Densetsu no Starfy 3

Did You Know?

• Densetsu no Starfy 3 was the second best-selling game in Japan during its release week, selling 42,000 copies.
• By the end of 2004, the game sold 212,946 copies in Japan.
• Famitsu gave the game a score of 31 out of 40.

Plot

Shortly after the events of Densetsu no Starfy 2, a thunderstorm shakes Pufftop Palace. A lightning bolt destroys the Magic Jar, freeing the previous antagonist Ogura, who flies away. Starfy's father tells Starfy and Moe to stop Ogura again, but Moe refuses out of boredom. Starfy's sister Starly then bounces on Moe, introduces herself, and pushes both him and Starfy off the palace edge to pursue Ogura.

Gameplay

Densetsu no Starfy 3 plays as a marine platformer, with gameplay centered on swimming through stages. The colorful graphics and level layouts have drawn comparisons to the Kirby series. Starfy can run, jump, and attack by spinning, and gains access to transportation objects and animal familiars. Like the second game, this title typically has a number of stages per area, each split into four sub-stages. Many stage goals involve retrieving lost or stolen items for other characters, including Wario. On land, Starfy runs and jumps; in water, he moves more freely and can push obstacles. The game includes minigames, all different from those similar to Atari's Breakout found in previous entries.

Development

After Densetsu no Starfy 2, Nintendo and Tose developed Densetsu no Starfy 3 in less than a year. The game introduced features absent from earlier titles, such as multiplayer minigames. Animated television commercials aired for the game, and promotional merchandise was released. The J-Pop group Perfume recorded and performed their version of The Legendary Starfy main theme during the credits of the Japanese television show Oha-Sta, but this recording was not sold in retail stores.