Got turned on to this when it was run at a GDQ event a few years back, and then with perfect timing the Phantasy Reverie remasters came out. I would have adored this as a kid in the 90s, just some awesome 2D platforming with cool art. Reminded me a lot of Kirby 64, one of my absolute favorite games from this era
This review contains spoilers
klonoa 1 is an INCREDIBLY special videogame. it prides itself on its dreamy visuals, cozy vibes and unique platforming mechanics: the wind bullet is a joy to use and the game also makes use of its 2.5d nature in a super interesting way that ive never seen done before. stages are a constantly unfolding diarama of fun puzzle platforming and by the end of the game, phantomile really feels like a living, breathing world that you've traversed through.
but what really makes this game special in my opinion is its ridiculously cruel ending sequence. throughout the game, ur friend huepow helps u platform by literally being the wind in ur sails-he's the wind bullet that allows u to inflate and use enemies for progressing through levels. he's also klonoa's best friend. he comes off as a bit cold early on but you can really see him warm up to klonoa and see him as a friend. but the thing is that its all a lie. klonoa's from a different world entirely disconnected from phantomile. he was needed to bring balance to the world so he was brought in by huepow and given fake memories in order to be motivated to save the world. this is all revealed to the poor kid right in the final cutscene of the game and he's just SHATTERED.
he refuses to accept the truth. but at that point, he's forced out of phantomile. he gets sucked into the vortex while crying and screaming and all huepow can do is try and fail to pull him back. its so so fucking depressing and it seems like pointless tragedy at first glance, but the way this connects to the second game makes it all worth it i think
im still floored by the boldness of the devs to end such a warm and friendly kid's game in such a cruel way. incredible stuff
but what really makes this game special in my opinion is its ridiculously cruel ending sequence. throughout the game, ur friend huepow helps u platform by literally being the wind in ur sails-he's the wind bullet that allows u to inflate and use enemies for progressing through levels. he's also klonoa's best friend. he comes off as a bit cold early on but you can really see him warm up to klonoa and see him as a friend. but the thing is that its all a lie. klonoa's from a different world entirely disconnected from phantomile. he was needed to bring balance to the world so he was brought in by huepow and given fake memories in order to be motivated to save the world. this is all revealed to the poor kid right in the final cutscene of the game and he's just SHATTERED.
he refuses to accept the truth. but at that point, he's forced out of phantomile. he gets sucked into the vortex while crying and screaming and all huepow can do is try and fail to pull him back. its so so fucking depressing and it seems like pointless tragedy at first glance, but the way this connects to the second game makes it all worth it i think
im still floored by the boldness of the devs to end such a warm and friendly kid's game in such a cruel way. incredible stuff
Probably the closest to a perfect game I've ever witnessed, Klonoa: Door to Phantomile is to say the least a special experience, on top of being a damn fine old-school platformer. You're never bored or fatigued with the core mechanics despite them rarely being deviated from, and platforming about stays satisfying as all get-out from start to finish. Oh yeah, and the storytelling is exquisite for such an old release, building a beautiful, fascinating world, and expertly delivering some genuinely emotional moments! Probably the easiest single game I could recommend to people, certainly moreso than Final Fantasy VII despite me loving the latter a lot more.
Expected to be underwhelmed by this going straight into it from Napple Tale but nah, Klonoa deserves every bit of its large cult following. An incredibly poignant, creative, and exciting dream tale that asks the player to legitimately reflect on what they've played–not particularly usual for a mascot platformer.
Borderline perfect. A short and sweet game with some of the best-designed levels and mechanics you can find on the ps1. It starts off fairly comfortable but really ramps up by the end game. I'm almost tempted to revisit the game within the next few days and go for the 3 collectables I ended up missing.
My only complaint with the gameplay is that Klonoa slides pretty far when you stop running from top speed. this includes when you jump. there were a few times when I ended up slipping off of a small platform when jumping on it. It's a minor complaint and something that you can get used to with muscle memory.
The story and world were also pretty good. For those who haven't played it, do yourself a favour and make sure that the ending is unspoiled for you since it certainly left an impact on me.
Highly recommend this one!
My only complaint with the gameplay is that Klonoa slides pretty far when you stop running from top speed. this includes when you jump. there were a few times when I ended up slipping off of a small platform when jumping on it. It's a minor complaint and something that you can get used to with muscle memory.
The story and world were also pretty good. For those who haven't played it, do yourself a favour and make sure that the ending is unspoiled for you since it certainly left an impact on me.
Highly recommend this one!
i was tempted to give it 4.5 because the sequel does improve on level design but this game just feels incredibly special
Autism
I can't believe I dodged this as a playstation kid in the late 90s/early 2000s. Is this the first 2.5 D game? It uses it meaningfully, in ways i havent seen since by interacting with the back and foreground. The level design starts off a little simple, but really amps up quickly. The bosses also start fairly dull but get really interesting. One fight towards the end in particular has you attacking the boss, dodging impervious enemies all while trying to step on each tile of the floor a couple of times to move the phase on. It's a great little microcosm of the juggling act it has you perform that makes the platforming in this game fun so often.
On top of that, thi game has some of the strongest, most definitively ps1 vibes I
ve ever seen and heard. The ost is nut, weird polyrhythms, skung bagpipes and high upbeat eergy all the way through.
I beat it while skipping a lot of the cutscenes and immediately decided to replay it more slowly.
On top of that, thi game has some of the strongest, most definitively ps1 vibes I
ve ever seen and heard. The ost is nut, weird polyrhythms, skung bagpipes and high upbeat eergy all the way through.
I beat it while skipping a lot of the cutscenes and immediately decided to replay it more slowly.
😭😭😭
i've beaten this game 5 times in the past year i adore this game play it play it play it please
Recently played this one on the Phantasy reverie series.
Being a big fan of videogame "dream-walker" mascots likeNights, Rayman, Kirby, ecc.... I was already expecting to find a similar charm while trying Klonoa.
And... yup I wasn't wrong. Klonoa has a lot of things that ties the quality of its title to other similar mascots on the market: you got the oniric environments and music of Nights into Dreams, the floatiness and bubbly platforming of Rayman games, and eve the contrast between whimsical and surprisingly darker tones present in the Kirby games..... also Klonoa's adorable speech and scrunkly lingo reminds me of these other platforming mascot, it's adorable when talks gibberish.
It's one of the first platformers to combines the 2D scrolling with 3D environments, leading to level designs and puzzle solving that are really interesting, and abke to make the experience stand out.
Though I gotta say, sometimes this type of level design doesn't always hit, as platforms and interactible objects can blend with the background or lead unprecies throws, especially if you are gotta shoot at a thing on the horizon.
The game can als be kinda brutal when it comes ito it's puzzle solving and platforming, particularly on the later stages, as a single mistake can result in the immediate lost of a life. Difficulty in platformes like this is always welcomed in my opinion, but sometimes this can contrast too much with the more cozy gameplay of other parts of the game (One of the final puzzles sepcifically, the one with two birds that can result kinda tedious since it leaves you with a really small time window to execute it).
The overall story, while kinda short in lenght, also took me by surprise: it has a mostly cozy and xhildish vibe to it, but it's not afraid to showcase more nightmarish scenarios, both in some character design (I love how Ghadius just seems taken from another game entirely), and in some istances in the story.
Overall I can totally see why it is considered a classic. I personally don't consider it the best platformer of its generation, but it is a really charming expericne, and a great introduction for a beloved platforming mascot. Give it a shot if you want!
Being a big fan of videogame "dream-walker" mascots likeNights, Rayman, Kirby, ecc.... I was already expecting to find a similar charm while trying Klonoa.
And... yup I wasn't wrong. Klonoa has a lot of things that ties the quality of its title to other similar mascots on the market: you got the oniric environments and music of Nights into Dreams, the floatiness and bubbly platforming of Rayman games, and eve the contrast between whimsical and surprisingly darker tones present in the Kirby games..... also Klonoa's adorable speech and scrunkly lingo reminds me of these other platforming mascot, it's adorable when talks gibberish.
It's one of the first platformers to combines the 2D scrolling with 3D environments, leading to level designs and puzzle solving that are really interesting, and abke to make the experience stand out.
Though I gotta say, sometimes this type of level design doesn't always hit, as platforms and interactible objects can blend with the background or lead unprecies throws, especially if you are gotta shoot at a thing on the horizon.
The game can als be kinda brutal when it comes ito it's puzzle solving and platforming, particularly on the later stages, as a single mistake can result in the immediate lost of a life. Difficulty in platformes like this is always welcomed in my opinion, but sometimes this can contrast too much with the more cozy gameplay of other parts of the game (One of the final puzzles sepcifically, the one with two birds that can result kinda tedious since it leaves you with a really small time window to execute it).
The overall story, while kinda short in lenght, also took me by surprise: it has a mostly cozy and xhildish vibe to it, but it's not afraid to showcase more nightmarish scenarios, both in some character design (I love how Ghadius just seems taken from another game entirely), and in some istances in the story.
Overall I can totally see why it is considered a classic. I personally don't consider it the best platformer of its generation, but it is a really charming expericne, and a great introduction for a beloved platforming mascot. Give it a shot if you want!
I always wanted to hug (and eat) Klonoa.
That's how you know you made a good character.
That's how you know you made a good character.
Klonoa is so expressive with just the word wahoo
This games so cool though, willing to just be itself in so many ways, easy to see why it glued onto so many peoples brains
Klonoa cutest of all time
This games so cool though, willing to just be itself in so many ways, easy to see why it glued onto so many peoples brains
Klonoa cutest of all time
Um jogo lindo, com uma ótima jogabilidade e um level design que explora muito bem a habilidade principal do Klonoa. A história é bonitinha e confesso que fiquei um pouco emocionado no final kk, invejo quem teve o privilégio de jogar este jogo até o fim na infância.
Um dos melhores jogos de plataforma que eu já joguei, gameplay super divertido, as lutas contra bosses são fodas, o gráfico é muito bonito e o final é de fazer qualquer homem chorar
Cute little puzzle platformer that does everything right. The level design is fun and unique, the music is wonderful, and the aesthetics are top notch.
The idea of a 2.5d game is a very novel one. The game takes advantage of it a lot in its level design often having you throw enemies between the foreground and background. I find this idea very unique especially for 1997.
The idea of a 2.5d game is a very novel one. The game takes advantage of it a lot in its level design often having you throw enemies between the foreground and background. I find this idea very unique especially for 1997.
The absolute best game released on the PS1. Period.
as far as platform games go, klonoa is one of the best, at least among the ones i have played; and i have played a lot of them.
its mechanics are so simple, but so engaging and playful. the story is warm but can get really heartbreaking and tear indulcing by the end of it. the soundtrack is also a highlight and the graphics are still great to look at.
the only thing in this game that bothered me (if i had to mention anything) is how the floating ability works: besides being a little bit slow, i would prefer pressing X twice to float more than press and hold. maybe there was an option for it, but i didn't check, so i don't know.
Klonoa is a great example that less can be more. can't wait to play Klonoa 2!
its mechanics are so simple, but so engaging and playful. the story is warm but can get really heartbreaking and tear indulcing by the end of it. the soundtrack is also a highlight and the graphics are still great to look at.
the only thing in this game that bothered me (if i had to mention anything) is how the floating ability works: besides being a little bit slow, i would prefer pressing X twice to float more than press and hold. maybe there was an option for it, but i didn't check, so i don't know.
Klonoa is a great example that less can be more. can't wait to play Klonoa 2!
pretty relaxing and consistently good throughout but the end of the game has a huge jump in level design quality. im hoping the sequel has more levels that learn into the more puzzle-like aspect that was present in the final stretch . surprisingly mature story (for a platformer) with a deeply upsetting ending that made me cry a bit
Klonoa rules dude, it is a game of all time, it oozes charm through every aspect of it.
Presentation is perfect, from the visuals to the music to the UI to that lil cute bit they do in between levels; very likable characters on a nice lil adventure with crazy good moments; love the gameplay too, they get some good mileage out of the fairly simple mechanics, though some platforming sections are a bit evil, but what can I say I do love me some fucked up evil gaming :)
To me it's just a perfect game honestly, I love it very dearly...
If you're interested in Klonoa PLEASE play the original release PLEASE I beg of you.
Presentation is perfect, from the visuals to the music to the UI to that lil cute bit they do in between levels; very likable characters on a nice lil adventure with crazy good moments; love the gameplay too, they get some good mileage out of the fairly simple mechanics, though some platforming sections are a bit evil, but what can I say I do love me some fucked up evil gaming :)
To me it's just a perfect game honestly, I love it very dearly...
If you're interested in Klonoa PLEASE play the original release PLEASE I beg of you.
Just chilling with the villagers saved
This might be one of my favorite platformers of all time. I love the way klonoa controls, the story had me intrigued, especially for a PS1 game.
Once you save all the people you unlock a bonus level, which I loved that as well, felt like a great challenge.
The music of the game is wonderful as well, I normally get in the zone and forget about the music in games, but with this one I just vibed with it, can't praise the soundtrack enough.
Excited to get into klonoa 2 eventually, hopefully that game is just as good
Once you save all the people you unlock a bonus level, which I loved that as well, felt like a great challenge.
The music of the game is wonderful as well, I normally get in the zone and forget about the music in games, but with this one I just vibed with it, can't praise the soundtrack enough.
Excited to get into klonoa 2 eventually, hopefully that game is just as good
My childhood 🥲
This review contains spoilers
Another dream game, this one leaning more in the direction of Kingdom Hearts for me with the main character design and a vague sense of angst. The main point of inspiration is clearly Sailor Moon though, right down to the cheerful opening leading to horrible trauma at the end.
The game didn't really click for me until that ending, appropriate given that's the thing it's mostly known for. I can see how the opening levels can carry nostalgic emotions for those who've played it when they were kids, but they did nothing for me. The final couple of levels and bosses was where the vibes were the juiciest and the challenge ramps up just right, had me sweating.
I still think the gameplay potential of a 2D character interacting with a 3D environment is not fully explored here. The game strives hard to make every level streamlined, even where exploration is concerned. Maybe some water temple-esque challenges of interacting with mechanisms to achieve different results wouldn't have gone amiss. Balue's Tower wasn't it, I don't think Klonoa's controls are precise enough to warrant this kind of kaizo gameplay.
Prior to playing the game I thought I'd understand Klonoa's tragedy at the end. As a child I had to move with my parents a lot, changing neighborhoods, schools and, ultimately, friendships frequently. That experience, however, was never traumatic for me. Could that just be repressed? Could it be that I never had false expectations that I'd stay anywhere? I think the worst part was that Huepow lied, the little shit.
Hang in there Klonoa, you drifting soulmate you, that's just how it be sometimes.
The game didn't really click for me until that ending, appropriate given that's the thing it's mostly known for. I can see how the opening levels can carry nostalgic emotions for those who've played it when they were kids, but they did nothing for me. The final couple of levels and bosses was where the vibes were the juiciest and the challenge ramps up just right, had me sweating.
I still think the gameplay potential of a 2D character interacting with a 3D environment is not fully explored here. The game strives hard to make every level streamlined, even where exploration is concerned. Maybe some water temple-esque challenges of interacting with mechanisms to achieve different results wouldn't have gone amiss. Balue's Tower wasn't it, I don't think Klonoa's controls are precise enough to warrant this kind of kaizo gameplay.
Prior to playing the game I thought I'd understand Klonoa's tragedy at the end. As a child I had to move with my parents a lot, changing neighborhoods, schools and, ultimately, friendships frequently. That experience, however, was never traumatic for me. Could that just be repressed? Could it be that I never had false expectations that I'd stay anywhere? I think the worst part was that Huepow lied, the little shit.
Hang in there Klonoa, you drifting soulmate you, that's just how it be sometimes.
Fun enough platformer. Good soundtrack
Short but sweet. Decent challenge
Short but sweet. Decent challenge
Magical magical very special game wow. There’s some legit alchemy going on at Namco with how well every aspect of this game from the art direction to the stage design to the music to the story to the everything coalesces into this perfectly-realized experience. It’s not a particularly complex game or anything but it’s just sooo satisfying to simply exist in, the 2.5D gimmick really does wonders in making each level feel like a genuine space. It’s weird because the actual stage layouts are quite video game-y but they never feel like empty backdrops for platforming, those are all real, tangible places where my buddy Klonoa lives! I feel like most conversation around Klonoa (the game, not the sweet wahoo boy) tend to focus on the big late-game tonal shift—and I get why, it’s incredibly memorable and effective. But I worry that overshadows just how memorable and effective everything else here is too. This game just has a one-of-a-kind vibrancy to it that I find really captivating. But if you’re reading this you either already know what I’m talking about or you haven’t played Klonoa yet, in which case: go fix that right now!
Soooo charming, and the story gets kinda emotional while you are not expecting! I remember playing it on PS1 way back in the day but I had to play again now.
The gameplay is super simple (jump and wind bullet, and that's it!) but the stages are VERY well done. It's purely 2D but the way stages are constructed in a 3D world makes them stand out.
Enjoyed it a lot! (played the remake on steam)
The gameplay is super simple (jump and wind bullet, and that's it!) but the stages are VERY well done. It's purely 2D but the way stages are constructed in a 3D world makes them stand out.
Enjoyed it a lot! (played the remake on steam)
My favorite platformer ever made, I don’t even really have any complaints about it I don’t think. Klonoa is scrungly and needs a hug.
Incredibly fun and unique gameplay with great charm; accompanied with a fantastic standout soundtrack.
This is one of those games where I think back on it and can only go "Ahh, damn. Klonoa"
A unique experience like no other game I've ever played. The beginning level sets the tone for the rest of the game. It's absolutely blossoming with vibrant colors and cuteness. The gameplay is simple yet fun and the charm of the game is most distilled into how you attack enemies: you blow them up so they're fat full of air and throw them into other things. You can even bounce on the bigger boned enemies. I don't really like platformers but this game opened me up to them. Getting 100% is also very attainable yet still satisfying.
The boss fights are all super fun and some mind-bending and a bit trippy - again, full of colors. The characters and bosses all feel like like a they're from a really cozy kid's cartoon. There's some really nice humor and charm in their dialogue and personality that will make you smile each time you encounter them - one my favorite characters is the snappy recurring antagonist minion.
Your sidekick, Huepow, is one of the cutest characters I've ever seen in video games, or any media ever. His voice is like rainbow cotton candy and each time he lets out a squeak, it's good for your soul. On top of all this, the game manages to have an emotionally touching narrative. Masterpiece.
Getting emotional just thinking about it again :)
A unique experience like no other game I've ever played. The beginning level sets the tone for the rest of the game. It's absolutely blossoming with vibrant colors and cuteness. The gameplay is simple yet fun and the charm of the game is most distilled into how you attack enemies: you blow them up so they're fat full of air and throw them into other things. You can even bounce on the bigger boned enemies. I don't really like platformers but this game opened me up to them. Getting 100% is also very attainable yet still satisfying.
The boss fights are all super fun and some mind-bending and a bit trippy - again, full of colors. The characters and bosses all feel like like a they're from a really cozy kid's cartoon. There's some really nice humor and charm in their dialogue and personality that will make you smile each time you encounter them - one my favorite characters is the snappy recurring antagonist minion.
Your sidekick, Huepow, is one of the cutest characters I've ever seen in video games, or any media ever. His voice is like rainbow cotton candy and each time he lets out a squeak, it's good for your soul. On top of all this, the game manages to have an emotionally touching narrative. Masterpiece.
Getting emotional just thinking about it again :)