It’s no secret that Kitsune Tails borrows heavily from Super Mario Bros. 3’s physics and Super Mario World’s level design. The new indie 2D platformer prides itself on nostalgia, so much so that the graphics and gameplay reflect heavily on the style of the NES and Super Nintendo era. But even with heavy inspiration drawn from the old platforming days, Kitsune Tails carves its own path in today’s contemporary world. On the one hand, the new game thrives on features you’ve probably seen before. But, on the other hand, it introduces surprising twists that keep you engaged through to the end of your playthrough. If you’re looking to play a new platformer, we’ve compiled everything you should know about the new game in our Kitsune Tails review.
Clueless but Cute
Three characters take center stage in the story of Kitsune Tails. We first meet Yuzu, a young female Kitsune who’s finally old enough to become a messenger for the powerful goddess Inari. On her first mission, she runs into Akko, a kind human sorceress who helps Yuzu out of a tough spot. In the process, she falls in love with Yuzu. But Yuzu’s childhood friend, Kiri, isn’t too happy about that, as she’s been harboring feelings for Yuzu herself. And so, a love triangle ensues that grows more complex when Akko is suddenly kidnapped and sealed in an elemental prison. The prime suspect? Kiri. Apparently, her jealousy may have gotten out of control and pushed her to react.
You can’t be too sure, though, that Kiri is responsible. So, you set off across a suspiciously gorgeous map, traversing five distinct worlds to rescue Akko. Along the way, you meet exciting characters and NPCs who further unravel the surprisingly deep story the game wants to tell. It's surprising because platformers aren’t always known for their profound storytelling. In fact, even Super Mario World and Super Mario Bros. 3, the games that the game supposedly draws heavy inspiration from, lack the kind of depth you may be looking for in a story. And so, by virtue of crafting an intricate tale, Kitsune Tails stands out from the crowd. Moreover, the development team really put in the effort to grasp your attention with its compelling themes of love and friendship. And even more so, thanks to full voice acting, which further adds personality and charm to the characters you meet.
Rainbow Delight
Visually, Kitsune Tails is impressively cute. It’s perfectly reminiscent of the NES era, with its vibrant and colorful stages. Level designs haven’t changed much from classic platformers. You still run, jump, and dash your way across stages packed with enemies, obstacles, and power-ups. At the end of the stage is a boss fight that, once completed, cues a fully-voiced cutscene. Mario fans will find their way around the game, whether jumping on moving platforms, avoiding bottomless pits, and more. However, timing is key here, with even one slight mistake causing you to die. Unlike Mario’s life counters, you die after two hits. The first shrinks you into a smaller fox. The second causes you to die and respawn on the same spot, at the beginning of the stage or at the beginning of the level, depending on the difficulty level.
While characters and environments have the most adorable pixel art designs, the difficulty is quite high. In fact, by the second world, you’ll be frantically jumping up and down and dashing your way across hazards, desperately trying to stay alive. You can pick up power-ups stashed in special chests spread out on the levels. These vary anywhere from granting you a powerful spin jump that lets you smash through blocks and avoid taking damage from standing on spiky enemies to transforming into a samurai who can grab a spear and jab it on enemies or use it to climb walls. For the most part, though, the power-ups are replicas of Super Mario. With several more hours poured into Kitsune Tails, it begins to sink in that there simply is too much from Super Mario in the game.
Like Super Mario
From the basics, where Mario and Yuzu can run, jump, and dash across stages, to the next level that sees them gain special abilities. Like Mario, Yuzu can unlock power-ups that allow her to navigate specific stages. You’ll unlock a shark suit, for instance, that lets you dash across open water. But that’s a power-up also available in Mario in the form of a frog suit. There are far more power-ups available to pick up while navigating levels or buying from a cat merchant. You can unlock a bird suit that lets you double-jump and fly. You can unlock a koi suit that lets you swim in lava pools and shoot fire. There’s the invisibility fox mask that lets you dash forward mid-air. Although it doesn’t last too long. And the popsicle power-up that grants you ice-based elemental powers to freeze enemies and use them as platforms.
While the power-ups vary intensely, and despite some of them being replicas of Mario, they still feel inadequately incorporated in the levels. Ice powers, for instance, can create new platforms that can be used way more deviously than they are at present. Still, with the level editor, gamers may come up with more creative ways to use power-ups to their full potential. But beyond the power-ups, enemies behave a lot like in the Mario franchise. Take the ghosts, for example, that are just like Boos. The only difference is that Kitsune Tails’ ghosts don’t cover themselves when you look at them. Instead, they’re constantly chasing you from all angles. The only time they don’t attack you is when you’re inside the light of a nearby lantern. But that can become tricky when there are moving platforms that require precise timing to jump on.
Kaizo Levels
In no way is Kitsune Tails easy. The difficulty spikes as early as the second world and keeps ramping up high. It’s unexpected, too, given the deceptively cutesy aesthetic. Some levels are short and sweet. But others can drag themselves out for longer, especially when you get hit and die. Fortunately, you have three difficulty levels to choose from, giving you leeway in how much frustration you’re willing to take on. And in any case, the frustration never builds too high to call it quits. The second playthrough might be a different story. See, once you’ve managed to beat all levels, you can redo the playthrough from another character’s perspective. And sure, it sounds exciting on paper. But the level designs remain the exact same, providing little incentive to veer off the beaten path.
Kitsune Tails has very few surprises in terms of secrets tucked away in hidden paths. Plus, levels only have one exit, further cementing the linear mission structure of all levels. It’d have been great to discover new secrets alongside new power-ups and enemies to make your second playthrough more rewarding. At least the second character comes with a unique set of skills. Yuzu plays a lot, similar to Mario. But the second character wields a sword, smacking enemies in the head to power her traversal and attack abilities. She also can only take one hit instead of two, thus increasing the difficulty. She’d be perfect for gamers looking for extra challenge once you’ve beat the game.
Verdict
By drawing heavy inspiration from Super Mario, Kitsune Tails set itself up for unnecessary side-by-side comparison. And with the former reaching the peak of platforming, they have quite high standards to meet. Unfortunately, the platformer chose to feature too much of its inspiration’s physics, level designs, and power-ups, right down to enemies. You can draw similarities between the two. The new game almost feels like a carbon copy of the original. Heck, even the music score sounds the same, with Super Mario, like in all other areas, still delivering better quality and implementation. Still, Kitsune Tails tries to set itself apart from the competition.
For one, it carves out a deeper story. Platformers aren’t always popular for their plot, but Kitsune Tails stans with a heartfelt tale. You meet relatable characters grappling with love and friendship. And walk with them as they embark on profound journeys of self-discovery and growth. Thanks to full voice acting, you easily connect to the characters’ arcs. Although it can feel a little strange compared to the norm set by Super Mario. Ultimately, you’re pulled back into comparing the two with power-ups that are exact replicas.
As a result, it’s a breath of fresh air when you’re granted a second playthrough through the eyes of a new character who doesn’t fight like Mario. She wields a sword and comes complete with different abilities. Sure, the levels remain the same. However, you’re enticed again by the level editor, where you can craft your own stages and even jump into minigames. Overall, the game’s difficulty can test your patience. Yet Kitsune Tails offers just enough excitement to, in the end, put the controller down happy.
