Kirby Air Ride (GCN) Review

Written: September 2nd-6th, 2013

Alternate Title: Kirby's Airride [|O|]

Year: 2003 | Developed by: HAL Laboratory | Published by: Nintendo

As many of you may be aware, I am huge Kirby fan!  =D  Even though the first Kirby game I played was during the '90s (Kirby's Dream Land 2 to be specific; yes, I'm aware that I still need to review that game), it wasn't until late 2002 after I played Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land for the Game Boy Advance (a remake of the NES Kirby's Adventure) that I truly became enamored of the round, charming pink puffball and his adventures.  And since then I've been enjoying his games immensely, having played almost all of them (the exceptions being Kirby's Star Stacker, the Satellaview series of mini-games Kirby's Toy Box, and his 20th anniversary compilation Kirby's Dream Collection).  And based on what lot I've played in the series, I can proudly say that many of his games as far as I'm concerned were solid... while some of them were relatively weak.

Case in point: Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards on the Nintendo 64.  Barring his appearance in the first Super Smash Bros. a year prior, this 2000 Nintendo 64 iteration was Kirby's first foray to the 3D world overall, albeit as a 2.5D sidescrolling platformer, which garnered some of the most middling of all reception in the series since it came out.

While it's not a terrible game (it is decent at best), it is one that I consider part accomplishment and part disappointment (the latter especially hurts when you compare it to his other adventures).  While it won't win any awards for its story and scope, it did have some good qualities going for it.  While they look  very aged by today's standards, the visuals are still good for the most part (albeit quite blocky) with well-chosen textures, lighting, and colors, not to mention presenting inbetween-planet cutscenes that play at a surprisingly fast and fluid pace.  The gameplay was very good, even though due to the controller's layout it would take a bit of time to adjust, and it offered some new gimmicks; like combining two power-ups to create one powerful power-up, trying to evade columns in the background that will attempt to squish you as they fall towards the foreground, riding alongside Waddle Dee and piggybacking on top of King Dedede, and pretty much all the bosses having two phases.  The first of which would eventually resurface in Kirby Squeak Squad, except not as commonly implemented and requires two bubbles to be merged inside Kirby's stomach.

The problems lie within the execution.  While it's structured like a traditional Kirby game, it tries to diverge itself so much from the formula that it ends up becoming very untraditional in the process.  Kirby does things that he rarely does in his other games: like grabbing his power-up star from his mouth should he wish of disposing it, carrying and/or throwing said power-up star in (or from) his hands as he moves around, moving as he inhales, inhaling underwater, and most glaring of all, not being able to float indefinitely.  While the spiraling and twisting camera angles were nice, they stray so much from the orthographic camera style that's been used in all Kirby's other sidescrolling platformers, not to mention the fact that they're eerily reminiscent of Pandemonium!'s camera style, that it can get distracting at times (particularly for those that played the aforementioned PlayStation One sidescroller).  Another low blow was the fact that once you grab a crystal shard you don't have to finish the stage to keep it in your possession; you can just leave the area and you won't even have to collect it again, thereby dangerously reducing Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards' replay value by a huge margin.  I mean talk about enabling!

Aside from the Mario Party-style mini-games and the fact that there are two endings (not to mention an optional attempt to gather all the Enemy Info cards should you desire), there was simply little to no replay value to be found here.  And in a nutshell, that's what drove some gamers off from this game in the first place; and yeah, having played the game I do see where they're coming from.  Just like its detractors it's also got its defenders, and that's fine.  While there are issues to be certain, it does make up for it with a really good soundtrack, great amount of charm, fun gameplay, its ambitious ideas, and the secret final boss fight.  Considering it was the first Kirby game made in 3D, it could've been a lot better in retrospect.  But then, it could've been a lot worse.  It's ironic that I caught up with this game in 2011, the same year that HAL Laboratory would create what in my humble opinion has got to be Kirby's Magnum Opus: Kirby's Return to Dream Land for the Nintendo Wii (also a 2.5D platformer), since in the same year I got to play both one of Kirby's weakest entries as well as his overall best.  =)

My only regret with that review was the time I made those remarks towards things that were irrelevant to the game I was talking about.  Not because of the remarks themselves (though I will admit they were harsh), but because I made the boneheaded decision about bringing them up in the middle of the review; it's unfortunate because it made it distracting (and all because I was too stubborn to make separate blogs about them).  If I could, I would try to remake the whole review without those bits of irrelevancy, but that would mean having to reword it all and possibly get some replacement screen grabs that I ever wrote it to begin with, and I'm sorry I wrote it the way I did for it's haunted me since that day (so much so, I've deleted it for my appreciation for it grew over the years; 11/8/21 Update)  =(  From the creative team behind the Super Smash Bros. trilogy and Kid Icarus: Uprising, I give you my review of Kirby Air Ride!

Select your game mode

It's funny that I bring up the Nintendo 64 at all, because Kirby Air Ride was initially going to be developed for that console as a Generation One title, four years before Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards.  Being inspired by that one bit in the intro sequence from Kirby Super Star (where Kirby rides on his Warp Star), HAL Laboratory decided to make a racing game starring Kirby.  At first it was going to be called Kirby's Air Ride, undergoing through various changes during the game of the hour's development hell, it was at one point going to be different in structure (much more different than what the final product turned up); one of the fascinating things that were apparent in the earlier version's screenshots were the fact that Kirby was wearing a blue baseball cap, the enemies would be racing too, and the fact that there were both a health meter and number of lives in the same shot (as far as I looked up).  Sadly while in development it got cancelled, and it's a shame since a part of me is curious to have seen how the game would've worked and run in 64-bit format.

Sooooo many pretty lights!!!

After having failed to release it on the Nintendo 64 several years earlier, HAL Laboratory attempted to resurrect Kirby's racing game to the newer GameCube console.  They showed it as a brief preview which wasn't favorably received due to its less than stellar visuals and its deliberate speed over at the 2003 annual DICE summit over at Las Vegas, however the title would be changed from Kirby's Air Ride to simply Kirby Air Ride.  Since the preview backfired badly, HAL decided to show it again at E3 in the same year showcasing all three game modes and five playable tracks.  And, wouldn't you know it: it fared a lot better.  Kirby Air Ride would also be the last game in the series that Kirby's creator, Masahiro Sakurai, directed; but he would act as a special advisor to Flagship for when they made Kirby & the Amazing Mirror the following year.  So, when this racer finally came out seven long years after its inception to be played by all, the critics unanimously were like:

(I know, that's a badly drawn thumb down on the left; and no that's not Kirby)
"Ehh!"

But (casual) gamers and fans of the always hungry pink puffball were more like:

♫Come on, baby, light my fire♪

You know how there are games that critics love yet have the gaming crowd feel mixed or indifferent about them as a whole (i.e. Kirby's Epic Yarn, Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, New Super Mario Bros. 2)?  Well, the same attributes can be applied for the exact opposite, Kirby Air Ride included.  Now, everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but I find this observation quite fascinating to be honest.  Of course it's not the first time that it's happened, nor will it be the last.  So what is it about this Kirby game in particular that makes critics tick and yet tickle crowds of gamers with absolute joy?  After Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards, the second 3D-rendered Kirby title is one topic of great discussion.  So let's not waste any time and see why Kirby Air Ride has been polarizing these said groups for the past decade!  =<

In space, the blue hexagons shine brightly

So, after helping save Pop Star numerous times and partaking in sidequests that required the defeat of King Dedede, what is Kirby up to in Kirby spin-off number... *counts fingers* seven?  Racing!  Yeah, racing in Pop Star... that's pretty much it really.  =/  There's no real plot, sense of danger or urgency here; it's just Kirby, his differently colored clones, Meta Knight, and King Dedede out racing to have a good time, kick back, and have fun.  Oh, and there's some competition to be had too, but it's mostly for fun purposes!  There are three game modes here; and they are Air Ride, Top Ride, and City Trail.  Oh, and there's also a way to play multiplayer via LAN by connecting multiple GameCubes, but I never tried that (nor could ever afford doing so) so I won't go over that.

Flying through a pair of big rings

Each game mode has Kirby racing on a star vehicle, and the goal for each mode varies widely.  The titular Air Ride mode plays as, well, a regular racing game in a similar fashion to Mario Kart except not quite as structured as that series.  There are series of courses to choose from, and the goal is to reach the finish line after going through enough laps.  You can either race the default amount of laps, choose a specified amount of laps to race, or you can ride until a certain amount of time runs out.  In the star vehicle select screen you can switch the color of your Kirby with either the X or Y buttons, and you've got a wide range of star vehicles to choose from; each vehicle has their own unique trait.  An example is a Winged Star, which is not fast on the ground but does make up for it with its flight capabilities; and for another example, a Wagon Star cannot charge or break but it does offer plenty of speed.  There might also be some that are hard to steer or control, so be careful about those.

Each color shares a different facial
expression

In the race you charge by holding down the A button, and if you press it on top of boost arrows then you'll be gaining more speed.  You can also do a quick spin by quickly rotating the Control Stick, and should the vehicle you're riding be capable of doing so you can hold Down to glide upward.  When it comes to gliding you can control the position of the star vehicle (facing down, facing up, flying in either two side directions), and should you land perfectly it'll go smooth sailing; if not, it may cost you a second and a half.  But it wouldn't be a Kirby game if there weren't any enemies to swallow and copy power-ups from, now would it...?  Unless that game was the original Kirby's Dream Land, Kirby's Pinball Land, or even Kirby Mass Attack that is, but one game at a time.

Kirby has got the wings of power

Now onto the power-ups themselves.  There are two ways of obtaining power-ups; one is by swallowing an enemy with a power-up capability, and the other is by riding over a "?" platform where you're randomly given a power-up (pray that you don't receive one you do not want).  Make sure you avoid swallowing a Noddy, or you'll be forced to sleep and have to wake yourself up by quickly rotating the Control Stick.  As for the other ones they are the Sword, Needle, Freeze, Fire, Bomb, Wheel, Tornado, Mike, Plasma, and finally, the Wing power-up.  Wait?  The Wing power-up is here?  Huh!  Funny how the ... least used ability in the series (introduced in Kirby Super Star) gets used again in one of the lesser received games in the franchise.  Anyway, some will have you just pressing a button, others may have you holding down the button, or in Plasma's case you'll want to rotate the Control Stick until the gauge is filled up and you're ready to fire your laser beam.  Buuuuut, since this is a racing game, you won't be keeping the ability forever, and in the remaining time that you still have it you'll still retain it even if you take damage.  So, as you can tell, the controls are relatively simple, which isn't a bad thing, but more on that later.

♫I believe I can fly♪

Next up is Top Ride, where it's a racing game like Air Ride, except that it's viewed from the bird's eye perspective in the vein of similar racing games such Super Off-Road and Super Sprint.  The goal is similar except the courses are smaller, the number of laps are bigger, and the races are much shorter.  The power-ups are different from the other two modes (and you don't swallow enemies here), but they're used so sparingly due to the brevity of these races.  The power-ups can be effective, and there are some that can be used exclusively here, such as wielding a hammer as you ride and summoning the almighty Kirby enemy cloud Kracko to shock your competition for a momentary period of time; the same can be done to you, however, so watch your back.  Top Ride will still have Kirby charge and do the quick spin though, only this time there are two types of star vehicles to ride: the default Free Star which will move in any direction you push, and the Steer Star which steers left or right.  It's highly recommended that you ride these races with the former due to their versatility, but if you want to challenge yourself you can always attempt the races with the latter.

I know I've used this joke before; but it's
Hammer Time!

And now, the moment you've all been waiting for!  Even those that have not played Kirby Air Ride know about this mode, for it is perhaps the most played game mode in the whole package: City Trial!  Unlike Air Ride or Top Ride, this game mode does not involve racing at all.  Actually, what it is is a chance to roam around a city, get lots of ability boosts, possibly have to face a few challenges along the way, and maybe try to get a better star vehicle; all in the allotted time remaining!  Okay, let me fill you in on all this: you and the other Kirbies start off on a Compact Star, which starts off very slow but can turn decently.  In the area are a series of boxes and power patches scattered about; each one augments the current star vehicle you're riding's specific capability by one.  You can collect up to eighteen of each of them, and the power patches range from HP that it can sustain, turning capabilities, defensive and offensive capabilities, boosting prowess, et al.  But be aware of when you get the power boosts and only grab the ones that are in color; obtaining a gray one will decrease said capabilities (it's possible to get to the negative zone).  But make sure you get just enough otherwise you will be losing control due to a hugely overpowered vehicle.

How far can you fly through the air?

But the power patches aren't the only things that are scattered about as there will also be power-ups with the abilities used in Air Ride plus food and drink that help replenish a bit of your health.  There's also the invincibility candy which renders you invincible, a Gordo icon where you can throw up to three Gordos, a bomb that will ignite should an unsuspecting competitor ride over that spot, and a flashing shield power-up among others.  In the blue boxes are the patches and food; in the green boxes are temporary quick items such as Special Defense and the Hyper Spin which will have you wildly spinning as you ride; and in the red boxes are the ability icons.  Not only that, but should you get lucky enough you may just find a Hydra or a Dragoon piece; collect all three of either and you will be riding one hell of a star vehicle with more power than all the others combined.  If you wanted to get off your star vehicle, all you have to do is hold down the A button and pull back.  This is one of the few times you will be able to control Kirby entirely on his own, for he can run around on all eight directions and jump up to five times to the point of slowly falling down to the ground (he cannot get any power-ups outside of his star vehicle though).

YOU'RE WINNER !

Now is about a good time as any to discuss why this works here and not in any other Kirby game.  In the Super Smash Bros. series there are a plethora of characters from different games, not just Kirby, and if he floated indefinitely while the other characters couldn't, then that would be an unfair advantage to all; so they had to sacrifice his indefinite flight in order to compensate balance.  In Kirby Air Ride it works because it's a racer and not a platforming game, and while getting a chance to see and control Kirby roam around on his feet in authentic 3D fashion is a nice rarity to behold in the franchise, it's not the focus of the package.  When you take one of the defining characteristics this character has for a sidescrolling platformer (if it plays like a traditional Kirby game, mind you) and alter it in such a way, then it just isn't quite the same and feels rather jarring.  And that is why giving Kirby limited floating time in the air was a bad idea in Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards, and thank God HAL Laboratory didn't go through with that throughout the rest of the series.

Meta Knight will slice and dice through these
races

There's a reason you must collect as many power patches as you can during the City Trial.  See, the more patches you collect, the more your star vehicle will be able to accomplish.  It's important to take this into consideration as once the timer runs out completely, you'll be partaking in a stadium event.  The event that you'll eventually be doing will either be random or you can choose in the options which specific events you want to do.  The stadium events comprise of drag races, single races, destruction derbies, air gliding, high jumping, flying in target flights, including the ever so reviled Vs. King Dedede event; if only for the fact that he's got way too much health to defeat and the amount of time remaining to defeat him is just simply not enough.

His Royal Gluttony himself makes an
appearance as a playable character

When it comes to jumping to the newest console, there will also be graphical and visual improvements; which is true for each upcoming console.  Kirby Air Ride looks so much better than Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards; since the angles are much smoothly rounder and less blocky, the lighting and shading affects every character and enemy as opposed to just the main characters as was the case in the previous 3D Kirby outing, the animations are a lot more fluid this time around, the textures (while admittedly a little flat) were chosen greatly, the lighting and shading is effective, and its color palette is richer and more superior to that of said Nintendo 64 iteration.  Many of the areas look great, but the most visually dazzling one would be in the Nebula Belt course which is brimming with so many lights that it's highly reminiscent of the last half hour of 2001: A Space Odyssey (and I mean that in a good way), and Checker Knights where at first you're above water in a literal checkerboard area until you ride below the water to a nightly lit underground city; another good one is Magma Flows, where it's all consumed by a reddish environment.  What's nice is how City Trial will start at a random time of the day, sometimes by day and sometimes by night, which is great; especially great is the fog effect.  Even though this game came out during the GameCube generation, it amazes me how well the visuals have (for the most part) aged; the character and enemy models themselves are absolutely great to behold.  It might not look as great as Kirby's Return to Dream Land for the Nintendo Wii does, but it's a close second as far as the series is concerned.  In fact, I personally feel this game's visuals have aged incredibly well compared to those from say 2002's Super Mario Sunshine, but I'm getting off-track.

"Poooyo!" ("Patches!")

The music for Kirby Air Ride was composed by four composers: veteran composer Jun Ishikawa, co-veteran composer Hirokazu Ando, and a couple other composers who I'm not very familiar with; regardless, the music is very good.  We've got the trademark sound-style that Ishikawa is known for, a really inviting and at times atmospheric soundtrack that complements the scenery and action, and some of the songs are remixed from a few classic predecessors.  But that's not the only source of this racing title's music, for guess where the other music comes: the Kirby anime, but to make things even better, it's the music from the superior Japanese original anime series Hoshi no Kābī.  You know, the music that should've remained in the Americanized dumbed down 4Kids version Kirby: Right Back at Ya! rather than what we got instead.  But even then it would not have helped 4Kids' cause; thank God they are only American show dubbers otherwise the bulk of Europe would've been affected too (not that it's necessarily a good thing either).  =|

Flying high in the sky

As I said earlier the songs were lifted from the anime, and many of them sound good.  Those that have seen the anime in its intended glory will know exactly where in the show they were played, and considering which songs play in which area, they are appropriately well-matched.  The orchestral-sounding songs are really great to listen to, and the sound effects aren't all that bad either.  The sound effects for each star vehicle sound cool, I like the sounds that were used for each individual ability, and few of the original songs made for this game are nice.  One thing I've always noticed since I was younger was that neither Kirby, Meta Knight, nor King Dedede utter a sound when they get hurt or fall off.  Yeah, Kirby still sings loudly with the Mike ability, but otherwise he makes no sound.  It's awkward; how did HAL Laboratory miss that?

Employee A: "Oh, no!"

Employee B: "What is it?"

Employee A: "I just realized that we forgot to give the characters voices for when they take damage or fall offscreen!"

Employee B: "No sound, really?  That's too bad.  Well, I'll try to figure something out."

Employee A: "The game's due in a couple days, we've no time for that!"

Employee B: "Hee hee, I'm sure no one's going to notice!"  *positive spirit, and waving hand down*

Employee A: *glares at other employee with angry silence*

But otherwise, the sound is not bad overall.  =)

Stadium hints, I love them

Right then, about the challenge value then.  As I said before, the controls are very simple on all three game modes; which makes Kirby Air Ride all the more accessible to gamers of all skills.  One of the reasons this racing game has gotten lots of backlash from critics was due to how simple it was; but even if that was not the case, they commented on how short the game was and that there could've been more to it.  To be fair though, the amount of races and events aren't bad (nine Air Ride courses, seven Top Ride courses, and several increments of events in City Trial), in fact I find them sufficient enough; on the other hand, it probably would've been nice had there been a few more courses to race in.  But even though the races can feel a bit short and City Trial is the most preferred game mode in the package, there are factors I feel augment a lot of replay value.

Good luck unlocking all these checkboxes!

See, in each of the three game modes there are one-hundred and twenty boxes to check, all adding up to a total of three-hundred and sixty.  There are lots of achievements to attempt; such as beating a race (or a single lap) in a certain amount of time, swallow consecutive (blank) enemies in a row, finish a race with a specific ability, obtaining ten of a certain power patch, and trying to see how much mileage you can gain should you race with the timer instead.  Once any of those are done a box will be checked out; if it's green then it's just a regular box, but if you check a red box you'll be rewarded something--whether it be a song to listen to, a new star vehicle, another colored Kirby to choose from, the ability to play as Meta Knight and King Dedede, et al.  If you don't think you can achieve a certain accomplishment (should you have one), you can always place a purple box wherever you wish, for it acts as a freebie; once you use it though, you won't be using it again, so choose wisely.  Fortunately you can tell when you've done an achievement after you hear a tone.  =)  There are even various options for these game modes; such as adding minutes, doing time attacks, practicing with free runs, running the game at normal or slow speed, changing how many opponents you want to compete with you, what their CPU levels are, and more.  So really, even though these game modes are short, there's always that one thing that will make you come back for more.

Kirby is better than Link anyway!  ^_^  Do not
cross him!

And basically that's what it all amounts to in the end.  Its simplicity is a big factor, and one that has both split critics and charmed fans and gamers since 2003.  Whether it makes the game work for you or not depends on whether you're okay and accepting about that.  Whatever the case, one thing is for certain: it makes for a great visual tech demo.  Don't get me wrong, it's very competent as a game, but when you get down to it it's really a visual tech demo.  But even if you don't consider it as that, if you're willing to overlook its brevity and and accept it for what it is, it's a really good game.  And considering all the achievements to be accomplished and the settings you can adjust for each game mode, I feel it adds a lot of replay value.  Ever since I got this game back in Christmas of 2003 I've enjoyed it, and while it's not perfect by any means, I think it's a very fun game (it's even more fun with friends and family).  Make of it what you will; your mileage may vary.  It would be another seven years until Kirby's newest TV console game would come out (Kirby's Epic Yarn), and it wouldn't be until 2011 when his overall greatest title would arrive (Kirby's Return to Dream Land); take my word for it.  =)  Either way, it's a big improvement over Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards.

8.0/10

(>'.' )>TO EACH THEIR OWN<( '.'<)

P.S.: I'm still bummed out that there was no news of an upcoming Kirby game during this year's E3.  =(  I'd like to play a new sidescrolling platformer in the series; hell, I wouldn't even mind if it was a sequel to Kirby Air Ride for the Nintendo 3DS.  It'd be cool that if it exists it would do to this game what Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon did to the original GameCube classic and improved it in every way.  I hate to sound like a broken record: but I'd like to see a new Kirby game, since I just can't get enough of the series.  =(

P.S. 2: I just couldn't resist making that Big Rigs: Over the Road Racing reference!  It was just too good an opportunity to not take advantage of.  XD

P.S. 3: The series Wander Over Yonder is finally getting new episodes next Friday, I cannot wait (I like it so far)!  It may be kooky and nonsensical, but it's a kooky and nonsensical show with a heart.  Plus it wallows in its own nonsensicality, which makes it fun for me, and it takes me back to my childhood; also, it stars aliens, so they can do whatever they please.  Fish Hooks, on the other hand, is a badly drawn nonsensical show about aquarium fish with anthropomorphic qualities, but all it does is make viewers cringe in fear due to its flat-out horridness.  There, I've taken another jab at Fish Hooks, one of the worst animated shows of all time (in my opinion), and I eagerly look forward to the next opportunity to do so.

P.S. 4: Sorry about the lack of Blue Kirby in my screenshots, I just didn't have enough and couldn't find a good one.

P.S. 5: Even though this game came out while the anime was still in session, I regret to inform you that Escargoon does not make a cameo in this game... HAL Laboratory would rectify that in the mini-RPG Kirby Quest in Kirby Mass Attack.  =)

P.S. 6: By the way, did you know that 2001: A Space Odyssey had a sequel?  It's called 2010: The Year We Make Contact.

P.S. 7: Just so anyone knows, no I'm not counting Kirby's Avalanche (or Kirby's Ghost Trap depending where you live) as a Kirby spin-off or Kirby anything; if only for the fact that it's not a real Kirby game.  It's just the Western version of Super Puyo Puyo with a Kirby-esque face lift; it shouldn't count anyway as far as I'm concerned.

P.S. 8: I've recently listened to the whole soundtrack for The Conjuring, and holy crap did I jump whenever the jump scare sound cues came up, and the final track is powerfully emotional.  I need to watch the movie again, it was one of the best movies I've seen that 2013's summer had to offer!  =D

P.S. 9: As for how far Kirby could fly:

this was the farthest distance I could manage.

Stay tuned next time for another HAL Laboratory video game review, only it does not star Kirby or Lolo.  What could it be?  Until next time, see ya!

Thank you for reading my review!  Please leave a comment and I hope you have a great day!  Take care!  =)

Pocky & Rocky 2 (SNES) Review

Received: December 25th, 2012 / Written: July 21st-26th, 2013

Year: 1994 | Developed and Published by: Natsume | Licensed by: Taito

Every gamer has got a reason to celebrate nowadays.  For me, I recently got to play Rocket Knight Adventures for the Genesis (via RetroGen adaptor) for the first time, yay!  =D  As for others, there is an even bigger reason to celebrate.

In light of recent news, one of the most highly sought after RPGs ever made for the SNES, EarthBound, has finally seen the light of the Nintendo Wii U Virtual Console, not just for NTSC gamers but for the first time PAL gamers too.  After all these years this title has finally been re-released for the current gaming crowd.  Fans and gamers rejoice!  Yaaaaaay, of all the times for me to not own a Nintendo Wii U.  =(  At this point the only way for me to experience it without spending too much would be by importing the Japanese cart Mother 2 which I could play on the Retro Duo; but why does something tell me that wouldn't be right for that turn-based RPG in particular?  And for over four years now I've stopped downloading games on the Virtual Console.  What a predicament this is.  ...  I suppose I could ask for EarthBound as a Christmas gift like I did last year with Pocky & Rocky 2.

This game is awesome by all accounts, and
one of my top favorites on the SNES!  =D

The original Pocky & Rocky, which itself was a sequel to Taito's arcade game KiKi KaiKai (Knight Boy), was an obscure shoot'em up on foot in a Japanese setting that has since gotten a bit of a cult following since its release, and honestly I think it's a bit of an underrated game.  Pocky & Rocky's strengths were its charm, its intuitive gameplay, its surprisingly arcade-like quality, its difficulty which gradually increased the farther you progressed, two very likable and endearing main characters, a good amount of atmosphere, its nonstop quirkiness, a great sense of fun, and a really good soundtrack.  =)  Some gamers compare it to Konami's vastly overrated (in my opinion) The Legend of the Mystical Ninja, which is understandable considering some of both titles' similar themes, cultural settings, and levels of quirkiness.  Unlike said competition, it didn't really get well-known by a lot of gamers at the time; but despite that, Natsume figured that perhaps a sequel wouldn't be a bad idea, which we all got in 1994 (and for some reason it was released in Europe by Ocean).  Oh, but they didn't just make a sequel, they made some substantial changes in the process; so without further ado, let's talk about Pocky & Rocky 2, the least known of the two titles.  =)

A long time ago in feudal Japan, there was a highly anticipated event revolving around a harvest festival.  Visiting from the moon, a respected member of royalty comes to enjoy the festivities, and that royalty member is Princess Luna who gets captured by two hench-... species, one of which you'll never see anywhere else in the game.  One of them is an imp which you'll get to combat later on called "Impy".  =/  *cue awkward laugh track*  After this series of events unfolds Her Highness' rescue falls in the hands of one of the heroes in the last game, the Shinto priestess Pocky, who's once again accompanied by her cuddly chubby raccoon friend Rocky.

Will our two eponymous heroes be successful in their newest journey?  Will they collaborate greatly enough to ensure that the mission is a rousing success?  Who is the "master" that Impy has referenced?  Why has the princess been kidnapped?  Will we find ourselves groaning once we find out?  Will the storyline be a little sillier and nonsensical than the previous edition was?  Will some plot points pop up that will go absolutely nowhere?  Stay tuned for these things and more!  *smiles with mouth open and swiftly brings two thumbs up*  ...  Yeah, I'll elaborate on most of these later on in the review.  =<

Perusing through the October Fields

The gameplay has been left mostly intact since the last game.  The main characters can still fire an endless supply of projectiles as they move in any of the eight directions, and any time they have to deflect projectiles they can still do so by repeatedly tapping the B button (Pocky uses her staff to do so).  Gone from the last iteration are the ability to slide and the ability to cast magic to defeat a large slew of enemies in the same screen.  However, there are new capabilities you can use that compensate for those.  You can still collect enough power-ups to augment the potency of your projectiles, and now press the A button to temporarily become your companion (press A again for reversion), and you can throw said companion (R shoulder button) towards an enemy or boss in order to amass a big amount of damage towards them (in which the companion uses their super attacks which last for a certain amount of seconds).  The first stage is actually optional since it's a training stage, but you have the option to skip it if you feel confident enough.  Okay, cool!  =D  Already this is sounding like a good Pocky & Rocky sequel, so let's see what else is in sto-

O_O  Wait, who are these two, and why are they fighting Rocky over Pocky?  Wait, you choose your companion?  I was under the impression that this was a Pocky & Rocky title, but now we have to put up with this "friend envy"?

Wait, there's more???  *sigh*  =(

Steaming hot location filled with fire enemies

Okay, so Pocky is exclusively delegated to being the main playable character, while the companions join you in-game whether they be CPU-controlled or controlled with the second controller.  What was great about the first game's title was that it said just enough; you either got to take control of Pocky or Rocky, or if you had two players you would be Pocky and Rocky.  In here, however, the title feels a little like false advertising, in that the first player is always Pocky but the second character in theory does not necessarily always have to be Rocky.  That's disappointing actually, but I'm not going to let that one tiny detail affect my overall thoughts towards Pocky & Rocky 2.

All right, before most stages you get to choose who your companion will be, whether it be veteran Rocky, a shuriken-throwing Little Ninja, and strong and bulky Bomber Bob.  In the game are four other hidden playable characters: a Tengu called Tengy, a scarecrow simply called Scarecrow, a mole called Digger, and an automaton called Ottobot.  Depending on which companion you throw at a boss and/or which one you transform into their attack results will be quite different, so at least there's a good sense of variety (for example, Rocky's special attack will render him as a giant Tanuki statue while Scarecrow's will be a pillar of sickles).  However, you only have to pick one of three before the stage starts, however should you find a small character-switching icon, you can change the partner into the face it turns up; get the same while as that character and you will receive extra points.

Yes, I'd like an answer as to why Natsume
decided to take the Ganbare Goemon
approach with this sequel, please?  =|

This time you've only got one set of projectiles to throw as opposed to two in the last one, but the more power-ups you gain the bigger and more powerful they become, which is pretty cool.  Also cool is how Pocky can get more powerful as she equips two sets of armor, and there are some moments when you might pick up a couple of rabbit ears (which serves as an extra shield).  Granted your powers decrease as you get damaged, right down to her clothing (if you have the rabbit ears they'll be worn off last); should Pocky sustain damage in her undergarments she'll lose a life.  Your companions can come up at any time, however if they've been stunned or disappeared they'll be returning in several seconds, so it might take some time until they come back to your aid.  Like the last game there are baskets with random power-ups or items for you to use, and as an added bonus there are chests which can only be unlocked with a key.  It's not like you'll need them much, as they're very optional, but you never know what contents may lie inside.  Oh, but you know what makes this game even more noticeably different than the first one?  Shops!

Yeah, there's something I've neglected to mention about Pocky & Rocky 2 up 'til now: it's less of an arcade title and more of a console one.  Gone is the amazingly arcade-like quality that dominated the first game and now it's been replaced by something a little less arcade-like.  It's still a partially linear game, except now in a few stages there are forks in the road (still leading to the same destination) as well as doors (locked and unlocked) to enter from and stores to buy items that will serve you well.  The items will have to be bought with gold, and seeing as it's mostly linear, you do not sell anything; then again, it's not like you're going to keep those forever anyway, but still it's not a bad idea if you can afford them.  In a sense, it's not a terrible idea to deviate this one action-adventure game from the last, except there is one thing that only bothers me a tad smidge about it all: it's structured somewhat similarly to The Legend of the Mystical Ninja!

What the hell, Natsume?  That game wasn't even good to begin with (as far as I'm concerned), and now you're borrowing Konami's formula for this one title?  >_<  It's one thing if there are enemies that are out to get you from any side, that's a given, but making rooms where you walk up to random individual(s) that talk to you (or give you items), giving your characters a choice as to where to go should there be a fork, and a shop where vital items are being sold?  Yeah, those instances do not feel familiar at all!  Oh, well, at least none of your characters walk at a snail's pace if all their power-ups have been diminished (hint,... hint,... Konami!) and thank God the core gameplay mechanics were held intact from the original Pocky & Rocky while incorporating some new set of actions.  In most of these stages you'll be fighting against a midboss, and once you reach the end you'll be fighting against the real boss; defeating it will grant you passage to the next stage.

"Ride 'em, 'crow!!!"

Visually it's about on par with the last game, only with lots of new areas for you to traverse, and honestly it looks very good.  The visual style is still colorful while brimming with charm, personality, a feeling of being in a differently cultured world, and sporting a good sense of variety in terms of detail.  =)  There is this one stage which takes place in a nightly setting in a big series of grassy fields, and even though it is mostly blue, silver, and white it looks breathtaking; I especially like how the grass covers and billows itself as the characters and enemies walk through them.  Another stage takes place in a white, snowy mountain, while another one might take place inside a volcano with the magma and molten ground below you, and they both look nice.  All the other areas look great too, and it's nice that the first area from the first game makes a comeback here for the optional training stage (albeit as a vertically looping area; we also get a cameo from the first game's boss).  =)

The character animations for both Pocky and Rocky were mostly lifted from the first game while simultaneously touching them up a bit as well as incorporating some new animation for other sequences.  The other companions look and animate well, and every companion has their own visuals for when their special attack come up; for Scarecrow's case the screen will become bluer/darker as the pillar of sickles is taking place, and for Rocky the screen temporarily turns red while the Tanuki statue stands on top of where you put it.  Each character has got new stunned and lost life animations, and they're pretty humorous to watch.  I also enjoy how there will be a fluorescent rainbow effect filling up the screen and then rapidly turns to white during Pocky's transformation sequences, as it's a bit nice.  The enemies are varied in terms of their kind, and most of them are a nod to creatures from Japanese cultures and folklore, only chibi-sized and quite quirky to boot.  Not so small are the (mid)bosses, which are big very (cartoonishly) detailed while maintaining an intimidating look and feel to them.  Some examples are an anthropomorphic wolf spirit that eventually turns into a regular wolf with several tails in the back, a cyclopic creature that will try to pummel you with a whip made out of beads, and a primary colored creature with a Super Saiyan hairstyle on a cloud that will try to attack you with bolts among a couple other things.

What's noticeably different this time around are the overall profile and beginning/ending cutscene art style.  You may recall that in the first game that the overall art looked something like this:

Each artist has their own trademark manga/anime style, and seeing as the first title was really anime-like in terms of profiles and cutscenes, it was pretty good to look at.  So it's a little jarring that through two games we transitioned from this...

to this.  And it's not by the same artist either, as it shows with these two diverse art styles; in fact, the very designer is not involved in anyway whatsoever, opting instead for something in the vein of something similar to Rumiko Takahashi's style of work (Ranma 1/2, InuYasha).  Pocky's hair is much longer and brighter than before, her eyes are different, and she looks as if she's got tiny fangs in her mouth (I know they're supposed to be teeth, but they look so similar).  I'm not saying it's a bad thing or anything, but I find it very fascinating how Pocky and Rocky's in-game character designs and animations are pretty equal while the profile shots are way different in both titles.  As for Rocky, he still looks good (especially in the title), but they have drawn a mouth on him in the profile and cutscenes.  Also, I think Rocky might be a wee addicted to rice cakes this time around, as evidenced in his eyes.  =|

Rocky: "Mmm, that's delicious Pocky.  May I have the rest?"

Pocky: "Sorry, my Nopino friend, but I've prepared these for the others.  You'll have to share when the harvest festival is in session."

Rocky: "...  May I have one more then?"

Pocky: "No, Rocky, what you had is just enough."

Rocky: "But I want more!!"

Pocky: "You just ate one!"

Rocky: "They're just so good; I need more.  Moooooooore!"

Pocky: "Rocky, you're not getting another one right now and that's that."

Rocky: "But-"

Pocky: "NO!!!!"

Rocky: ={

All joking aside, there's nothing inherently wrong with the new art style, for it's still charming and nice to look at.  =)  It's just that if you were to compare two games in the same series with profile art that differentiates from each other on both counts, you'd find yourself hardpressed to believe that they are in the same series canon.  The only gripe I personally have is that there aren't as many profile/anime/manga cutscenes as I would have liked for this installment; in the first game there were profile and anime cutscenes in the title, serving as an interlude between stages, when you have to choose your character, after receiving a game over, in the options screen, and after you beat the game.  In here, the only times you'll see anime/manga profiles and artwork are in the title, the introductory cutscene, the screen where you choose which companion you want to take with you, in the options screen, after receiving a game over, and during the ending.  Sure, there are moments when new characters that join you and merchants in shops will have profiles, but they're small and relatively shortlived.  The inbetween cutscenes are now replaced by sequences of in-game visuals and design with Pocky doing various things (speaking of something else that reminds of me Konami's title); another reason "Pocky & Rocky 2" may not have been aptly chosen title: Rocky is not seen in any of the inbetween cutscenes!  But, moving past that; visuals are really good, and the cutscenes that were used aren't bad in the least... it just doesn't feel the same as before.

Pocky, under the guise of Rocky, fighting
against a snow witch

The soundtrack is good, but in my opinion not quite as good as the first game's, making this yet another addition to the "first sequel regardless of being an improvement or not overall having an inferior soundtrack to that of its original predecessor" category; though by the end of the day it all revolves around personal preference.  To each their own.  =)  The music is a mixture of electric beats with traditionally oriental-sounding Japanese music, which really befits all these respective stages, incorporating a really good sense of atmosphere.   One of the best songs, and my personal favorite, takes place in the third stage in the October Fields, and what's nice about it is how slow and ambient it is until eventually it builds up to a good-sounding finale, bringing out an adventurous feel.  The themes for the water, snow, and fire stages sound good, and the jingle that plays when you're in the store is cute but repetitive.  The other themes are good too, like some of the regular (mid)boss themes, but the final boss theme?  Ehhh!  <=|  I also like the ending and credits theme, even how the latter is a slight remix of the previous title's credits theme, as it's very nice.  A lot of the sound effects were lifted from the original Pocky & Rocky, and this time there a few new ones, like the transformation spells and soundbytes for when Pocky attacks, gets damaged, and when she utters the word "magic".  =)

Okay, so now it's time to talk about its difficulty.  The first Pocky & Rocky was a game that gradually got harder as you went along, and even in the easiest difficulty it kept you really busy.  This follow-up has got moments of challenge, and it's got three difficulty settings, except it's not quite as challenging as before.  Conversely, Pocky & Rocky 2 is a lot more manageable by comparison, and considering that Natsume developed it, I find it rather shocking that the difficulty was considerably toned down from game number one.  The enemies will still come about as you move along, and moving at a steady pace is still the requirement in order to prolong survival, not to mention you have to carefully maneuver your character a lot.  However, due to the slightly different structure, there are aspects that help contribute to the alleviation of the difficulty.  The extra armor and rabbit ears can help you survive a little longer, and the more power you get the stronger the projectiles will be; getting hit will deprive you one by one of power-ups and/or armor until your attacks are not quite as potent.  Of course, there will be times when you must alternate between shooting projectiles and moments where you most deflect enemy projectiles along the way.  Oh, and you don't have to beat it in one sitting necessarily, since there is a password system; however it's only shown if you get a game over, but luckily it's short and to the point.  =)

This battle on top of Gordon's head is nice,
but it's nowhere near as great or heart-
pounding as the one on top of Flammie's in
Seiken Densetsu 3  =)

The difference also lies in its design; the first one was completely linear with an arcade-like difficulty, while this one was mostly linear but had moments where you had to make different routes, thereby lessening the arcade feel.  Another thing that separates the two: reliance on special moves.  What did you have to rely on the most in the first game?  Magic.  Okay,... what do you have to rely on here?  Your companion!  It doesn't matter who you choose to accompany you, for with the exception of two stages, you need them!  In the first game unless you had two players your character was on their own, while here the second character will accompany you in your travels.  No matter how many times the other character gets hit and disappears, you'll still be around, but you'll have to wait until they pop right back.  During the (mid)boss fights you'll often find yourself launching your friend onto them in order to dish out the most hits; here's the drawback to the special techniques: they remain on one big part of the screen, and unless said (mid)boss gets there they won't sustain any damage.  They're still manageable and require careful maneuverability and tactics to take them down, but boy do the companions make it easy; that's one of the reasons Pocky & Rocky 2 is more manageable than the first Pocky & Rocky.

Another reason is because it's got a password system, which means it doesn't necessarily have to be beaten in one sitting.  The enemies attack you and throw projectiles at you, but it doesn't really feel as hectic or as fast as the original.  There are some differences between the settings, in particular the boss fights and the fact that you may or may not have to put up with lots of projectiles to deflect.  The final boss is quite easy; at least, easy enough that you'll never get a game over if you follow his strategy long enough and score a big amount of points (there's a detail that helps a lot with the score, but I won't give away what that is).  There's also a timer, but let's be honest, are you going to worry about time when the enemies and bosses give you something else to worry about?  The shops and different paths also make it a little easier, if not for the fact that Natsume took Konami's Ganbare Goemon approach (and that's a bad thing, in my humble opinion).  =(

Plot-wise, yeeeeeah, let’s talk about that. <=|  The plot is simple enough, where you must save someone of great importance. Here is what I take issue with: its translation and the way it was handled. The first Pocky & Rocky may not have been perfectly translated, but it was better handled there than it was here! A lot of the dialogue sounds so simplistic and sometimes so bad, with lines such as “I am Pocky.”-“So you are Pocky, I am sure that we will meet again.”, “You came here to rescue Princess Luna, didn’t you? Well, defeat me first.”, “Before you talk to me, you better think about who yoou are talking to. If you don’t understand, you are not worthy to be alive.”, et al. Every time someone asks who Pocky is, she always answers the same way; be flexible! >.< There are moments when the translation just feels off, and the words pop up slowly (letter by letter). In the first game the cutscenes’ dialogue came at a steady pace, but here it is painfully slow by comparison. In Pocky & Rocky 2’s cutscenes the words come up slowly, and when it comes to the next row of words it takes its time to get there; there is even one solitary moment where for some reason it is a lot slower than everything else. What is the point?! Oh, well, at least when it comes to fighting the bosses you can speed up the text by holding the Y button; and fortunately you can skip the cutscenes by pressing Start.

The plot itself is a really big step down from the first game, in my opinion, and I'm sorry I have to say that but it's true.  Princess Luna gets kidnapped.  Okay, what's next?  You get to Princess Luna, only for her to get kidnapped again.  Fine, whatever.  Impy mentioned that it was under the orders of the "master".  Who is the "master", and why would he ask for the princess to be kidnapped?  You can have it anyway you want for the former, but once you find out near the end of the game the reason for the latter, it's enough to have one groan for it's such a low root for motivation.  I'm not saying that motivations like the one found here have never once popped up before (for posterity I'm not revealing what it is), but it is just weak; in fact it's so weak that it makes the villainess Maleficent Mizrabel from Castle of Illusion starring Mickey Mouse wreaking havoc once more in Disney Epic Mickey: Power of Illusion solely because everyone started forgetting about her for over a couple of decades seem legitimate by comparison (yet it doesn't make sense considering the earlier game's conclusion).  It just feels shallow a reason to do all this.  The first game's translation and dialogue was a joy to read, while in here it's a little less fun.

The stakes also don't feel quite as high as before.  In the original you absolutely had to defeat the main villain otherwise the world would turn to the dark side; now with that said,... what exactly were you fighting for here?  It's to save Princess Luna of course, but otherwise, how exactly does it affect anything?  The world didn't feel like it was in danger, even as you got a little farther; all you to worry about was a superficially upset character.  That doesn't make things suspenseful, it just makes things feel anything but.  There were even few plot points that served no purpose, like Impy implying that after the last battle they would combat each other again only to never happen or be referenced again.  I had a bit of a hard time swallowing this plot, and for a lot of games I'm mostly lenient when it comes to the story for lighthearted games, but it was just hard here.

Nothing like a refreshing water-filled locale  =)

I've said all this negative stuff about the game, and frankly these problems are very minor since they are issues I personally have with Pocky & Rocky 2 (and it might not bother others as much as it did me), but I just want to make it perfectly clear that: I like this game!  =)  I really do!  Yeah its translation and plot is not as stellar as the last game's, it was significantly less challenging, and it deviated so much from the arcade-like quality that defined the previous Pocky & Rocky even going so far as to utilize the Ganbare Goemon approach (which was a big mistake, and I honestly wish they didn't do that), I found this sequel to be very fun.  The controls are still great, especially the new ones that were implemented here, and I'm glad that the gameplay was held mostly intact from before.  The visuals and sound are really good, the cutscenes and profile shots look good, and there is still some charm that was present from before.  Yeah the title is a bit misleading, in that it's all Pocky but not necessarily all Rocky too (unless you want it that way), and that the fact that two characters were present at once alleviated a bit of challenge, however it's a very solid sequel.  It's sort of like what World of Illusion starring Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck is to Castle of Illusion starring Mickey Mouse, in that it is as much of a step forward as it is a step back; the original Pocky & Rocky felt very self-contained, and while I'm not saying this sequel was unnecessary, it's proven to be a competent entry overall.  =)

While the first game did good enough to warrant Pocky & Rocky 2, this follow-up sadly didn't get as much recognition from the get-go.  While, like the previous game, it would attain a cult following in the following years, it's flown past gamers' radars often and didn't sell quite as much.  Maybe that explains the high price range in gaming and online stores nowadays?  Give the first game some credit, it's very affordable by comparison (I bought it at 3D Games for $30-something, and it was still a decent price).  Interestingly enough, Pocky & Rocky 2 got released again for the Super Famicom in 1998 as a Nintendo Power edition, and after having tried to look up that version and what might possibly be different, I surprisingly had a hard time finding anything about it; so I'll just presume it was re-released for the sake of being re-released.  Not even the first game was re-released anywhere, so it's pretty notable.  And that's why I waited until Christmas of '12 to play this game, because I didn't want to shell out a lot of money for it.  In the end, I'm glad I played it, and I recommend for those that liked the original and those that like all things quirky.  =)  Just don't expect it to be as hard and decently plotted as the previous game.

It's time to tackle Pocky & Rocky with Becky for the Game Boy Advance next!  We'll see how it fares in comparison and whether or not it lives up to the two games in the series.  I mean, after all, when has Natsume ever let us gamers down?  *looks abruptly to the side*  What?  They didn't make that one, they only published it for the American region?  And it's clamored to be the black sheep in the series?  =|  ...  Sounds like it's going to be a real fun time...............  I hope.

8.5/10

P.S.: By all accounts I should give this game an 8 since it had a Ganbare Goemon approach and had a weaker plot than the last game, buuuuut it at least was fun and had all the great gameplay, spirit, quirkiness, and charm that dominated the first Pocky & Rocky and more, so the score I gave in the end is completely justified.  =)
P.S. 2: Rocky only appears in the beginning and ending cutscenes, which I suppose is better than Rocky not making an appearance at all during any cutscenes.
P.S. 3: The EarthBound news Print Screen grabbed from the NintendoLife website.
P.S. 4: To each their own.
P.S. 5: Part of me feels I didn't get enough screenshots, but I certainly hope that the amount I had here is sufficient enough.
P.S. 6: Oh, and just for fun:

Rocky: "Help, Pocky, help!!!  I can't swim!  Help!!"

Pocky: "Just get up!  It's not that deep!"

Wah Wah Wah Waaaaaaahahahahahahahaha

Gamer: *shrugs*

Thank you for reading my review, please leave a comment and I hope you have a great day and summer!  Take care!  =)