For me and many others, Astro Bot set a new standard for 3D platforming. Its precise movement, playful level design, and heartfelt presentation made it an instant favorite for fans of the genre. As a result, it is no surprise it won GOTY and left many expecting a renaissance of 3D platforming titles. One such game recently revealed at the 2025 Game Awards appears to be taking note, and it looks incredibly promising based on what we’ve seen and know.
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3D platformers have fallen in favor, with recent titles like Astro Bot, Yooka-Replaylee, and Donkey Kong Bananza being among the few still succeeding in this genre. But Bradley the Badger looks to challenge this trend and continue the hot streak Team Asobi began. This upcoming 3D action-adventure platformer has me beyond excited, and I am hopeful that it can rival Astro Bot when it releases.
Bradley the Badger Blends Classic Platforming With Inventive Mechanics
Bradley the Badger is shaping up to be one of the most intriguing platformers revealed and I can’t wait to see more. It comes from Day 4 Night Studios, a new independent team co-founded by industry veterans who previously worked on titles like Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle and Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope. These creative leaders are bringing their experience to an ambitious project that blends exploration, traversal, and freeform puzzle solving with classic platforming elements. But for me, it is Davide Soliani’s passion that is most exciting.
What makes Bradley the Badger stand out is its core mechanic, known as the Kit. Rather than simply jump, run, and attack, players use the Kit to manipulate unfinished objects in the game world. Bradley can scale objects to create platforms, transfer control to items like robots or vehicles for unique traversal options, and even turn environmental pieces into hazards to solve puzzles or defeat enemies. The Kit transforms exploration and level design, encouraging creative problem-solving in ways that go beyond the typical jump-on-enemy formula.
The narrative itself plays with gaming culture and development lore. Bradley is a once-popular mascot trapped in unfinished worlds inspired by famous game tropes and genres. The game blends live-action sequences with in-game graphics, adding personality and humor to the adventure. Evan Peters brings Bradley to life and will showcase the humor Soliani and his team poured into Mario + Rabbids in new ways.
A Team With Proven Platforming and Creative Credentials
Part of what makes Bradley the Badger feel like a potential successor to Astro Bot is the talent behind it. Day 4 Night Studios includes developers with strong credentials in creativity, world-building, and genre blending. Creative director Davide Soliani, known for his work on Mario + Rabbids, brings a track record of fun, accessible design. Meanwhile, Christian Cantamessa, co-founder and writer, has experience with narrative depth from games like Red Dead Redemption and Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor. Together, these two form the backbone behind some of the most innovative games we’ve seen.
This combination could bring a narrative and gameplay that is rare in indie platformers. If it has half the passion and charm that Mario + Rabbids did, then I fully expect Bradley the Badger to exceed expectations. Not only that, but Mario + Rabbids had an incredible blend of gameplay that took platforming elements and turned them into something completely different. From the little we’ve been shown, it is shaping up to be a project by developers who clearly understand how to mix tight mechanics with humor and heart, something that feels very much like Astro Bot.
Where Bradley the Badger can differentiate itself from Team Asobi’s superb platforming is its use of satire and genre references. These can be more than gimmicks, and instead can offer thoughtful commentary on evolving game design and an ever-changing industry. With a premise of unfinished game worlds by different developers, Bradley the Badger can explore different ideas similar to how Astro Bot offered unique worlds and mechanics across different levels.
Bradley The Badger Could Shake Up The 3D Platforming Genre
3D platformers have struggled to find a consistent footing in recent years as the industry has moved more into shooters and action RPGs. However, a few major hits have shown there is still an audience for this genre. Astro Bot is the defining title, and the one that all future 3D platformers will be compared to. What made this PlayStation 5 title so successful, and what Bradley the Badger needs to do, is to embrace what made classic platformers great while adding new mechanics and a strong narrative voice.
Another aspect that could boost Bradley’s appeal is its gameplay toolkit. The Kit allows players to improvise solutions and interact dynamically with level elements. This is a level of mechanical depth uncommon in platformers, as they often revolve around solving puzzles and environmental challenges through specific means. The ability to manipulate the environment for traversal or combat adds an element of creativity that could help Bradley the Badger stand apart from more linear platform adventures.
The debut trailer emphasized exploration and discovery, two pillars of 3D platformers and adventure games. We don’t have a release date, but we can likely expect to see more soon, perhaps at Xbox’s Developer Direct. But for fans of Astro Bot, Super Mario Odyssey, and classic mascot platformers, Bradley the Badger represents a rare opportunity to deliver a fresh take on an iconic genre. If executed well, Bradley the Badger might not just recreate what made Astro Bot great but define the next wave of 3D platformers.
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