Kick - Hands On: A deceptively challenging platformer that captures the joy of playing football in the streets

Dribbling in soccer is one of the fundamental skills any player can master. However, few professionals have achieved truly exceptional control of the ball. Some seem to keep it glued to their feet, maintaining complete command at every moment, while others play with it as if it were a lifelong friend. When Kick was first announced, it was that latter feeling the game captured best: following a child through the streets of Japan as he navigates the city alongside his trusty soccer ball. Before its release, I had the opportunity to play its opening levels, which prove that stylish dribbling requires far more skill and precision than it first appears.

Kick is a side-scroller in which you control The Kid as he makes his way through the city with his soccer ball. On paper, the gameplay is straightforward, but there’s a steeper learning curve than you might expect. Kicking a ball with both style and precision turns out to be anything but easy. The main character can do everything you’d expect with a soccer ball: kick it, dribble it, and shoot it; he can also run, jump, and slide tackle. The combination of these moves sounds pretty simple, and, well, it lets you do a lot of things once you manage to string them together. Ultimately, your only goal is to reach the end of the level.

How hard is it to dribble a ball?

However, the game isn’t as simple as it initially appears. Every stage introduces objectives beyond simply reaching the finish line. Some require collecting enough coins to unlock a gachapon capsule containing new ball skins, while others raise the stakes by challenging you to beat a strict time limit, whether by chasing a red guide line or racing against the shadow of an airplane.

The real challenge in Kick lies in dodging obstacles and moving around without causing any damage with the ball. And this is where it gets really tricky. Each stage allows only four fouls. The first two earn nothing more than the referee’s whistle, the third results in a yellow card, and the fourth ends with a red card, forcing you to restart. Depending on the challenge, every foul may also cost you some of the coins you’ve collected.

The trick is to maintain tight control of the ball, preventing it—whether you’ve kicked it or simply nudged it with your feet—from hitting people or knocking over objects, which can range from briefcases and billboards to packages carried by a courier. This can be even more challenging in time-trial levels, since both the child and the ball must reach the finish line to complete the objective.

There were moments when Kick became surprisingly demanding. What initially looked like a relaxing platformer quickly turned into an experience that required concentration, precision, and occasionally a bit of luck.

One of the most striking aspects is its visuals. The game doesn’t go for a realistic style, but instead adopts a very well-executed cartoon aesthetic. The environmental art is excellent, making every district feel unmistakably Japanese. Rather than relying solely on recognizable signs or graffiti, the game fills its environments with small cultural details that give each area its own identity. Combined with clever level design, it creates stages that are challenging without ever feeling unfair.

After these opening levels, it’s clear that Kick isn’t the laid-back platformer it initially appears to be. Its blend of precision platforming and ball control creates a rewarding challenge that constantly pushes you to improve with every run. Whether the full game can continue expanding on these ideas remains to be seen, but its opening hours already showcase a distinct identity and a refreshing take on movement-based platforming.

Kick will launch this November 2026, for PC.

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