XBOX REVIEW | Grapple Dogs: Cosmic Canines

Grapple Dogs: Cosmic Canines bounds onto Xbox in a burst of neon joy, delivering tight platforming wrapped around an interstellar quest. When a mysterious cosmic threat sends the universe spiraling toward disaster, it’s up to Pablo and Luna, grappling hook-wielding dogs with irrepressible charm, to leap between dimensions, rally allies, and uncover ancient secrets. What starts as a simple rescue mission quickly unfolds into a vibrant battle against chaos itself, told with quirky humour, snappy dialogue, and Saturday-morning-cartoon heart. Underneath the colourful chaos lies a surprisingly sharp level design and a celebration of canine heroism with bite.

Things I liked!

• Gameplay | From the moment I first began playing Grapple Dogs: Cosmic Canines, I knew I’d found a gem. I haven’t played many platformers recently, but the good ones always stick with me, and this is definitely one of them. I was genuinely impressed by the blend of exploration, platforming, and combat. Pablo and Luna are the two playable characters, and each level lets you experience their distinct play styles. Pablo’s stages lean into precision platforming, while Luna’s tend to feature more enemies, which she can dispatch using her weapons. There are also three elemental powers available, with each character receiving unique variations. This variety makes every level feel fresh and different from the last. Both Luna and Pablo can traverse environments using their trusty grapple hook. You’ll also encounter switches and buttons to remove barriers and open doors, along with bounce pads to reach otherwise inaccessible areas. All these elements combine to create chaotic, joyful platforming fun. Some of the later levels proved quite challenging, but never felt unfair or impossible.
  
  
• Collectables | I’m a huge fan of discovering collectables, and Grapple Dogs: Cosmic Canines offers them by the dozen. In fact, some areas won’t let you progress until you’ve found a certain number. This adds replay value to each level, encouraging you to search for hidden gems, elusive duck bands (yes, some levels feature a band of musical ducks), and much more. At the entrance to each level, a small sign clearly displays which collectables are available and which ones you’ve already discovered, making it easy to track what you’re missing.

• Level Design | I was really impressed with the level design throughout Grapple Dogs: Cosmic Canines. The stages strike a great balance between challenge and exploration, with plenty of checkpoints scattered across each level. You’ll die often, especially in the later stages, usually by falling into spikes or pits, but the generous checkpoint system keeps frustration at bay. Each level features secret areas packed with hidden collectables, and there are tons of berries to gather as well. Berries serve as the in-game currency, and each time you die, you’ll lose a portion of them. From the main menu, you can visit Toni’s shop, run by Pablo’s bunny girlfriend, to purchase items like health upgrades and various cosmetics for both Pablo and Luna.
  
  
• Visuals | I found the pixel art style in Grapple Dogs: Cosmic Canines visually appealing, it greatly enhanced my gameplay experience. All the characters, especially Pablo and Luna, really stood out against the dynamic backgrounds. Each world boasts its own visual identity, from Monkeytropolis, with its futuristic cityscape bursting with neon energy and colour, to Catsablanca, a film-noir-inspired city rendered in muted tones and populated by cat folk. Even when the tone of a level is darker, the visuals remain vibrant and engaging. Gameplay is fast and fluid, and I never encountered any visual glitches or performance issues. The overall presentation is impressive, and the user interface is packed with style and personality.
  
  
• Sound | I really liked the music in Grapple Dogs: Cosmic Canines, it’s high-energy and perfectly complements the level design, often urging you to move faster and faster through each stage. The soundtrack draws clear influence from genres like hip-hop and pop, and it dynamically speeds up during frantic on-screen moments, such as intense sequences and boss fights. The sound effects are equally impressive. The crash, bang, and wallop as you traverse each level are punchy and satisfying. They’re noticeably louder than the background music, which helps immerse you more deeply in the gameplay.
  
  
• Accessibility Options | There are plenty of accessibility features available, making Grapple Dogs: Cosmic Canines much more inclusive for all players. You can enable infinite jumps, allowing the player to jump indefinitely. There’s also a no-damage mode, essentially a god mode, where you won’t take damage from enemies or hazards. However, you can still die by falling into pits or off the bottom of the screen. Additionally, you can remap the controls and adjust sound settings, giving players more flexibility to tailor the experience to their needs.

Mixed & disliked!

• Difficulty | While Grapple Dogs: Cosmic Canines is extremely fun, I did find some of the levels a little too easy. The toughest challenge for me came from a couple of the boss fights, but even then, I emerged victorious after just a few attempts.

• Controls | Early on, the twin-stick shooting mechanic took me a while to master and often felt awkward. You’re aiming the grapple hook with one stick while using the other to shoot at enemies, which can feel unintuitive at first. Eventually, it just clicked and wasn’t a problem, but I do feel that some younger players may find this difficult.

How long did I play the review before publishing? 10 hours
How long to beat the story? 7 Hours
How many Achievements did I earn before publishing? 21/35 OR 510/1000G
How long to achieve 1000G | 14 Hours
You’ll love this game if you like these | Grapple Dogs and Kaze and the Wild Masks

CONCLUSION

Score: 88/100

Grapple Dogs: Cosmic Canines is a blast to play, with fun, challenging, action-packed levels that offer plenty of variety. Swinging on a grapple hook never gets boring, and I really like how you can easily slide up and down the rope while swinging, this makes reaching higher places much easier. I was genuinely impressed with the level design, and it’s clear the developers poured everything into making the game as enjoyable as possible. The music and sound effects are well implemented, and the story unfolds naturally as you play. Each level is filled with different characters to talk to and interact with, which adds to the game’s charm. I had a great time revisiting previous levels to hunt for missed collectibles, and I still have a few left to discover. I’m hoping we’ll see a third game in the series in the future.