Kao the Kangaroo: Round 2

71%
Game Brain Score Based on 1,213 reviews
  • gameplay
  • graphics
  • story
Kao the Kangaroo: Round 2 Game Cover
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Kao the Kangaroo: Round 2 is a 3D platformer game where players control Kao, a young kangaroo on a mission to find his missing sister and defeat the evil hunter. The game features various environments, from dense jungles to snowy mountains, with numerous enemies and bosses to fight. Players can collect power-ups and weapons, such as boxing gloves and boomerangs, to help them along the way.

  • PC
  • Windows
  • Nintendo Gamecube
  • Play​Station
  • Play​station 2
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

71%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,213 reviews
gameplay28 positive mentions
stability16 negative mentions
  • The game brings back nostalgic memories for many players, especially those who enjoyed platformers in the early 2000s.
  • Kao the Kangaroo: Round 2 features colorful graphics and charming character design, making it visually appealing.
  • The gameplay is fun and engaging, with a variety of levels and collectibles that keep players entertained.
  • The controls can be clunky and unresponsive at times, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences.
  • Voice acting is often criticized as being poor and lacking in quality, detracting from the overall experience.
  • The game can feel short and easy, with some players finding it lacks the challenge and depth of other platformers.
  • gameplay90 mentions

    The gameplay of "Kao the Kangaroo: Round 2" is generally described as simple and enjoyable, featuring a variety of mechanics and level designs that keep the experience fresh. While some players appreciate the nostalgic elements and vibrant graphics, others note issues with clunky controls and repetitive mechanics reminiscent of older platformers. Overall, the game offers a fun experience with diverse gameplay, though it may not reach the heights of its genre's classics.

    • “The gameplay is easy but fairly challenging parts do exist; all in all, a nice time.”
    • “This game has it all: beautiful environments, compelling gameplay, a satisfying progression system that grants you a variety of powerful ability upgrades, a cute and cartoony art style, excellent level design as well as crafty traps and various enemies that will keep you on your toes throughout the game.”
    • “It introduces a variety of mechanics and the different levels all come with their own gimmicks that keep the game feeling fresh.”
    • “Graphically they've clearly done a decent enough job of remastering an old game for modern resolutions, and it does look attractively vibrant, but this doesn't change the poor gameplay.”
    • “Some of the mechanics might feel a little clunky, though. I'm not entirely sure why developers decided to keep the most frustrating elements of every late 90s/early 2000s platformer still in the game; maybe it had something to do with the previously mentioned vintage feeling, but after the first 2 hours, it might become exhausting.”
    • “All the mechanics have been done many times before by other successful 3D platformers.”
  • graphics90 mentions

    The graphics of "Kao the Kangaroo: Round 2" have received mixed feedback, with many praising its vibrant and nostalgic art style reminiscent of classic platformers like "Spyro" and "Banjo-Kazooie." While some players appreciate the colorful environments and improved visuals for a game of its age, others find the graphics underwhelming and lacking in detail, particularly in comparison to modern standards. Overall, the game is noted for its charming aesthetic, though it may not satisfy those seeking cutting-edge graphics.

    • “The graphics are something special, reminds me of old school WoW but better, really really nice atmosphere.”
    • “Impressive graphics for a 2003 game.”
    • “This is not a completely remastered game, the graphics are exactly what you would expect out of a PS2 game and they are fantastic in creating that nostalgic feel with their bright colors and vibrant unique worlds.”
    • “When I wasn't accidentally skipping cutscenes due to the unbelievably long dialogue pauses, I was confused on how to progress while feeling severely underwhelmed by the visuals and audio.”
    • “The graphics are stylized but also bad for its making time.”
    • “Graphically they've clearly done a decent enough job of remastering an old game for modern resolutions, and it does look attractively vibrant, but this doesn't change the poor gameplay.”
  • story82 mentions

    The story of "Kao the Kangaroo: Round 2" is generally described as simple and charming, serving primarily as a backdrop for the game's action and colorful levels. While it features a basic plot involving a kangaroo on a quest to rescue friends from a hunter, many reviewers find the narrative underwhelming and poorly executed, with some elements feeling confusing or uninspired. Overall, the story is seen as adequate for its purpose, though it lacks depth and engaging storytelling.

    • “The story in Kao the Kangaroo: Round 2 is simple but charming.”
    • “All you need to know is that you play as a cool kangaroo boxer whose main mission is to free all animals from the hunter's enslavement, and that's already wholesome enough to dive into the product.”
    • “While the story certainly won't win any awards, it's enough to keep you going, and even if it doesn't, the unique level themes certainly will.”
    • “It's not only bad in ways you expect (crappy controls, stupid story, lame levels) but also in many ways you don't expect.”
    • “The simplistic script matched with the overacted lines from characters make them avoidable at all costs, doubled up with the brain-racking pauses in the cutscenes make the plot an easy skip for reasons of keeping sanity.”
    • “Very dull storyline, all you do is save your friends from a hunter.”
  • music60 mentions

    The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it a downgrade from the previous installment due to its lack of variety and memorable tracks. While some appreciate the chill atmosphere and catchy tunes, others note that the soundtrack often repeats across levels, leading to a less engaging experience. Overall, the music is described as decent but not particularly memorable, serving its purpose without significantly enhancing the gameplay.

    • “The platforming's fun, the characters are charming, and the music and levels are a good time too!”
    • “Kao is a lovable main character, the controls are very easy to learn, the levels are a lot of fun to play through, the music is catchy, and there are enough challenges to keep your interest for a while after you've beaten it.”
    • “Very nostalgic and surprisingly good music and level design.”
    • “It's 'chill,' sure, but the first game's music had so much more variety and charm.”
    • “The final fight against the hunter doesn't even have any unique music.”
    • “Some mechanics are repeated like being chased, riding down a river, etc. there isn't new music, it all repeats itself (for example, every ice level plays the music it used for the first ice level, same for all the other levels).”
  • humor26 mentions

    The game is widely praised for its humor, particularly the hilarious voice acting and the amusing character of the protagonist, Kao. While some players note that the voice acting can be "hilariously bad," this adds to the charm and fun of the experience. Overall, players find the game to be a delightful and funny adventure, often highlighting its entertaining storyline and quirky elements.

    • “Fun little thing with hilarious voice acting.”
    • “This game is hilarious and I had so much fun playing.”
    • “One thing I found funny was that at some levels there were wanted posters of Kao, and that made me think about how they caught him and took a picture of him so they could produce the wanted posters later.”
  • stability16 mentions

    The game suffers from significant stability issues, including janky controls, frequent glitches, and game-breaking bugs that can disrupt progression and require restarts. While it runs smoothly on the Steam Deck without errors, many players report that actions like jumps and attacks often fail to register due to delayed reactions and invisible edges. Overall, the game's stability is a major concern, leading to frustration among users.

    • “From janky controls to glitches to game progression issues.”
    • “There are a few game-breaking glitches that make you restart the game or you have to die to fix it.”
    • “This is such a buggy, terrible game; I feel regretful for buying this.”
  • emotional14 mentions

    Players express a strong emotional connection to the game, highlighting the nostalgic and wholesome experience it provides through its fun characters and engaging storyline. The game's themes of freedom and adventure resonate deeply, evoking feelings of joy, elation, and even sadness, making it a memorable experience that recalls the innocence of childhood.

    • “I have formed many emotional bonds with all of the fun and wacky characters such as my personal favorite, the beaver.”
    • “It made me feel like a kid again.”
    • “This game made me cry when I was a little kid.”
  • atmosphere12 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is frequently praised for its beautiful graphics and engaging music, reminiscent of classic platformers while offering a unique charm. However, some players feel that the soundtrack lacks memorability and that the overall tone is light-hearted, which may not resonate with everyone. Despite some criticisms regarding controls and character design, the vibrant and immersive environment contributes positively to the overall experience.

    • “The graphics are something special, reminds me of old school WoW but better, really really nice atmosphere.”
    • “It had all I love about jump'n'run games, such as power-ups, collectibles like these ducats, shinies and stars, beating enemies and the atmosphere with its music was beautiful.”
    • “I'm aware that the music isn't really recalling into a satisfactory as amazing but it does give the levels a drumming beat of oozing merengue atmosphere!”
    • “I'm aware that the music isn't really remarkable, but it does give the levels a drumming beat of oozing merengue atmosphere.”
    • “The game obviously doesn't take itself too seriously, and I don't have much critical to say about the rest of its atmosphere.”
  • grinding10 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspects of the game, particularly in levels like snowboarding and ice skating, to be tedious and often requiring multiple attempts to complete. While the game offers enjoyable platforming and collecting elements, some sections can feel repetitive and frustrating, detracting from the overall experience. Despite these challenges, many still appreciate the game's solid design and thrilling action-adventure elements.

    • “Some of the levels, such as snowboarding or running from the bear in 'Great Escape', can be tedious and took me several attempts.”
    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “From what I have played so far, it is mostly fun and not too challenging, but parts can be tedious, like the ice skating on rail sections which, if you fall off, you have to start over and over, or jumping across a river only to be shot into the water at the last second and having to start over.”
  • character development6 mentions

    Reviewers highlight the character development as a strong point, noting the nostalgic appeal and impressive character design in the game. The varied levels and engaging gameplay are reminiscent of classic 3D platformers, making it a recommended experience for fans of the genre.

    • “Fun, gives me a nostalgic feeling and epic character design.”
    • “Very fun 3D platformer! I love the character design and varied levels. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys games such as Crash Bandicoot, Ty the Tasmanian Tiger, Spyro the Dragon, and Ratchet and Clank.”
    • “Nice character design.”
  • optimization6 mentions

    The game is praised for its optimization, running smoothly without any gameplay or performance issues reported by users.

    • “Runs smoothly.”
    • “No gameplay or performance issues besides that at all.”
    • “+ optimization”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

55% average critic score

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