A cute game where you play as a dog with a grapple hook… badass! He can swing on certain objects which makes you feel a bit like spider-man zooming through levels finding collectibles and going through a good variety of obstacles and new mechanics.
Unfortunately to me there are a couple major issues with the game. The locking on for the grapple hook can be extremely spotty, so you often are trying to hook onto something small but it just won’t work for whatever reason. This isn’t a huge issue early on but when the game gets harder later it becomes a frustrating experience. It’s made worse by the fact you can tell grapple dog was meant to be grappling and wall jumping, cause the other simple platforming actions just don’t feel quite right, such as controlling where you are landing or trying to do some finely tuned platforming. A slow down in progression later in the game paired along with some annoying boss fights makes this game ultimately suffer as it gets further along, but luckily there is still some fun to be had.
Unfortunately to me there are a couple major issues with the game. The locking on for the grapple hook can be extremely spotty, so you often are trying to hook onto something small but it just won’t work for whatever reason. This isn’t a huge issue early on but when the game gets harder later it becomes a frustrating experience. It’s made worse by the fact you can tell grapple dog was meant to be grappling and wall jumping, cause the other simple platforming actions just don’t feel quite right, such as controlling where you are landing or trying to do some finely tuned platforming. A slow down in progression later in the game paired along with some annoying boss fights makes this game ultimately suffer as it gets further along, but luckily there is still some fun to be had.
A great little platformer with rock-solid, perfectly challenging level design, stylized and colorful graphics, a funky fresh soundtrack, the only downside being that some of the very final levels time trials can be brutally punishing. Yet, I can't recommend this game enough!
A 2D platformer about a dog and its grappling hook, that looks pretty and polished in its pixel art, has quite a few good instrumental tracks, and throws in referential video game humor for good measure. Unfortunately, the grappling mechanic doesn't work the best as it only shoots in 3 directions, and both it and the jumping feel floaty, leading to the time trials being quite frustrating. Also, you may need to collect gems twice before boss fights in case they don't save, or be aware of crashes while restarting a level.
At least you can pet the dog.
At least you can pet the dog.
fantastic. peak fiction honestly
Very endearing, super simple platformer. Really well polished, fun central mechanic. So very GBA-like to have 3 buttons and a d-pad control everything. I got that feeling I normally get with games where I felt a real compulsion to hoover up every stray fruit and gem, and it felt really good collecting everything and slowly figuring out levels.
Brutal difficulty spikes though. Sometimes I found myself having to put my Switch down for the night and attempt a level the next day because it was frustrating me so much lol. A lot of little moments that just felt like total BS, and it's not the chill slightly easy platformer I initially thought it would be. But it was a fun time.
Ran like ass for a 2D platformer with a bunch of slowdown (and the game crashed the instant I beat the final boss which has led to me just abandoning my effort to 100% it because fuck that. I seriously thought it was a meta game element at first but nope, it just crapped out on me and didn't save.), but it was made by one person so I'm very willing to go easy on that part.
Brutal difficulty spikes though. Sometimes I found myself having to put my Switch down for the night and attempt a level the next day because it was frustrating me so much lol. A lot of little moments that just felt like total BS, and it's not the chill slightly easy platformer I initially thought it would be. But it was a fun time.
Ran like ass for a 2D platformer with a bunch of slowdown (and the game crashed the instant I beat the final boss which has led to me just abandoning my effort to 100% it because fuck that. I seriously thought it was a meta game element at first but nope, it just crapped out on me and didn't save.), but it was made by one person so I'm very willing to go easy on that part.
One GBA-ass platformer
To give you an example of how bad the difficulty spike is, I thought the final boss was easier then the last two worlds.
Was gonna give this an 8/10 but then the difficulty spike sucker punches you in the face and then continues to go up.
Other than that, great visual style, simple but effective story, fun characters, great use of the mechanics. Also loved how pretty much every single level introduced some new object or enemy, kept it fresh.
Something positive I will say about the difficulty is that most of it still feels accomplishable, and to say I felt great after beating some of these levels would be an understatement.
Overall, good game that I would recommend but also warn of the difficulty spike.
Was gonna give this an 8/10 but then the difficulty spike sucker punches you in the face and then continues to go up.
Other than that, great visual style, simple but effective story, fun characters, great use of the mechanics. Also loved how pretty much every single level introduced some new object or enemy, kept it fresh.
Something positive I will say about the difficulty is that most of it still feels accomplishable, and to say I felt great after beating some of these levels would be an understatement.
Overall, good game that I would recommend but also warn of the difficulty spike.
This game appeals to me on some core level by evoking two games I'm ridiculously fond of without actually being much like either title. The first is Ninja Cop (Ninja Five-O to some), the absolute king of grappling hook games, one of the most enjoyable gameplay experiences for the Game Boy Advance. The second is Go Go Beckham! Adventures on Soccer Island, one of the most visually pleasant and fun experiences for the Game Boy Advance. To remind me of both of these lesser known gems from a very specific and formative time in my gaming life is a heck of an achievement, and meant I was willing to give this every chance under the sun.
That it then turned out to be a fantastic game in its own right, with some of the cutest designs and most pleasing game feel I've ever encountered is a nice bonus, really.
The grapple physics feel great, and the range of the hook is generous enough to allow for a lot of saves whenever the momentum isn't enough or you leap out at the wrong time. The slam is a useful secondary tool, that you have a lot more commitment to (more than once I threw myself with some force between two different bounce pads I could have safely ricocheted off), but a rapid jump can still save your bacon now and then, and generous health drops and well-placed checkpoints mean that a foolish platforming mistake is never TOO painful.
Boss fights are so-so, but still maintain enough of the core mechanics to leave some fun to be found, and the briefness of them means you're never far from another level, or one of the exquisite bonus stages that challenge you to either collect, platform, or commit robocide at some speed in increasingly challenging layouts that make you feel like a champion for getting through.
Grapple Dog is a good dog. A good game. I meant a good game. Be a good game, sit. Stay. Installed in my library in case I ever brave the time trials.
(I suspect I will use the fantastic accessibility options to turn them into a rapid fire goofy revisit of the levels if I do, mind)
That it then turned out to be a fantastic game in its own right, with some of the cutest designs and most pleasing game feel I've ever encountered is a nice bonus, really.
The grapple physics feel great, and the range of the hook is generous enough to allow for a lot of saves whenever the momentum isn't enough or you leap out at the wrong time. The slam is a useful secondary tool, that you have a lot more commitment to (more than once I threw myself with some force between two different bounce pads I could have safely ricocheted off), but a rapid jump can still save your bacon now and then, and generous health drops and well-placed checkpoints mean that a foolish platforming mistake is never TOO painful.
Boss fights are so-so, but still maintain enough of the core mechanics to leave some fun to be found, and the briefness of them means you're never far from another level, or one of the exquisite bonus stages that challenge you to either collect, platform, or commit robocide at some speed in increasingly challenging layouts that make you feel like a champion for getting through.
Grapple Dog is a good dog. A good game. I meant a good game. Be a good game, sit. Stay. Installed in my library in case I ever brave the time trials.
(I suspect I will use the fantastic accessibility options to turn them into a rapid fire goofy revisit of the levels if I do, mind)
ruff around the edges.
Great game, very cute, super fun physics, draws well deserved comparisons to Kuru Kuru Kururin and physics based flash games. Who the fuck hurt you to make the end of the game like that though?
Grapple Dog has charming art style and a clever concept, but unpolished physics ultimately make it a frustrating experience. I enjoyed the first few worlds but once the levels become more demanding, the controls are not precise enough to keep pace.
The game offers some accessibility options like no damage and extra jumps, but the swinging still brings down the experience. The amount of collectibles required to advance also becomes a roadblock for those just wanting to power through to the end.
The game offers some accessibility options like no damage and extra jumps, but the swinging still brings down the experience. The amount of collectibles required to advance also becomes a roadblock for those just wanting to power through to the end.
Grapple Dog is a fantastic platformer that more people should play that only barely falls short of 5 stars.
The graphics are always pleasant to look at, and the few cutscenes in the game (along with the 100% one) are nice.
The gameplay is nice and fluid, with the grappling hook always being fun to use. Its momentum can be a bit hard to figure out at first, but I feel like by the end I knew all about using it (aside from a speedy short jump I pulled off several times I have no clue how to actually do). My only issue with the gameplay is just the level design - don't be surprised if you go checking out a path for gems only for it to actually be the main path and to have blocked you from backtracking, or realizing you missed a gem and you have to restart or replay the whole level. By the end, there's also several moments where you have to sit and wait for platforms to move, killing any momentum you had going with your platforming. Most of the boss fight levels also just consist of waiting, where you have to sit and dodge a projectile or 2 until eventually the game lets you use your grappling hook to get to a weak point and hit it. The few exceptions to this are the first boss, a boss at the very end, and the world 4 boss (which takes fewer hits and uses the grappling hook mechanic way better than most of the other bosses).
Another weak point of the game is the story and characters - not like you should be going into a platformer expecting much, but the characters and story can each be summed up in a single sentence if you really wanted to, with the most complex character having around a dozen lines total.
The final issue with the game is just the music. The songs are good, but there's only one per world and they all seem to loop pretty quickly. For most of my experience, I just threw on some Youtube playlists to keep my sanity intact.
While this might seem like a critical review for 4.5/5, it's because I think that Grapple Dog is a great game with problems that, if solved, could make Grapple Dog 2 (or Grapple Dog DLC? not sure where they're going) a classic. The gameplay is there, there's several interesting sequel hooks within the game they could use, and there's a few moments in levels where the grappling hook platforming really gets to shine and the game feels like it could be a classic. In fact, just having every boss fight be similar to the three specific ones I mentioned would be a huge step up since you get to actually engage in the game's platforming during them instead of standing in a box and moving to the left and right to dodge stuff.
tl;dr please buy Grapple Dog and give the creator money so he makes Grapple Dog 2, the celeste of Grapple Dog games
also FYI the base controls aren't that great (at least for keyboard & mouse), make sure you rebind them as soon as you can.
The graphics are always pleasant to look at, and the few cutscenes in the game (along with the 100% one) are nice.
The gameplay is nice and fluid, with the grappling hook always being fun to use. Its momentum can be a bit hard to figure out at first, but I feel like by the end I knew all about using it (aside from a speedy short jump I pulled off several times I have no clue how to actually do). My only issue with the gameplay is just the level design - don't be surprised if you go checking out a path for gems only for it to actually be the main path and to have blocked you from backtracking, or realizing you missed a gem and you have to restart or replay the whole level. By the end, there's also several moments where you have to sit and wait for platforms to move, killing any momentum you had going with your platforming. Most of the boss fight levels also just consist of waiting, where you have to sit and dodge a projectile or 2 until eventually the game lets you use your grappling hook to get to a weak point and hit it. The few exceptions to this are the first boss, a boss at the very end, and the world 4 boss (which takes fewer hits and uses the grappling hook mechanic way better than most of the other bosses).
Another weak point of the game is the story and characters - not like you should be going into a platformer expecting much, but the characters and story can each be summed up in a single sentence if you really wanted to, with the most complex character having around a dozen lines total.
The final issue with the game is just the music. The songs are good, but there's only one per world and they all seem to loop pretty quickly. For most of my experience, I just threw on some Youtube playlists to keep my sanity intact.
While this might seem like a critical review for 4.5/5, it's because I think that Grapple Dog is a great game with problems that, if solved, could make Grapple Dog 2 (or Grapple Dog DLC? not sure where they're going) a classic. The gameplay is there, there's several interesting sequel hooks within the game they could use, and there's a few moments in levels where the grappling hook platforming really gets to shine and the game feels like it could be a classic. In fact, just having every boss fight be similar to the three specific ones I mentioned would be a huge step up since you get to actually engage in the game's platforming during them instead of standing in a box and moving to the left and right to dodge stuff.
tl;dr please buy Grapple Dog and give the creator money so he makes Grapple Dog 2, the celeste of Grapple Dog games
also FYI the base controls aren't that great (at least for keyboard & mouse), make sure you rebind them as soon as you can.
A throwback to the GBA with its presentation and soundtrack that sadly falls far short due to some incredibly frustrating physics. Trying to land where you want in this game is next to impossible and it feels like the heaviness or mass was accidentally tuned up to 10.
It's disappointing because there's a great game hidden in here with the grappling hook taken full advantage of, but I felt like I was wrestling with the controls for the entire 4/5 hour playthrough.
It's disappointing because there's a great game hidden in here with the grappling hook taken full advantage of, but I felt like I was wrestling with the controls for the entire 4/5 hour playthrough.
A beautifully crafted game that I've unfortunately struggled to get hooked on. The Grapple Dog's controls and animations feel satisfying, and in theory, this alone should make for a great platformer. But from the early stages I just didn't feel like the mechanics were being utilized in a way that engaged me, or urged me towards mastery. I'm not opposed to coming back someday, but I think it might take a friend's recommendation to persuade me.
I really wanted to like this and then I realized I was trying to make myself enjoy it when I just wanted to finish it so I could move it on backloggd. The music is soooo good, it reminds me of if Hideki Nagamuma did the soundtrack for the Japanese version of Undercover Cops. The visual style is so cute. But the dog handles like a lead balloon. He's so floaty but it's so hard to recalibrate a jump midair. I felt like I was fighting the game itself instead of the enemies in it.
+ Fun grapple mechanic
+ Lots of content
+ Satisfying 100% requirements
+ Good difficulty curve
- Repetitive music
- Unable to backtrack after certain checkpoints
- Most bosses felt like formalities
- Some audio & stuttering bugs
+ Lots of content
+ Satisfying 100% requirements
+ Good difficulty curve
- Repetitive music
- Unable to backtrack after certain checkpoints
- Most bosses felt like formalities
- Some audio & stuttering bugs
Fast and snappy, this momentum-based 2D platformer plays and looks like a long lost Gameboy Advance game. The challenging level design follows Mario's mantra of trying a new mechanic each level, and the chunky, bright pixel art is a pleasure to look at. The very repetitive soundtrack and slightly wonky controls bring this down a touch for me, but a solid little title to spend a few hours with.
Grapple dog is amazing! More people need to play this game. It’s got that thing going like Mario games do where they introduce game design in a low stakes way and up the stakes with them even combining gameplay elements. It’s a true joy to play through. I love that’s it very much feels like GBA game. Feels very chunky and scratchy! Just feels good. Highly recommend this game.
first played on Switch. its really fun except for the fact it crashed immediately after the final boss
Grapple Dog is polished to a sparkle. It's really a blast to play, it just instantly feels fun, and the level design is effortlessly intuitive. The pixel art is SO CLEAN too, it's kind of mesmerizing.
My biggest issues with the game lay with the gameplay itself. I've seen some other comments mentioning the motion feeling off somehow, but honestly I got used to it as the game went, although specifically when Pablo is in his rolled-up ball animation, he really does tend to fly around at the touch of a button and becomes way too hard to control precisely, which is sometimes required. My bigger issue was with the grappling hook, which unfortunately is kind of the core of the game.
The grappling hook has three angles: up, up-left, and up-right. I don't think this ever felt right. It forces you to make shots at weird angles when you'd rather just tilt it a bit more this way or that way. This is one of those things that's not really meaningful to someone who hasn't played the game, so I'll leave it at that.
One other major game design issue that I'm still confused about: checkpoints don't work like they do in... every other game. And by that I mean, if you touch a checkpoint, it doesn't save your progress, and it doesn't heal you. It only works once. This sounds like a little nitpick, but it seriously messed with my playthrough several times in ways that made me restart a level when I was 80% done with it. This is because if you hit a checkpoint, then go back and collect some gems or fruits, if you die before hitting another checkpoint, you have to redo it all. Even worse, the level might block you from going back after you die because certain gates will reset. It's also just frustrating to lose health right next to a checkpoint and instead of being able to quickly touch it and get going once again, I would often just die on purpose or open the menu to restart at the checkpoint, which just felt so unnecessary. Very odd choice that I saw no benefit from.
Other than some gameplay flaws, it's a really, really solid platformer that is so easy to get into and hardly needs any carrots-on-sticks to get you playing more.
My biggest issues with the game lay with the gameplay itself. I've seen some other comments mentioning the motion feeling off somehow, but honestly I got used to it as the game went, although specifically when Pablo is in his rolled-up ball animation, he really does tend to fly around at the touch of a button and becomes way too hard to control precisely, which is sometimes required. My bigger issue was with the grappling hook, which unfortunately is kind of the core of the game.
The grappling hook has three angles: up, up-left, and up-right. I don't think this ever felt right. It forces you to make shots at weird angles when you'd rather just tilt it a bit more this way or that way. This is one of those things that's not really meaningful to someone who hasn't played the game, so I'll leave it at that.
One other major game design issue that I'm still confused about: checkpoints don't work like they do in... every other game. And by that I mean, if you touch a checkpoint, it doesn't save your progress, and it doesn't heal you. It only works once. This sounds like a little nitpick, but it seriously messed with my playthrough several times in ways that made me restart a level when I was 80% done with it. This is because if you hit a checkpoint, then go back and collect some gems or fruits, if you die before hitting another checkpoint, you have to redo it all. Even worse, the level might block you from going back after you die because certain gates will reset. It's also just frustrating to lose health right next to a checkpoint and instead of being able to quickly touch it and get going once again, I would often just die on purpose or open the menu to restart at the checkpoint, which just felt so unnecessary. Very odd choice that I saw no benefit from.
Other than some gameplay flaws, it's a really, really solid platformer that is so easy to get into and hardly needs any carrots-on-sticks to get you playing more.
cute polar bears
ruff
Pues me ha gustado bastante, la verdad. Es un juego de plataformas con mucho carisma, estilo y que tiene muy buen diseño de niveles que se vuelve cada vez más y más desafiante. Cuesta quizás un poco pillarle el tranquillo a las físicas en ciertos momentos y hay algunas secciones molestas pero creo que el conjunto funciona muy bien y dura bastante más de lo que me esperaba, para bien. El primer tercio es pura crema de lo fluido y bien que se juega.
I really liked the first third or so of this. The music and art are great and give some cool WarioWare-esque vibes which I'm really into. The problems come starting around world 3, where there's an unfortunate combination of really bad performance slowdown and difficulty spike. I died many times because the game was hitching too much too read my controller inputs. By the end I was just glad to have finished it. A more polished sequel could be great!
I felt like i was grappling with the grapple hook
Grapple Dog looks the part, sounds the part, even plays the part, but there is always something that feels off about it. It is heavy and the way momentum interacts with the speed caps is strange. As the game goes on its crack show even more, moving elements are slow and either spawn too early leaving them out of sync or pop in as soon as you get near them. It is a very polished first half which hides a second that is barely being kept together.
You can pet the Dog.
Grapple Dog! Wonderfully cute platformer with kickass music and charming story. Movement-wise, it's a bit stiff... but in a good way? The level design and mechanics around the movement really serve it in a fun way.
It's charming, and the music makes me wanna groove, but holy fuck why does he control like that? The momentum just feels waaay too heavy
Quite a fun 2d platformer that honestly hearkened back to the GBA era. Art style definitely reminded me of a few certain games like part time UFO, among others. Game was cute, funny, has a lot of collectibles, everything needed for a platformer of this caliber. Would recommend!