MARSUPILAMI: HOOBADVENTURE

Based on a classic Belgian comic book character, Marsupilami: Hoobadventure is a beautiful platforming adventure that exudes the charm of the golden era of mascot platformers. Even if you’re not at all familiar with the characters, Hoobadventure proves that all it takes for a game to be popular is solid and entertaining gameplay.

Now, after a 26-year hiatus, the Marsupilami franchise is back to video games. However, considering how much things have changed since the glory days of the Sega Genesis, does Hoobadventure have what it takes to shine in the world of modern platformers? Let’s find out.

Through Jungles and Ruins

Being a mascot platformer, the story of Marsupilami: Hoobadventure is short, straight, and somewhat adorable. The game takes place in the fictional country of Palombia, where the Marsupilamis live.

These animals are quite speedy, and they use their tails to jump around the lush jungles of Palombia – that is, when they’re not wasting their days away sleeping.

However, the peace of Palombia is cut short when an ancient evil is unleashed upon the land. Now it’s up to a team of three Marsupilamis to stop the madness and return things to normal.

From the start, it looks like Marsupilami: Hoobadventure has been inspired by the basic plots of games like Sonic the Hedgehog to craft most of its game world. This could be a subtle nod at its Sega Genesis roots, but also works as a great way for younger players to get invested in the game’s plot.

In a word, the visuals of Marsupilami: Hoobadventure are beautiful. Each one of the game’s three biomes looks impressively colorful and detailed. Featuring more than enough visual variety to keep things interesting, don’t expect this short and sweet platformer to overstay its welcome.

Running and Jumping

In another nod to the golden era of mascot platformers, the gameplay of Marsupilami: Hoobadventure is impressively fluid and fast. This means that levels are made to be beaten as fast as possible – and that’s where the game’s responsive controls come to shine.

It seems like the game based some of its platforming gameplay on the Donkey Kong Country Returns series of games. Other than jumping and stomping to progress through the levels, Marsupilamis can also dash and use their tails as tools to move around.

The game does a great job when it comes to translating the hectic energy of the Marsupilami cartoons. Animations look fantastic, and the colorful visuals look great even at the game’s speedy pace.

It’s clear that the developers of the game expected players to beat the levels as quickly as possible, as they list a time attack mode as one of the game’s central capabilities.

There’s a certain feeling of accomplishment that comes when you’re playing the game at its top speed that simply fills you with dopamine. This is a satisfying game that should please fans of classic Sega games, and looks serviceable enough for those who are looking for highly-detailed modern graphics in their games.

Pros

• Charming and colorful visuals
• Excellent and responsive controls
• Great sense of speed
• Accessible difficulty options

Cons

• Can feel just a bit too short
• Might be more suited for those familiar with the Marsupilami franchise