Klonoa is a remake of the PlayStation classic Klonoa: Door to Phantomile. The original title in the franchise has been completely reworked with new 3-D graphics and multiple control schemes. This game seems to fit very well on the Wii; it features a family-friendly aesthetic, and a rabbit-cat-bipedal protagonist. However, it is also a very deep platforming title that will appeal to many hardcore gamers. Klonoa is a really enjoyable experience, albeit slightly dated, that is over far too quickly.

Klonoa’s story starts with the beginning of Klonoa and Hewpoe’s friendship. Klonoa is an anthropomorphic character that looks feline with rabbit ears. Oh, and he can use his flopping ears to temporarily float. On the other hand, Hewpoe is a blue orb with anime eyes that apparently lives in a golden ring. This game’s character design is definitely a relic of the pre sixth console generation era. This is really refreshing to see as it harkens back to days when loony designs and premises were perfectly acceptable; days before the thousands of shades of brown and shiny gloss where discovered. Many older gamers will feel the rush of nostalgia of such times as this game starts up.

The graphics are very well done. Klonoa uses the 2.5-D side scrolling design that became popular during the PlayStation and Nintendo 64 days. This helps make the levels deeper and creates the illusion of diverging pathways. It also adds depth to the on-screen action and makes for a vibrant experience. The developers also took extreme care in making sure that each level has a unique look. The use of colors and textures is really varied and perfectly represents the setting whether it is a forest springing back to life or a steam driven temple with many secrets.

The game also features a very catchy musical score. Each stage has its own music that perfectly fits the atmosphere and mood. The best musical score of the game is on the world map. As the game is completed and captivated animals are rescued, the world map score grows more and more orchestral.

There are some graphical issues. Most notable are the bland designs of the common enemies. They have mono-color textures and very standard animation. The game runs in progressive scan (480p) and looks gorgeous, but there are times when anti-aliasing fails and things can get pretty jaggy. I also noticed some slight screen tearing in cut scenes with a lot of geometry. The world map has some issues too. For some reason the developer decided to keep sprites on the world map and the two-frame animation is terrible, but even worse is the blurry look that will literally hurt your eyes. These are really technical problems that may go unnoticed, but compared to other games on the Wii, it is an unfortunate oversight.

 

The story is narrated with full voice acting and cut scenes. The story itself is decent and has some pretty interesting twists and turns. However, whatever merit the story had is ruined by the new voice acting and cut scenes. The voice acting is completely ‘Saturday morning cartoon.’ As mentioned earlier, this remake is reminiscent of a time that older gamers will fondly remember, but the voice acting is infantile. This dichotomy never strikes any balance and only paints the picture that the creators did not know whether to make this game for older fans or use the remake to introduce the franchise to younger children. The cut scenes, on the other hand, are animated very lazily. Each character looks like a puppet that moves their head when talking instead of flapping lips. It’s a shame that the levels and world are so beautifully updated, but the story and narration falls flat.

The gameplay is true to the original and is every bit as fun. In this remake you have two choices for control. The first is the classic horizontal Wii Remote style, while the second is the Wii Remote and Nunchuck style. The only real difference between the two is analog control and digital control. Both styles require a waggle to initiate Klonoa’s whirlwind ability. For this game I recommend the horizontal Wii Remote style. The digital control offers much better control than the analog does and in the later levels this added control will become very important. Also, it’s worth noting that the game controls perfectly using the horizontal Wii Remote as it is very polished.

Klonoa is played like all other 2-D platformers with small differences. The most notable is that enemies cannot be stomped on. Instead they are grabbed and thrown by using Klonoa’s golden ring. This grabbing and throwing mechanic becomes very central to the game. Every obstacle and high jump is cleared by cleverly using enemies that are grabbed. Another key difference is the way boss battles are designed. Most of the boss battles are in a 3-D arena, and are very well designed. By today’s standards they may feel a little dated, but they remain fun and enjoyable.

Klonoa does have striking similarities to other 2-D platformers also. Collectables play a huge part in this game. The most common collectable are gems. By collecting 100 gems, an extra life is awarded, and by observing gem placement secrets can be found - both of which are pretty standard fare. In addition to gems, each stage has six captivated individuals to save, coins that award extra lives, and secret eggs to find. Klonoa is a title that delivers a full platforming experience.

The biggest problem Klonoa has is its length. The game is really fun to play, but it ends so quickly. It has about 12 unique stages, each taking about 15 to 20 minutes to complete. This game can be completed in less than 4 hours if you are a seasoned player. Namco Bandai took this short length into consideration when pricing the game at $29.99, but it still hurts the overall value. The game adds some value by unlocking various ‘goodies’ once it’s beaten. These include new costumes, a mirror mode, and a time attack mode.

Klonoa is a great remake of a great game. It does have some technical issues and terrible narration, but these failings are minimized by the vibrant visuals and classic gameplay. If you long for days when games did not need photo-realism and edgy main characters, then this remake is for you. It will go by quickly, but every moment will be enjoyed.