Game: Rusty Rabbit
Genre: Action, Adventure
System: Nintendo Switch (Also on Steam (Windows) & PS5)
Developer|Publisher: Nitroplus | NetEase Games
Age Rating: EU 7+ | US Everyone
Price: US $19.99 | UK 15.99 | EU € 19,99
Release Date: April 17th, 2025
A review code was provided, and many thanks to NetEase Games.
Rusty Rabbit – More to It Than a Middle-Aged Rabbit
Rusty Rabbit is a 2D side-scrolling action-adventure with a delightfully bonkers premise: you’re a middle-aged rabbit named Stamp, who pilots a worn-out mech through the icy ruins of post-human Earth. And yes, it’s every bit as quirky and charming as it sounds. Featuring exploration, mech upgrades, dungeon diving, and some light relationship-building, this is one rabbit tale that might just be worth burrowing into.
After Humans, There Were… Rabbits?
One of Rusty Rabbit’s strongest points is its world-building. The game is set in a far-future Earth plunged into a new ice age. With humans long gone, rabbits now dominate the planet. Highly evolved, industrious rabbits dig through the ruins of our civilisation, salvaging what we left behind.
You play Stamp, a gruff, middle-aged rust digger with a knack for machinery and a lot more heart than he lets on. His journey kicks off when he encounters the BBs, a ragtag team of rabbit scavengers, and joins them in their expedition into the mysterious Smokestack Mountain. Along the way, Stamp uncovers more about a long-lost family member, and the story subtly shifts from scrappy adventure to something more personal.
The lore is surprisingly rich for a game about rabbits in mechs. One especially hilarious and weirdly heartwarming detail? The rabbits’ main religion is based on Peter Rabbit. Yes, that Peter Rabbit, as in Beatrix Potter’s famous little troublemaker. As a parent who’s read these stories countless times, I was all in on this fluff-filled canon.
Dig Deep and Dig Smart
Gameplay revolves around exploring 2D dungeon-like maps, drilling through blocks, fighting off enemies, and collecting valuable junk. Movement and controls are responsive, with the mech’s chunky feel adding a nice weight to your actions. Platforming can be a little clunky, but that’s probably expected when your protagonist is essentially a rabbit driving a junky war machine.
It follows a familiar adventure formula; you’ll encounter areas you can’t reach until you unlock new mech parts or abilities. This encourages backtracking, but thanks to the game’s helpful map system and consistently rewarding exploration, it rarely feels like a chore.
Crafting, Upgrading & Tinkering Galore
Every trip into the ruins rewards you with materials and experience. Drill enough blocks, and you level up. Gain enough experience, and you get skill points to spend in a generous skill tree. Whether you want to specialise in melee attacks, drilling efficiency, or exploration, there’s a build here for you.
Find the right blueprints and you can craft new weapons or mech parts back in town. It’s satisfying to see your mech evolve, becoming more powerful and agile with each upgrade. The game strikes a solid balance between fun and depth without feeling overwhelming.
Town Life & Fluffy Faith
Between dives, you’ll return to the surface where you can chat with NPCS, sell your junk, and visit a surprising array of facilities. There’s a vendor, a church (yes, the Peter Rabbit one), and even a diner where you can build relationships by gifting food. These relationships offer gameplay perks and deepen the world. However, regular cutscenes can sometimes interrupt the flow of gameplay a little too often when exploring the mines. I wish more of this dialogue had been optional; it’s pleasant, but occasionally it stalls the action when all you want to do is get back to digging.
Still, it’s hard not to enjoy the fuzzball cast. The town itself is a cosy little hub, and the religious overtones mixed with scavenger culture create a uniquely weird, but cohesive world.
Cute but Clunky
Visually, Rusty Rabbit has a unique charm. The character models remind me of Sylvanian Families, fuzzy, toy-like, and adorable in their own scruffy way. The star of the show is the world itself: ruins of human civilisation half-buried in ice, with rabbit-made tech layered on top. It’s a creative visual blend.
Unfortunately, the Switch does show its age here. Texture pop-in, fuzzy visuals, and minor framerate dips are noticeable, particularly in busy scenes. It’s playable, just not perfectly optimised.
Conclusion: Mech Bunnies Rule
Rusty Rabbit is a thoroughly enjoyable mech-hopping adventure. It blends quirky humour, heartfelt storytelling, and satisfying action in a way few games dare to. Yes, the cutscenes can break the pacing, and the Switch version isn’t flawless, but the charm and originality more than make up for it.
If you’re looking for something that feels different, something that proves middle-aged rabbits (and gamers) still have plenty of kick left in them, this is one worth digging up. A free demo is also available on the eShop.
Final Verdict: I Like It a Lot 
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