, he'll be one killer kangaroo.
So Kao Kangaroo ain't the Crocodile Hunter, but as this game shapes up, it's sure to promise loads of fun for seven-year-olds everywhere. Kao does, however, deserve to earn something in the game he can put in his pouch (whether the coins he gathers or just his Men At Work mix tape). This unique anatomical reality should be exploited to its fullest, and then Kao Kangaroo will be a gaming experience not to be missed.
