Dungeons & Ducklings Review

Have you ever found yourself playing Pac-Man and thinking, “You know what this game needs? Ducks!” Well, I have the perfect game for you. Dungeons & Ducklings takes the classic gameplay style of the arcade favourite and breaks all the rules, creating a game that feels familiar yet totally new at the same time. You take on the role of a very angry Mama Duck, and she’s angry for good reason, as her ducklings have been kidnapped.

It was a bright and beautiful day when Mama Duck and her babies were out looking for a new home. They came across a pond that looked perfect… except it was polluted. In the meantime, the ducklings managed to fall down a hole, right into a dungeon. Mama follows her little ones and lands on a black and white cat named Akira. This feline warns that “he will be here any second.” The monster prowls the dungeon, turning anyone he finds into an undead minion. Since you are bright yellow, your feathers make you a target, so you need to get moving!

When you begin, Dungeons & Ducklings feels just like Pac-Man, but instead of pellets, you collect coins while navigating around the maze-like walls. Enemies crawl around the dungeon; they are dumb, but one touch and you are a dead duck. The Lich appears, saying that you have trespassed, but that you are powerful and could join their conquest to bring chaos to the world. Since Mama Duck, who already looks rather pissed off, refuses, he threatens to corrupt the ducklings instead. He then summons the Darkness to swallow you whole, which rises from the bottom of the screen.

You aren’t totally on your own. To save your ducklings before they are corrupted, Akira acts as your guide and personal merchant, running a shop called the Toe-Beans Café. Be prepared for a lot of “meow” puns, as he uses them constantly, such as “attack right meow!” This kitty will explain how you can survive the dungeon, and if you fall in battle, he will rescue you and bring you back to his café.

The coins you collect while exploring the dungeon aren’t only used to buy things in the shop; they are needed to charge your attack so you can hit enemies and break down walls. Akira makes you a deal: he will give you your first weapon for free if you promise not to shop anywhere else. There are three weapons to choose from, each one representing a different class. The Iron Sword unlocks the Fighter; the Daggers are for the Rogue and can create poison clouds and deal damage while invisible; and the Staff is the Wizard’s weapon, shooting magic missiles that will be familiar to anyone who plays Dungeons & Dragons. You can later buy the weapons you didn’t choose for 500 or 600 coins.

As you navigate through the dungeon, you’ll have to avoid any enemies you see — unless your attack is charged. Besides coins, you’ll find various types of food to collect, such as grain, lettuce, grapes, or corn. On the right-hand side of the screen, you’ll see a meter with 16 squares labelled “BOSS”. Every time you pick up a piece of food, one square fills in. Once the bar is full, a massive boss appears (such as a crocodile that takes up half the screen), and you’ll need to defeat it.

While exploring, you’ll find some of your children sitting among the coins — just walk over them to rescue them. Portals will appear in the dungeon; finding one lets you send one duckling at a time back to your home base. When you do this, it’s Quacktacular Upgrade Time: this allows you to upgrade your Weapon, Trinket, Cloak, Ring, and even the Ducklings themselves. At the start, you’ll likely only have your Weapon, but as you progress, you’ll buy new items and power up your duck, letting you choose what you want to focus on in each upgrade.

Dungeons & Ducklings is a roguelike, so you’ll lose and come back multiple times, but you keep everything you’ve unlocked so far, such as new classes, passives, and abilities earned by completing challenges and collecting ducklings. Each time Akira brings you back, your duck will be able to purchase new items and character upgrades, such as an extra life or starting a run with a duckling already rescued.

This game has a wonderful pixelated aesthetic, and the ducks look fantastic in any outfit you put on them. I absolutely adore Mama Duck wearing the big sorcerer’s hat! The enemies have fun designs, with plenty of variety, so it never feels repetitive. The bosses are massive and intimidating, filling at least half the screen, forcing you to sneak in hits while avoiding the regular foes wandering the dungeon. The accompanying music is upbeat, energetic, and perfectly suited for such a high-paced, chaotic game.

I’m having a great time with Dungeons & Ducklings. Like Pac-Man, I die a lot, but I appreciate the wide range of enemies: slimes, bats, skeletons, zombies, and the dramatic slow-motion zoom whenever enemies are getting too close, so you have a chance to escape. Plus, who doesn’t love ducks that dress up and can breathe fire at enemies? Duck Pac-Man, aka QUACK-Man, is an addictive game you absolutely need to check out. And yes, you have a dedicated quack button to spam. It’s brilliant.