Klonoa 2
Ages: Everyone

There is enough action and game play in Klonoa 2 to qualify it as a full fledged GameCube game. The available actions are simple -- jump and shoot, but with these two commands the game develops into a symphony of action by using the environment. Enemies, and there are plenty, are not just to be vanquished but are also to be captured and used as projectiles against other enemies; as boosts for flying or as springs to get a higher jump.

The setting is a Dream Champ Tournament -- a competition for the title of the "Greatest Hero". There are many competitors; Gomeroth, half fish and half man; Zweegle, a vampire; Diglo, big, nasty and evil and that’s not all. There are baddies that, if you don't avoid them or capture them, will take your life force away. Oh, and meanwhile you have to collect moon stones and sun stones. Boss battles are mostly getting away while dodging more baddies and obstacles.

The characters are plentiful -- you almost need a players chart, and the action is fast. The section on a hover board is a side scroller, and is faster still. It make take some a while to get into the game and to figure out what to pick up and what to shoot, and who the good guys are and who are the bad ones -- they all look so cute. I had to go back and read the instructions after getting clobbered three times in a row.

Reviewed by: Editor - 07/05