Kororinpa Review

By Kristan Reed Published 23 February, 2007

Said the man with a mouthful of pie.

Version tested: Wii

“Kororroroin-what?”. Yeah, yeah. We know.

Obscurely named Japanese videogames come with the territory, but it can't exactly help them sell to people who run away from anything not called Medal of Duty: The Road to Creative Doom. And despite what you might assume, it doesn't mean we're going to slap 9/10 at the end of the review because we like the quirky name. You cynics.

Rather than simply change the name to something generically 'Western' (oh, I dunno, Rollerama or something), Nintendo has pre-empted the confusion by helpfully slapped a little four word description above the name to inform us that it's a "Ball-rolling Maze Game". They could have added "a bit like Super Monkey Ball but without the mini games or the effortless charm" but that might have been a bit of a mouthful. [Incidentally, for the North American release, 'Marble Mania' has been added as a subtitle.]

The back of the box, though, goes a bit further in doing our job for us. "This may be the world's most deceptively simple game," it ponders, before ruining it with a superfluous exclamation mark and a question mark. I'm Ron Burgundy? Except, that's not altogether true. I am not Ron Burgundy, and there's absolutely no deception going on here; Kororinpa is, to paraphrase the original description, a simple ball-rolling maze game.

'Kororinpa' Screenshot 1

A small magnetic strip is all that's stopping you from plunging hundreds of feet to your doom.

And just like Super Monkey Ball you use the Wii remote to tilt and roll your 'ball' (more of which in a moment) all the way to the exit without being ham-fisted enough to spill it over the edge of the course.

But unlike Amusement Vision's stuck-in-its-ways ball roller, Kororinpa forces you to pick up all the red crystals scattered around the course before it will allow you to finish. Try and rush to the exit prematurely and you'll be unceremoniously booted back to the start. How rude!

Whereas SMB focuses largely on how quickly you can manoeuvre to the exit, Hudson's take on the genre combines both object collecting with getting to the finish line quickly. And another important distinction is the fact that Kororinpa has infinite lives as standard and (on the latter, more difficult, courses) checkpoints. This certainly helps quell the frustration factor an awful lot.

And before you hastily dismiss Kororinpa as little more than an unimaginative clone of an ageing idea, Hudson has gone to an awful lot more effort to tailor the game's controls around the Wii remote. Amusement Vision was content to repeat the formula of the two previous SMBs, but add basic tilt controls and a questionable jump ability. But once you start rolling around the more challenging courses in Kororinpa, it strikes you that they make full use of all three dimensions, rather than stick to old 'rolling a potato around on a tray' concept.

It's quite alarming when you first realise that you've got to turn the controller on its side and tip the ball onto a precarious ledge, roll it forward a bit, and then flip it back horizontally in one fluid motion. It certainly gives Hudson license to cut loose with the level design, with some truly fearsome creations arriving a few hours into the proceedings.

'Kororinpa' Screenshot 2

It's all very Micro Machines in its choice of location.

Inevitably, obstacles also start to play a greater role in holding up your progress. Initially you might be forced to create a temporary bridge by tilting a sliding platform into position, but later on you find yourself dodging instant death magnifying glasses, conveyors, ice, honey, moving platforms and the like. More often that not, though, any difficulties you might have are down to some fiendish course design, with evil angles that require a deft touch to compensate for the changing incline. Some of your early reservations about who this game's really designed to appeal to begin to melt away as you begin to get quite hooked by its moreish appeal. Far from being cute and cuddly, the game really shows its teeth after a while.

Question marks remain over its long-term appeal, though. Sure enough, you'll rip through most courses in a few hours, and even unlock the bulk of the secret courses without too much effort. And even once you do, the inherent repetition involved in the game makes it hard to play for extended periods of time without tiring of the premise quite quickly. The presence of a split screen two player mode is a definite plus, and the ability to play the game with all manner of different types of 'balls'. Acting, effectively, as a difficulty level modifier, you'll unlock access to heavier balls to make previously simple levels a tad more difficult. It's a novel twist, but, again, there are only so many times you'll want to roll a ball into a goal. Even if they are cute.

'Kororinpa' Screenshot 3

Unfortunately, at £34.99 it's hardly what you'd call a 'snip'.

And cute as the game is in general, you can't help but feel slightly underwhelmed by the 'cheapness' of Kororinpa's visuals. The courses themselves are pretty rudimentary throughout. Whether you're rolling among biscuits, or girders high above a city street or even outer space, it's 3D in the most basic late '90s sense. The poorly designed, badly animated backdrops, in particular, show up the Wii unfavourably, and detract from what is - in most ways that matter - a charming, addictive game. Of course, I could allow this paragraph to drift off into a 'graphics don't matter' debate, but would it really have been that hard for Hudson to buff up the presentation a little? Even the front end and menus look cheap, but, at a penny shy of £35, this budget feel hasn't been reflected in the price, which will surely hurt its chances of success. Xbox Live Arcade fans will have every right to point out the similarities between this and Marble Blast and the vast difference in price. It's a fair point.

Kororinpa, then. Ball rolling maze game. It's addictive, charming, simple, challenging, and a great advert for why the Wii controller is one of the best things to happen to console gaming. But controller novelty value can't disguise its one-trick limitations or the vanilla production values, and there's no doubt that it should have been released at a budget price. One to rent, then.

6 / 10

Read the Eurogamer.net scoring policy
Picture of Kristan.

About Kristan Reed

Kristan is a former editor of Eurogamer, dad, Stone Roses bore and Norwich City supporter who sometimes mutters optimistically about Team Silent getting back together.

Read more articles from Kristan by visiting the Kristan Reed archive page.

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Comments (75) Latest comment 5 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • lambtron #1 5 years ago

    Oh dear.

  • Sid-Nice #2 5 years ago

    You've saved me money. Thanks

  • muftak #3 5 years ago

    oh shock horror another shite Wii game

  • spongebob #4 5 years ago

    I bet this will become one of those games that people will praise when Wii is about to be replaced by the next-gen Nintendo console. (I mean in 5 years time or so).
    Edited by 1 at 23/02/07 @ 15:02

  • Psi #5 5 years ago

    aw fucksticks

  • Inspirius #6 5 years ago

    choices uk have this for £28, which is a bit better.

  • richardiox #7 5 years ago

    Brought this at lucnhtime. My main worry is the longevity which it seems to be marked down for but so long as in the meanwhile it's "addictive, charming, simple, challenging, and a great advert for why the Wii controller is one of the best things to happen to console gaming" i will be happy.

    Hopefully once I'm done with it I can use it for some trade-in value against Mercury.

    edit - in tersm of the budget nature being reflected in the pricing, for it's US release last month Hudson-Soft brought this out at budget pricing. What a surprise it didn't happen here! Most shops were selling it for £39.99 outrageously but I got it for under £30 from Asda.
    Edited by 1 at 23/02/07 @ 15:17

  • freedumb #8 5 years ago

    Kula World Mark II?

  • SBfistfun #9 5 years ago

    meh

    /Waits for something half decent to appear on wii

  • Tomo #10 5 years ago

    Hardly shite. Looks like an interesting game to me, but Mercury Revolution is round the corner...

  • skillian #11 5 years ago

    Couldn't care less about the game but the first four paragraphs of the review were a great read.

    Thanks for the LOL.

  • Toonster #12 5 years ago

    /Waits for something half decent to appear on wii

    What, you didn't catch Excite Truck's 8/10 review on Friday?
    Edited by 1 at 23/02/07 @ 15:23

  • Santino #13 5 years ago

    when is mercury out?

  • richardiox #14 5 years ago

    Or Twilight Princess. Or Wii Sports.

  • BraveArse #15 5 years ago

    I thought it looked like kula world as well Freedumb, in fact that was what I was hoping for Probably one of my fave games of all time, it feels a bit like that, but it has nowhere near the mindbending complexity of Kula World, nor the same feeling of vertigo for some reason.

    It's good though. I'm enjoying it and as others have said elsewhere, at about level 20 the difficulty kicks in a bit. The longevity is going to be in nailing the gold trophies on each level I think.

    I'd give it a 7 maybe ( I did manage to get it for £19 mispriced in my local game, so the vfm isn't an issue with me tho)

  • JonFE #16 5 years ago

    Surely one to get once the price is right...

  • samk #17 5 years ago

    So, yet another killer app for the Wii? Or maybe not.

  • Rush2112 #18 5 years ago

    I don't give a monkey's about the longevity of Kororinpa, it looks a treat. I've had my eye on this for a while and picked it up this morning. It will be the perfect pick-me-up to play between violent sessions on Crackdown. So yeah, I'm looking forward to giving it a roll.

  • SBfistfun #19 5 years ago

    "What, you didn't catch Excite Truck's 8/10 review on Friday?"

    I can't be arsed with yet another racing game, whether it's got a crazy control method or not.

    And the adverts featring that gurning n00b anoy ,me as well.

    /puts on old-man-seen-it-all-before grumpy hat on

  • muftak #20 5 years ago

    /Waits for something half decent to appear on wii


    you will be waiting a long time

  • Darren #21 5 years ago

    Oh dear, although I've owned a Wii since launch, I can't help but wonder where on earth all the *good* games are for it because they're sure as hell slow in coming out. I hate to admit it but since I bought WarioWare last month, I've barely been on my Wii to play, you know, *actual* Wii games, I either play the odd VC or GameCube title and then not all that much. Not great really and apart from Zelda: TP and the fun-but-shallow Wii Sports and WarioWare SM, the Wii is in desperate need of some decent games that have some *substance* to them for us non-casual gamers.

  • Cloudane #22 5 years ago

    While the likes of Excite Truck and Kororinpa are decent Wii games, their RRP price really affect the enjoyment of the game considering both games are too short and reasonably basic for their asking price.

    To be honest, these sort of games shouldn't be anymore than £30 in first place so once the likes of Excite Truck and Kororinpa hit the £20-25 mark then more people will lap it up and appreciate the game(s) more.

  • Cyhwuhx #23 5 years ago

    .::: So here nobody noticed the Wii Remote losing an axis of sensitivity while tilting it?

  • Matsuo #24 5 years ago

    I found both ExciteTruck and Kororinpa for 45 euro in Holland, which is about 30 pounds? Both titles interest me, but if they were full-priced I wouldn't bother. At a budget-ish price, it's definitely a must-have. :)

  • Der_tolle_Emil #25 5 years ago

    Bought it for 50 Euros. I just cannot bring myself to leave the store once I have a game in my hands, even if I know I could get it cheaper somewhere else. Have yet to play it though.

  • magicpanda #26 5 years ago

    £27.77 in an asda near you, along with excite truck

  • Sid-Nice #27 5 years ago

    I've got 19 games for the Xbox 360 and I'm still waiting for a game where 'in my opinion' I can say "That was superb."

    I'm not a fan of racing games in general but like the Burnout series 'Excite Truck' offers something different; Excite Truck has had over 40 hours of game-play in less than a week in my house.

    As for Kororinpa, I was interested in this game and I even phoned my local video games outlets yesterday to try and pick it up early. Someone had gone out of their way to get me a copy and quoted me "£34.99" they then apologised and said "£39.99" I said "£39.99 for a Wii game? I wouldn't pay that much for a 360 title."

  • spongebob #28 5 years ago

    While the likes of Excite Truck and Kororinpa are decent Wii games, their RRP price really affect the enjoyment of the game considering both games are too short and reasonably basic for their asking price.

    That's the exact same reason DS is not interesting to me. The games are too expensive for the most part compared to the content. I don't want to pay full price for some puzzle game or some eccentric (yet good) rhythm game.

  • jonsaan #29 5 years ago

    looks awesome.

  • Tiel #30 5 years ago

    I like these types of games.
    This was definately on my radar, but willnow wait for it to be discounted to 19.99

    'Roll on' Mercury.

  • TriodeBliss #31 5 years ago

    I'd imagine this has got a small production run, so it might become scarce quite quickly.

    You only have to look at Chibi-Robo! to see that the price might go up.

  • gingerlink #32 5 years ago

    the stupid thing is that in japan it was about half the price of the more upper class titles like zelda, which would definately make it buyable.

    This is going on my rent list, but excitetruck may have been promoted to my "buy instead" list...

    now the question comes, what about sonic?

    was hardly expecting it to be an OMFG THIS IS AMAZING title anyway, but it's good to see that's its good fun, so something comes from my "that looks cool" comment from seeing it on the original trailer reel
    Edited by 1 at 23/02/07 @ 17:44

  • dolphan #33 5 years ago

    "That's the exact same reason DS is not interesting to me. The games are too expensive for the most part compared to the content. I don't want to pay full price for some puzzle game or some eccentric (yet good) rhythm game."

    So play AoE, Advance Wars, Metroid Prime, Mario and Luigi: Partners in Time, Castlevania, or Resident Evil?

    And seriously, have you played Ouendan? "Good rhythm game" doesn't really do it justice. Similarly, it's difficult to get how brilliant Trauma Centre is until you play it.

  • MoGamer2006 #34 5 years ago

    muftak's witty put-downs are *brilliant*! C'mon Channel 4 - give this man (?) his own Friday night comedy show!!!!

  • DrDamn #35 5 years ago

    Seems Konami are the new Atari, confirmation of something someone mentioned near the top. This and Wing Island are getting budget releases in the US (NB: this isn't out yet in the US).

    Linky

  • UncleLou #36 5 years ago

    "While the likes of Excite Truck and Kororinpa are decent Wii games, their RRP price really affect the enjoyment of the game considering both games are too short and reasonably basic for their asking price."

    That's the exact same reason DS is not interesting to me. The games are too expensive for the most part compared to the content. I don't want to pay full price for some puzzle game or some eccentric (yet good) rhythm game.

    I know what you mean, and it's why I haven't bought Excite Truck or Kororinpa. Funnily enough, though, most DS games have been very good value for money for me, and felt more like real full-price games than I suppose Kororinpa does.

  • Mr_Brown #37 5 years ago

    Don't get me wrong, I really like my Wii...but when are some real games going to be released? Bar Zelda, all thats available are party games and ball rolling puzzle games.

    I'm all for innovation and new control schemes, so why not try incorperating some in an RPG or some more adventure games. It doesn't have to be the be all and end all, even if its for small parts of the game (ie like Zelda) thats fine. I'm just sick of all the samey games that are getting released! Just like this!

  • Durandle #38 5 years ago

    A little bit much in money terms I agree, but got this today and really enjoying it!

  • Solty #39 5 years ago

    Does any of you even vaguely remember the following months after the 360 launched? Or almost any other console launch, for that matter? The DS? PSP? I'm sorry to disappoint you, but it's still going to last a good six months until the good games are coming. In the meantime, I'm settling for the 6/10 games that ARE being released. You know, to get used to the new controller and all. Sorta.

  • smelly #40 5 years ago

    @Solty : And of course the ps3 has been getting HUGE exclusive killer apps since it's launch..

    Get a life kids. If we had this many postings from fanboys of other systems every time the ps2 got a shite game.. this forum would be huge.

    Seems to me like there's a lot of fanboys on here in sick desperation of trying to diss the wii at every given opportunity as they're worried it might be (Well is) doing better than their machine of choice..

    Boo-fucking-hoo.

  • smelly #41 5 years ago

    Oh, btw, since when has 6/10 been classified as "shite" Did you guys actually READ THE WORDS before looking at the score and quickly going to the comments thread to post "ha ha, all wii games are shite.." while pulling your pud in safe knowledge that your machine of choice was much better?

    The review says : Great, addictive, fun game. Just needs to be cheaper.

    So it's a GOOD game just too expensive. Nowhere in the review does it say it's "shite".

    So grow up kiddywinkles...


    Edited by 1 at 23/02/07 @ 19:30

  • count-zero #42 5 years ago

    Yep, Looks pretty interesting but not interesting enough to warant £35.

    I can wait till it hits the 2nd hand market or the bargain bin.

  • kinggid #43 5 years ago

    +1 to smelly.

  • ilmaestro #44 5 years ago

    Still looks like the only game worth buying a Wii for (that has an EU release).

  • UncleLou #45 5 years ago

    Seeing how sensitive you react to people who mostly aren't even trolls, but disappointed genuine Wii owners, I find it quite surprising how you happily troll other threads all the time.

    Oh well, so much for "growing up".

  • smelly #46 5 years ago

    UncleLou: Seems you're incapable of actually understanding anything written down as words - so i wont even honour that with a response.

    (even though i just did.. damn!)

  • smelly #47 5 years ago

    Okay.. I'll bite.

    Buying ANY console at launch will leave you with a drought of games for the first few months after christmas. This happens, it's part of the reason why it's stupid to get a console at launch.

    If you look at both the 360 and ps3 launches, both were exactly the same. In fact with regards to 360, i'd say slightly worse.. With ps3 HUGELY HUGELY worse.

    (you may disagree with 360, but no-one would disagree with the ps3 sentiment, unless they were stupidly blinkered)

    Im not sticking up for anyone or being a troll or whatever other words you want to call it. Im just saying that THIS is why you shouldnt buy consoles at launch.

    But for me, im happy, i have the cube back catalog still (lots of great games i never played there), and i'm having fun with fun VC games.. So im more than happy with my purchase.

    This looks good, and i'll get it when it's cheaper.


    By initial rant was at all the people (not you) who said (and I quote) "oh shock horror another shite Wii game", Which (if you READ the words) is nothing of the sort.

  • UncleLou #48 5 years ago

    UncleLou: Seems you're incapable of actually understanding anything written down as words - so i wont even honour that with a response.

    Hehe, yes, of course. I am the one with reading comprehension problems, hehe. Priceless. :D

    FWIW, the PS3's launch lineup looks great to me, if you don't have a 360 or good PC. Certainly infinitely better than the Wii's.

  • smelly #49 5 years ago

    >FWIW, the PS3's launch lineup looks great to me

    No.. you're looking at the EURO launch line up.. which is launched 4 months afterwards. Go back and look what you'd have got if it DID manage to launch worldwide back in november.

    And all you're getting is conversions, hardly any decent exclusives.

    Oh, i dunno why im bothering.

    YES you're right. The reviewer says this game is shit. Every game that gets 6/10 is shit, regardless of what the words say. The fact the reviewer said it's fun and addictive means nothing as it got a 6/10. Therefor this game is shit. All wii games are shit... And we should all go and wank over whatever machine you like better.

    There, im agreeing with you.

  • UncleLou #50 5 years ago

    Where have I said this game is shit? You're making yourself look pretty foolish now, I've got a Wii, and no intentions of buying a PS3 at this point. Not everybody is a fanboy, you know.

  • smelly #51 5 years ago

    >Where have I said this game is shit?

    You havent. But if you READ my posts I was replying to the people WHO DID say this game was shit - just because it got 6/10 regardless of what the reviewer said.

    But then you got on your high horse at me, so i presumed you agreed with them. If not, what the hell are you complaining about? Sheesh.

  • UncleLou #52 5 years ago

    You havent. But if you READ my posts I was replying to the people WHO DID say this game was shit

    Oh, you didn't just post this, then:

    YES you're right. The reviewer says this game is shit. Every game that gets 6/10 is shit, regardless of what the words say


    Man, it's just too easy with you. :-/

    But then you got on your high horse at me

    No, just don't like your usual trollling antics, which is why I like to poke you with a stick from time to time.
    Edited by 1 at 23/02/07 @ 21:56

  • smelly #53 5 years ago

    ???

    Can someone please clarify something for me here.. Is it just me, or is this unclelou just a complete moron?

    Maybe it's me who's the moron, as he's got me well and truely confused here.

    I'll post this again, but re-word it in words of as few sylables as possible for you:

    "If you READ my first post (the .. one.. you .. first.. got.. narky.. with .. me .. about..) I was reply-ing to the people WHO DID say this game was shit - just because it got 6/10 regardless of what the reviewer said."

    I have no idea why you then started getting arsey about it, if you dont agree with that sentiment?

    Oh i dunno.. You're obviously of very low intellect so i'll leave this here, i cant be arsed any more.
    Edited by 1 at 23/02/07 @ 22:17

  • UncleLou #54 5 years ago

    Trust me, it's you who is the moron. :)

  • oerhoert #55 5 years ago

    <em>While the likes of Excite Truck and Kororinpa are decent Wii games, their RRP price really affect the enjoyment of the game considering both games are too short and reasonably basic for their asking price.

    That's the exact same reason DS is not interesting to me. The games are too expensive for the most part compared to the content. I don't want to pay full price for some puzzle game or some eccentric (yet good) rhythm game.</em>

    I don't get this. I thought the only thing a game needed to be, was fun. Are there some kinds of fun that are somehow more "worthy" to cost money?

    Kororinpa seems ace, and I find myself more and more indifferent to whether or not it lasts forever. Final Fantasy XII lasts forever, but I still mostly prefer Excite Truck, having played both quite a bit.

  • smelly #56 5 years ago

    @oerhört : But you're missing a point.. No-one wants FUN game any more. FUN games a "yesturdays news". FUN games is like PLAYING with TOYS, and so FUN is too kiddy.

    Kids want games with huge plots, where they have to wait for a 10 mins cutscene, they want games to be easy and not at all challenging, they want blood guts and swearing. They want games to look like movies.

    They dont want to waste their time with anything which might be FUN.. Sheesh, where you been the last 5 years?

    Fun doesnt sell any more. Kids just want yet another racing game, or yet another fps game (the more gore and story line the better). Gamers stopped wanting fun years ago.

  • UncleLou #57 5 years ago

    I don't get this. I thought the only thing a game needed to be, was fun. Are there some kinds of fun that are somehow more "worthy" to cost money?

    Kororinpa seems ace, and I find myself more and more indifferent to whether or not it lasts forever. Final Fantasy XII lasts forever, but I still mostly prefer Excite Truck, having played both quite a bit.

    I guess we all draw the line slightly differently - I actually agree with you that I don't need long games. I don't have a problem if a full-price game only lasts 8 hours, if it was a great experience. For a more, for lack of a better word, "casual" game though, it might feel too expensive for me. I guess I'd have fun with Kororinpa, but I am pretty sure, from the type of game it is, that it wouldn't be a very involving experience for me. On the other hand, not for a second did I find, say, Phoenix Wright too expensive.

    Also, just as important, are the production values, and the originality. A game like Zelda, probably took 100 times the manpower and time to make, so why does this game cost almost as much?

    If these two factors come together - not my favourite type of game , and an "objectively" lower value, I find a game too expensive, at least in comparison to the almost always available alternatives. With, say, Silent Hunter IV around the corner, the choice isn't hard. For 30,- instead of 50,- EUR, however, I'd have picked it up immediately.

    On a sidenote, the certainly similar Mercury Meltdown will be released in March, and that looks more promising to me - buying a very similar, but ultimately (probably) worse game now would dampen my craving for MM. Not the best timing, I'd say.

  • UncleLou #58 5 years ago

    Oh, and smelly - no more attempts at cynicism, please. It's pretty embarassing.

  • smelly #59 5 years ago

    Who was attempting cynism? I was being serious.

    "Fun" and "innovative' games dont sell any more. People DO want endless racing/fps games, and games which are more plot than interaction.

    You really do have "issues" dont you? Ah well.
    Edited by 1 at 24/02/07 @ 01:25

  • Daikon #60 5 years ago

    Rather than simply change the name to something generically 'Western' (oh, I dunno, Rollerama or something)

    Actually that would have been a spot-on translation of "Kororinpa", which really means nothing (except that "koro" refers to rolling) ;)

  • Keza #61 5 years ago

    Everyone go out and buy Trauma Centre and don't moan about there being no good games.

  • smelly #62 5 years ago

    LOL.. I want to get trauma centre.. actually there are a few games i want on the wii at the moment (but im a bit skint at moment.. waiting for payday).

    .. sonic looks like something i'll get too.

  • JediMasterMalik #63 5 years ago

    ELEDEES!!

    ;-)

  • weblaus #64 5 years ago

    hey, I see the mistake in the review I mentioned has been fixed.. deleting my comment about it, too, isn't very nice, though

  • #65 5 years ago

    To be brutally honest, there's nothing about the Wii that suggests to me it will do any better than the Cube. There are already literally dozens of re-sellers on eBay who, having played the machine over Xmas with their families, have subsequently sold it on and just moved on to other things. I suspect sales of Wii will drop off a cliff when Nintendo reach the 7-8 million units sold mark.

    What's really bothering me is that Nintendo launched a full year after the 360 for basically an upgraded GC. I'm not bothered with Wii's power in the slightest - I'm fine with that. BUT what on earth has Nintendo been doing in the 12 months between the launch of the Wii and the 360? Even the Cube had it's quirky and charming titles like Luigi's Mansion not to mention graphical show pieces like Rogue Squadron - at launch.

  • karstux #66 5 years ago

    I'll join the choir: I'm so tired of nothing but gimmicky/casual/party games getting released. It's understandable that no ("native";) RPGs have seen the light of day yet - these take a while to develop.

    But where the heck are the sword fighting games? The Wii was meant for those..

  • Santino #67 5 years ago

    i cant believe people who are predicting doom and gloom for the Wii already, the console is still in it's launch window ffs and there are plenty intriguing games coming in the future. just give them a damn chance to satisfy demand before they start launching the heavy hitting games, it's the price all early adopters pay no matter what the system. why would they launch their system selling games now while the system is selling itself?

  • smelly #68 5 years ago

    Of course the wii is doomed!! It's been outselling the 360 and the ps3 since it's launch in the states. In terms of worldwide sales it has almost caught up with the 360 (and if it carries on selling the way it has been, it will have outsold the 360 by the end of march.. if not sooner).

    Current Worldwide sales data:

    360 : 9.2 million
    Wii : 5.0 million
    Ps3 : 1.8 million

    Source : [link url=http://www.vgcharts.org/
    ]http://www.vgcharts.org/
    [/link]

    (consider the 360 has been out for 18 months worldwide compared to the wii's 4 months).

    Respected Industry analysts - Merril Lynch are poredicting it to sell over 100 million units by 2010.. source:
    [link url=http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=22992
    ]    http://ww w.gamesindustry.biz/content_pag...[/link]

    So yes.. it's doomed because some geek on an interweb forum says so... And one of it's games gets a 6/10 for being fun and addictive, but a little overpriced.
    Edited by 1 at 24/02/07 @ 19:15

  • Der_tolle_Emil #69 5 years ago

    Played it today and am glad I bought the game. I agree it has it's shortcomings that are common among budget price titles but the gameplay is alright. Good use of the Wiimote, easy on the eyes and relaxing. The difficulty is alright too, beating the stages is mostly easy but getting a gold trophy can be quite challenging. It's debateable wether the green gems should be kept even if you fall off because that makes it really easy to get them because there is no risk involved but I guess it's ok.

    The thing bothering me most is the lack of 480p. That makes the game unplayable over component for me (and probably for many TVs that have problems with the VC). On top of that is the lack of a real widescreen mode. 16:9 adds borders so the TV needs to zoom in. It makes the game widescreen but the picture quality suffers quite a bit.

    Other than that a nice way to relax after getting another 10 S ranks on Excite Truck.

  • Bidermaier #70 5 years ago

    Thanks god i ordered the game before reading this review. The game arrived today and i am very happy with it. It is a really enjoyable game, very relaxing, the music and the art style is cool. The mazes are very well designed, everything.

    Of course the game is very short. I knew it. Anyway it worth the £25.19 i paid for it.

  • TripSkyway #71 5 years ago

    It's a good fun game, I prefer it to the Wii Monkey Ball.

  • smelly #72 5 years ago

    I liked monkey ball for one reason only.. it felt really refreshing to play a game one handed.

  • Nova5lag #73 5 years ago

    I really like the idea of Koroinpa its like next gen marble madness and man that game was adictive!

  • davidbod #74 5 years ago

    The game is pretty good, but it's too darn short. Only 50ish levels? For shame... How hard is it to design a few more? Even a lot more? After all the hard work they put into the graphics and physics and everything else, surely the levels are the easy bit.

  • kinggid #75 5 years ago

    This game is truly great. I'm hooked, I've been playing it more than Excite Truck (also a great game). It is short but it is so good I don't mind. I don't have a problem with the graphics either, I think they are well suited to the game - the Candyland levels will make you salivate though. I'd really recommend giving this game a try, it is relaxing to play and yet very addictive. Actually, that's a lie: levels 40+ are not relaxing at all but very stressful indeed!

    This game is a keeper for me.