Grapple Dog Reviews

Grapple Dog is ranked in the 75th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
8 / 10.0
Feb 10, 2022

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.

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8 / 10
Feb 10, 2022

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.

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8 / 10
Feb 10, 2022

Grapple Dog combines some fantastic 2D platforming with an awesome grappling hook mechanic that's a cinch to pick up n' play.

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GameGrin
Top Critic
8 / 10.0
Sep 11, 2022

Grapple Dog is a charming and inventive 2D platformer with a solid foundation that's not afraid to ramp up the challenge when needed. It still needs some work in the performance and accessibility departments, but fans of the genre should still check it out.

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Feb 16, 2022

I'm not the world's biggest fan of platformers, but I very much warmed to Grapple Dog. The thought and passion that went into every element of the experience is explicit, and it's hard not to fall for its wiles and charms. I do think the developers lost sight a little of how they wanted people to play this game, as the speedrunning quality of the movement system does feel at odds with the way the game also asks you to carefully explore levels, but that's really splitting hairs here. Grapple Dog is a bold, confident, and often inspired take on a genre that is as oversaturated as they come.

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8 / 10.0
Sep 22, 2021

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.

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8.4 / 10.0
Feb 9, 2022

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.

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8.5 / 10.0
Feb 12, 2022

Grapple Dog is a lot of fun, and for platform fans new or old it should provide plenty of entertainment. But the concept doesn’t push the ingenuity slider high enough, and many of its other tricks have been used aplenty elsewhere.

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90 / 100
Feb 15, 2022

There are few things that Grapple Dog can't do well: it has a very solid and addictive gameplay that will keep us glued to the screen for hours, an elaborate level design with many secrets to discover, a unique visual style and a lot of replayability. A real must have for fans of platform games.

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9 / 10.0
Feb 9, 2022

Grapple Dog is an approachable platformer with enough depth in its central mechanics to encourage replayability and mastery.

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9 / 10.0
Feb 9, 2022

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.

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9 / 10.0
Feb 15, 2022

Grapple Dog is an adorable, challenging platformer with a lot of content for the price. It's a great filler if you're waiting on some of the bigger 2022 titles to be released, or if you're wanting a game to play with the kids. I highly recommend checking it out!

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4.5 / 5.0
Feb 11, 2022

Grapple Dog is a fantastic platformer that nails just about everything it tries to do.

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9 / 10
Feb 15, 2022

Grapple Dog isn't quite perfect. We feel that more could have been done with the grapple itself, as it's a little restrictive in its application. A less friendly, more freeform approach would interfere to an extent with the tight level design, but it would still be cool for speedrunners if the grapple really let them cut loose. That's pretty nitpicky, though, because developer Medallion does precisely what it sets out to do — deliver an unpretentious platformer that's a hell of a lot of fun to play.

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Mar 31, 2022

Even though Grapple Dog is just one 2D platformer in a sea of them, I believe this can be your one diamond in the rough. It’s a game that feels responsive and is relatively easy for anyone to pick up and play. It isn’t a cakewalk, though, and you will find challenges ahead, but at the same time, you’re going to soak up the bright colors and the fun story, placing this near the top of your lists.

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Unscored
Feb 9, 2022

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.

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Unscored
Feb 9, 2022

A cute yet frustrating platformer, with a grappling hook that can't quite do the business on levels mired in frustrating repetition.

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Recommended
Feb 9, 2022

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.

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Essential
Mar 2, 2022

Inspired by Nintendo’s Game Boy and Game Boy Advance era of platformers, Grapple Dog spends its time keen on swinging its way to victory as it never strays from properly exploring one leading mechanic.

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