Kick: dribble your way to school, one shiba at a time

Kick is a nostalgic little side-scrolling runner about getting to school while showing off your soccer skills. Every level throws new obstacles between you and the bell, starring a cast of very squeezable shiba dogs. It's hand-drawn, colorful and anime-flavored, and it's made by a solo developer.

It's easy to pick up even if you never watch soccer, but the ball physics have a mind of their own, so expect some genuinely tense moments under the cozy vibes. There's a lovely lo-fi-friendly soundtrack, gachapon machines full of collectibles with no microtransactions, adjustable difficulty, and full controller support (a gamepad is recommended).

The catch: it's short and does one thing. Most runs wrap up in an hour or two, and there's the occasional framerate hiccup. At $3.99 with its launch discount, running until November 17, that's an easy trade. It's Windows-only and hasn't been rated for Deck.