Kuru Kuru Kururin

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Kuru Kuru Kururin
PAL: June 22, 2001
Genre(s)Puzzle
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Kuru Kuru Kururin

Kururin Squash!. The game was released on the Nintendo Classics service in February 2023.[1]

Gameplay

Screenshot of Kuru Kuru Kururin

The player controls a slowly spinning stick, and must maneuver it through a series of mazes without touching the walls. Infamously difficult,[2] the single player offers several goals per course, while the 4 player (single cart) multiplayer pits players in a race for fastest clear times.

The game starts with simple training levels, in which players are told how to play and how to get around the first corners. After that, there are three levels in each stage, which get progressively harder and longer. The obstacles and the look of the levels (ice, cave, machine, etc.) vary between stages. Taking damage incurs a time penalty, and losing all lives results in failing the level, requiring the player to restart the level from the beginning. Beginners can play the levels on Easy mode, where the stick is only half of its usual size.

There is a mode called Challenge mode, which is a collection of smaller levels, usually involving only one or two corners or objects to dodge.

Plot

The story begins when Kururin's brothers and sisters go missing, and it is up to him to find them. Kururin is initially unsure that he is up to the task because he has never left his home world before. Being the adventurous and helpful fellow he is, Kururin agrees to rescue his lost family. Teacher Hare trains Kururin in the art of controlling the Helirin, a stick-shaped helicopter that has a slow-spinning propeller. Piloting the Helirin through the different worlds will be a difficult task, but using Teacher Hare's valuable lessons, Kururin bravely sets out on his adventure to rescue his lost family.

Development

Kuru Kuru Kururin was developed by the Japanese company Eighting and first announced at the Nintendo Space World 2000.[3]

Reception

Kuru Kuru Kururin received mostly positive reviews from critics. It was praised for its simple yet addictive gameplay. Eurogamer rated the game a score of 9 out of 10 points. The reviewer lauded the game's learning curve and stated that there would be no other puzzle game on the Game Boy Advance at the time that can "rival Kuru Kuru Kururin for its sheer addictiveness and fun-value".[6] Nintendo World Report, then known as Planet GameCube, gave Kuru Kuru Kururin the same score as Eurogamer and declared that it is "simple enough that anyone can pick this game up and play". The reviewer praised the game's multiplayer mode, which he described as "an absolute blast", as well as its lasting appeal, but also commented that the "cutesy" characters and music would be a turn-off for "a lot of people".[7] Jeff Gerstmann of GameSpot rated Kuru Kuru Kururin 7.1 out of 10 and described its graphics as "simple but effective". He stated that the game is "excellent at filling up small periods of free time with its short, level-based nature".[8] Computer and Video Games was less impressed by the game, rating it 5 out of 10. The reviewer declared the game to be "extremely frustrating" and said that it lacks "the perfect simplicity" of other puzzle games such as Mr. Driller and Tetris. Nonetheless, he also commented that the novel gameplay of Kuru Kuru Kururin "will find many fans" and that the multiplayer mode is "unexpectedly brilliant".[9]

Legacy

The first sequel, Kururin Paradise, was released in 2002 for the Game Boy Advance. It was released in Japan only, even though Kururin Paradise was previously showcased at

Kururin Squash!, which became the only title of the series to use 3D computer graphics, as well as to appear on a home console.[11]

Several references to the Kururin series are made in the

Super Smash Bros. series. The Helirin makes a cameo appearance as a trophy in Melee, but is incorrectly referred to as "Heririn" in the American version. The Helirin later appears in Brawl as an Assist Trophy. Unlike most Assist Trophies, it doesn't attack, but it becomes part of the stage, and can be used as a platform or a wall.[12] Several other things in the Kururin series appear as Trophies and Stickers in the game.[13][14]

Notes

  1. ^ Japanese: くるくるくるりん

References

  1. ^ Plant, Logan (February 8, 2023). "Nintendo Switch Online Adding Game Boy and Game Boy Advance Games". IGN. Archived from the original on March 5, 2023. Retrieved February 9, 2023.
  2. ^ "Kuru Kuru Kururin Review Revisit". Nintendo World Report. February 19, 2016. Archived from the original on July 17, 2024. Retrieved July 17, 2024.
  3. ^ "More Game Boy Advance Shots". IGN. August 9, 2000. Archived from the original on June 13, 2011. Retrieved March 8, 2010.
  4. ^ "Revue de presse internationale de Kuru Kuru Kururin" [International press coverage of Kuru Kuru Kururin] (in French). Gamekult. Archived from the original on October 28, 2007. Retrieved March 9, 2010.
  5. ^ "KuruKuru Kururin Review". Eurogamer.net. July 7, 2001. Archived from the original on January 18, 2022. Retrieved January 16, 2022.
  6. ^ Martin Taylor (July 7, 2001). "KuruKuru Kururin Review". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on June 17, 2011. Retrieved March 9, 2010.
  7. ^ Billy Berghammer (August 8, 2001). "GBA Review: Kuru Kuru Kururin". Nintendo World Report. Archived from the original on February 1, 2010. Retrieved March 9, 2010.
  8. ^ Jeff Gerstmann (April 23, 2001). "Kuru Kuru Kururin Review for Game Boy Advance". GameSpot. Archived from the original on July 31, 2009. Retrieved March 9, 2010.
  9. ^ Stephen Fulljames (August 15, 2001). "Kuru Kuru Kururin Review". Computer and Video Games. Retrieved March 9, 2010.
  10. ^ "E3 2002: Hands-on: Kururin Paradise". IGN. May 24, 2002. Archived from the original on June 13, 2011. Retrieved March 8, 2010.
  11. ^ Anoop Gantayat (October 14, 2004). "Kururin Squash Playtest". IGN. Archived from the original on April 3, 2012. Retrieved March 8, 2010.
  12. ^ Masahiro Sakurai (February 6, 2008). "Assist Trophies". Nintendo. Archived from the original on December 24, 2013. Retrieved March 8, 2010.
  13. ^ "Trophy List". Nintendo. April 8, 2008. Archived from the original on December 24, 2013. Retrieved March 8, 2010.
  14. ^ "Sticker List". Nintendo. April 9, 2008. Archived from the original on December 24, 2013. Retrieved March 8, 2010.
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