Introduction
Today we are once again delving into the library of Game Boy Advance games! This week I wanted some Japanese themed games and the first game of this week is Kuru Kuru Kururin! In this game, you play as a small animal in a spaceship/helicopter that cannot stop twirling to save the other animals! By chance, this is also the first game I ever played on the Game Boy Advance. I am interested to see if the game mechanics are well crafted and if this game withstood the test of time!
What did I think before playing Kuru Kuru Kururin?
I was thinking about which game would fit well with a Japanese themed week when I remembered this gem from my childhood! There have been sequels, but most of them have been released in Japan only! I did not remember much any more of how the game worked except for the twirling spaceship/helicopter that loves to bounce against the wall, which is exactly what you should not do in this game. You need to complete the levels without touching any obstacle! For more information, I went to the Nintendo Page!
The Steam Page
https://www.nintendo.nl/Games/Game-Boy-Advance/Kuru-Kuru-Kururin-946956.html
The Nintendo Page has a trailer of this game for the virtual console on the Wii U, we all hope off course that the virtual console will come to the Nintendo Switch but for now, you can play this game on an emulator or the Wii U!
The Nintendo Page does not show too much information, but the trailer looks very appealing!
Rating
I rate Kuru Kuru Kururin with an 8.0 before playing.
Once you start playing, you will know what you have done to yourself, this is by no means an easy game!
Story
The story is quite simple, you play as Kururin who flies the spaceship/helicopter, his family has gone missing, and you must find them!
Rating
I rate the story of Kuru Kuru Kururin with a 6.0.
The story is quite weak, but the gameplay is where this game shines!
Gameplay
In Kuru Kuru Kururin you pilot a spaceship/helicopter which is basically a long stick, and it will keep spinning! There is an easy mode, which is actually normal mode. Thus, that means that normal mode could be called hard mode! I would suggest completing easy mode first before doing normal mode if you value your sanity!
To reach each world, you will need to complete the stages without getting hit, otherwise the last world called the Last Land will not unlock! The levels start out quite easy, but as you reach new worlds, the difficulty keeps spiking! It is almost impossible on easy to actually complete all the levels without taking any damage!
I have managed to complete all the levels on easy without getting hit (the actual normal), this was not an easy feat. I have also made a video where I showcase each world! In every world, you can also find decorative equipment for your spaceship/helicopter. In the third level of each world, you can find one of your family members hidden in the level.
If you play on easy mode, your spaceship/helicopter is smaller but as you can see in the video, I am already cutting many corners and getting barley towards the end of the level without getting hit! I have used the decorations to transform my spaceship/helicopter into a red snake, we call snakes Sjakie! For the likely chance that you do get hit, there are healing platforms in almost all levels.
Rating
I rate the gameplay of Kuru Kuru Kururin with a 9.2.
This game is extremely hard but also very addictive, I have finally reached the Last Land. I did a roflcopter on the floor out of joy!
Sound and Graphics
Graphics
For the graphics, we have to keep in mind that this game was released in the year 2001. Did the graphics survive the test of time? Yes, it has! There is a lot of background decorations and the levels all have different themes and items for you to encounter. If you want to see some weird or amazing things, you might want to pay attention to what is happening outside the levels!
Sound
Each world has a different soundtrack and there are also multiple sound effects. I think it is quite amazing what they could do for a handheld console twenty years ago!
Rating
I rate the sound and graphics of Kuru Kuru Kururin with an 8.3.
I think the ghosts look quite cool in the Ghost Castle, my other favorite decoration is the jungle snake!
What did I think after playing Kuru Kuru Kururin?
The first thing that comes to mind is, loads of frustration! This game can frustrate you a lot, especially in the later levels. The difficulty is extremely high and trying to complete the level without getting hit is stupidly hard! There were many times that I got hit in the last second of the level. I would say that the Ghost Castle level 1 is the most difficult level in the game!
Even though this game frustrated me, I had a great time and I got the same rush of adrenaline when I completed the level as when I defeat a hard boss in Souls-Like games! Such a simple game but nonetheless Kuru Kuru Kururin has a lot going on!
Rating
I rate Kuru Kuru Kururin with an 8.5 after playing!
Come and play Kuru Kuru Kururin, now with free frustration for everyone! Stress ball not included.
What are my personal thoughts about Kuru Kuru Kururin?
I am now working on completing normal mode without getting hit, and I am cursing the computer! However, I am also having a great time with Kuru Kuru Kururin! This game is amazing, I personally would recommend playing this game if you like high difficulty in games!
Rating
My personal Rating of Kuru Kuru Kururin is a 10.
Yep, I hate this game, but I also love it! The feeling when you finally manage to complete that insane hard level of 4 minutes without getting hit is amazing! This game is adrenaline approved!
Last Words
Pros
- Kuru Kuru Kururin is quite a unique concept in the gaming world.
- Amazing graphics and soundtracks for the year 2001!
- Kuru Kuru Kururin is perfect for giving you an adrenaline boost!
- There are many worlds to complete in Kuru Kuru Kururin!
- Collect new decorations in the levels of Kuru Kuru Kururin and decorate your spaceship/helicopter!
- Try to unlock the secret world by completing the whole game without getting hit!
- Can you find the flying elephant?
Cons
- This game is extremely difficult!
- Normal mode feels like nightmare mode!
If you like hard to complete games, then Kuru Kuru Kururin is exactly what you need! I hope you can control your frustration!
Final Rating
8.0
Let me know what you think of Kuru Kuru Kururin in the comments!
I hope you enjoyed reading this review, I hope to see you in the next review!
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I wished I was home to see that weird ROFL!
Kuru Kuru!
Kururin!
Name is so unique 😀
Ku-ku
Didn’t know about this game and looks fun.
Neat game
Seems like simple yet addictive gameplay.
Also very frustrating at times lol
kuul
First time hearing about this game, doesn’t look all that appeasing.
This game is only for certain people!
looks kinda weird 😛
Yeah it does!
Honestly, it’s looks bad
This is because it is a very old game!
Doesn´t sound like my kind of game, but good review.
Thanks! I hope you find other fun games!
“Normal mode feels like nightmare mode”, what about higher difficulties? 😉 (if there are)
Nightmare mode is the highest difficulty, but it is insane, lol.
“There is an easy mode, which is actually normal mode.”
also
“Normal mode feels like nightmare mode!”
lol bruh
You should try it lol
It reminds me of those evil carnival games I lost so much money on ?
hahahahahah!