Sakura Momoko no Ukiuki Carnival

Gameplay

In this Game Boy Advance title, players control a young boy or girl serving on the carnival committee in Colortown, a strange place where the sun never sets. The game uses a top-down perspective as players explore the town to complete two main tasks: collect a star from each of the eight guardian gods living there to kick off the carnival, and recruit as many townspeople as possible to attend. The ultimate aim is to invite over one hundred characters, but only some can be recruited in a single playthrough; reaching the full roster takes at least three runs. Along the way, players solve puzzles and mysteries scattered around Colortown. They can get helpful items by talking directly to residents, or they can use an in-game PDA to access a simulated internet. This virtual network includes web pages, emails, forums, chat rooms, and search engines that provide clues. The puzzles are never very hard, and the first playthrough offers only a few of them, making it easy to reach the carnival. A large chunk of the game acts as a tutorial, with supporting characters teaching the controls. The dialogue and bright, colorful art style are clearly aimed at casual gamers and young children. There is also a mode that lets players create their own homepage, which can be viewed on the game’s internet. Users design it by typing text and picking from preset icons and wallpapers. A sample homepage made by Sakura Momoko and her sister is included. These homepages can be swapped between cartridges using the Game Boy Advance Game Link Cable, functioning like a digital exchange diary.