Pets Park

What you do in the game

Pets Park is a local co-op game: up to four players share one keyboard and one screen. Each player is a different animal, and together you run through colourful levels, jump over obstacles and look for the way out. There is no single hero in a game like this, so the whole group is the character: a level is finished when the party has found the key and reached the exit.

Every level has a key. Someone has to grab it, and then the group searches for the exit that leads to the next level. Because you win the level together, the useful question is usually who goes ahead and who waits. That also means play changes with the number of people. Two players can talk through a jump, while four players on one screen need a little more patience.

Each player has their own keys. Player 1 uses the Up, Left and Right arrows. Player 2 uses W, A and D. Player 3 uses T, F and H. Player 4 uses I, J and L. The game also lists clothing for the characters, which you can use to tell the animals apart on screen. The clothing options are more than decoration. When four similar animals share a level, a distinct outfit makes it easy to say 'that one is you'.

Poki lists the game for computer, phone and tablet. With four players on one keyboard the keys sit close together, so agree on who sits where before you start. Because Poki lists phone and tablet as well as computer, you can keep the same game for a group that does not have a keyboard to hand.

What each input does

Up, Left, Right arrows

Player 1: jump and move

W, A, D

Player 2: jump and move

T, F, H

Player 3: jump and move

I, J, L

Player 4: jump and move

Before your first run

• Decide who takes the key before the level begins, so everyone is not chasing it at once. It sounds small, but it removes the usual argument at the start of a level.

• Dress the animals differently so each player can find their own character quickly. Pick colours or clothes that stand out, since four animals can look alike on a busy screen.

• Keep the group close; the exit only helps if everyone can reach it. Waiting for a slower player is part of the design; the level is a shared goal.

• Seat four players with the key blocks apart so hands do not collide. Do a quick key check, because a wrong row of keys is the most common early mistake.

• Try a level alone first to learn how far the animal jumps. A solo run teaches the jump length without anyone else on screen.

A good fit if you like

Families and friends who want a shared, easy-to-learn platformer on one device.

What may put you off

• Poki says nothing about age suitability for this game. That is a general note about the listing, so check the Poki page if age matters to you.

• Poki is supported by advertising, so ads may appear around the game on poki.com. Ads are Poki's choice, not this site's, and they can appear before a shared session starts.

• Four players share one keyboard, which gets crowded. If you are the only player, much of what makes the game fun, playing together, is missing.

Questions about Pets Park