Loco Roco looks to shake things up on the PSP. The game's strategy? Take more than a couple of cues from 2004's cult hit Katamari Damacy. The game's simplified graphical look, pared-down controls and quirky original music bear all the earmarks of innovative gaming. But Loco Roco isn't looking to break any molds in one category. As a 2D platforming adventure this portable offering is also a throw-back to the old school. Newcomer Loco Roco has fierce competition with neo-retro releases like New Super Mario Brothers and Ultimate Ghosts 'n Goblins on store shelves, but manages to hold its own against these heavy hitters.
Your Blob Is In the Next Castle
Loco Roco's set up is as archetypal as video games get. A peaceful world has been invaded by nasties from outer space. Your job is to guide a chipper, singing blob through environments infested by the Moja Corps – a race of jet-black creatures with flowing tentacles and an appetite for cute video game protagonists. Between points “A” and “B” there are items to collect, buddies to rescue (the grey, sprout-like Mui Mui) and collectible items to horde. Controls are simple. The PSP's left shoulder buttons tilt the world, causing your Loco Roco to roll towards low ground. Pushing both shoulder buttons and releasing them jolts the little fella into the air. A press of the circle button causes a lightning strike that splits your Loco Roco into a mob of smaller blobs – a maneuver that helps the runts squeeze through tight spots.
Oh, the Places You'll Roll
The 40 or so obstacle courses in Loco Roco are wildly imaginative. Some involve exploring the leaves, hollowed out trunk and root systems of giant trees. Others are crafted from slick ice with half-pipes, ramps and steep tunnels that propel your blob into a swift, Sonic the Hedgehog-style roll. Perhaps the oddest stages are those that find your character swallowed by a giant whale or penguin – fleshy, quivering innards make for an interesting gaming. The entire world is rendered in a simple, cartoony fashion. Drawing comparisons between Loco Roco's look and Japanese character goods icons like Hello Kitty wouldn't be completely off base. It's an art style that some will love and more than a few will despise.
Things Fall Apart
Loco Roco offers a fresh take on traditional platforming. The game's smartly crafted levels bristle with character and creativity. Cleverly hidden secrets are aplenty. But for every well-placed surprise, there are other items placed just out of reach. These fiendish goals amp up the challenge, demanding huge doses of skill and patience. And Loco Roco's sole fault is that its kooky lead-character isn't gifted with the chops to pull off precision movies. Mario can stop and turn on a dime. A Loco Roco at full weight is a partially deflated sack of blubber that flops about with rudimentary physics. This kind of semi-controlled chaos is neat in concept, but not so nifty when you're trying to coax the guy across a series of difficult jumps.
A Solid Platform
Loco Roco is a more than competent PSP offering with substantial replay value. Several mini-games and a customizable Loco House – itself a puzzle – provide ample diversion. The hard-to-nab secrets peppered throughout the main game score the player building blocks for their pad, so there's good reason to scour each area for its hidden treasures. But it's charm, not padding, that really brings Loco Roco over the top. Those allergic to whimsy may react violently to the saccharine soundtrack and rosy world-view. But they'd be missing out on a rare experience – a game that honors classic game play while forging new ground in style.
Article by: Gus Mastrapa
Video produced by: Jonathan Solin
