Introduction

If you've ever wanted Super Mario Bros. 3 to get cozy, learn some shrine etiquette, and write fan mail to a mischievous fox spirit, Kitsune Tails is the game you didn't know your heart needed. Developed by Missouri-based Kitsune Games and published with a little help from MidBoss, this 2D retro-style platformer stars Yuzu, a spunky kitsune who's on her very first mission as a messenger for the goddess Inari. What starts as a job becomes a small epic about friendship, jealousy, and lantern-lit heroics - all wrapped in pixel art so warm you might mistake it for a plush toy. Kitsune Tails wears its inspirations on its sleeve: outfits that act like power-ups, level structure that nods heavily to Super Mario Bros. 3, and wide-eyed cutscenes that reward completionists with a steady drip of story. The Switch version is still planned, but if you've played the PC release (or have been stalking screenshots like a respectful shrine guardian), you'll know this one's built to be equal parts charming and challenging. It's the kind of game that asks you to collect coins, buy upgrades at a shop, and then feel inexplicably warm about spending your in-game savings on a hat. Not a hat. A very important hat.

Gameplay

Kitsune Tails is, at its core, a precision platformer dressed in a kimono. You control Yuzu across five worlds inspired by Japanese mythology, each with its own mood and seasonal flair. Levels include the usual suspects - grassy fields, spooky haunted houses where lanterns probably have opinions, and probably at least one stage where you wonder if that squirrel is judging your platforming skills. The game's power-ups come in the form of outfits. Instead of grabbing a mushroom and suddenly growing like a pastry, Yuzu slips into costumes that grant abilities. It's a neat twist that feels right at home with the game's foxy theme and pays obvious homage to the item-based progression system of classics like SMB3. Coins litter levels for the compulsive collectors among us, and minigames give you a break from stomping on enemies to instead spend a tense minute trying to win an inflatable something for a prize. Cutscenes appear at key points, doling out story beats about Yuzu's quest to find Kiri and free Akko, the gentle healer who's been separated from her during a festival (romance plotlines included - yes, the game leans into a tender queer storyline, and no, you don't need to bring a magnifying glass to notice it). The narrative is sweet rather than angsty, and it's the kind of emotional sugar that motivates you to clear another level just to see the next little vignette. Controls are generally tight and responsive, but a few reviewers have noted a slightly floaty feel to jumps at times. If you grew up on analog-platforming precision or demand pixel-perfect landings like a ninja accountant balancing books, you might notice this and perhaps subtract a mental point. For many players, though, the floatiness adds a soft, forgiving bounce that fits the cozy aesthetic. There are also shops where you can spend coins on outfits and power-ups, and the inclusion of minigames and a modding suite (yes, you can make custom levels and minigames) extends replayability. If you enjoy building levels as much as beating them, Kitsune Tails quietly hands you a shovel and says, "Go wild." Difficulty leans toward challenging but fair; it's not one of those platformers that will make you throw your controller through a window and immediately regret your life choices. Instead, it asks for patience, timing, and a willingness to learn that if you hug a lantern long enough it won't hug you back (sadly). Bosses and set pieces demand attention, and the world themes - including haunted-level spooks - keep variety high enough that the loop never tastes stale.

Graphics

Visually, Kitsune Tails is like someone translated a warm mug of miso soup into pixel art. The 2D retro aesthetic hits nostalgia without feeling derivative; backgrounds are layered, seasons change as you progress, and small touches - like blinking shrine fox statues or drifting paper charms - make each screen feel lived-in. Character sprites are expressive in that delightful low-res way where a single pixel can convey the difference between "mildly surprised" and "end-stage joy." Cutscenes are charming, leaning on simple but effective animation and character poses that sell emotion better than some triple-A vocal performances. Speaking of which, some outlets criticized the dialogue and voice acting as lackluster. If you're the type who judges a game by the dramatic range of its NPCs, you might raise an eyebrow. For most players, though, the dialogue does exactly what it needs to: it moves the story forward, lands a few jokes, and occasionally makes you go "aww." The visual design complements the cozy tone of the narrative, and the haunted house levels offer just enough spook to keep things interesting without turning the whole affair into a midnight horror binge. Performance on Switch should be solid when it arrives; the game launched on PC with a clean experience. The devs also included modding tools in the PC release, which bodes well for community content down the line. Imagine a level pack filled with tiny, furious foxes and you're halfway to understanding the kind of creativity this game can inspire.

Conclusion

Kitsune Tails is a love letter to classic platformers with an important modern twist: it's cozy, queer, and quietly ambitious. It borrows the best bits of its inspirations - tight level design, outfit-based power-ups, and world-themed progression - then seasons them with a gentle narrative about Yuzu, Akko, and Kiri that's both tender and motivating. Some rough edges remain, like occasionally floaty controls and dialogue that won't win any awards for Shakespearean prose, but those are minor blips on an otherwise delightful map. The game earned positive previews from outlets such as ScreenRant and PCMag, and critics praised its characters and "cozy" nature. Kotaku enjoyed the narrative push to clear levels for the next cutscene, while others like Siliconera heralded it as a precise platformer with an adorable queer story. It also picked up honors on the festival circuit, including a Melbourne Queer Games Festival silver medal in 2024 and Best LGBTQ+ Indie Game at the 2025 Gayming Awards, which is a fancy way of saying the heart is in the right place. If you're looking for a Switch platformer to occupy cozy weekend afternoons or to scratch that SMB3 nostalgia itch with more feelings and fewer turtle shells, Kitsune Tails is absolutely worth your attention. It's not perfect, but between the charming art, thoughtful level design, and a story that will make you mildly weepy in the best way, it earns an easy 8/10. Bring snacks, a cushion for your thumbs, and maybe a small offering for Inari - just in case.

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