Klonoa: Door to Phantomile (PS1, PSN) Retro Review

Time for a review of the retro variety with Klonoa's debut! Phil previously reviewed the Wii remake of Klonoa: Door to Phantomile in 2009 with his early review. A handful of years later, and he's at it again. This time Phil is reviewing the original game that hit the PlayStation One back in 1998. Is it better or worse than the Wii-make? Let's find out.

Is Klonoa's Game Good?

Well, Do His Ears Hang Low?

Poor Klonoa. It seems you're always overlooked by the gaming masses. It's a shame, too, as your games are seldom not an entertaining time. In 1998, the floppy eared feline known as Klonoa debuted in the gaming world on the original PlayStation with Klonoa: Door to Phantomile. Since then, Klonoa has seen various sequels and spinoffs, as well as a Wii remake of his first game. Is the Door to Phantomile one you should still want to open, even after all of these years?

"My precious..."

Klonoa and his best friend Huepow, an animated water bubble that rests inside Klonoa's ring, live in Phantomile. One day, a spaceship crashes into a mountain. Klonoa and Huepow immediately investigate, eventually getting involved in a quarrel with Gladius, a nightmare spirit who wants nothing more than total destruction. While there is the typical good vs. evil story trope here, there's also some heartfelt and even somber moments in Door to Phantomile that makes for a story that stays with you after the Klonoa's quest is complete. Outside a few full-motion video clips, the story is mainly told through in-game scenes, where the characters speak in a fictional Phantomile language while text boxes display their words. All of these scenes can be skipped through if one feels the need.

Maybe someone hit the rewind button...

There's plenty of interesting ideas that separates Klonoa: Door to Phantomile from the rest of the PlayStation era platforming pack. For one, levels are modeled in 3D, but Klonoa and other characters move along a 2D plane. This 2-1/2D (or if you're more computer literate, 2.5D) gameplay means you'll be running around objects; get greeted by split paths, each meandering their own ways; and having multiple points where paths intersect, allowing you to access new areas. You can even interact with objects in the background and foreground, opening up some clever puzzles and secrets. It feels like a 3D world, yet you're running along a 2D plane the entire time.

Level paths curve, twist, and cross
one another to impressive effect.

The other concept that shows immense novelty is Klonoa's Wind Bullet. With a shot of the Wind Bullet, a gust of wind can pick up nearby enemies. These then are held above Klonoa's head. Through jumping up into the air and then pressing the jump button again, you can make Klonoa use the enemy as a means to initiate a double jump. This allows Klonoa to access otherwise impossible to reach platforms. Seeing as this move also throws the enemy downward, you can clear out enemies from above mid double jump.

Enemies nabbed by the Wind Bullet
will inflate up like a balloon.

Aside from using enemies for extra height, Klonoa can chuck enemies into other foes and objects. There's times where you will have to chuck an enemy into the background to activate a switch or destroy a piece of scenery to reveal a secret. This element of gameplay remains unique and very much innovative.

Such secrets include six Phantomillians that have been captured inside bubbles that are strewn about the game's levels, usually in hazardous areas or ones that are the road less traveled. Not only does rescuing all 72 Phantomillians unlock an extra level to check out, but Klonoa: Door to Phantomile possesses 12 relatively lengthy levels for its story. Still, the game won't last players for too long. Simply breezing through the game (although it does contain some challenge here and there) offers players but three or four hours of game time. However, Door to Phantomile is one of those titles that just begs to be played over and over again. It's the perfect length for that, right alongside Super Mario Bros. 3, Mega Man 2, and Sonic the Hedgehog, for instance.

Are you... Are you hovering over
the walkway? Based Klonoa!

Each second level of Door to Phantomile, or as the game refers to each as a vision, concludes with a boss fight. Most take place in a circular arena of some sort, and utilize the Wind Bullet mechanic in a lot of ingenious ways. One boss requires you to launch Klonoa up in the air with a spring and then toss an enemy into the boss's open mouth to damage it. Another takes place on a swinging log that moves backward and forward. When the log sways close to the player, that's Klonoa's cue to grab an enemy. When the log sways towards the boss, Klonoa needs to chuck the enemy forward into one of the creature's colored weak points.

If this boss and Klonoa kept circling the
arena, Yakety Sax would be a good song choice.

Obviously comparing Klonoa's first outing to games of today's standards would not be fair, so let's make note of the game's graphics compared to its contemporaries. Many PS1 era games that had 3D modeling oftentimes give me headaches after extended play sessions. However, Door to Phantomile isn't one of those games. While backgrounds, environments, and bosses are polygonal, other characters such as Klonoa and enemies are 2D sprites. This creates a lovely visual style that holds up pretty well. Door to Phantomile exudes charm from every orifice. Furthermore, the music of Door to Phantomile is memorable, offering many melodies and tunes that can easily be hummed as you play along. The gibberish voice acting applied to each character's speech is a cute touch, but when Klonoa screams, it can be a bit grating to the ears.

Klonoa: Door to Phantomile is a PlayStation One classic that any platformer fan should not go without. It's charming, it plays great, it features a gameplay mechanic that is still novel to this day, and it welcomes you to play through it multiple times every now and then. Although the gaming world and even Namco Bandai have turned their collective back on the character, I'm still enamored by that long-eared cat with the power of the wind. Me-wow! ...Forget I just said that.

[SPC Says: 8.5/10]

Kung Fu Rabbit (Wii U, 3DS, Vita) Review

Moving away from retail releases, Kung Fu Rabbit released on iOS and Android devices originally. Last spring it released on the Wii U eShop. The following summer it showed up on the PlayStation Store. Now, it comes hopping along with onto the 3DS. With three different chances to wow gamers, is Kung Fu Rabbit worth looking into? Here's our review.

This Bunny Gets a Black Belt in Being Competent

Kung Fu Rabbit is the latest in iOS and Android games making its appearance onto dedicated home console and handheld marketplaces, notably the Wii U and 3DS eShops and the PlayStation Store. With obvious inspiration from the super successful Super Meat Boy, Kung Fun Rabbit remains its own entity with clever level design and a less agonizing difficulty. That said, will Kung Fu Rabbit need a lucky rabbit's foot to get a passable score?

Told through comic book style panels, the simple story of Kung Fu Rabbit shows rabbits being kidnapped by some kind of evil force. This force leaves behind two things: 1) black goo that comes in the form of enemies, spikes, and other hazards, and 2) the rabbit master. The latter is one thing these nefarious do-badders will regret, as this rabbit wants revenge.. and carrots. Lots and lots of carrots.

Hmm. Daffy Duck was right.
It IS rabbit season.

Kung Fu Rabbit has you controlling the titular hero through individual, short 2D levels with the goal of rescuing the trapped bunny that is held at the end of each level to progress to the next. On the way there, there's plenty of obstacles to make your task much more interesting. From black pools of goo to moving enemies that can only be defeated through making contact with their weak points, this rapid moving rabbit has a lot to contend with. Seeing as all it takes is one hit to send your bunny into the next world, precision jumping, Mega Man X-esque wall climbing, and timing are of the utmost importance. The improved load times compared to the original mobile versions offer an instant return to the action upon failure.

These enemies can only be
defeated with an attack from behind.

Although the rabbit's leaps are a bit floaty, he controls well otherwise. The addition of buttons grants the console and handheld versions of Kung Fu Rabbit superiority over their mobile counterparts. This is immediately apparent in the more troublesome levels, where precise controls are necessary. The touch screen isn't too friendly for precision platforming, especially if you have to act quickly.

Aside from saving each rabbit from its purple bubble prison, there are optional carrots to obtain. There are three small carrots and a larger golden carrot. Collecting all of these in a level makes it completely beaten. If you're one who likes a challenge, as many of these carrots take some death-defying platforming to pull off, putting you in hazard's way, collecting everything in a level is sure to bring you some replay value.

Mega Man X would be proud, master.

These carrots aren't just meant for hoarding, either. The iOS and Android versions of Kung Fu Rabbit used in-app purchases as opposed to the Wii U, 3DS, and Vita versions' carrot currency. These can be used in the shop to purchased helpful items to make levels less daunting. You can also use carrots to simply purchase new worlds, as opposed to unlocking them through the usual means of beating levels. However, as a wise ninja once said, "The road to greatness never has shortcuts." ...Okay, I made that up, but it does sound thoughtful, does it not?

That trapped bunny is close
yet so far away.

Kung Fu Rabbit consists of three starting worlds, each possessing 20 levels to them, each lasting 30-60 seconds, not counting retries. Starting off, levels are a breeze, almost insultingly so, but with continued progression, the challenge becomes far greater with new takes on familiar obstacles. There's even a fourth bonus world that contains the most challenging of levels with no carrots to collect, just the goal of making it to the end in a platforming fight for survival. If that's not enough, remixed levels open up after the initial three worlds are completed. Thus, Kung Fu Rabbit definitely has the content to it.

One of many bonus levels
in Kung Fu Rabbit.

The game has a charming cartoon-y art style to it, but the game overuses the same small spattering of level locales that things eventually get boring. Deja vu is a common occurrence when so many levels have the same background and assets to them. There's not just repetitiveness in the scenery, either. The music of the game features extremely short loops of audio that fast become offensive to the ears. The sound effects don't fare much better, only offering the abundance of bubbling goop and little else. It is this part of Kung Fu Rabbit that doesn't do much to excite.

For which version is the best, all perform well. Although the 3DS version does not feature stereoscopic 3D at all, which is a shame because the game's backgrounds would look way more interesting with the effect. The Vita version has optional touch and back touch screen controls, but buttons are really the way to go. Finally, the Wii U version supports the ability to play the game solely on the GamePad screen. It's all a matter of platform preference, really.

Jeez. Not even a simple "thank you"?

Kung Fu Rabbit is a terrific pick-up-and-play-for-five-minutes game. It's not the most original game around, nor does it feature the most variety. It does, however, bring the player a reasonable challenge (not so much in the early going), cute visuals, an admirable amount of levels, fun achievements, and competent platforming. If you enjoy skillful platformers, then by all means jump down the rabbit hole. Otherwise, the lack of visual and sound variety, and some cheap level design will most likely frustrate you.

[SPC Says: 7.0/10]