You know, I haven't delved too much into Conker as a series. Sure, I've raced as him plenty of times in Diddy Kong Racing, but what makes this squirrel tick? Well, by 2001 it was booze, but what about before that? I was always curious to check out Conker before he turned inebriated with Conker's Pocket Tales. Let's dive in like a squirrel burrowing into dirt with the SuperPhillip Central review!
It's his party and you can RSVP if you want to.
Before he became an alcoholic, foul-mouthed, crude-acting, urinating squirrel (not the way I thought I'd ever start a review in all my 17+ years at SuperPhillip Central), Conker was a peaceable, cute, and sweet squirrel. He spent some time on the racetrack with Diddy in Diddy Kong Racing, and yes, even starred in his own adventure prior to 2001's infamous Conker's Bad Fur Day, where his sunny disposition took a mature-rated turn, to say the least!
Conker's Pocket Tales was that aforementioned adventure prior to 2001, and it launched on the Game Boy Color, presenting a top-down perspective not unlike what you'd see in standard The Legend of Zelda games. Really, one could say that Conker's Pocket Tales is a creative mix between Link's Awakening and Banjo-Kazooie--that meaning you explore an interconnected overworld pieced together by different areas, and collect presents as the main method for progression.
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| This barn leads to the first major realm of Conker's Pocket Tales. |
Before we get into all that, however, why is Conker collecting presents in the first place? The Evil Acorn has interrupted Conker's birthday festivities, stealing his presents, AND kidnapping his girlfriend Berri. I'm starting to see why poor Conker turned to the drink! No matter--that's neither here nor there! With presents to recover and girlfriend to rescue, Conker is on the case!
Conker has a full kit of moves almost immediately from the start of his debut adventure--from being able to walk, run, jump, ground pound, and dig in specially marked soft spots of dirt that essentially serve as teleportation points between one another--our squirrel pal has plenty to rely on. Soon after starting the story, he gains new tools to his trade, such as a slingshot that relies on acorns found within the world (that also replenish and respawn upon advancing far enough away from them) to fire, as well the ability to swim and dive.
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| Oh, Conker's trusty slingshot--what would he do without you? |
Instead of a traditional health gauge or bar, Conker can collect special acorns that for each he collects, grants him an extra hit--easily allowing him to take damage in the double digits, as long as you keep collecting acorns and as long as you don't take too much in the way of hits. Easier said than done, as while the feel of Conker's Pocket Tales is pretty nimble and good-feeling, the real estate on the screen isn't the best. Conker himself is rather large for the tiny Game Boy or Game Boy Color screen, offering not a lot in the way of time to react. Slowly but steadily usually wins this race, and keeps Conker from too much damage in this case, as well!
Speaking of damage, there are all sorts of hazards and enemies to look out for within Conker's world, from bullet-spewing plants, to trooper ants just marching back and forth in a line, slithering snakes, wicked wolves, and bosses that serve as the exclamation point of each of the realms that Conker visits outside of the main overworld's expanses. These are generally breezy affairs, save for one that takes place in a swamp. Between the hit detection and the means to defeat the foe (midair stomps that usually result in Conker frustratingly taking damage).
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| Conker plays leapfrog (leap ant?) with this enemy. |
Conker's Pocket Tales finds Conker scooting and sauntering about the overworld to the previously mentioned different locales and realms scattered about, from a town straight out of the Old American West, to a maze-like medieval castle filled with tricks and traps alike. The goal of each area is to find and pick up eight blue presents within each. In fact, that's not just a goal but a requirement, as Conker isn't allowed to leave a given area until this task is complete. Generally, presents are discovered sprinkled about the worlds, whether literally sitting out in the open, rewarded for completing puzzles (usually block-pushing or switch-stomping affairs), or handed out by NPCs for helping them with their troubles.
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| A castle so hazardous, even its furniture is trying to hurt poor Conker! |
Whereas playing Conker's Pocket Tales on the Game Boy only allows saving at certain points, the Game Boy Color--the way the game was intended to be played--sports saving anywhere. This comes through in a pinch and is perfect for the take-anywhere utility of a handheld device, for certain. Game overs do sort of annoy, as the time it takes for the game to roll through its opening title and allow you control to the main menu is a bit lengthier than I would have liked. That said, you do get restored to your previous manual save point with five health acorns to begin where you left off after a game over, so it's not too terribly easy to soft-lock yourself.
Rare seldom disappoints on a tech level with its games, and that is no different here with Conker's Pocket Tales and the Game Boy Color hardware. Sprites are large and detailed, worlds are easily distinguishable and also carry a fair amount of detail, characters and enemy sprites animate well for the hardware, and Eveline Fischer and Robin Beanland's co-produced soundtrack for the game delivers all the right, catchy notes on the Game Boy Color's sound chip.
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| Do you like pushing boxes? Oh, does Rare have the game for you! |
While the tech is impressive, Conker's Pocket Tales' runtime isn't so much. For the most part, the game is a breezy experience, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. That's considering that even with its 5-7 time to beat the game, it still feels like a repetitive experience, particularly with all the button-stomping and block-pushing puzzles alongside the occasionally tedious backtracking in the package.
That said, younger players in the day would have discovered something fun to be found with Conker's Pocket Tales. I wouldn't necessarily have them quickly or eagerly graduate to Conker's Bad Fur Day from there, but for a first outing and adventure, Conker's Pocket Tales was a good start. What it lacks in length and screen real estate due to its larger-than-usual sprites, it makes for with charm and labyrinthine level design. Is it worth tracking down to, in turn, track down all of its presents in blue and optional red forms, as well as its party invitations for 100%? Ehhhhhh... let's just say you don't necessarily need to feel bad for skipping out on RSVPing here.
[SPC Says: C]
