Dribbling Through Life: Hand-Drawn Platformer ‘Kick’ Revealed on Steam

• The Vibe: A cozy, hand-drawn 2D journey of a boy and his dog on their way to school.
• The Hook: Built on a dedicated soccer ball physics engine—success depends on the angle of your kick and your dribbling rhythm.
• The Content: 23 levels featuring a toggleable timer for both “zen” players and speedrunners.
• The Team: Developed by Swiss solo dev nospacelost and published by Shoreline Games.

Forget world-ending threats or high-stakes combat. In Kick, the biggest challenge you face is making it to class on time without losing your ball. This side-scrolling platformer captures the simple, nostalgic joy of childhood curiosity, turning a daily commute into a playground of physics and imagination.

A Small Adventure on a Familiar Path

The narrative follows “The Kid,” a young protagonist who starts his morning at the park, sharpens his skills, and rushes to catch the train. With a loyal canine companion by his side, the boy navigates a bustling city, sun-drenched beaches, and quiet subway tunnels. There are no enemies to defeat—the world is your pitch, and the ball is your constant companion.

Hand-Drawn Heart: 2D Anime Aesthetics

Visually, Kick looks like a still from a classic warm-hearted anime. The hand-drawn art style captures the morning light filtering through park trees and the golden hues of a seaside sunset. It’s a love letter to the “slice-of-life” genre, where the sound of a bouncing ball and the chatter of a city create a peaceful, rhythmic atmosphere.

Physics of the Pitch: Angle and Impact

While it looks relaxing, the game demands a bit of finesse. The soccer ball physics engine is the heart of the experience:

• Precision Dribbling: The angle and power of your kicks determine where the ball goes. You’ll need to navigate around pedestrians and avoid breaking shop windows while keeping your momentum.
• Customizable Pace: If you want a relaxing stroll, you can turn off the timer. If you want to test your mastery, the speedrun-friendly timer lets you compete for the fastest arrival at the school gates.
• Collectibles: Players can collect coins from toy capsule machines to unlock new ball skins and display different national flags within the game.

Quick Specification: Kick

A Labor of Nostalgia

Developer Peter Soerensen of nospacelost describes the game as a project of passion, aiming to create a space where players can focus purely on “the boy, the ball, and the next trick.” Shoreline Games CEO Keith Kawamura added that the game’s simplicity is its strength, tapping into the universal childhood memory of kicking a ball along the sidewalk.

While the release date is still “TBA,” the early reception highlights the game’s unique balance between “healing” gameplay and the high-skill ceiling provided by its physics-based mechanics.

Official Steam Page: Kick on Steam