KallaX: Co-op Chaos in Space Furniture Assembly

Become a Master at Furniture Assembly with KallaX My Journey from Novice to Pro

Thanks to KallaX, I am now a furniture assembly pro!

Pardon me for tooting my own gaming horn, but my sister and I consider ourselves seasoned co-op professionals. We’ve been playing games together since we were knee-high, even turning non-co-op games into multiplayer masterpieces (like splitting a controller in half to play Tekken 3’s Force mode). So, when I stumbled upon KallaX, a co-op game about aliens building furniture in space, I couldn’t resist the cosmic challenge and wondered if our assembly skills were up to par.

Intergalactic Info

• Developer: Unexpected
• Publisher: Unexpected
• Platform: PC
• Availability: Out now on PC (Steam)

Now, KallaX is no walk in the park. It’s like IKEA on steroids, where only one person can lay their eyes on the manual at a time. No more huddling around a tiny booklet, bumping shoulders and squinting at minimalist diagrams. Instead, KallaX tests your communication skills to the max.

Now, my sister and I have tackled all kinds of co-op challenges before. We’ve solved puzzles in Death Squared and Portal, endured the timed chaos of Overcooked and Unrailed, and even dabbled in asymmetric escape rooms. But never have we encountered a game that brings together these three elements like KallaX. I wasn’t sure how it would all click for us.

After completing the first 20 levels of KallaX, we found our cosmic rhythm. The game eases you in gently with some straightforward tutorial levels to get the hang of the controls. A to hold a piece, double-tap X to connect them. And if you mess up, just chuck it in the celestial bin window, and watch your mistakes float away into space.

The initial furniture designs are fairly simple. Some, like small stools and tall lamps, require no customization. But when it comes to tables and cabinets, you’ll need to follow specific patterns. And that’s when our unique language comes into play: “short legs,” “dark inside,” and even tallying jelly beans inside a piñata. With our jargon in place, everything starts falling into the cosmic groove.

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Then, the game throws cushions at us — not literally, of course. Different shapes and patterns, but translating them from visual instructions into words turned out to be tougher than anticipated. That’s when my sister and I established a system. She took charge of the cushions while I focused on dowels and nails. We’d come together for the finishing touches, creating interstellar sofas fit for the chillest of aliens.

Then, the game pulled a sneaky move and asked us to assemble cat trees. We had to adapt our system once again. We set some ground rules, like not prematurely sticking dowels into random holes (apparently, my creativity didn’t pay off). We had to learn the possible patterns for each cat tree component and understand their orientations.

At first, it was a challenge, but once we grasped the crucial details, it was incredibly satisfying to deliver a perfectly constructed cat tree and earn our hard-earned 400 cents. (Who knew space aliens were so underpaid for manual labor?)

The co-op experience in KallaX differs greatly between two players and three or more. With just two players, each of us controlled two aliens, allowing us to juggle multiple tasks simultaneously. It was the ultimate cosmic multitasking. While advantageous, it felt like we were bending the game’s rules a bit. My sister could switch back and forth between the manual and checking my assembly progress, basically eliminating the need for clear communication.

But here’s the thing—we don’t play co-op games just to be good. We play to master them, and if that means strategizing within the game’s boundaries, then it’s fair game in my book.

Pure chaos is always on the horizon in KallaX. We experienced wacky physics as bits of furniture flipped around into unhelpful positions. Accidentally picking up team members or sending objects hurtling into space was all too easy. Yet, somehow, the madness never felt frustrating or unfair. It was just a bunch of blobby aliens, donned in vibrant colors, fumbling about to create furniture and perhaps launching each other into the cosmic void. Granted, real-life IKEA furniture assembly lacks the same level of entertainment.

Playing KallaX with three players amps up the laughter and helps blow off some steam. However, what I’m truly eager for is progressing through the game’s levels with my sister. I’m itching to see what nonsensical items we’ll have to assemble next. If we can handle constructing a cat tree, then the cosmos is the limit!

Have you tried KallaX? What’s your most amusing co-op gaming experience? Share your cosmic tales in the comments below!