Klonoa (2008 video game)

Gameplay

This side-scrolling platformer is a remake of Klonoa: Door to Phantomile. The hero Klonoa and his friend Huepow set out to rescue the singer Lephise from the villain Ghadius. Klonoa runs and jumps through levels, using a ring that fires a Wind Bullet to inflate enemies. He can then throw them to attack foes or break obstacles, or jump off them for an extra mid-air boost. A new optional Whirlwind move can slow enemies down. The graphics are fully 3D, and voice acting is available in several languages plus the original Phantomilian tongue. Unlockable extras include a Reverse Mode with mirrored stages and hidden challenge areas, costumes from other series games, and a Time Attack mode.

Development

After Namco and Bandai merged into Bandai Namco Holdings in 2005, Namco Bandai Games vice president Shin Unozawa wanted to bring back the Klonoa series, citing its dedicated fanbase. The company decided to remake the first game, Klonoa: Door to Phantomile, to mark its 10th anniversary and test whether a full revival was viable. The Wii was chosen for its broad audience, letting the remake appeal to both new and returning players just like the original. Development kicked off in October 2007.

Japanese studio Paon handled the remake, with original director Hideo Yoshizawa acting as producer. The team included former Klonoa Works staff such as chief planner Tsuyoshi Kobayashi, Yoshihiko Arai, and sound designer Kanako Kakino, plus in-house fans of the series. Unlike the original’s 2D sprites in 3D worlds, this version uses full 3D graphics like Klonoa 2: Lunatea’s Veil, with cutscenes built in-game. Yoshizawa noted that the Wii’s hardware let the team realize the world more faithfully, adding details like clear water and sunlight. Gameplay and level adjustments made the experience more playful, while a Reverse Mode and unlockable costumes catered to dedicated players. The game includes full voice acting: Japanese for the domestic release, and English, French, German, Italian, and Spanish for international versions, plus a Phantomilian language option voiced by the Japanese cast. The Japanese voice cast features Kumiko Watanabe as Klonoa, Akemi Kanda as Huepow, Yuko Minaguchi as Lephise, and Bin Shimada as Joka. The remake was first shown at the 2008 Tokyo Game Show and launched in Japan on December 4, 2008.

Reception

Critics generally liked Klonoa, giving it a Metacritic score of 77 out of 100. However, it sold poorly in Japan, moving only 5,800 copies in its first week to become the 33rd best-selling game there. This weak performance caused Bandai Namco to cancel plans for a second-game remake and a third new entry. Opinions on the gameplay were split. Weekly Famitsu gave it a Platinum Award with a 36 out of 40, calling it fun but not very original. Kotaku enjoyed the gameplay but found it too simple. GameSpot liked it too, though they said it was linear and easy, while praising the detailed, bright, and colorful world. IGN highlighted the visuals, especially the lush water palette and great water effects. 1UP.com compared the graphics to Klonoa 2 and later put it on a list of six obscure Wii games worth playing. Nintendo Power named it one of 30 Wii Essentials in June 2012 and ranked it the 63rd greatest Nintendo console game ever in their final issue. GamesRadar placed it 38th on their 2013 list of the top 50 Wii games.