Game: Big Hops
Genre: Action, Adventure, Indie, Platformer
System: Steam (Windows)
Developer|Publisher: Luckshot Games
Controller Support: Yes
Steam Deck: Verified
Price: US $19.99 | UK £16.75 | EU €19.99
Release Date: January 12th, 2026
Review code provided with many thanks to Luckshot Games.
Big Hops – Hop, Skip and a Hit
Big Hops is a bold game. Taking on the 3D platformer genre as an indie developer is no small task, especially when you’re stepping into a space dominated by giants like Mario. Yet Big Hops doesn’t just hold its own; it quietly shows how good this genre can still feel when movement, control, and player freedom are treated as top priorities.
This is a game that surprised me in all the right ways. From the moment you take control, it feels exceptionally comfortable to play, the kind of platformer where simply moving around the world is a joy. It’s confident, polished, and genuinely impressive, to the point where it could teach some much bigger names a thing or three.
Let’s Hop to It
You play as Hop, a young frog who becomes separated from his sister and is pulled into a strange void by a trickster spirit known as Diss. Diss tasks Hop with collecting mysterious Dark Drips, promising that doing so will help him find his way home. From the very start, there’s an uneasy feeling that not everything is as it seems, and the game wisely lets that tension simmer rather than spelling everything out.
What really works here is restraint. The story is interesting and surprisingly original. Big Hops gets you playing almost immediately and trusts its world, characters, and atmosphere to do the heavy lifting. It feels refreshing and focused on letting the game be a game first and foremost.
The voice acting across the board is a pleasant surprise. Hop himself is full of childlike innocence, and the NPCs you meet along the way are quirky and well-performed. Each world has its own tone and cast, and they all feel suited to the environments you’re exploring, whether that’s a desert, ocean, or something far stranger.
The Frog With the Smooth Moves
The biggest strength of Big Hops is its movement, and it’s hard to overstate just how good it feels. Whether you’re playing with a controller or on a Steam Deck, everything clicks almost instantly. Jumping, climbing, wall-running and sliding all feel natural and responsive.
Hop’s frog tongue is the star of the show. You’ll use it to swing, pull objects toward you, activate switches and interact with the world in countless ways. It’s playful and deeply satisfying, adding a layer of creativity that will likely score a few chuckles.
The game also introduces a helpful backpack system, letting you store various items that help you shape the world around you. Mushrooms act as bounce pads, vines can be grown to reach new heights, chilis burn debris, and other tools let you build your own routes through the environment. It gives the platforming a unique layer of flexibility that’s impressive compared to a linear formula.
Gotta Catch Some Bugs
The main objective of the game is to get home whilst also collecting these dark drib orbs. These orbs come complete by helping NPCs, but often you collect little droplets dotted around the environment to fill a complete one. The game quite literally drip feeds them. Collect enough of these drips, and you will unlock upgrades. Including little scout-like badges which grant you gameplay perks or upgrades to your backpack. Yet another adorable tidbit.
Big Hops encourages exploration but manages not to overwhelm the player. Its worlds are large and inviting, filled with secrets and challenges. Sometimes these spaces can feel a little empty, but the excellent performance and smooth traversal make that easy to forgive. The game still sprinkles in plenty of life, from flying birds to hidden bugs waiting to be discovered.
Bug collecting is a standout feature. Finding a new bug triggers a small description sequence where Hop excitedly explains what he’s found as you rotate the bug on screen. It’s charming and sorta educational. It’s the kind of feature that makes Big Hops feel like a great game to share with younglings, whether they’re playing by themselves or watching along with you, the responsible parent.
Performance and Presentation
Visually, Big Hops is bold and colourful, with expressive characters and vibrant environments. The art direction leans into a playful, animated style that suits the tone perfectly. As if it were some long-lost kids’ show. Performance-wise, the game runs exceptionally well. I played on PC via Steam, and it ran beautifully throughout. Steam Deck players will also be pleased to know it’s fully verified and feels right at home in handheld form.
Extra Challenge
While the main campaign is fantastic and easily enjoyable on its own, Big Hops has more to offer. A selection of additional challenges becomes available from the main menu, designed to properly test your platforming skills. These are ideal for players who might find the main adventure a little too forgiving and want to push themselves further. Or make a mark on the leaderboard.
It’s a pretty cool addition that broadens the game’s appeal without compromising its welcoming nature. The core experience feels suitable for players of all ages, while the extra challenges give more experienced platformer fans something to sink their teeth into.
Conclusion: Froggy Fresh
Big Hops is one of those games that simply makes you smile. It’s incredibly well put together, with movement that feels as good as anything else in the genre right now. The balance between story, exploration, and gameplay is spot on, and the sheer pleasure of moving through its worlds rarely wears thin. Plus, I was smiling the entire time I played it.
It’s early in the year, but Big Hops has already put itself firmly on my radar as a game-of-the-year contender. It’s a reminder of how magical a great platformer can be when it gets the fundamentals right. Don’t let this one hop past your Steam library.
Final Verdict: Two Thumbs Up.
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