Kinnic analysis: super muscular cat

The Spanish study of Kamotachi and the editor-in-chief of Games Mashiba brings us this amusing platform video game that honors Japanese culture

We all, like more or less, consumed Japanese products at some point. From Dragon Ballonpassing through Doraém o Tibia. I remember having appreciated them as a child, one after the other. NOW, The study KamotachI pay tribute to all this Japanese work with Kinnikuneko Super Muscle CatA hilarious platform game in which we control a bodybuilder catthought of dazzling both Asian culture fans and lovers of the genre. After crossing PC last year, we now receive this great adventure on consoles. We start with your analysis.

As taken from television

The story of Kinnikuneko: Super muscle cat It's as simple as weird. We played a common cat which, after putting extraterrestrial underwear, becomes a “mamao” cat. This particular hero, known as Kinnikuneko, joins Keita, a scary and unsafe child who recalls Nobita, already lemon, an innocent young woman, to cope with an extraterrestrial invasion that sees chaos on earth.

Everything is developing in a story as fun as it is Absurdery, which could well be part of a series of Japanese animation. A special mention deserves your openingAn authentic audiovisual delight that has nothing to envy for the most recognized Japanese productions. In short, we find a simple, but extremely entertaining intrigue, full of surreal situations that will start more than a laugh, and which pays a tribute as shameless as Japanese pop culture.

Simple platforms

As for the gameplay, Kinnikuneko: Super muscle cat It is presented as a classic 2D platformBut with a rather original turn and, why not say it, too funny enough. Throughout his 19 levels, we alternate between two forms of the protagonist, one in which Kinnikuneko goes with his extraterrestrial calendars, and another in which he leaves. It may seem crazy, and it is, but it works.

When the cat is “naked”, it is more agile and light. It can climb through the walls, jump further and move ease, although it is completely helpless. On the other hand, when it becomes its muscular version, with calendars, you can attack enemies with exaggerated blows and bodybuilders that start more than a smile, but at the cost of loss of speed and mobility. This alternation mechanism between resistance and agility is well implemented and provides a variety and a rhythm at each level. It is not only a visual joke, it makes sense in the design of the game and forces you to adapt to yourself.

In addition to the classic cutting platforms sections, the game puts a variety with simple minijuegos, of those who press the buttons at full speed, which appear mainly when we want to set up training in hidden gymnasiums. Yes, you need to make weights to be a stronger cat. He has no logic, but it is so absurd that he is charming. There are also levels that completely change the recording and become a kind of shooter 2D, as if we were in a recreation from the 90s. These are short but very fun phases, which helps break the routine between platforms. And beware of final bosses. Here, the game seems a little more: the enemies are as crazy as they are imaginative, and although the difficulty is not very high, it increases enough for you to sweat a little and that you are not going to an automatic pilot.

In summary, The gameplay does not revolutionize sex, but knows how to play with their ideas and tighten them well. It is varied, it has a good rhythm and is full of small details which make progress always entertaining and with a curve of correct difficulty. The only thing attributable to this aspect is perhaps the simplicity of the design of certain levels.

Drawn directly from an animation series

Or Kinnikuneko: Super muscle cat It shines with more force is, without a doubt, in its visual and sound section. Everything is designed with a level of detail that makes the game directly from a Japanese animated series from the 90s. From protagonists to enemies and scenarios, all overflow, personality and, above all, a huge affection for Japanese culture. The animations also play a key role, are fluid, expressive and with a comic touch that perfectly corresponds to the general tone of the game.

At the sound level, the work is just as remarkable. The soundtrack is full of catchy themes, and the opening In particular, it is a jewel, it has this nostalgic air that makes you hum without realizing it, even after leaving the game. It is a nod to the anime intros that many grew up when seeing, and it works perfectly.

The dubbing also surprises for good. The game is available in Japanese, English and Spanish, and in my case I played it in our language for pure curiosity. To my surprise, the location is very well reached. The voices seem natural and the actors really manage to capture this exaggerated energy so typical of the classic animation series. It is not something that is seen every day in productions of this type, and the effort is very appreciated.

Conclusions

Kinnikuneko: Super muscle cat Above all, it is a love letter to Japanese culture, and more specifically to these series of novelty animation with which many grew up. It is a simple adventure game, yes, but with such a marked style and a shameless personality that it is difficult not to take love from the first minute.

His exaggerated aesthetic, his original characters and his catchy music give him a very particular charisma. It is not a game that has just revolutionized sex, and it is true that its level design can feel a little flat in certain sections. Who are looking for an innovative or mechanical challenge will not find it here. But what it offers is an honest, fun and very well defined experience. During the 8 hours of the adventure, you need more than a smile, surprises you with its events and transports you to a universe as absurd as Atacher. And that, in times when everything wants to be “bigger and better”, is very appreciated.