Koa and the Five Pirates of Mara: Everything We Know

Having absolutely smashed its initial €30,000 target over on Kickstarter, creative three-piece Chibig, Undercoders, and Talpa Games will now be gearing up to bring its cutesy action-adventure project Koa and the Five Pirates of Mara to consoles and PC later this month. However, before you go diving into the deep end without a paddle to keep you afloat, we thought we’d do a last-minute roundup of its core features to give you an idea of what to expect come launch day. Interested? Here’s everything you need to know about it ahead of its debut.

What Is Koa and the Five Pirates of Mara?

Koa and the Five Pirates of Mara is an action-adventure game that draws its influence from the likes of Studio Ghibli’s prestigious anthology of cult classic animations. Set in the same universe as Summer in Mara, the upcoming pirate-themed journey will take players to the vast ocean of Mara—an archipelago that consists of eight unique realms, few of which house the five most fearsome pirate lords known to the seven seas. It is here, as one of the land’s budding adventurers with a heart for conservation, that you will branch out in an effort to reclaim what the pirates stole in a bid to boost their own fortunes and notoriety.

Judging from the footage that’s been shown to date, Koa and the Five Pirates of Mara will pay tribute to some of PlayStation and Xbox’s earliest platform adventures, including Crash, Spyro, and Gex. So, if you’ve been yearning for that next great adventure with all the retro aesthetics to boot, then look no further, as Chibig Studios will look to provide exactly that — and then some.

Story

Set in the world of Mara, the latest venture will cast its focus on the nautical realms that are built to house eight completely unique islands, many of which are used for sole purpose of harboring five notorious pirate lords. As an adventurer with a thirst for redemption and conservation, you will travel out on your vessel to visit these eight colorful biomes and return what was once stolen to their original homes. Easier said than done, of course, what with a whole universe of scurvy-soaked pirates driving a wedge between you and your goal.

“Koa and the Five Pirates of Mara is an action-adventure game where you will sail through a new Mara archipelago, divided into eight worlds,” the Kickstarter campaign elaborates. In addition to the eight biomes, there will also be “several levels with emblematic locations to enjoy in each world, where you will face different obstacles and traps with progressive difficulty to finally challenge the five most famous pirates of the Mara sea.”

Gameplay

If you’ve a fond memory of playing just about any platforming game from the 1990s, then you’re bound to have your former days rekindled with Koa and the Five Pirates of Mara. Why? Well because, aside from the modernized graphics and updates mechanics, it’s really just a love letter to the classics; Crash, Ty, and Croc, to name but a few. Therefore, if it’s wild and wonderful wall-to-wall action you’re after, then you’re probably going to have one or two scratches itched.

“Fortunately, our dear Napopo, Koa's best friend, will be with us always ready to help in our backpack,” the description adds. “Thanks to Napopo we will have skills and special moves such as the bomb-jump, the jet-jump, the somersault, the ultra-speed, and diving.” Like I said — traditional, right down to the double jumps and scattered collectibles.

“Unlock an archipelago piece by piece. From sandy beaches to bubbling volcanoes, there’s no shortage of charming and colourful islands to visit, each one chock full with secrets and collectibles. Each level offers beautiful visuals rich with detail and depth.”

Development

It’s been nothing short of a fairytale ending for the three-piece developer, that’s for sure. With an original target of just €30,000 to get the ball rolling, the team only went and accrued just shy of €300,000 during its time on Kickstarter, which in turn allowed the game to go above and beyond what its creators initially expected. Since smashing its first milestone, Koa and the Five Pirates of Mara has gone on to attract countless fans from all over the globe, making it one of the most sought-after indie games of 2023.

Trailer

Chibig Studio teased fans of its upcoming release a little over a year ago, using its chosen streaming handles to shed light on the premise and core gameplay features. You can see it for yourself in the trailer we’ve posted above.

Release Date, Platforms & Editions

Koa and the Five Pirates of Mara will be heading to Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Switch, and PC via Steam on July 27, 2023. So, hardly any concerns over where to find it, thankfully.

As far as editions go, Koa and the Five Pirates of Mara will be available as both a physical edition as well as a digital edition. It’ll be available to pick up from any of the respective storefronts on day one. But if you can’t wait that long, then you could always add it to your pre-order list and have it pre-installed ahead of its launch date? You can add it to your basket here.

In addition to the standard copies that’ll be going live on July 27th, fans can also get ahold of a collector’s edition, which will come with an artbook, soundtrack, keychain, a set of pins, and a postcard set. You can get your hands on a copy of that here.

If you’re looking to get a little more bang for your buck, then you might want to head over to the game’s official Kickstarter handle for additional updates and pre-launch perks here. If anything changes ahead of its upcoming release window, we’ll be sure to fill you in on all the key details right here on gaming.net.

So, what’s your take? Will you be getting your hands on a copy of Koa and the Five Pirates of Mara when it releases later this month? Let us know your thoughts over on our socials here.