When I was asked to review the new 3D Platformer from Luckshot Games, I leapt at the opportunity. Bad puns aside, Big Hops offers everything you would want out of this genre. I had played the demo during October’s Steam Next Fest and had labeled this one a hidden gem. With already a Very Positive rating on Steam and 85% on SteamDB, it is no longer hidden. A combination of story, mechanics, and a large, vibrant world makes this game a must-play for platformer fans.

New & Familiar Mechanics

A good platformer only goes as far as the gameplay systems it employs. Big Hops does this wonderfully. When you think about classic platformer characters like Mario, Banjo-Kazooie and even Link, you look at the unique styles they brought to this genre. Mario’s jumping, Banjo’s zooming, and Link’s climbing are all present in Big Hops, which shows the influences that the developers at Luckshot used to build the game. Other mechanics from these games include fruit to heal and pots with coins in them. What sets Big Hops apart, though, is Hop’s tongue.

You quickly learn in the opening area of the game how important the tongue is. Whether it is grappling, grabbing food off bushes and pots with coins in them, picking locks, or pulling levers, it is not surprising that a game with a frog as the main character uses his tongue in this way. I often found myself running around the world seeing what the tongue could do. The nice thing is that the tongue will only work when you need it to. Many games, like Big Hops, will simply let you use their main mechanics willy-nilly. A visualization of what button to press (depending on your input device) for the tongue pops up when you are close to an item you can use it on. As one would expect, this could be challenging when navigating large gaps, but that did not take away from the enjoyment of the game.

Some other mechanics really played into the character playing a frog. You want to jump higher? If you crouch (bend those knees!) while jumping, you could go higher. And don’t forget about the slick reptilian body of a frog, either. Hop can slide around on his body, and doing this can make you go very fast. One of the trinkets you unlock and equip even displays a speedometer on screen.

As mentioned, the tongue is also used to grab food off bushes. Food is used for health, but it is also used to get to places you thought you could not reach. Mushrooms allow you to bounce higher, and apples make a stamina break while climbing, to name a few. These and other items can be stored in your backpack, which starts with four slots and can be expanded through trinkets.

Trinkets, Insects, and Upgrades

Trinkets are a great mechanic in the game. I really like the use of stickers on Hop’s backpack for trinkets. It added to the immersion for sure. With only a few trinket slots to begin with, the main antagonist of the game, Diss, tasks you, the player, with collecting dark drips, as he calls them.

After you collect so many pieces of a drip, Diss will appear at one of his many designated areas in the world. Here you will be able to unlock a trinket. The player gets to choose between two. Some trinkets will give you more health, others extra trinket slots, while others affect gameplay mechanics to your benefit, such as holding your breath longer. Some trinkets that you can choose from are upgrades of previous ones, such as the underwater breathing one.

Swimming, as one would imagine, is a very important mechanic in a game with a frog as the main character. However, when you start the game, Hop does not know how to swim well. The underwater swimming mechanic unlocks as you progress through the main story. Players can find Diss’ purple platforms throughout the different areas, so switching out trinkets is possible. I found myself switching out trinkets often. This was especially true as I unlocked more trinkets than I had slots for. The slots maxed out at eight, which caters to the many play styles of different gamers.

And what sort of game starring a Frog would Big Hops be if it did not include insects? As you travel the different areas, Hop will encounter different kinds of bugs and spiders. Depending on how many different kinds you find, you will be able to upgrade things like your wallet size and how many hearts you have. While not important for the story, this is a very cool part of the game that will make you always wonder if you have found that bug or not. From a distance, I would ask myself, is that a new one?

All About Family

The main story of Big Hops is a heartwarming one centered around family. The game starts with Hop camping with his family. Your main goal is to get back home. As you navigate the valley, looking for a way out, Diss appears and whisks you away to a void. He explains that the world is ending and the only way to fix it is to collect the dark drips. Throughout the five areas you get to explore, you meet colorful characters that need your help to fix their area’s problem. You will make friends with rabbits, otters, bats, and more, who help move the story along. From the desert to the void and back home, the question remains throughout the whole game. Why does Diss need Hop’s help? You will have to play to find out for yourself.

Final Reaction

Luckshot Games has given us a very fluid and enjoyable experience. With fun mechanics and a simple but pleasant story, Big Hops is a title that all platformer fans should have a look at. Many worry about indie titles because of possible bugs due to a lack of outside testing, but no game-breaking bugs were found. Big Hops is a solid entry that will give you hours of enjoyment. Pick up Big Hops now on Steam, PlayStation, and Nintendo Switch.