I’ve said several times during this preview of Kidbash: Super Legend that I am excited for what’s coming soon. Its charm, striking visuals, and fluidity are engaging enough to give me comfort that Authentic Remixes and Fat Raccoon have something compelling in their hands. Let’s see what happens between now and next year when the game reaches our PCs and consoles.
If you haven’t yet seen Masahiro Sakurai’s YouTube Channel on creating video games, you absolutely should. It’s a delightful introspective into how one of the most prolific video game developers approaches games and designs them for everyone to enjoy. I start this preview with that statement because it seems like Indonesian studios Authentic Remixes and Fat Raccoon, developers of Kidbash: Super Legend, have not only subscribed to Sakurai’s channel but have taken his recommendations to heart in designing a game that looks stunning, plays oh-so-smoothly, and is designed to be enjoyed by multiple audiences. Oh, and it’s being published by Acclaim – you know, that same Acclaim that originally published Mortal Kombat, NBA Jam, and Burnout? They’re back and I’m thrilled to see it.
We were given the opportunity to play Kidbash for just under two hours during a closed press preview session. This preview gave me a peek into the game’s overall gameplay loop, its player hub, and one boss battle. There were some placeholders, unfinished bits, and typical bugginess, but what I was able to play has made me very excited for Kidbash’s slated 2027 release. It cannot come soon enough.
Kidbash: Super Legend’s claymation aesthetic is reminiscent of the Nintendo 64’s Kirby 64 and Yoshi’s Story. Enemies choppily walk around and other animations shuffle around just like Gumby and Wallace & Gromit. Defeating enemies sends them flying out of the screen ala Super Smash Bros.’ finishers. The backgrounds have just enough animation to look alive while adhering strongly to an aesthetic straight out of the 80s and 90s. Frankly, it’s a refreshing nostalgia bomb that sets Kidbash apart from its roguelike platforming counterparts. Despite the expected choppiness, the platforming and combat of Kidbash feels fluid – just like Cuphead does despite the old-school art style. I am fully expecting this game to win awards for its novel approach to blending fluidity with an underrepresented art style that is eye-catching yet distinct.
I didn’t get too much from the story given the restrictions on what I had accessed to, but I could surmise that there would be a degree of town- and relationship-building between Kidbash, the game’s amnesic protagonist, and the other characters. There’s also a Game-and-Watch-esque fishing minigame that’s less fishing and more of a looter. Consider me quite intrigued despite seeing very little.
It plays like a traditional roguelike with some small deviations. Kidbash, the game’s protagonist, can select two weapons for each run. I was given the option of selecting from a sword, a Mega Man-esque blaster, and throwable bombs before I was sent off to defeat enemies and dash through dangerous levels. These weapons felt pretty flexible in their use and could be upgraded throughout the run – be it with permanent damage upgrades and elemental effects (the roguelike special). I wasn’t able to get too deep into the upgrade trees (as I only was able to play through the first biome), but what I tested out felt good. It wasn’t too much of a deviation from other roguelikes, but I appreciated its presentation of showing video game cartridges as the vehicle for showcasing potential upgrades. Some levels had branching paths that contained small little rewards – I loved this approach for level design and encouraging some minor exploration. It kept levels from feeling stale and repetitive.
You could make the argument that much of the gameplay loop is safely formulaic. You could also say that it’s leaning too heavily on its visual style rather than pushing the gameplay envelope in the already oversaturated roguelike category. Sure, but I’ll counter both of those claims with the notion that in my 109 minutes of playtime, I’ve had fun and am excited to play more. I want to see what else Authentic Remixes and Fat Raccoon have up their sleeves. That’s what matters most, folks!
I’ve said several times during this preview of Kidbash: Super Legend that I am excited for what’s coming soon. Its charm, striking visuals, and fluidity are engaging enough to give me comfort that Authentic Remixes and Fat Raccoon have something compelling in their hands. Let’s see what happens between now and next year when the game reaches our PCs and consoles.
