PC Critic Reviews

2026 begins brightly for the indie scene as Big Hops delivers tons of fun with its enjoyable platforming and vibrant world. The unique use of vegetables as items that help expand Hops repertoire, plenty of things to collect, and animals to meet along the way make the four biomes worth exploring. Big Hops is a 3D adventure you don’t want to miss.

Big Hops did something interesting today: it charmed a player who is terrible at platformers into liking it. The gameplay offers plenty of variety with its different mechanics, and I’ve found the story and characters charming. It isn’t perfect, of course, with some irritating camera bugs, a general lack of customization for game settings, and some very frustrating moments at times. None of these are dealbreakers, however, and I can heartily recommend Big Hops as a solid game in its genre.

Big Hops is the palete cleanser you need going into 2026 - with immpressive platforming inspired by Mario, a Veggie system that rewards creative thinking and adorable graphics and humor - This is the game you should kick off the year with.

BIG HOPS succeeds because of the developers’ understanding of momentum, accessibility, and expression through movement: its systems constantly invite wacky experimentation with generous restarts, rather than punishing the player for failing, all of which reinforces a core philosophy of playful improvisation.

Big Hops is a testament to how much fun can be had with simple ideas done well. Hop has a modest suite of moves, finely tuned, that string together in ways to make movement feel free-flowing and exuberant. On top of that strong foundation, it layers on flexibility making the worlds you explore feel like playgrounds for your creative thinking and platforming finesse. Altogether, the result is a delightful platformer, and the first great game of 2026.

Big Hops is a really pleasant platformer that gives players many ways to approach its challenges. It’s versatile, and the controls feel pitch perfect. The nature of it also means we get to see some pretty varied biomes. Some worlds do feel more interesting than others, sadly, and and the story could be stronger. Still, it’s quite enjoyable and worth someone’s time if they enjoyed titles like Yooka Laylee and Super Mario 64.

If not quite a giant leap for the 3D platformer, Big Hops is an accurate title after all. [Issue#420, p.106]

Big Hops is an enjoyable platformer that nails level design, creativity, and a sense of momentum.

Big Hops is a really solid platformer that doesn’t need to reinvent the wheel to make for a good time. From the incredible movement to the brilliant Veggies mechanic, exploring every new world is a constant joy. Even when levels feel lacking or simplistic, the speedy gameplay mixed with such gorgeous biomes always results in a fun time. With a bit more polish to fix some technical issues, Big Hops could end up as a hidden gem of the 3D platformer genre.

Big Hops has plenty to celebrate and reasons to check it out, but it is also worth remembering that it's quite the traditional and familiar 3D platformer in many respects.