Swims into stores in a little over a week, but much is still a mystery about the star-shaped hero. What the hell is he? How does this game work?

Jun 08, 2009  About Genre Platformer Rating Rated 'E ' for Mild Cartoon ViolenceSummary In The Legendary Starfy game, players dive into a spectacular undersea adventure with Starfy, the legendary.

How Japanese is 'too Japanese'?The plot, so far as we've seen, is this: Starfy is a star-shaped something, that lives in the kingdom of Pufftop, located high in the sky. Yeah, the sea star is actually the prince of a cloud city.

It doesn't make sense to us, either. So anyway a rabbit in a space suit, chased by a bunch of shadow goons enters the kingdom. After Starfy kicks some ass and takes some name, the bunny gets kidnapped by a giant squid, who squeezes him so hard he loses his memory. You following? So Starfy, and his clam friend Moe (who also lives in the clouds), follow the space rabbit to help restore his memory and find out why he's being chased. The whole story is told through slightly animated comic panels, which are thankfully varied and convey a sense of action, so the story doesn't have that bad talking heads feel. We can see why this was probably a pain to localize, since the comic panels would have to be completely opposite for the Japanese release, and the story is anything but basic.He's+so+freaking+adorable.

Starfy's gameplay is a mix bag, but with a game starring starfishes that live in the clouds and bunnies from space, it ought to be. Most of the game takes place in the ocean, so from the first few levels it plays similar to the water levels from the Mario World series. Starfy has free range of motion within the water, and can swim about with the D-pad. He has a spin attack for taking out mean fishes and popping bubbles. The game seems to be less action focused and more puzzle/exploration based. Starfy maneuvers through mazelike levels full of branching paths, secret areas, and lots of treasure.

Which isn't to say that there isn't action in. The very first boss has players controlling Starfy on land. By joining up with the rabbit, Starfy transforms into a dragon, complete with fire breathing abilities. Starfy unlocks new abilities, and there were definitely places in the levels we couldn't access, and likely needed to be returned to once new moves were learned.

Granted we haven't gotten through a lot of the game, but so far this quirky little platformer is pretty fun. It's also feeling very easy, which is in line with the younger target demographic.

The style is freaking adorable, the story is wacky, and the gameplay feels familiar, but plays different from Nintendo's other games. It's a little Mario, and a little Kirby. The Legendary Starfy releases on June 8. We'll have a full review up then. For now check out some screen below and read more about Starfy as a series straight from the developers.

Starfy is finally making his highly anticipated English-language debut on with The Legendary Starfy for the Nintendo DS.

Under The Sea

A platformer that's heavily influenced by such classics as Super Mario Bros. and Kirby, Starfy also pulls inspiration from a variety of classic games. However, what is strictly unique to Starfy is the ever-present aquatic theme matched with the game's zany attitude, often brought to life in part by the game's vibrant animations and colourful cast of characters. The game is largely focused on collecting small treasures that are used to accessorise the 3D model of Starfy in the start screen — which really serves no other purpose than simply being adorable.

Starfy's controls are very basic for a platformer, often adjusting to the surrounding environment. While on land Starfy handles a bit more stiffly than he does underwater, which is perfectly fitting. When out of water you can dash and use your star spin ability to take out enemies. Be careful with how you use your Star Spin, though, as if it's executing it too frequently will cause Starfy to get dizzy, temporarily immobilising you. Puzzles are relatively easy, and usually require nothing more than simple puzzles like shifting boulders around in order to proceed.

As the game progresses different in-level actions surface, offering up a multitude of aquatic abilities. Starfy will also gain the power of transformation when merged with his little rabbit buddy, and can even earn specific upgrades such as fireballs. The depth of the game really shines through in the amount of content. There are a number of secret levels per world as well as multiple side quests, mini games, and scavenger hunts to pack this game full. Collectibles and trinkets can be purchased with pearls collected in-game, all of which allow for many hours of substance. It can all be a bit disorganised at times, but it's still good game design.

Hidden Plunder

The graphics and music are colourful and charming. The characters populating the world are all oddballs, and provide many humorous conversations. Even with it's charm, Starfy's biggest downfall lies in the story and simplistic gameplay. It's obvious that Starfy is aimed at a younger audience, but it's almost simple to a fault, as the story is a bit juvenile even by family standards and the gameplay is far too easy for even slightly experienced players. With all of it's hand-holding, The Legendary Starfy feels more like a 'my first platformer' title than a full-on franchise.

For those looking to fill the void for a zany platformer, Starfy is your starfish. There is enough content to keep gamers satisfied for quite some time. Still, if your looking for a true challenge, I'd suggest passing this one over.

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