Koa and the Five
Pirates of Mara

Koa and the Five Pirates of Mara (2023) is a running, jumping and collecting game where you journey across whimsical islands in search of hidden pirate treasure. You explore ancient ruins, avoid dangerous traps, and defeat the pirates as you scour every inch of these lands. Approachable and straightforward main levels, paired with more demanding challenge stages and secrets, are great for children and adults of any age to enjoy the game at their own pace.

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You play Koa, a young adventurer who sets sail for an archipelago of mysterious tropical islands in search of riches hidden by five pirate captains. As you explore, you meet the island's inhabitants, discover ancient ruins, traverse perilous pathways, avoid traps and pitfalls, and collect shells and other treasures and secrets.

Play focuses on running and jumping through the stages and solving simple environmental puzzles to unlock the way forward - such as using bombs to reveal new passageways or placing a specific item on a pedestal. Obstacles range from spinning platforms to falling barriers and while the main stages are relatively simple like SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake, there are also lots of secrets and extra stages that offer a much more challenging. Some of the levels pit you against one of the five pirates in fights where, since you have no conventional weapons, you use the environment to defeat them.

The result is a simple adventure approachable to both newcomers and platforming veterans that rewards exploration and experimentation. There's a Dora the Explorer feel to much of the game, but here you steadily uncover the countless secrets, hidden areas, and stages that offer a more involved and demanding challenge.

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Our examiner, Ben Kendall, first checked Koa and the Five Pirates of Mara 13 months ago. It was re-examined by Jo Robertson and updated 9 months ago.