"They Finally Got it Right!"

Klonoa: Empire of Dreams is a classic puzzle/platformer for the Gameboy Advance.

There is just one rule that applies to third party platformers: they stink. Good third party platformers are few, and far between. GBA's launch lineup lacked a good platformer, with the horrible Rayman and unoriginal Mario Advance. I wasn't excepting much from Klonoa, but boy was I wrong!

Gameplay
A platformer strives on its gameplay. A mix of level design, game design and play control. Klonoa makes quick work of all three criteria. The play control is so fined tuned, that in the time I played this game I didn't die once due to poor play control. It's the perfect mix between tight response and a well thought out design. Your main attack is blowing enemies into balloons with you magic ring, and then hurling them. You can also use them to jump higher, open switches, fly, blow up things and even stop wind. Each move is simple and works fine, with none of that obnoxiously slow response time that plagues Rayman.The bosses are fresh and inventive, each offering a new challenge, while retaining that classic platforming goodness. In short, playing this game is a please.
Unlike most platformers, Klonoa does not focus on timed jumps and lucky movements, it focuses on simple puzzles and thinking. While it feels a lot like Kirby, its more intelligent and older gamers will find it more entertaining. It keeps you experimenting and trying things over and over. From simple jump, grab and jump again puzzles to complex multi-tasking that would keep even the most avid hyper-maniac busy. Yet it never tires, and the player never gets fed up. Its just challenging enough to be interesting, yet it flows at a good pace.
The levels are all unique and each one features a different aspect. Sometimes you need to backtrack a little, or find your way out of a maze. The only trouble is you sometimes feel like you playing the same level over, because of the similar enemies and very repetitive look.
Overall: 9/10

Graphics
Visually this game is good. Its colourful and smooth. The animations are detailed, yet not too complicated as to slow things down. The levels are bright and the backgrounds light and friendly. While not as visually complex as Rayman, it is sharper and doesn't have that washed out feeling that some other games do. But the graphics are repetitious and get boring quickly. They also lack that sharp feel that Mario Advance seems to carry so well. Overall, Klonoa has cute graphics that suit the game, even though they do feel similar and unoriginal.
Overall: 7.5/10

Sound
The worst part of this game is the terrible audio. The music is terrible, blurps and beeps, that wouldn't sound good if played by an orchestra. The simply play the same four or five notes over and over and by time you get through the first stage, your ready to cut the GBA open and rip out the speakers. Not wanting to be outdone, the sound effects department made sure to include loud beeps and whizzes with every move you make. I usually can't stand playing a game without music, but I can't stand playing this WITH music. Its such a good game that the sound is very disappointing. Definitely a game that you can play when you need to be quiet.
Overall: 4/10

Fun Factor
Klonoa is very fun. An enjoyable experience all the way. It has light hearted graphics, a classic story and neat mini-games that are actually fun. I enjoyed the 8 hours it took me to beat this, and I've even played some parts over, just for fun. Few platformers made by people other than Nintendo can be enjoyed like this, very fun, and very entertaining.
Overall: 9.5/10

Replay Factor
Its a platformer, so there aren't a whole lot of reasons to play it again, but some levels deserve a second go. While not a game I'd play six times through, it does a good job for a platformer. I do like playing the mini-games a lot and I wouldn't want to go on a trip without it.
Overall: 6/10

Story
The game I played was in Japanese, so I don't know the story.
Overall: N/A

Overall
I love this game. There is no other term for it. Its a good solid platformer and I've enjoyed it fully. I hope that Klonoa makes a second appearance on GBA. If you get the chance, but Klonoa. With other good titles just coming out, like Mario Kart:SC and Mega Man, there is a lot to choose from. But if Rayman and Mario left your mouth dry for a decent platformer, check this out. I can't praise the gameplay enough, and it seems a shame this game won't ever be famous. Hopefully it will catch a few people's attention and might just be the sleeper hit of the year. It's about time someone got it down pat, now the only questions is how many more years until another decent third party platformer comes around.
Overall: 9/10

NOTE: the final score is not an average. The version I played was in Japanese, though I do not think anything has changed in the American version, something may be different.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 08/31/01, Updated 08/31/01