Kirikou is a 2D side-scrolling platform game based on the French animated movie Kirikou et la Sorcière . Players guide small boy Kirikou through nine levels as he tries to defeat Karaba the sorceress and free the village warriors. The goal is for Kirikou to explore the environments, attack opponents with a knife, and collect objects.
Levels have a lot of verticality and platforms are connected through ladders. Each level has a set amount of objects to collect, which can be seen in the HUD. However, levels do not need to be completed by collecting these objects - just reaching the exit is enough to progress. After each level, a password is provided.