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G.R. Issue #22 (GBA)
Welcome back to GBAtemp Recommends! Our popular weekly magazine feature in which we recommend classic Game Boy Advance titles big and small! Now I know that most of you are knee deep in all these new fangled DS titles that have been released lately, but hey, come on... Spend a few minutes to remember some of the classics that brought us to where we are today, ok?
GBAtemp Recommends!
Kuru Kuru Kururin
A game EVERY Game Boy Advance owner should know about, AND have played; Kuru Kuru Kururin is one of my personal favourite GBA titles. This extremely fresh take on the puzzle/action genre is a fun and challenging game that's just as addictive as it is charming.
On paper the game sounds pretty bland. You play as Kururin, a strange talking duck/bird thing who has been told by his mother that his siblings have gone astray in various worldly locations. You must guide a rotating STICK (which is actually a helicopter of sorts) through a series of mazes in order to progress. This is probably the reason the game never got a release in the States, just Japan, Europe and Australasia. But this is a game that is a classic example of why you should never judge a book by its cover.
The gameplay basically boils down to this: You control a stick, er, I mean, helicopter... that is constantly spinning on its axis. You must carefully manoeuvre it through a series of mazes. The catch being that you can't touch any of the walls, which get progressively closer together as the game progresses -- 3 strikes and you have to start over. Some stages have one or two "safe zone checkpoints" that heal you to full health, but these are often sparse. Of course, just to make it even harder, there are a good handful of obstacles scattered throughout the 10 worlds for you to avoid, and you'll even find that some of the passages cannot be passed until you change the direction in which you are spinning, which you can do so with the help of a good few springs placed about. You can boost yourself with the A/B buttons or even hold them both down for an even bigger speed increase. Some of the levels can be completed in as little as 30 seconds, with later stages taking up to nearly 5 minutes on your first run through.
The best thing about this game though, has to be the level design. There are some fantastic challenges in the game, all of which feel instantly rewarding when you finally conquer them. There is a slight learning curve with this game, but don't be put off. Put enough time into the game and you'll be surprised at just how fast you can move your whirly bird. A Challenge mode that's separate from the main game is included, with 50 extra levels to test your skills. They even threw in single-cart multiplayer for you to battle it out with 3 other friends.
Kurukuru Kururin is a great pick up and play game. It's simplistic but addictive gameplay will keep you coming back for more. The game has a charming though somewhat simplistic and child-like design, but it really fits the bill. The music in the game is also actually very good, and some of the tunes so catchy, that you may start humming along!
If you haven't played a Kurukuru Kururin game before, stick this one in your GBA and give it a spin! (Ugh, sorry!)
The games sequel 'Kururin Paradise' was also released on the GBA, and the game even made its way onto the Gamecube with 'Kururin Squash!', but unfortunately, there's been absolutely no inclination that another Kururin game will be made, neither on the DS nor the Wii, both of which are ideal platforms for a new reincarnation of gameplay for the series.
Game Synopsis said:A simple concept with a completely awesome challenge! Easy to learn but difficult to master, once you start you'll never be able to stop! Attempt to reach the goal, by navigating the rotating helicopter through increasingly narrow labyrinths while avoiding the moving obstacles. Every mission needs a steady hand and nerves of steel! Enjoy multi-player action with a single Game Pak, simply link multiple Game Boy Advance systems and race against your friends!
#0048 - Kuru Kuru Kururin (Mode7)
#0004 - Kuru Kuru Kururin (Eurasia)
Genre: Puzzle, Action
Publisher: Nintendo
Dump Date: 21/06/2001
ROM Size: 32Mbit
If you enjoyed this weeks edition of GBAtemp Recommends! please leave a comment in the thread. This helps us monitor feedback and ensures we keep posting these magazine articles in the future. Another game will be featured next Wednesday!
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