LocoRoco Review

Games use more and more buttons. When in the past you could play by using only directional buttons and 2 action buttons, now most games require at least 4 action buttons, moreover analog sticks (single or double) and shoulder buttons. Can we imagine a modern game that only uses 3 buttons without directional buttons, but still fully functional?

You don't control the player, you control the stage. Press the L or R shoulder button to tilt the stage left or right. Or press both simultaneously to make the stage shake vertically! When the stage shakes, the player character jumps and that is how you move it. You start small, just a small deformable yellow blob called LocoRoco. You can finish most of the levels only by guiding him to the finish line, but that's not fun! Get other LocoRocos and they will combine to form a bigger blob. But, when you get bigger, you cannot pass smaller passages. Here you use the ○ button: do a quick press to split them apart, and hold ○ longer to recombine them.

Graphics

The graphics are done in a cartoon-style drawing. No gradient colors, all are solid and almost no transparent elements. It seems that the developers aim for 60 fps and they really succeeded in achieving that. No pixel art used, everything is vector-based, so when you tilt the stage, you still see that everything is smooth.

Sound

One of the most exciting aspects of this game is the background music. You can hear a very, very lively song sung by a Japanese-Canadian girl Melody Chubak. The music fits nicely into the game. Some people said LocoRoco is the happiest game. The controls are simple, the characters are smiling, the songs are catchy, the graphics are easy to the eyes. When you reach certain parts, you will meet different-colored LocoRocos with different voices and songs. You can try to guess what language this song is sung in:

Progression

LocoRoco consists of about 40 levels. The levels are divided into worlds. Each world consists of several different-themed stages. For example, a level is situated in a desert. Another in a cave. Another in the stomach of a whale. And some ghost house. And so on. The levels are linear, when you finish one you always go to the next level. Will that make the game boring? I don't think so. You can finish a level quickly by not collecting bees, fruits, or any other LocoRocos. But there are secret places in a level that cannot be easily found such as hidden passages, unexpected directions, or places that need accuracy of controlling in order to reach them. Hidden MuiMuis can sometimes be found. When you collect them enough, you get more items for mini games.

Conclusions

LocoRoco is suitable for children and adults. Children will definitely be attracted to the colorful graphics and catchy sound, while still being able to play it without too much difficulties. Adults that prefer to play games in their spare times can enjoy themselves playing this game, and hardcores will be satisfied with the vast collective nature of collecting things to get perfect scores. Levels are moderately balanced, after a hard level usually comes easier level to let the player relax and enjoy the cute things. At the end of a world, a big black guy must be defeated by bursting the LocoRocos towards him. Unfortunately, it repeats and gets a little boring with time. Get LocoRoco, enjoy the music and the game without stress!