Sumo Wrestle To Victory In This Cozy Creature Collector - Kabuto Park Review
Become the Summer Beetle Battles Champion in this cozy creature collection game.
Disclaimer: I was provided the product to make this review.
Developer/publisher: Doot Tiny Games
Price: $4.99
Socials: Discord | Bluesky | Twitter | Threads | Instagram | Tik Tok | Twitch
Kabuto Park is an adorable creature collecting game—I mean, a tiny bug collecting game! Compete in a tiny tournament run by tiny people where you pit tiny bugs against each other in a sumo-like tournament. It’s a game that, while it lacks in depth, makes up for it in vibes.
School’s Out! You Know What That Means?
Bug catching time!
School’s out for the summer, but the heat is building up with the ongoing Summer Beatles Battle Championship! But as a novice, where do you start? Well, how about:
Visit different areas
Capture bugs/free the ones you don’t want
Improve your equipment
Reach the top!
Pretty straightforward, right? That’s because the minds behind this game—Doot Tiny Games, promised a 2 to 4 hours of gameplay. With the cute visuals, cozy premise, simple creature collection mechanic, and easy tournaments—they do just that!
Is It Too Hot Outside?!
But the bugs are there!
The gameplay loop is very simple and centers around you just being a kid in the summer who has a fascination for bugs!
Gotta catch ‘em all!: Each area you visit will have a number of common, uncommon, and rare bugs for you to capture. Each bug has its own stats and abilities.
Get the right spot!: After you click an area to survey, you get a quick time event, in a way. Clicking the blue spots gets you closer, while clicking the green spots nets you the bug.
Assemble!: How are you going to reach the top if you don’t form your team! With the bugs you collect, make the best comp that you can, and then it’s time to wrestle. Sumo wrestle!
Push them out of bounds!: The way combat works here is simple. You both generate energy over time, and you both take turns pushing each other. Energy generated can be used to activate cards, which can range from buffing your defense, strength, or energy, to pushing the enemy and falling immunity.
And that’s the game! The core loop is simple, and with its aesthetics, it gives off those cozy summer vibes you lived—or wish you did live—as a child.
Before The Summer’s Over
I will become beetle champion!
When it comes to the substance of Kabuto Park’s mechanics, there’s barely any. And that’s okay! This isn’t about min-maxing or finding the exact breed or moods. Why else would there be a terrarium that doesn’t provide any bonuses?
I kept the same team for more than half of the game, and farming for candy to level up your bugs is very easy. I didn’t have to figure out a really good comp, just get decent stats, level up the bugs, then call it a day.
If you get one good rare or uncommon bug, and you get a good bug for each stat, you’re set for the tournament.
The areas don’t offer much bug diversity, only in scenery. Only on the last level was there something different with the catching, as the green and blue spots can disappear.
While this may sound like a negative, it’s a positive. Well, it depends on your perspective. This is a cozy game focusing on its vibe and charm—and it nailed that.
Each bug has a cute childlike description; each kid you go against has a quick quip, or just says kid things—like that one girl that talks about her cow and how you should meet her, or the boy that makes tiny hats for his bugs.
Bug Off!
Or bug in?
The visuals convey exactly what the game is: a cozy and simple creature-collecting game with barely any pushback. They weren’t trying to make anything complex or in-depth.
Where Kabuto Park lacks in depth, it makes up in its charm. This is a low-stress, cozy experience that can be beaten in one sitting—and can’t and shouldn’t be taken too seriously.
I Don’t Want To Go Back To School!
If you enjoyed this little review, try catching the subscribe button for more game coverage, deep dives, opinions, and exploration of the wonderful world of gaming. Share this with your bug-pals, and leave a comment letting me know:
Totally forgot I bought this. This review was great and even if the game lacks depth the review got deep enough to get me to start playing sooner than later.