Screenshots & trailers
Review sentiment over time
Weekly positive-review rate (green) and review volume (bars). Dashed lines mark significant patches; the amber line is the start of the current scoring window. Hover the dots to see what drove a dip or a jump.
How this score was computed
The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.
| Component | Positive | Quality (0-100) | Weight (pseudo-reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press reviews (OpenCritic) | – | 88 | 22 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 96% | 91 | 128 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | – | 0 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 98% | 94 | 206 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Acclaim gate: the raw blend lands at 89.7, but scores above 88 must be earned in front of a mass audience; this verdict rests on 255 player reviews, a largely self-selected fanbase. As more players weigh in, the ceiling rises (full scale unlocks at 100,000 reviews).
Scoring window: since the last significant patch (Sep 18, 2024) · 201 reviews sampled · 206 total reviews in window · weighted 129.5 up / 2.8 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (14)
Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.
- 90
“Grapple Dogs: Cosmic Chaos expands on Pablo's adventures with interdimensional travel, a new canine companion, exhilarating boss fights, collectibles, and super-satisfying platforming. This is a worthy successor and a must-play for genre fans.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Grapple Dogs: Cosmic Canines is everything fans could hope for in a sequel, as it improves upon every aspect that made the first Grapple Dog so great. Strong level design, a fantastic soundtrack, high gameplay variety, and lots of replayability make this one an easy recommendation to anyone looking for an excellent, pure platformer to add to their Switch library. It's the most fun platformer we've played in quite a while.”
read full review ↗ - 86
“Builds on the already excellent play of the original by adding a new distinct character and approachable challenges”
read full review ↗ - 88
“Grapple Dogs: Cosmic Canines is a blast to play, with fun, challenging, action-packed levels that offer plenty of variety. Swinging on a grapple hook never gets boring, and I really like how you can easily slide up and down the rope while swinging, this makes reaching higher places much easier. I was genuinely impressed with the level design, and it’s clear the developers poured everything into making the game as enjoyable as possible.”
read full review ↗ - 85
“Grapple Dogs: Cosmic Canines is a challenging 2D platformer with a fun story and unique stages to challenge. If you are a fan of this genre, check this one out!”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Grapple Dog: Cosmic Canines improves on the original in every way. It's one of the best platformers we've played, and a superb buy whether you've tackled the original or not.”
read full review ↗ - 100
“Overall, Grapple Dogs: Cosmic Canines is an impressive platformer with engaging mechanics, a charming cast of characters, and plenty of challenges to keep you hooked. The lighthearted tone and challenging gameplay make it stand out among other platformers and should be up there with Mario and Sonic. If you loved the first game, you’ll feel right at home, and if you’re new to the series, this sequel is a perfect place to start. It’s safe to say that Grapple Dogs continues to be a very good dog, and this latest adventure deserves all the head rubs.”
read full review ↗ - 88
“Now is the best time to be a fan of Medallion Games' Grapple Dogs: Cosmic Canines. With its improvements to level design and added mechanics with Luna at the helm, swinging via a grappling hook remains fun yet challenging. Oh, yeah, you can pet BOTH of the Grapple Dogs!”
read full review ↗ - 90
“A pixeltastic 2D action platfomer that shine on Nintendo Switch”
read full review ↗ - 75
“Grapple Dogs: Cosmic Canines is a sequel that fulfills its role, innovates a little here and there, and that's it: a job well done that probably won't be marked in the gaming trajectory of many players, but that entertained while it lasted.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Grapple Dogs: Cosmic Canines is twice as nice, with pixel-perfect physics between two playable characters. While most enemies don’t put up much of a fight, Grapple Dogs: Cosmic Canines channels the best platformers for a dog-gone good time.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Grapple Dogs: Cosmic Canines is a delightful 2D platformer, with slick swinging gameplay and loads of lovely collectibles to gather.”
read full review ↗
Pure Nintendo
Nintendo Life
Nindie Spotlight
Life is Xbox
GameGrin
GameSpew
Saving Content
Digital Chumps
PS4Blog.net
Nintendo Blast
Gamers Heroes
God is a Geek…and 2 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- 2025 Update Lands on Nintendo Switch!Feb 24, 2026
- Grapple Dogs: Cosmic Canines Update v1.1.0Sep 18, 2024significant · resets scoring window
- RELEASE DATE UPDATE - 12th September 2024Jul 18, 2024