A silly platformer about saving your dad
The Adventure Pals is a 2D action platformer where you play as a kid whose Papa gets stolen on his birthday. The villain, Mr. B, is kidnapping old people and turning them into hot dogs, so you set out to stop him. Your constant companions are Mr. Rock, a literal rock with abilities you unlock as you go, and Sparkles the Giraffe, who doubles as a mount. Sparkles has a tongue that works like a helicopter to slow and steer your fall, a long neck to yank you toward distant enemies for combo finishers, and extra reach to help you grab high platforms. Along the way you leap, slash, and blast through levels, fight bizarre enemies and big bosses, and take on quests from townsfolk who hand out items and other goodies. The trip covers five distinct worlds with their own characters and quests, including helping a whale regain confidence, picking a side in a war between toast and dinosaurs, and traveling to a sunken city to settle a Pirate election.
Playing together
You can go through the whole thing solo or with a friend in co-op mode. The Steam feature Remote Play Together is listed, which lets a friend join in over the internet even though the co-op itself is local. In co-op you and your partner fight side by side through the platforming stages and combat arenas, share the quests, and take on the bosses together. The game scales its challenge as you progress, so a second player helps with the tougher arenas and the bigger enemies.
Before you start
The difficulty starts easy to pick up and ramps up as you go, so expect the later levels to demand tighter platforming and tougher fights. Progress comes from defeating enemies to level up your health, your stabbin', or your rock-smashin', so how you build your character matters over a long run. The story is played out through cartoon cutscenes with a bizarre cast, and the tone stays goofy and family friendly throughout. The tag list includes both Singleplayer and Local Multiplayer, so check what your group wants before you commit to a session.