I’m a simple girl. Sometimes it doesn’t take much to rope me in with a game. All that’s needed is an engaging hook or gimmick and I’m there. Kitsune Tails provides exactly that. It’s a title that is essentially the original Super Mario Bros adventures if they had a Yuri love triangle. They did it. They finally put lesbians in Mario. It’s because of this that Kitsune Trails is our Queer Game of the Month for August 2024.
You are a Kitsune known as Yuzu. A fox-girl messenger is sent on a journey when her best human friend is seemingly kidnapped by her other best fox-girl friend named Kiri. The horror! Suddenly you’re traveling across the lands, capturing a series of elemental spirits across five worlds to free your bestie from captivity. It’s a paper-thin premise to motivate you to go on your adventure, admittedly. But then again, the same can be said for Super Mario Bros. 3, though that doesn’t have the benefit of lesbian fox-girls! Take that, beloved Italian plumber.
Kitsune Tails’ queer adventure is incredibly delicate, quaint and endearing. You’re engaging in typical classic Mario platforming, similar even down to the blocks you punch up into and the abilities you receive. At the end of a given world is a classic “your princess is in another castle” style cutscene where you can fight sages that bestow elements or have run-ins with Kiri. As the game progresses, you learn more about your best-friend-turned-enemy’s intentions. A secret she is trying to find the words to say to you.
This escalates when you clear the game’s five chapters and you think it’s over then… surprise! You’re now playing through the same five worlds experiencing her perspective. You learn of Kiri’s hardcore crush on the clueless Yuzu. The same Yuzu who never really considered romantic relationships before. You witness how this is all just a great big misunderstanding. You pray these two crazy kids can work it out.
Kitsune Tails is like a warm hug with its sapphic vibes and cutesy characters. You’ll get letters from your parents checking in how you’re doing. You’re there for how goddamn cheesy and anime the voice acting is. Then you’re in the throes of some of the most hellish platforming levels you’ll ever experience. You’re truly fighting for your life in this game. High enemy density, platforming sequences that require you to have the right ability at the right time, and limited checkpoints await.
You’d be forgiven if you took a really long time to beat the game. Platforming pros could probably complete it in sub ten hours but you’re more likely looking at fifteen to twenty hours of play. Players nervous at difficulty needn’t fret. There are quality difficulty options that let you just endlessly respawn in the same spot you died. I turned this on quickly. I’m strictly here for the queer content. Hook it into my veins.
Thankfully if that is what you’re here for, Kitsune Tails more than delivers. You’ll get the classic tropes of Yuzu or Kiri being flustered by the other by a non-sequitur line the other utters that could be construed as romantic. You also get the corny and adorable queer crushing and pining.
Kitsune Tails isn’t deep. It’s not a commentary or exploration of queer identity or relationships. It’s just a good title with a game formula you know and love and lesbian foxes happen to be there. That’s all games need to be sometimes. A familiarity revitalised by following characters with an identity perhaps akin to the player’s own. It’s a warm and light game to experience, not dissimilar to other games we’ve talked about as part of this feature.
If you’re after something simple with some good old-fashioned adorable lesbians, look no further than Kitsune Tails. It’s available now on PC and well worth your time.
About the Author
Charlie Kelly
She/Her, They/Them
Charlie loves her video games as much as she loves dumb, charming JRPG protagonists: probably way too much. You can often catch her spending too much time being emotional over LGBT stories in games. She also thinks Yakuza 6 is the best one.
