Be a Star...fish!NOTE: I'm going to start summoning people to my threads. If you'd like to be summoned, please comment below with your intent and I'll add you to the list!
“The Legendary Starfy” isn’t the first entry in the Starfy series, but it is the only one that has made it to U.S. shores. The series started on the GBA in Japan, and spawned 4 sequels, of which this is the last...so far.
The story centers around Pufftop’s prince Starfy, who is suddenly awakened by a sudden jolt to his stomach. The perpetrator is none other than a cute bunny named Bunston. He is being chased by others seeking to do him harm...but he can’t remember who he is! Starfy goes on a quest to restore Bunston’s memories while protecting him along the way.
The story is simple. There are no significant plot twists, and it doesn’t try to be very different. It is largely delivered in comic-book style cutscenes, which are fun to watch. I honestly prefer this to fully scripted scenes, and I feel it fits the style of the game well.
The meat of the game is in the gameplay, however. And what a delight it is! The levels consists of parts of sea and land. Starfy’s controls are a bit different according to which he is on/in. Starfy can run on land, swim quickly through water, and attack both on land and in water. If he attacks too much in a short period of time, he will “burn out” temporarily and grow dizzy for a short time. The basics are so easy to master, few children will struggle with it.
But as you progress through the game, Starfy’s abilities will change or grow. For example, his “star spin” will become more powerful and quick, he will be able to leap out of water, double jump, etc. Each improvement significantly affects gameplay and makes it much more fluid. The feel of swimming through the water, taking down consecutive enemies, jumping out of the water and making it to land before the water level drops too low is wonderful!
There are also powers that mix up the gameplay a bit. By combining powers with Bunston, you can turn into different forms. These forms can either improve the pace of the game or slow it down a bit. Overall, the segments with these are fun, however. They don’t overstay their welcome.
Also, defeating consecutive enemies is more than just fun: It’s also involved in a certain gameplay mechanic. As you defeat 3+ enemies in a row within a certain amount of time, you will gain currency according to how many enemies you defeat in a row. This currency can be used to buy cosmetic items for Starfy or “Toys”, collectible enemy portraits.
But the currency of the game serves as more than just currency itself. If you collect five of the small pearls, or one of the large ones, you’ll gain back a heart you may have lost by taking damage. Currency is found in abundance, not just by defeating enemies, but in plain sight or hidden behind or within things. This largely turns the game into a cakewalk.
Level design for the most part is superb. The learning curve is quite gradual, and new mechanics are introduced in unobtrusive ways. For example, you’ll start off learning how to swim, move and attack for the first few worlds, before swimming through giant raindrops or rainbows in the sky to reach new heights. Each level you gain a new ability in also makes the most of it.
Over the course of the game’s eight worlds and two additional worlds, you’ll encounter around 100 enemies. While the enemies have good variety in shape and attacks, none prove to be much of a challenge, even the toughest enemies.
Enemy placement, however; is excellent. Often the game places enemies in specific rows so as to assist you to get a large combo. It feels wonderful to knock down enemy after enemy before finishing with a final blow to the last, gaining a large number of pearls. Starfy’s tendency to burn out does not diminish this fun; in fact, it pushes you to master timing your attacks.
The bosses are also incredibly designed. While, like the normal enemies, they are not much of a challenge, they are also a good deal of fun, even after a number of tries. I might compare them favorably to bosses from the “Kirby” series. There are a good number of bosses, including a “True” final boss.
After you’ve completed the main game, there are a few things to come back to. Firstly, there’s a world 9. This world is experienced from the point of view of Starly, Starfy’s sister. Starly has several abilities that Starfy does not, including wall jumps and spinning on the ground while prone. This makes world 9 a blast to play, albeit a bit short. There’s also the “Boss Beatdown” mode, which pits you against the 9 main bosses of the main game. If you clear it fast enough and have cleared world 9 and all of the “secret areas” of the game, you’ll be able to access a final world. This world consists of six tightly-designed and tricky time trials and a boss. If you clear the time trials quickly enough, you’ll get to face against the true final boss.
The aforementioned secret areas are found behind blue doors. If you manage to clear the challenge behind the door, you’ll unlock a new level. None are particularly challenging, but all are fun to complete.
There are also over 100 collectibles found in chests in the game, including extra hearts, diary entries, and accessories for Starfy. Sadly, none of the accessories in the game are seen on the bottom screen. Starfy remains his usual self during play.
Graphics are simply basic, but have a lot of polish. From the cute enemy designs to the looks of levels, every bit oozes charm. It can be a bit repetitive at times, though, so that brings my score down a decent bit.
Also, the music is wonderful! I have no beef with the music. Every time I heard a theme, it further immersed me in the game’s world. From the bippy, delightful level music to the intense boss themes, I was presented with a soundtrack I might like to buy some day. The noises; however, can be a bit repetitive and jarring, especially the sound when you collect a pearl. This noise is very frequently repeated in the game, so that brings the score down slightly.
Overall, this game is a must-buy for fans of platformers. It’s low on challenge, but high on fun. Every moment I spent nearly 100%ing it in my 13-or-so hours with the game was a delight. I do plan to someday pick up this game and 100% it again from the beginning, but until then, I am content to simply finish out my current playthrough.
Presentation: 8/10
Graphics: 8/10
Sound: 8.5/10
Gameplay: 9.5/10
Lasting Appeal: 8/10
Overall: 8.5/10
Graphics
8 Sound
9 Addictive
8 Depth
8 Story
7 Difficulty
5
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