When it comes to 2D platform adventures, you can always expect great quality when it comes from Nintendo. That holds true for The Legendary Starfy, the fifth game in the long running series developed by Tose which sees its first release in North America. This quirky platformer will certainly be enjoyed by kids under the age of twelve but will anyone else find it enjoyable?
Gameplay
Trying to explain the story behind Starfy can be quite a handful. He’s not exactly a Star but he’s also not exactly a Starfish. His best friend is Moe, a clam and the other characters he interacts with are primarily water based creatures.
Starfy search’s for large crystals to help Bunston the SpaceRabbit.
The Legendary Starfy starts off with our title character and his best friend bumping into a mysterious Spacesuit wearing Rabbit named Bunston. It seems that Bunston is being chased and thanks to the helpful nature of Starfy, he attempts to help. In doing so, it appears that Bunston has lost his memory and can’t recall why he is being chased. In order to regain his memory and figure out the reason he’s being hunted, Starfy needs to search the world for pieces of a large crystal which hold the truth behind Bunston.
The game’s controls are extremely simple and easy to pick up. Starfy’s interaction both on land and water are similar. He has the ability to run, swim, jump, glide, dive and interact with the surrounding environments. His primary attack is a Spin move, which if used too often in a short amount of time, will cause him to get dizzy and be unable to proceed. With the ease of the controls, you’ll be able to do interesting things with Starfy. There a plenty of cool moves that you will unlock and thanks to the varied environments, it will be necessary to combine actions to do some really fun things.
Also available in certain sections, is the ability to use certain costumes. There are four costumes to discover, including a manatee one that can break through ice. The costumes are only accessible at certain sections and are easy to spot as Bunston will show up in a certain spots with the costume picture hovering above his head.
The controls are extremely simple and easy to pick up.
The Legendary Starfy is easy to pick up and is an extremely straightforward affair. Most experienced gamers should be able to breeze through the game with only a few minor challenges along the way. The game is certainly geared towards the younger crowd, both in terms of feel and difficulty. Although the game is extremely simple, there is a lot to discover with every level containing at least one secret chest to collect. These chest can give you bonus content or journals that reveal information on some of the characters you meet along the way.
An interesting aspect to the game is that some parts can be played co-operatively. When prompted by Moe, you can use your DS Wireless capabilities to have a friend play as Starfy’s sister Starly. Starly is more nimble and can wall jump, which will allow you to trek to locations Starfy can’t reach on his own. The best part of this is that even Boss battles can be played co-operatively, although the brother and sister duo share the same health bar.
Graphics and SoundTo say The Legendary Starfy is a cute looking game is an understatement. Every aspect of this game, especially in its presentation and look is oozing with familiarity of Saturday morning cartoons. All of the characters, even the bad ones, look absolutely stunning on the DS. The use of various colors in every part of the game is used really well and nothing ever looks out of place. Animations are smooth and plentiful and there is a lot to see and do.
This game is oozing with the familiarity of Saturday morning cartoons.Even the game’s music and sound effects can give you an overload on the cute side of things. From Starfy’s calls to the sound of the mermaid while saving is geared solely for gamers under the age of 12. That not to say it’s bad, but those who want to enjoy this game and are a bit more mature would prefer to play with the sound off. If you’re comfortable with your surroundings, you’ll be greeted with a wonderful score that will delight you as you play.
ValueOn top of the co-op options in the game and thanks to the secrets scattered throughout, you can unlock a fair share of bonus content. There are five mini-games to unlock that can be played alone or with friends. These fun distractions are easy to learn and can be quite enjoyable when you want to take a break from your adventure.
Conclusion
Even with the cuteness level of The Legendary Starfy approaching eleven, it is not a hard game to recommend to fans of 2D platform games. Kids will absolutely eat up the adventure and there are still plenty of moments for grown-ups to enjoy. It might be a bit on the easy side, but it does everything you would expect a game like this should do. If you have been looking for a carefree game to give to youngsters, or even yourself, you will be pleasantly surprised. I am glad this series has finally hit North American shores and look forward to seeing if future games make their way over here.
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