Dodo Duckie is a puzzle platformer with a 2D and 3D perspective. Developed by BornMonkie and published by Solo Game, Dodo Duckie was released on July 23rd, 2026. After a UFO abducts Dodo’s chicken family, the rescue adventure transports Dodo to a mysterious and bizarre dimension. Dodo will need to travel through each level in search of his family, meeting a cast of interesting and colorful characters along the way. With the cap given to him from Capie the cap-selling capybara, Dodo is able to shift his perspective. This power changes the game’s viewpoint from a 2D platformer to a 3D puzzle game. Dodo will learn new abilities as he travels, all in the hopes of rescuing his chicken family.
Dodo Duckie is a light-hearted and charming game wrapped up in cute visuals, a decent challenge of platforming and puzzles, and a dedicated quack button. The game does not take itself too seriously as it allows for many moments of humorous conversations and photo opportunities. Dodo can wear a plethora of different caps which can be purchased at Capie’s cap shop. There are 8 levels in total and each has a surprisingly longer length than I originally anticipated. Dodo Duckie is an enjoyable game if you’re a fan of platform puzzlers. Though it may not be the best one out there, it executes its concepts and mechanics well. I had fun going on the journey with Dodo, solving puzzles and finding secrets along the way. The negatives I have boil down to my personal preferences that I think would help improve a fairly decent game. Definitely one I can recommend.
Dodo Duckie Goes on a Rescue Mission
One night, while sleeping in the chicken coop alongside his chicken family, a UFO appears and abducts the chickens. When the UFO vanishes, it leaves a strange glowing block behind. Dodo taps it with his bill and the block hurls him into a bizarre dimension. This is where his mission to rescue his chicken family begins. Shortly after making it to this world, he runs into Capie, the cap-selling capybara. The friendly and kind Capie suggests that Dodo tries changing his perspective to help search for his family. Capie gifts Dodo a cap—though this was no ordinary cap. With it, Dodo is able to shift the game’s point of view from a 2D platformer to a 3D puzzle adventure.
As tempting as it is to play the whole game in its 3D glamour, Dodo can only do so much. In 2D, Dodo can jump/double jump. In 3D, Dodo can do a spin to attack enemies or destroy boxes/plants to find items. Each level contains three things Dodo can collect—many, many gold coins, blue feathers, and gold eggs. In order to collect them all, I’d recommend playing in 3D for the majority of the time. Switch to 2D when needed. Playing in 3D shows you the different secrets to discover, objects to destroy and even the paths to take to reach your objective.
In total, Dodo will need to travel through 8 levels, each taking place in a different dimension. Dodo travels through plainlands, snow and ice, and even to outer space in search of his chicken family. New mechanics are usually added with each level. Dodo may learn a new technique, such as gliding or swimming. The cap Dodo wears also has its own abilities. Beyond shifting the perspective, it will be able to do more over the course of the game. This includes the ability to pull doors open or “flatten” objects so that Dodo can use them in 2D. Obviously when you learn a new technique, you can expect to use it often in that level to proceed forward.
The pace at which you learn things is decent and it’s a great way to keep the game feeling fresh. I think this is important as the length of each level is a lot longer than I was originally anticipating. The game will take you roughly around 5/6 hours to complete. With only 8 levels, you can get a sense of how long each one needs to be in order to fill that time. Luckily, mailboxes can be found throughout allowing you to save often in case you want to take a break. There are times where puzzles can feel a bit monotonous or repetitive, partly because of the length in levels. Sometimes I looked up and saw how much I had left, wishing that it was a tad shorter.
As you progress into later levels, the challenge of platforming and puzzles increases steadily. I never felt like there was a sudden spike of difficulty. I never became frustrated due to a particularly difficult part. Some puzzles did make me think, but the solution became clear after a short while. Sometimes I fell, but rising clouds make it so that you don’t end up on a lower level. You just respawn at your most previous save point. I liked the steady increase in challenge so that the beginning allows you to get comfortable with the game’s mechanics while the end didn’t feel like a walk in the park.
It did actually take me a bit to get to used to the controls of the shifting perspectives. In 2D, you will probably need both hands on the keyboard in order to sprint, jump and move at the same time. In 3D though, you’ll probably need one hand on the mouse in order to look around. I found myself at times forgetting to move my hand when I switched perspectives. This led to a failed jump on a few occasions. This isn’t necessarily a negative in my opinion—more so just something to be aware of.
When you complete a level, a screen will display showing you the number of coins, feathers and gold eggs you collected out of the total amount. Unfortunately, this is the only time you actually see the total amount per level. I wish you could see this at any time like for example when you pause the game. For those like me who want to try and collect every last coin and feather, this would be a great help. I could potentially backtrack if I know that I missed something instead of having to complete the level to find out if I did. There is also no way to replay a level once you complete it meaning that you need to rely on either another save file or New Game+.
A Dimension of Cap Wearing Enthusiasts
The story of Dodo Duckie isn’t the most deep or compelling piece of narrative, but it does push the game along. Dodo’s adventure is filled with a cast of characters, some of which are helpful. From a DJ Frog who forgot the birthday frog to owls that spout tips and wisdom—each little interaction gives the game its charm and light-hearted feel. The writing feels welcoming to both a younger audience and those of us who grew up knowing every word to The Duck Song.
Capie’s cap shop offers a plethora of different caps for Dodo to wear. Dodo can wear a variety of hats, from beanies, bows, helmets and more. My personal favorites were the chimken, ribbit, or banana if I was feeling silly. Players can use their coins or blue feathers to purchase new caps. The price varies between different caps, though none of them are particularly expensive. The shop itself pops up often throughout levels so players can purchase new caps and change as much as they wish. Unfortunately the cap in cutscenes remains the original propeller cap instead of changing to whatever one you have on, but this isn’t a huge issue.
Though I love the addition of cap customization, I really wish there was more. Not more caps, there’s plenty of those, but other types of customizations such as outfits, facial accessories, or feather design/color. Personally, once I’ve bought the caps I liked the look of, the appeal of customization fell off completely. I was buying new caps just because I had the currency to do so rather than being something I wanted to buy. Extended customization beyond caps would simply be more fun, especially when you consider how often the game allows you to stop at the cap shop to purchase new things. This isn’t a huge issue, but it does feel like a missed opportunity.
A photo mode exists to allow Dodo to showcase his cap collection. Certain spots are more meant for taking a photo, such as cardboard cutouts that Dodo can stand behind. However this can be opened at any point, allowing you to take many cute photos of Dodo whenever you want. It’s like the cherry on top of this charming and cute game.
“Getting lost just means you’re doing it your way. Take your time.” – Tutu, Owl with Red Beanie
Overall, I enjoyed Dodo Duckie. Shifting perspectives from a 2D platformer to a 3D puzzler blends seamlessly together and works well as a core game mechanic. I enjoyed the challenge level and the steady rising pace as you progress through the levels. Dodo Duckie has a charm to it due to its cute visuals and light-hearted characters. It’s a game that doesn’t take itself too seriously in most regards. I liked the pace at which new mechanics are brought into the game, and overall I can appreciate the length of each level so that the game isn’t too short. I’m not sure if there’s a replayability factor for me personally, but I do like the option to do so. This is the type of game I’d play on a Steam Deck and would be able to let my partner play too on their own save file.
I like the inclusion of cap customization, though I wish customization was extended to things beyond cap. The desire to customize Dodo fell off quickly once I bought the two/three caps I wanted out of the many, many options. This isn’t a huge issue. Nor is the slight monotony of some puzzles as levels dragged on. Despite this, I can happily recommend picking this one up. If you like platforming puzzlers and think that the mechanic of shifting 2D and 3D sounds interesting, you should pick this one up. It’ll be good, simple fun that you won’t regret.
Thank you for reading and don’t forget to quack!
