Kuru Kuru Kururin

"Quite possibly the best puzzle game I've played"

It is a wonder that some games even get made at all. Can you imagine the developers of Super Mario Brothers pitching their game to Nintendo....''The main character is an Italian plumber who collects coins and jumps on the backs of turtles.....'' Like I said, it is a wonder that some games even get made.

Kuru Kuru Kururin is no exception. I cannot imagine the ''pitch'' meeting for this game....''Well, it's a game where the main character is a duck, but actually the main character is a spinning stick, and....'' It is hard to believe that this game even got off the drawing boards, but lucky for us it did.

The premise of the game is simple: You are in control of a stick that slowly rotates either clockwise or counterclockwise at a constant speed. You have to guide this stick through all sorts of different mazes in the fastest time possible. You can also pick up different visual modifications for your stick in many of the courses (There are at least 15 different visual styles of the stick - different colors, flashing lights, stripes, etc). Sound strange enough for you yet? Well, read on to see how this game all comes together.

Graphics
The graphics are very colorful and ''cutesy'' for lack of a better word. Each of the different areas you guide your ''stick'' through has a distinct look and color palette. There is a fair amount of detail in the backgrounds, but with a puzzle game like this, the emphasis is much more on the gameplay than it is on graphical flair.

Sound
The sound effects and background music are serviceable, but nothing especially memorable. Sound effects are limited to the sounds your stick makes when you hit bumpers, walls, etc. By pressing the L and/or R buttons, you can also make your stick ''honk'' or make other strange noise. Why? Beats me, but it is funny and adds a random sense of charm to the game.

Gameplay
This is where Kuru Kuru Kururin truly shines. This is a game that virtually anyone can pick up and begin to play immediately. The levels at the start of the game are very easy, but as you progress through the game, the levels slowly get more complicated. This slow progression eases you into the game and provides a great deal of positive reinforcement at the start of the game. This leads to the ''just one more time'' phenomenon. Whenever I play a game, I find myself trying levels over and over again to either complete them, or get a better time on them. Kuru Kuru effectively combines both the racing and the puzzle genres very nicely since once you complete a level, there is incentive to both complete the level in the fastest time possible and/or complete the level with a ''perfect'' meaning that you did not let you stick ever touch the wall (touching the wall adds seconds to your time - after 3 touches on any level, you are sent back to the start of the level).

This game is also very language friendly. You don't really need to know any Japanese to understand what is happening in the game. It appears that there is some type of story about you rescuing what appear to be baby ducks, but this story just serves as a minor window dressing for the excellent puzzle game underneath.

Although this game sounds bizarre, it is a great deal of fun, and is an excellent all-age game - something that would amuse kids and adults. I have not been as addicted to game since I first installed Tetris on my computer when I was in college.

Kuru Kuru Kururin is an excellent import that will probably never be released in the states. If you see a used copy at your local gaming store (unlikely), or see it available for import (very likely) and you like puzzle games, Kuru Kuru is a great choice. I give it my highest recommendation.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 01/05/02, Updated 01/05/02