A star in a New World. Starfy makes his way to America, and with a great game behind him

A Star In New Lands: The Legendary Starfy

The name “Starfy” is a household name in the country of Japan, where the little starfish has had all of his game exclusively published there since 2002. Well lucky for us, TOSE and Nintendo realized that this popular series can make a profit in America as well. On June seventh, 2009, Starfy arrived in a little cartridge titled “The Legendary Starfy” for the Nintendo DS handheld system. This game is a bright, colorful platformer that makes use of both the top screen on of the DS, and the touch screen for menu’s and dual screen boss battles. With 8 worlds, 2 bonus worlds, and a ton of replay-ability, most casual gamers with get at least fifteen hours out of this new adventure.

Gameplay: Starfy, from the first look, it’s a typical platforming game. In many respects, this is true. I myself am not the type to go out and spend money on platforming games. This title happens to be one of few that I can actually sit down and play for an extended period of time. Our hero, Starfy, glides gracefully through water and can jump high on land. His spinning attack cannot be used more than three times quickly, which adds a bit of difficulty to the game. Puzzles start simple, and gradually begin more and more complicated. Co-op play is available to those that have siblings, as this game is targeted to a younger crowd. Additional players can play as Stapy, Starfy’s pink sister. The game is not difficult by any means, but it is fun. And that is what we look for in games, right?

Graphics/Visuals: In an honest opinion, this is one of the most beautiful games that can be found on the DS. The visuals are simple, no crazy light shows or intense graphical cut scenes, but it is nice to look at. The colors are all tropical and bright, giving a very welcoming feel and encourage players to play the game if they need something that isn’t harsh on the eyes. Some may feel that bright colors are overbearing and annoying, but this game has a great balance of that issue, and the art style only compliments it. Characters are simple and humorous, with cute designs that everyone can appreciate. The graphics found in this title are by no means “breathe taking,” but will make any DS owner smile.

Music/Sounds: “The Legendary Starfy” has a very generic sound track and use of sound effects. Generic does not mean bad, not at all. But sound buffs will not be impressed with the tunes found within the game. Tracks are very theme oriented with the tropical setting of the game. The sound effects are as you would expect from the game, enemies being defeated sound how they should, rocks being destroyed have a “crumble” sound to them, and the detector used on the bottom screen sounds….well like a detector. Its all safe and “sound.” Okay bad pun. But the sound track doesn’t take any risks, and is fitting for the game.
Content: The content of this game, compared to most platformers, is a great deal. The game consists of 8 worlds, all of which have multiple levels within them. For the gamers who search every nook and cranny of a game, this game is a goldmine waiting to be pilfered. Before entering a level, the world map tells the player how many treasure chests are hidden throughout the respective world, which contain various clothing and diaries. A collector will have a great time replaying levels trying to find that last treasure chest, while attempting to collect every optional piece of clothing or diary within the game. For those with siblings, there is a wireless matchup option on the title screen for those with, or without, the game to play together in the main story or minigames. After completing the game, a new game mode designed for all the boss battles appears, where the player can experience all of the boss battles found in the game. It isn’t a ton of content, but for the game’s genre, it isn’t half bad.

Overview: “The Legendary Starfy” is a simple, pretty, fun game for all ages. Granted, it is meant for children, but an older person can enjoy it just as much, if not more. The story is lackluster, as with most platformers, but the text within the game is funny and entertaining. The gameplay is easy, but keeps the player happy with the simplicity and straight up fun of it. The game has some of the best graphics found on the DS, with some beautiful backgrounds, full sprites, and colorful themes. The music is enjoyable, and compliments the setting of each level very well. The content is great for collectors, and pretty full for those who love platforming games. As a whole, “The Legendary Starfy” is a great buy, a safe buy at that, because unless you’re the type of gamer that can not calm down and enjoy an easy, light game, its guaranteed you will have fun with this game.

Final Score: 8/10