Grapple Dog Reviews
Grapple Dog is an excellent proof of concept for a 2D action platformer that requires you to swing through levels and traverse through the air as an adorable pup. While I did enjoy the gameplay despite the quirky movement, I couldn't help but wish there was more, as Medallion Games are onto something fun, charming, groovy, and unique with Pablo. I hope to see this game optimized and updated for the Switch, as the gameplay issues I encountered slightly detracted from this short but sweet indie platforming gem. Need I remind you to pet Pablo every time you complete a level? Please give him all the pets; he deserves it.
Grapple Dog is an accessible, fun, and charming collectathon platformer with a great sense of challenge - but it’s missing a core driving force with missteps in narrative. As a love letter reminiscent of the beloved Game Boy Advanced library, Grapple Dog is worth sinking your hooks into.
From the beautiful visual style and catchy music to the throwback level design and tight mechanics, Grapple Dog is a blast all around. The gameplay is easy enough to pick up but difficult enough to feel rewarding, and the light-heartedly story and adorable characters round out the experience really nicely. Having watched Grapple Dog swing around social media for a long while, it’s incredibly fulfilling for me as a reviewer to finally get my hands on it and enjoy it so much - I can only imagine the sense of achievement that the Medallion Games team are feeling at creating such a wonderful experience.
with a fun mechanic at its core, harking back to the golden age of 2D platformers while giving the model a fresh coat of paint with its stylish pixel art. The music was the first thing I loved about it, but thankfully it’s more than just that: Grapple Dog certainly has style, but it’s got the substance to back it up too.
Grapple Dog's not a perfect platformer by any stretch of the imagination, but the core gameplay concept and visual design still manages to raise huge grins.
A cute yet frustrating platformer, with a grappling hook that can't quite do the business on levels mired in frustrating repetition.
Ultimately, while I did enjoy my time with Grapple Dog, it doesn't feel like it reached its full potential. There's a lot of room for replayability and improving your skill in traversing the levels, but the game feels quite slow a lot of the time due to long levels and the also long waits that come with trying again. I do think I'll come back to it at some point in short bursts to try to clean up the missing collectables, but it's not something that begs to be finished in any hurry.
To sum it up then, Grapple Dog is a great game, albeit one with more than a few elements which give me a certain amount of pause in recommending it unreservedly. For some, these issues won’t matter at all — in which case I encourage you to pick Grapple Dog up right away. For others, though, you’ll need to weigh up whether the promise of an extremely solidly designed platformer is enough to make up for a few potentially significant annoyances along the way.
I love Grapple Dog so much that I hope to see Pablo come back for many more swingin' adventures. From its fantastic 2D platforming action to its rewarding collectibles and its adorable world to its quirky cast of characters; this delightful dog has it goin' on.
Grapple Dog is an approachable platformer with enough depth in its central mechanics to encourage replayability and mastery.
Grapple Dog combines some fantastic 2D platforming with an awesome grappling hook mechanic that's a cinch to pick up n' play.
Grapple Dog is an exhilarating, fast paced 2D platformer that feels like a familiar warm hug and a nod to platforming greats such as Sonic and Super Mario. While it doesn’t do anything especially new, the game never stops surprising with its mechanics and it’s a valiant addition to the genre.
Grapple Dog is a charming and well-designed 2D platforming adventure that’s only let down by some imprecise controls and technical hiccups. I loved exploring its creative levels, uncovering its collectibles, being a part of the vibrant world, and grappling everywhere, but having to deal with some clunky jumps and long loading times could be a little frustrating. Fortunately, the quality of the adventure still makes Grapple Dog a game that’s worth checking out and there’s certainly plenty of fun to be had toppling the evil robot Nul. Just expect a few frustrations along the way as you get used to the finicky controls.
The game is clearly a labour of love and it shows, to the point where a sequel seems like a given. And so, if you’re prepared to look past Grapple Dog’s level gatekeeping, you’ll have a blast.
Grapple Dog uses charisma and lots of color to create a nice 2D adventure. Swing through the scenarios using a grappling hook is very intuitive and agile. In addition, the constant introduction of elements and hazards maintains the feeling of novelty throughout the creative stages. Some points are annoying, such as the uninteresting bosses and the jump inaccuracy in certain situations, but overall, the experience is competent. In the end, Grapple Dog captivates and is a great option for those who want to enjoy a platform game inspired by the classic 16-bits.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
With a colorful and cute look, some pretty solid level design, and a generally approachable level of challenge, Grapple Dog has quite a bit going for it...
Grapple Dog is a fantastic platformer that nails just about everything it tries to do.
Grapple Dog may look cute, but it grows more and more challenging the farther you go. It has tight, fast-paced platforming and features a ton of hidden goodies to keep you playing. If you’re at all a fan of the genre, I’d say you need to check Grapple Dog out.
Grapple Dog may not be wholly innovative, groundbreaking, and meaty, but it is a fun and bright diversion for what it's worth.
Between the cute graphics, enjoyable platforming, and terrific soundtrack, Grapple Dog is a great first offer from Super Rare Games and matches the spirit that the company projects with its selections of indie games.