Grapple Dogs Steam-Only Editor: PC Fans Rejoice, Console Users Sigh

Grapple Dogs Steam-Only Editor: PC Fans Rejoice, Console Users Sigh

Here’s something you don’t see every day in indie platformers: a full-fledged level editor locked behind one storefront. With the December 2024 update, Medallion Games and publisher Super Rare Originals have grafted a robust, Steam-only Level Editor into Grapple Dogs: Cosmic Canines. As a longtime fan of pixel-swinging adventures since Bionic Commando, I can attest that user-generated content (UGC) often elevates a solid game into a community obsession. Handing creative control directly to players? That’s ambitious.

A Bold, Steam-Exclusive Toolkit

On PC, the new editor sits right beside the main game in Steam’s library. It gives creators a familiar tile-based interface, full access to the game’s pixel-art assets, and adjustable parameters for everything from grapple length and swing physics to custom hazards. Once a stage is ready, authors can publish it instantly to the Steam Workshop. From there, other players can browse, subscribe, and race through user-made worlds as easily as any official DLC.

Why Steam Only?

Medallion Games hasn’t released a detailed statement explaining the platform restriction, but workshop integration on Steam is a proven, turnkey solution. Valve’s infrastructure handles versioning, patch delivery, and community moderation—all without the extra certification steps required on consoles. With a small indie team, the developers likely weighed the engineering overhead and decided to focus their efforts on a single, familiar ecosystem.

Console Players on the Sidelines

Meanwhile, Nintendo Switch and Xbox Series X|S owners can only watch. In a genre powered by fresh, fan-made twists, the absence of console creation tools has sparked disappointment across threads on Reddit and Steam’s own discussion board. “I love this game on Switch, but I’d kill to design my own levels,” one user lamented. Another started a petition urging Super Rare Originals to bring the editor to consoles, citing the growing maturity of in-game editors on competing platforms.

The gap is especially glaring given that the base game runs smoothly on consoles—hitting a steady 60+ FPS on Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch (with Switch 2 compatibility confirmed). Players who bought the game on both PC and console now find themselves juggling two experiences: playing UGC on Steam, then switching to Switch or Xbox for official levels only.

Bark-itects Unleashed

On the PC side, creative “bark-itects” are already experimenting with radical designs. Some have repurposed magnetic panel mechanics to craft zero-gravity arenas where grapples defy direction, while others have built speedrun gauntlets that test even the most seasoned swinging veterans. More than 40 community stages have appeared within days of the editor’s launch, ranging from precision-platforming puzzles to run-and-gun shootouts featuring both Pablo and Luna.

Modders are also tweaking core parameters—adjusting launch angles, fine-tuning bounce surfaces, and scripting custom event triggers that alter gravity, lighting, or even enemy behavior mid-stage. These high-impact mods go well beyond cosmetic changes, offering entirely new traversal and combat possibilities that keep the community hooked.

Performance Upgrades Under the Hood

Alongside the editor, the latest patch delivers critical optimizations to ensure custom levels maintain the game’s hallmark 60+ FPS frame rate. Bug fixes address editor crashes, unstable collision geometry, and occasional audio sync issues in player stages. The build tool itself has been refined to reduce errors during export, meaning creators spend less time troubleshooting and more time dreaming up the next gravity-bending puzzle.

Indie Platformers Ride the UGC Wave

Grapple Dogs: Cosmic Canines joins a growing lineup of indie titles that lean on player-driven content. We’ve seen passionate communities flourish around Celeste’s robust mod scene and Super Meat Boy’s fan-made gauntlets. Even bigger studios are taking notes—anyone who remembers the explosion of creativity in Super Mario Maker knows that giving players the tools can spark a second wave of enthusiasm long after the main campaign ends.

What’s Next for Console Creators?

For now, console creators are left hoping. Super Rare Originals has hinted that they’re exploring ways to bring level design tools to Switch and Xbox, but no timeline has been announced. The technical barriers of certifying user-generated content on closed platforms remain significant. Still, if PC uptake is any indication, a console-friendly version could amplify the game’s replay value and draw new players into the cosmic canine craze.

The Bottom Line

The Steam-only Level Editor is a game-changer for PC fans, delivering near-infinite replay possibilities and fostering a budding community of bark-itects. Yet console users—despite enjoying the same polished core experience—find themselves howling for access. Whether the editor eventually leaps to Switch and Xbox remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: Grapple Dogs: Cosmic Canines has swung its way into the UGC spotlight, and it may not let go anytime soon.