Review: KinnikuNeko: Super Muscle Cat (Nintendo Switch)

A game with its sense of humour baked into its core, KinnikuNeko: Super Muscle Cat layers its signature goofiness over classic 2D platformer mechanics. The silliness kicks off before the game even begins; an elaborate and dramatic trailer introduces the setting and story and certainly sets the pace for the chaos due to unfold.

You play as the titular KinnikoNeku, a small cat that can transform into an incredibly muscular bodybuilder with the help of magic underwear. You are wanted for capture by antagonist aliens that are in the process of taking over the world, pursuing you and your child companions around the ravaged planet. You switch between playing as the cat, who can dash and scale walls to access different areas, and the bodybuilder, who can attack the invading aliens littering the world.

Your adventure takes you through a range of 2D platformer levels, ranging from cities in the process of being overrun by invaders, to school halls, to beaches. These aren’t terribly challenging, requiring only basic platforming skills. You run, you jump, you attack aliens blocking your way, you switch between forms to find hidden areas. Once a level is complete, you can go back and replay it. This isn’t necessary, but there are secrets hidden behind—for instance, enormous stone blocks that can only be broken once you’ve built up your strength to a high enough level. 

The platformer levels are split up by boss levels in which you tackle the alien leaders head to head. Again, these fit a fairly classic platformer style. Each boss has its own special moves and a pattern of attack that it consistently follows. They don’t have health bars, but remembering their moves so you can ration your own health isn’t massively difficult.

Alongside the alien invasion, KinnikuNeko: Super Muscle Cat tells a story of friendship against the odds. Long cutscenes showing the core characters bonding and standing up for each other are sprinkled through the game, giving the story an emotional heart. The gravity of the narrative fluctuates between being a matter of extreme urgency and taking a back seat to squaring off against school bullies. This can be jarring, but it fits with the game’s generally weird and chaotic atmosphere.

KinnikuNeko’s bodybuilder muscles are rendered in intense detail—as are the minute features of the overtly sexualised alien invaders. Your attack move is not unlike the pose of an underwear model. Performing your special move triggers a close-up on your magical bulging underpants. A lot of effort has gone into finding any instance where the game’s silly sense of humour can be injected. At times, it can border on juvenile, but the game is a comfortably concise length so the crudeness doesn’t overstay its welcome.