Big Hops

Tongue-swing, Free Climb, and Build Your Own Path Forward!

🎮 Launching January 12, 2026
🖥️ PC / Steam 🎮 Nintendo Switch 🎮 PlayStation 5 💨 Steam Deck Verified

What is Big Hops?

A fresh take on 3D platformers with innovative mechanics and emergent gameplay

👅

Frog Tongue Mechanics

Master Hop's versatile tongue to swing across chasms, grab items from afar, pick locks, solve environmental puzzles, and hookshot up vertical surfaces at incredible speeds.

🌱

Plant Your Own Paths

Grow mushroom trampolines, vine climbs, balloon platforms, and tightropes anywhere. Build creative routes through levels using veggie tools—no two playthroughs are the same!

🏃

Deep Movement System

Roll, dive, wall run, free climb, swim, belly slide, pole swing, grind rails, and ride minecarts. Every mechanic stacks together for endless movement creativity.

🗺️

Massive Open Worlds

Explore four distinct biomes—Forest, Red Desert, Open Ocean, and Shattered Mountain—each with unique stories, characters, and hidden sub-areas to discover.

🐛

Meaningful Collectibles

Hunt bugs, unlock Dark Drips secrets, expand your backpack, buy upgrades at shops, customize Hop with outfits and hats, and discover blueprints for gadgets.

Built for Speedrunners

Challenge rooms with leaderboards, speedometer trinket, time-slow backpack mechanic, and movement tech that rewards skill. Designed from the ground up for fast runs.

Master the Movement

Big Hops features one of the deepest movement kits in modern platformers

🏃 Core Movement Options

  • Roll: Quick ground dash for speed
  • Dive: Aerial momentum boost
  • Crouch Jump: Low-clearance precision hops
  • Wall Run: Maintain speed on vertical surfaces
  • Free Climb: Scale any surface with stamina management
  • Belly Slide: Build speed on slopes

🎯 Advanced Techniques

  • Pole Swing: Gain height and distance
  • Rail Grinding: High-speed route shortcuts
  • Minecart Riding: Automated speed sections
  • Tightrope Walking: Balance across gaps
  • Swimming & Diving: Underwater exploration

👅 Tongue Interactions

  • Tongue Swing: Grapple and swing like a pendulum
  • Hookshot: Pull yourself up walls rapidly
  • Item Grab: Pull distant objects to you
  • Lock-Picking: Lick open locked doors
  • Switches & Levers: Activate from range
  • Cork Pulling: Open blocked passages
  • Flower Licking: Reveal hidden platforms

🎒 Backpack System

  • Time-Slow: Opens backpack in mid-air, slowing time
  • Inventory Slots: Store multiple veggies
  • Quick Access: Swap tools on the fly
  • Upgrades: Unlock more slots as you progress
  • Trinket System: Equip gameplay modifiers

🌱 Veggie Path-Building Tools

Plant veggies anywhere to create your own routes—the core innovation of Big Hops

🍄

Mushrooms

Function: Bounce Pads
Plant mushrooms to create springy trampolines that launch Hop high into the air. Essential for reaching tall platforms and secret areas. Stack multiple for extreme height!

🌰

Acorns

Function: Vine Growth
Throw acorns to grow climbable vines on walls and ceilings. Extend your climbing routes beyond stamina limits. Combine with free-climb for vertical exploration mastery.

🎈

Balloons

Function: Floating Platforms
Create temporary mid-air platforms that can be stacked vertically. Perfect for building staircases to the sky or resting spots during difficult jumps.

Oil Balls

Function: Hookshot Anchors
Generate hookshot points you can bounce off without losing momentum. Critical for speedrunning and maintaining velocity through complex sections.

🍎

Apples

Function: Swing Points
Place tongue-swinging anchors anywhere in 3D space. Create custom pendulum routes across massive gaps or through tight obstacle courses.

🌵

Cacti

Function: Tightrope Launcher
Shoot tightropes across large distances. Walk, run, or balance across to traverse chasms. Angle them for upward or downward travel.

💡 Pro Tip: Veggie Combos

The real magic happens when you combine veggies! Try: Mushroom bounce → mid-air balloon platform → acorn vine climb → apple swing → cactus tightrope for ultimate path creativity. Every level becomes a sandbox!

🗺️ Explore Four Massive Worlds

Each world tells its own story with unique characters, conflicts, and secrets

🌲

Forest World

Your journey begins in lush, peaceful forests where you meet Diss, the trickster spirit who kidnapped you. Learn the basics, discover your first veggies, and meet friendly animal NPCs who set you on your quest.

Key Locations:
  • • Hop's Village (starting area)
  • • The Void (mysterious gravity-bending realm)
  • • Tutorial Grove
  • • Bugsy's Conservatory (bug collection hub)
🏜️

Red Desert

A vast crimson wasteland ruled by the notorious Gulley Gang. Infiltrate their hideout, navigate scorching sands, discover ancient ruins, and help locals oppressed by the bandits to claim your first Airship Part.

Key Locations:
  • • Gulley Gang Hideout (stealth section)
  • • Boneyard (skeleton graveyard)
  • • Drilson's Depot (upgrade shop)
  • • Sandstorm Plains
🌊

Open Ocean

Become a "Bucko" and rescue DrillCO's rig workers from danger across floating oil platforms, underwater caves, and tropical islands. Navigate water-based platforming and uncover corporate corruption.

Key Locations:
  • • Bucko Cove (pirate-themed town)
  • • DrillCO Oil Rigs
  • • Hydro Plant (power station dungeon)
  • • Coral Reef Caves
⛰️

Shattered Mountain

A fractured mountain range where cultists of Haven perform mysterious rituals. Spelunk through dark caverns, avoid detection, climb towering peaks, and uncover the truth behind Diss's mission and the Dark Drips.

Key Locations:
  • • Haven Temple (cultist headquarters)
  • • Crystal Caverns
  • • Summit Challenge (final platforming gauntlet)
  • • Odette's Outfitters (cosmetic shop)

📖 A Story of Choice

Each world presents a moral question: Balance individual pursuit vs. social responsibility. Will you help purely to get Airship Parts (selfish), or will you genuinely invest in each world's conflicts (altruistic)? Your choices shape how you experience Hop's journey home and his relationship with the mysterious Diss.

💻 System Requirements

PC specifications and platform compatibility

🖥️ Minimum (PC)

OS:
Windows 7 64-bit
Processor:
Intel Core i5 2.8GHz or equivalent
Memory:
4 GB RAM
Graphics:
GeForce GTX 1060 (3GB VRAM)
DirectX:
Version 10
Storage:
5 GB available space
Notes:
64-bit processor required

🎮 Platform Support

Steam Deck:
✅ Verified - Runs excellently
Switch:
✅ Optimized performance
Switch 2:
✅ Enhanced graphics & framerate
PlayStation 5:
✅ Full support at launch
Controllers:
Full gamepad support (recommended)
Languages:
English, German, Spanish, Russian, Chinese, Portuguese

🎯 Recommended Setup

For the best experience: Windows 10/11, Intel Core i7, 8GB RAM, GTX 1060 or better, SSD storage. Big Hops uses Unity engine with custom physics, FMOD audio, and optimized URP rendering for smooth 60fps+ gameplay across all platforms.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about Big Hops

When is the Big Hops release date? +

Big Hops launches on January 12, 2026 simultaneously on PC (Steam), Nintendo Switch, and PlayStation 5. The game has been in development for 6 years and is nearly complete!

Is there a Big Hops demo available? +

Yes! A free demo is available now on Steam. The demo includes the tutorial area, first world sections, and showcases all core mechanics—tongue-swinging, veggie path-building, and movement options. Try before you buy!

What platforms will Big Hops be on? +

Big Hops launches on PC via Steam, Nintendo Switch, and PlayStation 5. The game is Steam Deck Verified and runs excellently on Nintendo Switch 2 according to developer testing.

How long is Big Hops? +

A standard playthrough takes approximately 10-15 hours. 100% completion (all bugs, medals, hats, secrets, challenge rooms) can extend playtime to 20-25 hours. Speedrunners can complete Any% in under an hour with mastery!

Is Big Hops good for speedrunning? +

Absolutely! Big Hops was designed with speedrunning in mind. Features include: in-game speedometer trinket, challenge room leaderboards, movement tech that rewards skill (slide-hopping, momentum preservation), open-ended levels with multiple routes, and speedrun-specific settings in the menu.

Does Big Hops have combat? +

No. Big Hops focuses on non-violent action and environmental puzzle-solving. Instead of combat, you use tongue mechanics, veggie path-building, and movement mastery to overcome obstacles. The game emphasizes exploration and creativity over fighting.

Who developed Big Hops? +

Big Hops is developed and published by Luckshot Games, founded by director Chris Wade in 2015. The team previously created Sausage Sports Club. Character designs are by Steven Sugar (background designer for Steven Universe and The Owl House). The game was successfully crowdfunded on Kickstarter after the original publisher dropped it.

What inspired Big Hops? +

Big Hops draws inspiration from classic 3D platformers: Super Mario 64, Mario Odyssey, Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Sonic Adventure, A Hat in Time, and Banjo-Kazooie. The goal was to create emergent gameplay in the platformer genre—giving players creative freedom like BOTW but with deep movement like Mario.

Can I customize my frog character? +

Yes! You can buy outfits, hats, and color dyes at Odette's Outfitters shop. Cosmetics are unlocked by collecting bugs and completing challenges. Equipping trinkets also decorates your backpack visually!

What collectibles are in the game? +

Big Hops features: Dark Drips (story progression), Dark Bits (unlock trinkets), Bugs (currency + collection), Challenge Rooms, Veggies, Backpack Slots, Outfits & Hats, Gadget Blueprints, and Mixtapes (in-game music player). Every collectible has gameplay value—no pointless fetch quests!

🎮 Ready to Start Hopping?

Download the free demo on Steam today and experience the future of 3D platformers!

⬇️ Download Free Demo 🛒 Wishlist on Steam