Kalanoro, a new single-player action-adventure game rooted in Malagasy folklore, is coming to Xbox Series X|S in Summer 2026.
The debut project from Madagascar-based Red Raketa Studio was revealed during the latest ID@Xbox Showcase. Published by New Tales, Kalanoro follows Kalakely, a young Kalanoro who is pulled into a chaotic rescue mission across Lemuria, a fictional island inspired by Malagasy culture and artistic heritage.
Kalakely is rescuing lemur musicians from an evil witch
Kalanoro's setup is deliberately strange in the best indie-game way. Lemuria has fallen under the rule of Raneny, an evil witch who plans to hold a massive concert in her own honor. To get close enough to crash the finale, Kalakely has to rescue legendary lemur musicians, build an audience and keep the whole traveling show moving.
That structure feeds directly into the game's loop. Players head into regions, recover musicians or instruments, gather resources, grow popularity, unlock levels and eventually take on local bosses before moving to the next stop.
Kalakely herself is based on the Kalanoro of Malagasy legend, described by the studio as a small furry creature associated with good luck. Red Raketa says the name is pronounced closer to "kalanour" or "ka-la-Noor."
Platforming, makeshift weapons and hair powers shape the action
Red Raketa is building Kalanoro around quick movement, colorful combat and a mix of exploration angles. Platforming sends Kalakely through biomes, industrial traps and dangerous machinery, with the camera shifting mostly between top-down exploration and side-scrolling challenge sequences.
Combat leans into improvisation. Kalakely can fight with her fists, but she is more effective when grabbing whatever is nearby, including slippers, frying pans, flip-flops, road signs and hammers. Those weapons break over time, pushing fights toward reactive, scrappy encounters rather than fixed loadouts.
Her hair abilities add another layer. Hairpoon pulls Kalakely toward enemies and stuns them, Static Locks sends an electric burst through targets and Chaos Wig blinds enemies, making them attack one another. The same powers also help with traversal, obstacle breaking and hazards tied to Raneny's machinery.
The taxi-brousse turns the road trip into a home base
Between action levels, Kalakely's taxi-brousse serves as a moving home base. Players use it to travel between destinations, cook meals, print posters, prepare for the next stop and keep the rescued musicians happy.
The studio describes that layer as intentionally light, giving players a quieter reset between levels while still tying into the broader tour across Lemuria. It also helps sell Kalanoro's tone, which mixes folklore, road-trip energy, slapstick weapon choices and a story about a very risky plan that might somehow work.
Kalanoro is scheduled for Xbox Series X|S in Summer 2026.