Metascore
69

Mixed or average reviews - based on 20 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 20
  2. Negative: 0 out of 20
  1. Oct 3, 2025
    80
    Space Adventure Cobra – The Awakening is based on the classic ’80s anime, capturing all the nostalgia and tone of that era. It even includes sequences from the original series as you play through the first 12 episodes of the show. However, while the retro charm is undeniable and the action sequences are solid, lingering gameplay issues hold it back in the long run.
  2. Aug 29, 2025
    80
    Space Adventure Cobra – The Awakening is a fun action platformer that brings an entertaining story, familiar characters, and good gameplay to the table. It does have some faults, but it’s a cool and stylish Cobra adventure.
  3. Aug 28, 2025
    80
    A decent action platformer bursting with nostalgia and charm, Space Adventure Cobra: The Awakening delivers a stylish retro ride.
  4. Aug 26, 2025
    80
    I had so much fun with Space Adventure Cobra - The Awakening; I wish more games went over-the-top like this to represent their franchises.
  5. 80
    Whether you’re a fan of action platformers or you’re a Cobra superfan, there’s a lot to like about Space Adventure Cobra – The Awakening. While it only covers the first 12 episodes of the show and completes The Ultimate Weapon arc, we’ll hopefully get a sequel that completes the story (the show ran for 31 episodes and gets increasingly out there as the final episode deals with the body of Adolf Hitler). With great presentation, this is a real treat for fans of the show.
  6. Sep 11, 2025
    78
    Space Adventure Cobra: The Awakening brings Buichi Terasawa’s iconic space rogue to life with a mix of faithful adaptation and sharp 2D action. While a few technical hiccups and repetitive bosses keep it from perfection, the game’s style, charm, and variety shine through. It’s a bold, entertaining adventure that delivers for longtime fans while remaining welcoming to newcomers.
  7. Oct 28, 2025
    75
    Space Adventure Cobra - The Awakening is a stylish and enjoyable revival of the iconic action hero. Blending some anime nostalgia with modern platforming, it's a solid outing and even better tribute to Buichi Terasawa.
  8. Sep 3, 2025
    75
    I really enjoyed Space Adventure Cobra: The Awakening. But a lot of that love has to do with the excellent presentation. The game struggles with some odd controls, and archaic level design. It’s not built as tightly as a lot of modern platformers. But it has lots of content, and a variety of gameplay in its main story. The game’s real strength is its anime presentation. Space Adventure Cobra: The Awakening perfectly captures the visual and auditory aesthetic of its Space Cobra source material. If you’re a fan of Space Adventure Cobra, or looking for more 2D action platform games, then Space Adventure Cobra: The Awakening is worth your time. Maybe just wait until it’s on sale.
  9. Sep 5, 2025
    70
    A real blast from the past, Space Adventure Cobra - The Awakening is as classic an anime as it gets. Whilst it seems like a niche game for the fans, it's an accessible action platformer for old and newcomers a like. Interspersed with original animations and corny dialogue, it's a fun little romp through the golden era of anime and space adventuring.
  10. Sep 2, 2025
    70
    The Awakening isn't a perfect title, but it has a particular charm. It combines classic action, exploration elements, and a strong nostalgic component that will appeal to both veterans and the curious. Its control issues, uneven difficulty, and somewhat flat visual finish prevent it from shining brighter. However, the essence of the character, his charisma, and the originality of the Psycho-Gun are enough to keep us hooked. It's not a must-have in the genre, but it is a worthy tribute.
  11. Sep 1, 2025
    70
    When taken as a whole, Space Adventure Cobra - The Awakening is a true revival of the legendary space pirate—sure to captivate fans of this old-school anime - yet it also serves as a reminder that we need a few more games to fully experience the world of Cobra.
  12. Aug 25, 2025
    70
    It’s very cool to see Space Adventure Cobra repurposed in this format, and we daresay The Awakening’s going to breed a fresh generation of franchise fans – especially as it includes tons of original footage from the TV show. While the in-game art style doesn’t quite measure up to the anime and the gameplay has some rough edges to it, there’s a surprisingly good rhythm to the action at times, and some clever use of the eponymous adventurer’s arsenal.
  13. Aug 25, 2025
    70
    While fans of the anime will no doubt get the most out of Space Adventure Cobra: The Awakening, its engaging mix of run 'n' gun gameplay with platforming and Metroidvania elements make it suitable for all. The unique Psychogun with its guidable bullets is the standout feature here. It's just a shame that the overall experience is brought down a little by some minor issues that can cause frustration.
  14. Oct 12, 2025
    65
    It's hard to know who Space Adventure Cobra: The Awakening is aimed at. The action/platformer pro will find it average in 2025, while the hardcore Cobra fan will regret the general lack of ambition in telling the story they love so much. The neophyte, on the other hand, might resent having the first 12 episodes of the very good anime spoiled for them with a game of this caliber. Nevertheless, the game is not without its qualities, and even if there were surely plenty of ways to do better, it is not a fool's trap designed by the Glass Man to trap legendary heroes. Like other productions from the publisher, it's nice, it draws inspiration from many things that work elsewhere, but the result struggles to bring anything truly transcendent.
  15. Oct 15, 2025
    60
    Space Adventure Cobra: The Awakening has a lot going for it, a charming cartoon aesthetic, great storytelling, and solid gunplay. Unfortunately, these positives are often undermined by dull level design, inconsistent controls, and unpleasant difficulty spikes, resulting in a distinctly average overall experience.
  16. Sep 9, 2025
    60
    To sum up, I think it's a good game that I believe can entertain both fans of the series and fans of the genre, even if it needed some fine-tuning here and there. Above all, it's a game that reminds us why Cobra is still such an iconic and timeless hero - even if I personally prefer him in anime format. So now it's simply time for another rewatch.
  17. 60
    After Grendizer, Microids brings back Space Adventure Cobra, which spotlights a sort of interstellar Lupin III who loves getting into trouble. Unfortunately for him, this time he has to deal with an adventure marred by incomprehensible design choices. What's completely flawed is the control system, which makes many stages of a game that otherwise had the potential to appeal especially to "old teenagers" of the '70s and '80s, unnecessarily difficult and unfun.
  18. Aug 29, 2025
    60
    Space Adventure Cobra – The Awakening reaches a 6 more for the nostalgia effect than for the quality of the job done. The control system has to be revised from its roots, even if with practice you can still got to the bottom of it. A gift for the original series' lovers an an incentive for the others to rediscover it, but overall an average game.
  19. Sep 9, 2025
    50
    Space Adventure Cobra is an uninspired, linear platformer whose greatest contribution is simply providing an excellent excuse to discover the classic and highly enjoyable anime it’s based on.
  20. Aug 26, 2025
    50
    With Cobra Space Adventure, Microids adds yet another stain to an already troubled track record. One might have hoped that passion and love for Buichi Terasawa’s work could transcend a shoestring budget, but the reality is brutally clear: Cobra marks a botched comeback, bland and lifeless. Outdated graphics, shameful animations, clunky gameplay, nonexistent staging… nothing manages to lift the game out of mediocrity, aside from a handful of decent ideas tied to the Psychogun. What makes it all the more depressing is that Cobra deserved so much better. Its rich, timeless universe had the potential for a bold adaptation, one that could have captivated both nostalgic fans of the ’80s and a brand-new audience. Instead, what we get is a soulless production that honors neither its source material nor the player. In 2025, it’s unacceptable to charge $40 for a game that looks and plays like a free mobile title you’d stumble upon on the AppStore or Google Play.