Pinobee: Wings of Adventure

"Why must you mock me so!?"

Pinobee has finally come to the Game Boy Advance. However, I wish it didn't. Pinobee: Wings of Adventure isn't adventurous whatsoever. It is incredibly dull and unimaginative. This game is strictly for those people who want to waste their money on something they will end up returning. I rented this game thinking is was supposed to be lively and exciting, or so I hoped. Please, whatever you do, stay as far away from this game as you can.

Pictures May Not Be Worth A Thousand Words
The high point of Pinobee is its graphics. They are bright and clear, even though they aren't particularly detailed. They do not hinder the game whatsoever, only enhance it. Thank god one thing was done half-decently.

Music To My Ears
Not quite. The music may seem catchy and fun initially, but it will quickly wear on your nerves and make you want to throw your Game Boy Advance across the room. No joke, it is truly that bad. May I recommend using an MP3 player or a radio while playing the game, which may help you keep your mind off of the atrocious gameplay.

Beat Those Baddies
This game is essentially one where you will be finding the level's exit. Pretty deep, eh? Along the way to the exit, you will find treasures and enemies to destroy. The thing about these things is that they add nothing to the game. It doesn't make the game any more exciting than if it had no enemies and collectables. It needed variety, but alas the developers decided to go the route of a by-the-numbers platformer. The only reason the gameplay isn't a complete failure is because of the dash move, which may hold your attention for a few levels. After that, it is all downhill from there.

New York Times Bestseller Material?
Let's face it, the plot sucks. I couldn't find any plot in the game except that Pinobee wants treasure and he wants to find his Grandfather. Wow, that is so bland that it's exciting! They could of added in some evil rival who wanted to hinder Pinobee's progress, even though that is one of the most cliched plots possible in a video game. It would have at least added something to the plot. Nothing special here folks, move along.

Play It Again?
The replayability is downright horrid in Pinobee. This game may take a maximum time of 3 hours to beat, thus making it one of the shortest games I have ever played. It is very easy and there is absolutely no replayability because the levels are easy enough and the first time that you don't want to play it again.

Level Design Is For Chumps
The levels are almost entirely the same. The only thing that distinguishes the levels between each other is the background and the placement of the platforms. They all feel the same, which is a real let-down. Nothing can save the fact that the levels are a decent size.

The Ease of Movement
In Pinobee, you use the D-Pad to move Pinobee around and the A button to dash, which is a jump and attack at the same time. There isn't anything else to do. It just makes you wish the developers would have made more moves for Pinobee and used most of the controls available. The game would be a lot more enjoyable if Pinobee had special moves and more things to do.

Can It Hold Your Interest?
As I previously stated, I rented this game. This was an amazing choice on my part. I forced myself through the game, just so I could give a better review of it. I could have quit at the third level, but I went on. Believe me, I must be the lone person to do so. I couldn't imagine why people would want to subject themselves to the torture known as Pinobee. It won't keep peoples interest long enough to make an impact on them. Heck, I played the entire game and it never made an impact on me. I wish they would have added more items to collect, just to make the game a bit more entertaining.

Rent or Buy, That Is The Choice!
I fully recommend you don't buy Pinobee: Wings of Adventure. In fact, don't even rent it. Don't touch the case, read about it (except for this review), and certainly don't give a store your hard-earned money for this pile of junk. Pinobee is devoid of fun. Maybe next time, the developers should spend the time to test the game themselves and see what it is like and make adjustments from there. If one game was the epitome of horrible Game Boy Advance platformers, Pinobee would be it. Stay away.

Reviewer's Score: 2/10, Originally Posted: 07/30/03, Updated 08/22/06