Genre: Puzzle Action Adventure
Released: July 21, 1996
Platform: Gameboy, 3DS
Developer: Pax Softnica
Publisher: Nintendo
Language: English, but available in Japanese with first party translations. There are also a few fan translation, such as Spanish.
Length: 8-10, but can be 15+ for completeness. I rolled credits after 12 hours, and may go back for a few extras.
Difficulty: Medium, most puzzles are fair and there is an item that let’s you skip a level if you are really stuck (I never ended up needing it). However, the lost boss is action heavy and tedious.
Do I Need To Play Anything First: No
Accessibility Options: None. Most of the game does not require fast reflexes, however bosses do require fast inputs. You need complete sight to play this game. There is no hint system. You may need a co-player to finish this game during the boss fights and a few puzzles, however a majority of the game can be played with limited mobility.
How Did You Play It: On an analogue pocket.
Is It Good: Yeah, I thought so. It’s charming and worth a look at.
Mole Mania is the first Game Boy game I’ve finished this year. My Game Boy is used nearly every day, for 15 minutes just to refresh my mind. As such Mole Mania is a perfect game boy game for what I am looking for. It’s simple to play, easy to put down, and designed for small play sessions. It has a charming art style, forgettable but toe tapping tunes, and enough challenge to require thought without being frustrating.
You play as a Mole trying to save his children from an evil famer. To succeed, our hero must smash a mettle ball into a concrete block. No, it doesn’t make much sense, but it makes for a fun and compelling gameplay loop.
Each level starts with the ball on one end of the stage, and you are challenged to find a way to transport the ball by rolling it around obstacles, hazards, and enemies. Mole Mania is more a puzzle game than an action game, as the game starts laying rules and twists to make the task engaging and different throughout the entire game. There are boss battles, but they rely more on planning than reflexes.
The unique mechanic the ability to dig underground, digging a maze of tunnels beneath the stage that you can use to bypass hazards. But each new place you pop out, you create a hole and thus an opportunity for the ball to fall into the earth and restarting the stage. Digging, where to dig, where to exit, and where to throw the ball all blend into an attractive loop that I enjoyed playing every day.
However, the game never grows into anything else. The ball becomes harder and harder to get to the other end, but ultimately you are performing the same task over and over again. I had a lot of fun with each level, but by the final world I was getting a little restless and ready to move on.
Being one of the last games released on the Game Boy, the graphics are clean with a strong art style, and it’s clear Nintendo was hopping to turn the titular mole into a longer lasting series. There are animated shorts at the end of each level, the bosses are well designed with great animation flair. There are secrets and bonus levels strewn about, time trials, and other secrets for those who are interested.
I had a few issues with controls. They are excellent and specific for the puzzle portions, but for the few times the game asks for quick inputs during the boss battles I felt I was fighting against them and resulted in some frustrating deaths. This is mitigated by the fact dying has no real effect. However, the vast majority of the game the controls are great for the puzzle stages.
My only real complaint is the final boss, which is part of a boss rush compilation where you fight every boss in a row. Given that combat is the worst aspect of the game, I found this overly punishing and more annoying then difficult. The final boss is unique, and thus you will die a few times before learning his patterns. It feels overly punishing to have to go through old bosses again for another chance, especially as the rest of the game is not about fighting at all.
Mole Mania is has no mean tricks, each stage takes up the Gameboy screen and the goal is always clear: move the ball. There is a great deal of delight in the trial and error required as you make plans, test them, and tweak them as you progress bit by bit.
Mole Mania is a confident game, with a great art style, short bite sized puzzles, charming characters, and fun music. I loved many of the puzzles, and the middle stages contain some clever twists and challenges. If you are looking for an often-overlooked gem, Mole Mania is an easy recommendation.
I enjoyed mulling over potential solutions throughout the day, and often found what was difficult the day before was breezed through after a good sleep. It is not a perfect game, or even an exceptional game.
But it is a perfect game boy game.
Follow me at The Pile for more reviews (including books and films)
https://thepile.substack.com/
Released: July 21, 1996
Platform: Gameboy, 3DS
Developer: Pax Softnica
Publisher: Nintendo
Language: English, but available in Japanese with first party translations. There are also a few fan translation, such as Spanish.
Length: 8-10, but can be 15+ for completeness. I rolled credits after 12 hours, and may go back for a few extras.
Difficulty: Medium, most puzzles are fair and there is an item that let’s you skip a level if you are really stuck (I never ended up needing it). However, the lost boss is action heavy and tedious.
Do I Need To Play Anything First: No
Accessibility Options: None. Most of the game does not require fast reflexes, however bosses do require fast inputs. You need complete sight to play this game. There is no hint system. You may need a co-player to finish this game during the boss fights and a few puzzles, however a majority of the game can be played with limited mobility.
How Did You Play It: On an analogue pocket.
Is It Good: Yeah, I thought so. It’s charming and worth a look at.
Mole Mania is the first Game Boy game I’ve finished this year. My Game Boy is used nearly every day, for 15 minutes just to refresh my mind. As such Mole Mania is a perfect game boy game for what I am looking for. It’s simple to play, easy to put down, and designed for small play sessions. It has a charming art style, forgettable but toe tapping tunes, and enough challenge to require thought without being frustrating.
You play as a Mole trying to save his children from an evil famer. To succeed, our hero must smash a mettle ball into a concrete block. No, it doesn’t make much sense, but it makes for a fun and compelling gameplay loop.
Each level starts with the ball on one end of the stage, and you are challenged to find a way to transport the ball by rolling it around obstacles, hazards, and enemies. Mole Mania is more a puzzle game than an action game, as the game starts laying rules and twists to make the task engaging and different throughout the entire game. There are boss battles, but they rely more on planning than reflexes.
The unique mechanic the ability to dig underground, digging a maze of tunnels beneath the stage that you can use to bypass hazards. But each new place you pop out, you create a hole and thus an opportunity for the ball to fall into the earth and restarting the stage. Digging, where to dig, where to exit, and where to throw the ball all blend into an attractive loop that I enjoyed playing every day.
However, the game never grows into anything else. The ball becomes harder and harder to get to the other end, but ultimately you are performing the same task over and over again. I had a lot of fun with each level, but by the final world I was getting a little restless and ready to move on.
Being one of the last games released on the Game Boy, the graphics are clean with a strong art style, and it’s clear Nintendo was hopping to turn the titular mole into a longer lasting series. There are animated shorts at the end of each level, the bosses are well designed with great animation flair. There are secrets and bonus levels strewn about, time trials, and other secrets for those who are interested.
I had a few issues with controls. They are excellent and specific for the puzzle portions, but for the few times the game asks for quick inputs during the boss battles I felt I was fighting against them and resulted in some frustrating deaths. This is mitigated by the fact dying has no real effect. However, the vast majority of the game the controls are great for the puzzle stages.
My only real complaint is the final boss, which is part of a boss rush compilation where you fight every boss in a row. Given that combat is the worst aspect of the game, I found this overly punishing and more annoying then difficult. The final boss is unique, and thus you will die a few times before learning his patterns. It feels overly punishing to have to go through old bosses again for another chance, especially as the rest of the game is not about fighting at all.
Mole Mania is has no mean tricks, each stage takes up the Gameboy screen and the goal is always clear: move the ball. There is a great deal of delight in the trial and error required as you make plans, test them, and tweak them as you progress bit by bit.
Mole Mania is a confident game, with a great art style, short bite sized puzzles, charming characters, and fun music. I loved many of the puzzles, and the middle stages contain some clever twists and challenges. If you are looking for an often-overlooked gem, Mole Mania is an easy recommendation.
I enjoyed mulling over potential solutions throughout the day, and often found what was difficult the day before was breezed through after a good sleep. It is not a perfect game, or even an exceptional game.
But it is a perfect game boy game.
Follow me at The Pile for more reviews (including books and films)
https://thepile.substack.com/