- Release Year: 2003
- Platforms: GameCube, PlayStation 2, Windows, Xbox
- Publisher: Atari, Inc., Cenega Poland Sp. z o.o., JoWooD Productions Software AG, Nordic Games GmbH, Tate Multimedia S.A., Titus Interactive, S.A.
- Developer: Tate Interactive Sp z.o.o
- Genre: Action
- Perspective: Behind view
- Game Mode: Single-player
- Gameplay: Combat, Exploration, Platforming, Puzzle solving
- Average Score: 68/100
Description
Kao the Kangaroo: Round 2 is a third-person platformer where players control Kao, a young kangaroo on a mission to rescue animals from the villainous Hunter and his allies. Set across 25 levels in five vibrant worlds, the game combines platforming challenges, combat with boxing gloves and boomerangs, and light puzzle-solving. Players collect coins to progress, unlock minigames with purple crystals, and enhance Kao’s abilities by gathering stars. Vehicles like snowmobiles and barrels add variety, while power-ups like a winged helmet enable temporary flight. The game blends action, exploration, and whimsical charm in a family-friendly adventure.
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Kao the Kangaroo: Round 2 Reviews & Reception
metacritic.com (58/100): Kao’s latest adventure isn’t very innovative or challenging, but it is varied enough to hold a player’s attention for an entire weekend.
saveorquit.com : Despite its confusing mechanics, it’s still a nice, solid 3D platformer game with item collecting and unique bosses as its focus.
Kao the Kangaroo: Round 2 Cheats & Codes
PC
First, you need to set up your SELECT key. If you are playing with keyboard, please open: “%LOCALAPPDATA%\Kao – Round 2\key.ini” in notepad and locate option KF_R1_key. By default it should be set to: KF_R1_key = 210 which is a Direct Input code for INSERT key (“DIK_INSERT”). Then, you want to pause the game. On main menu, hold down your SELECT button and then press listed keys in order. You will hear a sound if you entered your cheat code correctly.
| Code | Effect |
|---|---|
| x JUMP q ROLL t THROW q ROLL o PUNCH x JUMP | Go to the next level! |
| x JUMP q ROLL t THROW q ROLL q ROLL o PUNCH t THROW x JUMP | Unlock all levels in the level select screen! |
| x JUMP q ROLL o PUNCH t THROW q ROLL o PUNCH t THROW x JUMP | Get 250 crystals! |
| x JUMP q ROLL x JUMP o PUNCH q ROLL o PUNCH t THROW x JUMP | Partial invulnerability! You can still die in water hazards and deadly pits. |
| x JUMP t THROW q ROLL o PUNCH q ROLL o PUNCH t THROW x JUMP | Get an unlimited amount of boomerangs! |
| x JUMP o PUNCH t THROW o PUNCH o PUNCH o PUNCH x JUMP | Get 50 stars and unlock the first skill! |
| x JUMP o PUNCH t THROW o PUNCH t THROW o PUNCH x JUMP | Get 100 stars and unlock the second skill! |
| x JUMP o PUNCH q ROLL o PUNCH q ROLL o PUNCH x JUMP | Get 150 stars and unlock the third skill! |
| x JUMP o PUNCH t THROW q ROLL t THROW o PUNCH x JUMP | Get 200 stars and unlock the fourth skill! |
| x JUMP t THROW o PUNCH t THROW o PUNCH t THROW x JUMP | Get 250 stars and unlock the fifth skill! |
| x JUMP o PUNCH x JUMP q ROLL x JUMP o PUNCH x JUMP | Show Kao’s X, Y and Z position on screen! |
| x JUMP q ROLL t THROW o PUNCH x JUMP o PUNCH t THROW q ROLL x JUMP | Load all levels in order! |
Kao the Kangaroo: Round 2: Review
Introduction
In the crowded landscape of early 2000s platformers, Kao the Kangaroo: Round 2 (2003) stands as a charming yet flawed relic—a game that never quite reached the heights of Crash Bandicoot or Jak and Daxter but carved out a niche as a family-friendly adventure. Developed by Polish studio Tate Interactive and published by Titus Interactive, Round 2 expanded on its Dreamcast-era predecessor with brighter visuals, tighter controls, and a whimsical focus on animal liberation. While critics dismissed it as derivative at launch, its Steam re-release in 2019 revealed a passionate cult following. This review argues that Round 2 deserves recognition not for innovation, but for its earnest execution of 3D platforming fundamentals, vibrant world-building, and nostalgic appeal.
Development History & Context
Studio & Vision
Tate Interactive, a subsidiary of Polish developer Tate Multimedia, aimed to refine the formula established in Kao the Kangaroo (2000). With Round 2, the team sought to modernize the series for sixth-generation consoles (GameCube, PlayStation 2, Xbox) while retaining its lightweight, accessible design. The game’s budget-friendly pricing and cartoonish aesthetic positioned it as a competitor to mid-tier platformers like Ty the Tasmanian Tiger, targeting younger audiences and Eastern European markets.
Technological Constraints
Built during a transitional period for 3D platformers, Round 2 struggled with technical limitations. Critics noted its simplistic textures, rigid animations, and inconsistent camera—a common issue for pre-Super Mario Galaxy platformers. Yet Tate compensated with colorful art direction and silky-smooth performance, even on lower-end PCs. The 2003 Windows version ran on Pentium III processors, making it accessible to a broad audience.
Gaming Landscape
Round 2 debuted amid a platformer glut. By 2003, mascots like Ratchet & Clank and Sly Cooper had raised the bar for physics-based gameplay and cinematic storytelling. Kao’s straightforward mechanics—collectathon challenges, elemental-themed worlds, and basic combat—felt outdated by comparison. However, its emphasis on bite-sized levels and forgiving difficulty resonated with casual players overlooked by AAA titans.
Narrative & Thematic Deep Dive
Plot & Characters
The story is a classic tale of furry defiance: Kao, a spunky kangaroo, escapes capture by the villainous Hunter Barnaba and sets out to free his animal friends from a pirate ship-turned-prison. The narrative is threadbare, conveyed through stilted voice acting and brief cutscenes, but it commits wholeheartedly to its anti-poaching themes. Allies like a chatty parrot and a guardian whale add whimsy, while Barnaba’s lackeys—including sword-wielding lizards and grenade-chucking monkeys—embody Saturday-morning-cartoon villainy.
Themes & Tone
Beneath its cuddly exterior, Round 2 subtly critiques environmental exploitation. Each of its five worlds (jungle, arctic, pirate bay, etc.) represents a biome threatened by Barnaba’s greed, with Kao as an eco-warrior restoring balance. The tone veers between slapstick humor (enemies explode into confetti) and earnest stakes, creating a dissonance that charmed younger players but left critics cold.
Gameplay Mechanics & Systems
Core Loop & Progression
The game follows a linear, level-based structure. Kao navigates platforms, defeats enemies with punches or boomerangs, and collects coins to bribe guards. Purple crystals unlock mini-games (e.g., snowboard races), while 50-star clusters grant upgrades like ground stomps. This progression system rewards exploration but feels underdeveloped—reviews noted that abilities rarely transform gameplay beyond superficial power boosts.
Combat & Vehicles
Combat is simple but satisfying. Kao’s boxing gloves chain into combos, while boomerangs offer ranged options. Enemy variety (30+ types) keeps encounters fresh, though spongy boss fights test patience. Vehicle sections—barrel rides, minecart chases—break up platforming but suffer from clunky controls, a frequent critique in reviews.
Flaws & Innovations
Round 2’s camera is its Achilles’ heel, often failing to auto-adjust during leaps. Yet Tate experimented with ideas ahead of their time: winged helmets enable brief flight, predating Super Mario Odyssey’s capture mechanic, and hidden collectibles encourage replayability. The UI is minimalist, relying on health bars and a map that, while functional, lacks waypoints.
World-Building, Art & Sound
Visual Design
Tate embraced a bold, cartoonish style. Levels burst with primary colors: emerald jungles, cobalt ice caves, and golden pirate ships evoke a storybook aesthetic. Characters sport exaggerated features (Kao’s oversized gloves, Barnaba’s comically spiky hair), leaning into a “cute aggression” appeal. While textures appear dated today, the art direction’s consistency sells the fantasy.
Soundtrack & Voice Acting
The soundtrack mixes upbeat melodies with ambient tracks, though few themes stand out. Voice acting is divisive—Kao’s growls and quips (voiced by Lani Minella) drip with charm, but NPCs suffer from stiff delivery. The Polish dub, however, adds regional flavor, reflecting the game’s origins.
Reception & Legacy
Launch Reception
Critics greeted Round 2 with muted praise. Scores averaged 66% on MobyGames, with outlets like GameSpot (6.1/10) calling it “a solid weekend distraction” hamstrung by unoriginality. European reviewers were kinder: CD-Action (80%) praised its “addictive simplicity,” while Jeuxvideo.com (60%) deemed it “inoffensive but forgettable.”
Modern Reappraisal
The 2019 Steam re-release sparked renewed interest. Players lauded its nostalgic value, with a 93% positive rating highlighting its cozy, low-stakes design. While not a retro darling like A Hat in Time, Round 2 found an audience among those weary of open-world bloat.
Industry Influence
Though not groundbreaking, Round 2 demonstrated Eastern Europe’s growing game-dev prowess. Tate’s focus on affordability and accessibility foreshadowed the indie boom, while Kao’s 2022 reboot owes much to this entry’s cult following.
Conclusion
Kao the Kangaroo: Round 2 is neither a masterpiece nor a failure—it’s a time capsule of early 2000s platformers, brimming with earnest effort and unpretentious fun. Its camera woes and derivative design hold it back from greatness, but its vibrant worlds, tight controls, and anti-capitalist undertones offer unexpected depth. For families and retro enthusiasts, it remains a worthy curio; for historians, a testament to Poland’s gaming rise. In the pantheon of mascot platformers, Kao may not wear the crown, but he’s earned his gloves.
Final Verdict: A middling critic’s game, but a beloved player’s classic.