 Review By: Jared Black |
Developer: | Hudson Soft |
| Publisher: | Hudson Soft | |
| Genre: | Puzzle | |
| ESRB: | Everyone | |
| # Of Players: | 1-2 | |
| Online Play: | No | |
| Accessories: | Nunchuk (2nd player only); Distributed by Konami | |
| Buy Now: |   |
With its motion-based controls, the Wii seems to be a natural fit for the “guiding things through 3D mazes” genre. Fortunately, the Wii has proven itself to be up to the challenge of delivering the precise controls needed in this genre, with Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz setting a high standard at the system’s launch. Kororinpa: Marble Mania picks up where Super Monkey Ball left off, requiring even more precise control and a different approach to the action. Unfortunately, while the gameplay is solid, the rest of the game just doesn’t quite measure up.
The concept is simple: use the Wii Remote alone (or Nunchuk when playing as two players) to guide your marble through progressively more challenging mazes by tilting the entire level itself. Controls are handled entirely by tilting the Remote…no button-presses necessary to play although B pauses and A resets your marble.
You’ll need those precise controls too, because unlike Super Monkey Ball, the entire level can be tilted in full 3D in any direction. Later levels really push this to the limit with some very complicated twists and turns, narrow ledges barely wider than the marble itself, banked curves, and various obstacles. Further complicating things is the fact that the camera is fixed, so you’ll have to learn from your mistakes as you progress.
The game’s 45 levels (plus “secrets” and a mirrored mode) ramp up in difficulty nicely, but unfortunately they’re over all too soon. Even on the levels you get “stuck” in, you’ll likely spend no more than a few minutes of trial-and-error before conquering it and moving on. The two-player game is essentially the same as the single-player game, only both players are ostensibly racing each other, but since there’s no interaction between marbles it’s a pretty sterile experience.
Adding a bit of variety though is the fact that each marble falls into one of several different categories. Slow and easy marbles include a cat, dog, and pig; bouncier marbles include a basketball and soccer ball; and finally heavier and faster balls include things like the planet Saturn and the Milky Way galaxy. I felt a real sense of accomplishment when using the latter to navigate some of the game’s hardest areas. Still, on the whole most gamers will probably power through all Kororinpa has to offer in a few hours.
Presentation is kept simple. Each group of levels has its own theme, with simple animations in the background while the action takes place in the foreground. There’s no support for 480p unfortunately, although the game still looks pretty good in its simplicity. The marbles themselves are drawn simply, each with its own cute sound effects. There are plenty of music tracks to unlock as well, but most of them are short and can become annoying quickly.
Bottom Line:
There’s really not a lot to say about Kororinpa – it’s simply a fun game that’s unfortunately over far too quickly. Keep it in the back of your mind, because it’ll make an excellent bargain bin purchase one day, but right now it’s really too expensive even at $40.
| Pros: | Cons: | Final Score: |
|---|---|---|
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| 6.4 |
Posted: 2007-04-19 19:55:52 PST