Obviously missing a lot of the charm and sauce of the original, but it still has a pretty satisfying gameplay loop. Designing your own park was the big draw for me to keep playing - getting more and more happy points to turn into watts to turn into payment for the toys building up the park was so fun and I had fun building all of it.
The sound design is a little grating coming from the GameCube original, but nobody could hope to achieve what Hirofumi Taniguchi did. It's not bad, but it just doesn't hit the ears quite right. I can't decide if it's tacky or subversive that Miasmo's theme samples those GarageBand-ass horror stings.
There were times where I thought "this would've looked so nice on the GameCube!", mostly because the color design here is just so bright and neon everywhere, but also for the graphical fidelity. I'm still satisfied and a little impressed with what they pulled off, and the graphics never got in the way of my enjoyment.
It should probably be a 3 star game, but I really did get addicted and beat it really fast, so that's what the half star is. I will probably not be getting every sticker, but I do want to make the entire park green at some point. I only got one row left!
The sound design is a little grating coming from the GameCube original, but nobody could hope to achieve what Hirofumi Taniguchi did. It's not bad, but it just doesn't hit the ears quite right. I can't decide if it's tacky or subversive that Miasmo's theme samples those GarageBand-ass horror stings.
There were times where I thought "this would've looked so nice on the GameCube!", mostly because the color design here is just so bright and neon everywhere, but also for the graphical fidelity. I'm still satisfied and a little impressed with what they pulled off, and the graphics never got in the way of my enjoyment.
It should probably be a 3 star game, but I really did get addicted and beat it really fast, so that's what the half star is. I will probably not be getting every sticker, but I do want to make the entire park green at some point. I only got one row left!
It's Chibi-Robo on DS. It's really a lot more than I expected from a Chibi-Robo DS game, especially after seeing the style of play that the newest one had. It's a really nice adaptation of the Gamecube game's style though. There's a lot less content in terms of areas to bum around in, but the writing is still very silly and wacky. It even has a sort of Captain Rainbow element in how you help the other toys around the park.
Verdict: If you really like games like the first Chibi-Robo and Animal Crossing, you'll like this game. Definitely not for everyone, but this studio's game never have been.
Verdict: If you really like games like the first Chibi-Robo and Animal Crossing, you'll like this game. Definitely not for everyone, but this studio's game never have been.
WHY DID I THINK THAT THIS GAME'S TITLE WAS "Chibi-Robo!: Paw Patrol" FOR THE LONGEST TIME
It's still very charming and cute. Gives you some nice good vibes and there's an addicting loop to just growing flowers. The vehicles were also a great addiction and turning your park into a little stunt track is a lot of fun. In general the park customization is a cute goal.
Though eventually the game does get very repetitive and finding out there's really not much else to do apart from growing the flowers is a bummer. Apart from the penguin brothers and the egg soldier, the side characters this time around aren't as interesting. That and the slow unskippable repeated dialog is still a large problem here as it was in the first game. Combat also really just drags down the experience given how frequent it is.
Also who the fuck decided Chet needed the most annoying grating voice? I hate him. Give me back my middle manager Telly.
Though eventually the game does get very repetitive and finding out there's really not much else to do apart from growing the flowers is a bummer. Apart from the penguin brothers and the egg soldier, the side characters this time around aren't as interesting. That and the slow unskippable repeated dialog is still a large problem here as it was in the first game. Combat also really just drags down the experience given how frequent it is.
Also who the fuck decided Chet needed the most annoying grating voice? I hate him. Give me back my middle manager Telly.
It's a weird sequel to the original game since it switched from the more exploration-focused style of the GC game to a weird gardening/landscaping simulator kind of thing. It actually works pretty well and is a super pleasant experience all around, but I wouldn't say it's quite as good as the original game was.
the most relaxing experience on the DS
If this was released today, people would have been able to see other people's parks. That would have been a good incentive to make your park the best. But it's still a fun game regardless. The park management system is a lot more investing than I thought.
Ah man I am tired of games that take too long to get started and then are not fun to move the little guy around
The review below by muff_diva is great though, and makes me wish I wasn't so sensitive to how a game feels mechanically
The review below by muff_diva is great though, and makes me wish I wasn't so sensitive to how a game feels mechanically
i think its fine but why was it walmart exclusive
as good as the first game
In every possible sense, this game pioneered the gameplay and themes of Death Stranding. With their environmental messages, quiet yet persistent protagonist, walking-simulator/goods-delivery gameplay, and tactile interfaces, they truly share the same DNA. There are superficial examples too, of course. Smoglings = BTs. Sergeant Smogglor = Higgs. Toys = people with DOOMS. Chet = Die Hardman. Monkey Burgers/Chocolate/Leaves = Smart Drugs/Optical Media/Action Figures. Think about it, man. Think about how you have to mash through dialogue every time you return to the terminal. Early on you're just running around like an asshole before you find a bike across a river. So you unlock the ability to repair bridges (seriously). Then after riding the bike for a bit it breaks. Then you unlock the ability to create a better bike, and eventually a four wheeled electric vehicle. There are windmills you can place to recharge your batteries at. You even use happiness points to build roads that make traveling across the vast landscape smoother. As you deliver items to the NPCs who already know you by reputation they slowly reveal more to you about their hopes and dreams, and shower you with appreciation. You probably think this is a fucking joke, don't you? That I'm making this all up for attention? Well you're wrong, kiddo. Somebody needs to hold Kojima accountable for this thievery. These are the same guys that made bit Generations and Art Style for fuck's sake, I will not see their works lost to time in favor of AAA kinogames!
If experimentation wasn't the norm in the Chibi-Robo series, then Park Patrol might've been the black sheep. Replace the action-adventurism of the original game where you explore an expansive house with environmental activism about managing a park... then add some fighting in there.
If Park Patrol can be compared to really anything, it must be the Animal Crossing series. A game about customization, management, and completionism of your park (as well as managing your 'money', which in this case is literally your power supply).
The main difference is Park Patrol does actually have a story in there. Without spoiling much, it is a pretty creative take on the ways we neglect our environment, and it doesn't hide it's honesty at parts, in that it doesn't just remain a fictional parable but also indicates that us in the real world have things we could be doing better. "Remember, Miasmo (the big bad) is lurking behind every exhaust pipe and smokestack, waiting in the shadows to make his return" or something like that as is said at the end of the game.
Essentially, the game fits the system of having different living toys (as is the norm in all Chibi-Robo games) who you become friends with. In this case, you have toys like a mascot for an American football team, one of the free rangers from the past game, and a stereotypically French marionette who wants to be freed from his strings, among other toys. I can safely say that all their designs were smart and creative, and they were all lovable characters with personality quirks of their own.
Basically, you recruit for them to work for you at the park. You pay them in "watts" (like I said, your power supply) to build structures, or terraform the land. Eventually, they run out of watts, so you have to recharge them, and each time you do they will advance a little in their own story. For example, the Free Ranger egg gets a new job after wishing for one (won't spoil what it is). They advance in their story by interacting with the other toys you have in your team, if they have power left.
The main thing of the game is basically growing flowers, which you do via giving them water (obv) and dancing along with a boombox (not so obv). The dancing part is a pretty cool system, but it was a little hard to figure out at first. I eventually got used to it. Basically, you have to spin the outer circle of the "record" that appears on screen and you have to do it at a certain constant speed. When you do that, you will get a score, if it's above 70 the plants will throw off seeds that multiply the number of flowers. After a certain amount of flowers are grown, the space they are on will turn green, and one of the objectives of the game is to turn the whole park green.
Now, I completed the main story and I still have not turned the whole park green (though I've turned most of it green). At first, it was a repetitive venture, with the assistant in this game, Chet (RIP Telly, in this game apparently) being kind of annoying and saying the same things over and over, with the same high pipsqueak voice. Sorry Chet, love you though.
The routine is going to feel very repetitive in this game at first. It basically goes like: plant flowers, get toys to do work for you, then when they are out of commission go back to town the recharge them. I'll give it to the game though, it does get much better with variety, and while not having "as much" to do as the original Chibi-Robo, there was still a lot to do. You get new park projects, like games you can build (a bowling game for example), and there is plenty to do in town as you can meet new toys over the course of the game.
I was really impressed with how well they managed to leave room for a story in a simulation/management game.
Oh yeah, the game has battles where you have to fend off "smoglings" (and later, "Smoglobs") from destroying your plants. This was kind of annoying because I could never get to the smoglings fast enough, and the only vehicle that I found easy to control was the bike (the car(s) are surprisingly hard to control).
Overall though, a surprisingly fun and addictive game. Frankly, I prefer it to Animal Crossing: Wild World as my favorite simulation game on the DS. While it might not be the feast that the other Chibi Robo games could be, namely the original and Okaeri!, it is still a very very worthy and smart game that did a lot of revolutionary stuff for a DS sim game.
If Park Patrol can be compared to really anything, it must be the Animal Crossing series. A game about customization, management, and completionism of your park (as well as managing your 'money', which in this case is literally your power supply).
The main difference is Park Patrol does actually have a story in there. Without spoiling much, it is a pretty creative take on the ways we neglect our environment, and it doesn't hide it's honesty at parts, in that it doesn't just remain a fictional parable but also indicates that us in the real world have things we could be doing better. "Remember, Miasmo (the big bad) is lurking behind every exhaust pipe and smokestack, waiting in the shadows to make his return" or something like that as is said at the end of the game.
Essentially, the game fits the system of having different living toys (as is the norm in all Chibi-Robo games) who you become friends with. In this case, you have toys like a mascot for an American football team, one of the free rangers from the past game, and a stereotypically French marionette who wants to be freed from his strings, among other toys. I can safely say that all their designs were smart and creative, and they were all lovable characters with personality quirks of their own.
Basically, you recruit for them to work for you at the park. You pay them in "watts" (like I said, your power supply) to build structures, or terraform the land. Eventually, they run out of watts, so you have to recharge them, and each time you do they will advance a little in their own story. For example, the Free Ranger egg gets a new job after wishing for one (won't spoil what it is). They advance in their story by interacting with the other toys you have in your team, if they have power left.
The main thing of the game is basically growing flowers, which you do via giving them water (obv) and dancing along with a boombox (not so obv). The dancing part is a pretty cool system, but it was a little hard to figure out at first. I eventually got used to it. Basically, you have to spin the outer circle of the "record" that appears on screen and you have to do it at a certain constant speed. When you do that, you will get a score, if it's above 70 the plants will throw off seeds that multiply the number of flowers. After a certain amount of flowers are grown, the space they are on will turn green, and one of the objectives of the game is to turn the whole park green.
Now, I completed the main story and I still have not turned the whole park green (though I've turned most of it green). At first, it was a repetitive venture, with the assistant in this game, Chet (RIP Telly, in this game apparently) being kind of annoying and saying the same things over and over, with the same high pipsqueak voice. Sorry Chet, love you though.
The routine is going to feel very repetitive in this game at first. It basically goes like: plant flowers, get toys to do work for you, then when they are out of commission go back to town the recharge them. I'll give it to the game though, it does get much better with variety, and while not having "as much" to do as the original Chibi-Robo, there was still a lot to do. You get new park projects, like games you can build (a bowling game for example), and there is plenty to do in town as you can meet new toys over the course of the game.
I was really impressed with how well they managed to leave room for a story in a simulation/management game.
Oh yeah, the game has battles where you have to fend off "smoglings" (and later, "Smoglobs") from destroying your plants. This was kind of annoying because I could never get to the smoglings fast enough, and the only vehicle that I found easy to control was the bike (the car(s) are surprisingly hard to control).
Overall though, a surprisingly fun and addictive game. Frankly, I prefer it to Animal Crossing: Wild World as my favorite simulation game on the DS. While it might not be the feast that the other Chibi Robo games could be, namely the original and Okaeri!, it is still a very very worthy and smart game that did a lot of revolutionary stuff for a DS sim game.
I think it took me almost a year and a half to get around to filling the entire park with grass. I was a big fan of chibi-robo though so playing this game was big fun
My favorite game on the ds! it was so fun and had really good characters, each with their own little story, very cute and charming with a decent playtime. Never felt boring :3 make-a da flowers dance ohh yaa
A walmart exclusive game. Yeah that's not a joke. You could okay buy this at walmarts when it came out.
regardless it's a game that holds a special place in my heart because of how much I loved Chibi Robo as a child and that love carried over to this game.
My complaint with this game is that it's like animal crossing but all the animals are hobos that live next to the train/bus station. Unless you're trying to recreate L.A. it makes the game feel very split which is a shame and I wish it was more lively and whimsical like the first one: the garden thing would have stuck better if there was more personality to your garden, although that's not saying that the grass spreading due to your actions isn't a very nice touch: it is and it's very rewarding and fulfilling.
It's good, play the first one though.
regardless it's a game that holds a special place in my heart because of how much I loved Chibi Robo as a child and that love carried over to this game.
My complaint with this game is that it's like animal crossing but all the animals are hobos that live next to the train/bus station. Unless you're trying to recreate L.A. it makes the game feel very split which is a shame and I wish it was more lively and whimsical like the first one: the garden thing would have stuck better if there was more personality to your garden, although that's not saying that the grass spreading due to your actions isn't a very nice touch: it is and it's very rewarding and fulfilling.
It's good, play the first one though.
Park patrol is a mix of the original game, and a gardening sim, and that’s honestly the best way I can describe it. Since it is on the DS it has a lot of touch control gimmicks, and I’ll admit they can be very tiring after a while once you’re fighting a lot of enemies.
If you liked the first game, you may like this one, if you can handle the slight change in gameplay, and touch controls.
One last thing to add, is that the combat in this game can be odd/annoying. In the later parts of the game, you will constantly have to defend your park from a heavy “smogling” attack and they can take a WHILE. Pretty much half of your day is gone already once you’re finished.
If you liked the first game, you may like this one, if you can handle the slight change in gameplay, and touch controls.
One last thing to add, is that the combat in this game can be odd/annoying. In the later parts of the game, you will constantly have to defend your park from a heavy “smogling” attack and they can take a WHILE. Pretty much half of your day is gone already once you’re finished.
This game is a fun little game. It’s really creative and charming, but it’s repetitive, cumbersome to play and removes a lot of what made chibi robo special. Despite coming out before clean sweep it has way better graphics. This game is really interesting it’s just kind of a pain to actually play it unfortunately
"What if we took all the good parts about the original game, and just threw them in the trash like Chibi-Robo does? Also, let's only sell this game at Walmart."
+Build your own park
+Progressing actually feels progressive
+Graphics are impressive for DS title
~Driven by building, not questing
~Very different game compared to rest of series
~Characters are weirder / more one dimesional
- Even more repetitive dialogue / tasks compared to first game
- Beginning is heavily backtracking / grinding
- Too heavy on touch screen controls
+Progressing actually feels progressive
+Graphics are impressive for DS title
~Driven by building, not questing
~Very different game compared to rest of series
~Characters are weirder / more one dimesional
- Even more repetitive dialogue / tasks compared to first game
- Beginning is heavily backtracking / grinding
- Too heavy on touch screen controls
Cute aesthetics but it overstays its welcome way too quickly, and the sandbox has less to do in exploration & activities.
Chibi-Robo Park Patrol tem um conceito muito único e peculiar. Apesar disso, se entrega a um loop um tanto esticado demais, exaurindo suas mecânicas, marca registrada da Nintendo, mas de uma forma negativa, se tornando cansativo.
A estrutura não é tão ruim, mas sofre com a tal do design para "jogo de portátil", segmentando o gameplay e conduzindo o jogador a fazer "paradas estratégicas". Uma suposição frequente de que o jogador de portátil tem sempre pouco tempo pra jogar.
O carisma do jogo consegue sustentar os gráficos 3D horrendos do DS, e a própria direção de arte se encarrega de tornar tudo suportável e até mesmo agradável, apesar dos pesares.
A estrutura não é tão ruim, mas sofre com a tal do design para "jogo de portátil", segmentando o gameplay e conduzindo o jogador a fazer "paradas estratégicas". Uma suposição frequente de que o jogador de portátil tem sempre pouco tempo pra jogar.
O carisma do jogo consegue sustentar os gráficos 3D horrendos do DS, e a própria direção de arte se encarrega de tornar tudo suportável e até mesmo agradável, apesar dos pesares.