Manual Stimulation: Hoshi no Kirby (GameBoy)

I don't know about you, but something I expect from any Kirby game manual is a ton of adorable illustrations of the pink puffball himself.



Sadly, the Hoshi no Kirby instruction manual disappoints mightily in that regard.



Sure, it offers up a few nice Kirby drawings, but I thought I'd find a lot more than a few in this particular booklet.



Oh, well. It's still worth ogling. One case in point: the rather fabulous border that lines each and every page of the Hoshi no Kirby--Kirby's Dream Land elsewhere in the world--manual.



Seriously, it's bubblegum pink and it's filled with stars. What more could you ask for in this kind of situation?



This booklet is similarly filled with screenshots of the game, of course. Normally that would prompt an unenthusiastic yawn from me, but here they're colored to complement the rest of the manual's color scheme, so instead it produced a mildly appreciative nod of the head.



This next page, on the other hand, is like a stab through the heart. No one at HAL Laboratory or Nintendo could be bothered to whip up some line drawings of Hoshi no Kirby's items?



The game only has a handful, after all. Plus, I can't imagine reproducing them in illustrated form would be much of a challenge.



To be honest, the only illustrations that impress here are found on the Hoshi no Kirby instruction booklet's last couple of pages.



These pages detail the game's five stages, by the way. Speaking of which, I love their names--especially "Float Islands" and "Bubbly Clouds."



Now that you've taken a gander at the Japanese Kirby's Dream Land manual, what do you think of it?

See also: my Hoshi no Kirby review, some photos of the Hoshi no Kirby GameBoy cartridge and box, and scans of the Hoshi no Kirby Famicom manual

Manual Stimulation: Lolo no Daibouken (GameBoy)

It pains me to admit this, but as much as I've always loved the idea of HAL Laboratory's Adventures of Lolo (or Eggerland) games, I've never been very good at them.

In fact, no matter which one I play, I only ever seem to get a handful of levels in before I bail because I become hopelessly stuck.

That includes, of course, the game that's the focus of this blog post, 1994's Lolo no Daibouken (Lolo's Great Adventure, basically).



Thankfully, I was pretty sure that would be the case when I bought the copy that provided me with the instruction manual you see here.

Speaking of this manual, it was one of the main reasons I picked up Lolo no Daibouken. So many Japanese GameBoy instruction booklets have blown me away in recent years; surely this one would continue that trend, right?



Sadly, I can't say it does. The Lolo no Daibouken manual is by no means a dud, but it's also not as fabulous as I expected it to be.



It certainly gets off to a good start, with the beautiful cover that can be seen in the first scan above.



After that, though, there's nary an illustration of Lolo or Lala to be found--other than the one that appears in the upper-left corner of nearly every page.



That's quite a missed opportunity on the part of publisher Imagineer, if you ask me. I can't help but wonder if the manual that accompanied the game's European release, which was published by Nintendo in 1995, is better in this regard or if it's similarly disappointing.



Oh, well, at least readers get to ogle a bunch of rose-tinged screenshots, right?



I say that somewhat facetiously, although I've also got to admit some of the screen grabs that are used near the end of the Lolo no Daibouken manual are pretty darn nice.



Unsurprisingly, perhaps, I like the ones of the game's enemies the best. Still, I would've preferred seeing those baddies depicted using good old pen and ink.

Now that you've had a chance to take it all in, what do you think of the Lolo no Daibouken instruction manual? And what do you think of the game itself--if you've ever played it?

See also: previous 'Manual Stimulation' posts about Bubble Bobble Junior, Penguin Land, Snow Bros. Jr., and Tumblepop

I rarely buy mobile games, but I may make an exception for HAL Laboratory's Hataraku UFO

The above assumes the company best known for the Kirby series of platformers releases its first (I think?) mobile game outside of Japan, of course.

I have a feeling it will, though, as Hataraku UFO looks--and sounds--like a lot of fun based on the trailers that can be seen over on japanesenintendo.com.

In fact, I'd say the game looks like equal parts Kirby (the protagonist's design, in particular), Hayden Scott-Baron's Tumbledrop, and your average "claw crane" game.

Add in the fact that HAL's selling Hataraku UFO for just 480 Yen in Japan (about four bucks in North America)--with no in-app purchases--and you've got yourself a sure-fire winner. Or at least that's my view of the situation.

You know what I'd like even more than for this game to make its way to my region's App Store and Google Play Store? For HAL to expand on it a bit and release some sort of "deluxe" version for the Nintendo Switch.

Don't worry, I'm keeping my eyes peeled for Hataraku UFO to land on my shores regardless. Are any of you going to do the same now that you're aware of this adorable game's existence?

Manual Stimulation: Totsugeki! Ponkotsu Tank (GameBoy)

I knew going in that Totsugeki! Ponkotsu Tank's instruction manual would have a hard time topping its delightfully colorful cover art.

Did that slight lowering of expectations prompt me to like this Japanese GameBoy game's manual more than I would have otherwise? Perhaps.

I'm pretty sure I would have come around to loving it eventually, though, given the number of cute illustrations that are tucked inside of it.



Before we get to those, let's focus our attention on this manual's cover. Its three-tone aesthetic is nice, don't you think?

I also like that it offers up an expanded view of the art that graces the front side of Totsugeki! Ponkotsu Tank's outer box.



As for the cute illustrations I mentioned earlier, one example (the best of the bunch, really) can be seen in the above.

I don't know about you, but that clown tank (at least I think it's supposed to be a tank) on the left reminds me of Tumblepop's Japanese cover art.



Another adorable drawing appears on the second page of Totsugeki! Ponkotsu Tank's instruction booklet. Though small, it depicts the titular vehicle wearing a bow tie.

That would surprise me--if I didn't know the folks at HAL Laboratory made this GameBoy title.



Yes, the same company that's given the world the Adventures of Lolo, BoxBoy! and Kirby series also produced this short-lived gem. (It only has four levels.)



Don't take Totsugeki! Ponkotsu Tank's brevity as a sign that it or its North American counterpart (published here by now-defunct Electro Brain), Trax, should be avoided.

On the contrary, its snappy gameplay more than makes up for its lack of stages--or at least that's my personal opinion on the matter.



Do its outer box and instruction booklet also make up for this game's lack of content? I'd say so, but I'd also say it depends on how much you have to pay to obtain them (by buying a complete copy).

Have any of you played Trax or Totsugeki! Ponkotsu Tank? If so, what do you think of the game? And what do you think of its Japanese manual?

See also: previous 'Manual Stimulation' posts about Bubble Bobble Junior, BurgerTime Deluxe, Ghostbusters 2 and Snow Bros. Jr.

Aural Gratification #5: 'Sea City' from Kirby: Planet Robobot (3DS)

I'm showcasing "Sea City" here because it's my favorite of all the songs that have wafted through my ears in the last week or so while playing Kirby: Planet Robobot.

(In case you forgot, I recently bought copies of Kirby's latest 3DS adventure and Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World as a reward for finishing Dragon Quest VII.)

Speaking of Planet Robobot, I've already put more than nine hours into its ample story mode. (I've also spent a good few minutes with its quest-centric "Team Kirby Clash" mode, which is surprisingly fun for something so light and superficial.)



That was just enough time for me to get all the way to and even defeat the game's final boss. I still have a way to go before I fully beat all of the stages leading up to that point, though. (I've found all of the "Code Cubes," which are needed to gain access to bosses and to unlock bonus levels, in the game's first three worlds, and I've found enough of them in Planet Robobot's later stages to earn an overall completion rate of 65 percent.)

Regardless, I've had a blast with this 3DS platformer. The "Robobot Armor" alluded to in the title probably is my favorite aspect of the game at this point, although I also adore a couple of the new copy abilities (doctor and ESP) made available to Kirby this go around.

Have any of you played Kirby: Planet Robobot? If so, what did you think of it? Also, how would you compare it to other Kirby games you've experienced (especially, say, Triple Deluxe)?

See also: previous 'Aural Gratification' posts

A few thoughts on a trio of just-released 3DS eShop titles (Unholy Heights, BoxBoxBoy! and The Battle Cats POP!)

It's been quiet around these parts the last week or two, I know. There's a reason for that: I've been on vacation!

Normally I prep a few posts in advance so no one can tell I'm away, but that wasn't possible this time around. Oh, well, what's done is done. Plus, that's all in the past now, as I'm home again--and ready to get back to blogging about games.

Specifically, I'm ready to write about the three 3DS games I spent time with while holed up (not really) in a mountain cabin outside of Asheville, North Carolina last week. 

My original plan was to put a good dent in a number of other 3DS and even DS carts--namely Chrono Trigger, Contact, Final Fantasy Explorers and Return to PopoloCrois--during this getaway, but that went out the window when I stupidly left all of them at home.

So, while the above-mentioned cabin still had WiFi (it only lasted a couple of days--harrumph), I bought and downloaded a trio of recently released digital 3DS titles that have intrigued me since they were first announced. The titles in question: Unholy Heights, BoxBoxBoy! and The Battle Cats POP!

Here's what I think of each of these bite-sized gaming experiences after putting a handful of hours into them.

The Battle Cats POP!--I was pretty darn skeptical about this PONOS-developed game before I first experienced it for myself.

Why? Well, for starters,  it's $9.99. To me, that's a lot for a digital title with a questionable amount of depth or content. Also, its art style is ... interesting. And I don't necessarily mean that in a good way--or at least I didn't before I was given a chance to appreciate it in context.

Once I began playing this tower defense title, though, its weird aesthetics made perfect sense. (Or maybe I should say they made as much sense as is possible for a game that features armies of felines who fight each other for some reason that's currently slipping my mind.) On top of that, it was so much fun I completely forgot I dropped nearly $10 to add it to my 3DS' home menu.

Based on what's showcased in this trailer, even more thrilling wackiness is in store for me if I continue to plug away at it--and I can guarantee that's the current plan. 

BoxBoxBoy!--I'll be honest here: despite the fact that I liked a lot of what the original BoxBoy! offered, I've yet to finish it. Although I'd like to say that's because some other game stole away my attention, in reality it's because I lost interest in it.  I

t seems almost criminal to say that, but it's true. For me, there's just something lacking in these HAL Laboratory-made platformers. They look, sound and--most importantly, in my mind--feel great, no question, but they also lack cohesion. Levels are almost painfully short, and they rarely seem to build on one another. (A skill or trick you learn in one may only be used in the next stage or two.)

Admittedly, BoxBoxBoy! offers more depth than its predecessor, and it's also less obsessed with handholding, but even then it doesn't completely solve the earlier game's issue of not being altogether enticing. 

Unholy Heights--Another tower defense game? Yes, but this one differs enough from The Battle Cats POP! that owning both isn't a completely terrible idea.

If you only have the funds to buy one of them (Unholy Heights is $3.99 cheaper than The Battle Cats POP!), though, I'd personally recommend picking up this Mebius-developed title, which shoves you into the shoes of a devilish landlord tasked with attracting monstrous tenants to protect his not-so-humble abode. I

t takes a while to get into, I've got to say, but once it clicks it does so in a way that makes it difficult to put down. Helping matters are Unholy Heights' chuckle-worthy text, appealingly drawn graphics and surprisingly deep--not to mention addictive--gameplay.

Just be sure you're in a patient state of mind when you boot it up, as there are times when the action flows like molasses (even when it's set to fast-forward). 

Have you played any of these games? If so, share your impressions of them in the comments section below. 

The Great Gaymathon Review #71: Hoshi no Kirby (GameBoy)

Game: Hoshi no Kirby

Genre: Platformer

Developer: HAL Laboratory

Publisher: Nintendo

System: GameBoy

Release date: 1992

It may be hard to believe given my current love of cute games, but my first experience with a Kirby game didn't come until I eagerly picked up a copy of the DS-based spin-off known in my neck of the woods as Canvas Curse.

Which means, of course, that I was about 13 years late to that pink, puffy party. (The title we're chatting about here, which was Kirby's maiden voyage--or whatever the gaming equivalent of that ages-old phrase may be--first hit store shelves back in 1992.)

Why did I ignore Hoshi no Kirby (aka Kirby's Dream Land) for so darn long? I owned a GameBoy system and a whole slew of GB games at the time this cart was released in my region, after all, so adding it to my collection shouldn't have been out of the question. Sadly, the only answer I can come up with at the moment is that it looked a tad too easy for my liking.

Even then, it seems, I couldn't understand the point of a cakewalk platformer. I mean, really, who wants to stroll through a side-scrolling action game that refuses to put up an adequate fight? Not me, that's for sure.

And so I turned my nose up at Hoshi no Kirby--until I played and loved Canvas Curse. Actually, it took longer than that for me to give this portable effort a chance, as I didn't dive into it until after Kirby's Epic Yarn extracted its flannel-tipped claws from the depths of my soul sometime in 2010 or 2011.

At any rate, I eventually acquired a copy of Hoshi no Kirby--and quickly fell in love with it, too. Which is a good thing, as this particular Kirby adventure doesn't last very long. In fact, its five or so worlds and their respective bosses can be toppled in about 25 minutes if you can keep yourself from dillydallying.

Strangely, coming face to face with that truth didn't bother as much as I thought it would, and my only explanation for that is Hoshi no Kirby is so damn cute, and its titular protagonist is such a joy to control, that it's hard not to put aside your usual prejudices and instead focus on having fun when you pop its cartridge into your trusty GameBoy.

Does that mean I consider this initial iteration of the Kirby formula--which is what I imagine Super Mario Bros. would be like if it had been made by kids, what with its cartoonish, dream-like focus on manipulating Kirby's gaping maw to inhale baddies and float above the earth--to be portable perfection in black and white? Not hardly.

A case in point: although Hoshi no Kirby is a total, grin-inducing hoot to play through, there's no denying its brevity--even when a second, slightly more difficult adventure is offered up on a pixelated platter at the tail end of the first. Also, there's no question that this Kirby escapade feels a bit "bare bones" when compared to pretty much every other game that stars this pink puffball.

That's not enough for me to give this game whatever my version of a "thumbs down" would be, though, especially considering both physical and digital copies of it can be picked up for less than $10 these days. Back when it was a new release and cost a couple of times that amount? Sure, why not. But here in 2015, the only reason I can come up with that would prompt me to recommend someone not buy this gem of a platformer is if they already own it in some form or fashion.

See also: previous 'Great Gaymathon' reviews

In honor of Satoru Iwata, here's my most recent contribution to #CIBSunday

I don't often contribute to the social-media phenomenon that is #CIBSunday, but I decided to make an exception today because I recently acquired a copy of Mother 2 for the Super Famicom and showcasing a few photos of its beautifully minimalist packaging here seemed like an appropriate thing to do given the recent passing of Satoru Iwata, who helped whip this classic RPG into shape back when he worked for HAL Laboratory.



As for what took me so long to add this brilliant game to my collection, well, a big part of the story is that my initial plan was to buy a complete-in-box copy of the North American release, which of course is known as EarthBound. In the end, though, setting aside $300 or more for such a purchase was a bit too much for me to swallow, so I put my dreams of owning some form of this classic RPG on the back burner and turned my attention to other titles that would be far easier to obtain.

I returned to this quest a month or so ago after I came across (while perusing eBay, naturally) the copy of Mother 2 that can be seen in the snapshots shared throughout this post. That was mainly due to the fact this particular copy was cheaper than most of the ones that make their way onto the auction site these days, but it also was due to me figuring I've learned enough Japanese by now to stumble my way through Shigesato Itoi's eclectic adventure in its native language.

Anyway, enough about that. The stars of this post are the lovely box, cartridge and instruction manual that make up the entire Mother 2 package. Personally, I'm not sure which element I love the most--the outer box, with its iconic logo, or the inside of the aforementioned manual, which includes some of the most wonderful clay models you're likely to come across in the gaming world.  

Mother 2's cart label (below) is pretty awesome, too, of course.

Sadly, it'll probably be a while before I stick this cartridge into an actual SNES or Super Famicom and give it a go. After all, I don't own either of those consoles at the moment--or at least I don't have one with me here in Seattle. An old SNES is sitting in a closet in my parents' house back in Madison, Wisconsin, but I won't be able to get my mitts on it until at least Christmas.



Sure, I could use this as an opportunity to, at long last, pitch in and pick up a Super Famicom Jr.--a system I've wanted for ages--before then, but the reality is I'll probably just wait until the holidays so I can spend that money on some other game-related treasure that catches my eye in the coming months.

What all of that said, what do you think of this game's packaging, or what do you think of the game itself? Share all of the lurid details in the comments section below, if you're the sort who's open to such things.

R.I.P. Satoru Iwata

I had a different post, about a game that's sure to interest at least a few folks who frequent this blog but is far from important (especially in grand scheme of things), all lined up to be published today, but then I heard that Satoru Iwata, who has served as Nintendo's president since 2002, had passed away.

In light of that sad, shocking news, I decided to move things around a bit and instead publish this too-brief post about the man who has, along with Shigeru Miyamoto, personified Nintendo for the last 10 to 15 years.

All that's known about Iwata's untimely passing at the moment is what the company shared in a simple note on its Japanese website last night:



"Nintendo Co., Ltd. deeply regrets to announce that President Satoru Iwata passed away on July 11, 2015 due to a bile duct growth."

Iwata's career in the gaming world began long before he took the reins at Nintendo, of course. First he worked for HAL Laboratory and helped produce titles like Balloon Fight, Hoshi no Kirby (Kirby's Adventure) and EarthBound.



In 1993, 10 years after Iwata started at the Tokyo-based Nintendo affiliate, he was named its president.

Seven years later, he joined Nintendo to head up its corporate planning division, and in 2002, Iwata succeeded Hiroshi Yamauchi in the company's corner office.

With all of that said, I'd just like to reiterate the message that makes up this post's headline: rest in peace, Mr. Iwata. You will be missed, and you will be remembered.

Anyone up for a few more photos of Totsugeki! Ponkotsu Tank's box, manual and cartridge?

I know I just published a post about this fantastic (if disappointingly succinct) GameBoy title on Friday, but that write-up didn't feature enough photos of its fabulous box, instruction manual or cartridge for my liking.



So, I took a few additional snapshots of all three of those elements over the weekend, and the results of that hard work (not really) can be seen above and below.

I especially like the piece of art that's featured on the cover of Totsugeki! Ponkotsu Tank's instruction manual, although I'd kill to see it in full color à la the front of game's box.

The illustration that graces the instruction manual's first page (below) is similarly grin-inducing, if you ask me.

Totsugeki! Ponkotsu Tank's manual features a few more illustrations that impress, so I'll be sure to scan the whole she-bang sometime this week and showcase it in an upcoming installment of my on-again-off-again "Manual Stimulation" series.



As for the photo above, well, I took it--and I'm sharing it here--simply because I was surprised that it depicts the game's name in romanized Japanese (aka romaji).

See also: Another Year of the GameBoy: Totsugeki! Ponkotsu Tank

Another Year of the GameBoy: Totsugeki! Ponkotsu Tank (aka Trax)

With HAL Laboratory--purveyor of such fine video-game products as the Adventures of Lolo series, the Kirby series and the Mother series--back in the headlines the world over thanks to its recently released 3DS puzzler-platformer, BOXBOY!, I thought now would be the perfect time to chat about this little-known, HAL-made gem from 1991, which was re-named Trax when it was localized for the North American market.

If you've never heard of this particular GameBoy cart, let alone actually played it, here's a breviloquent rundown of what it has to offer: it's a four-stage, top-down, free-scrolling shmup that plops players into the driver's seat of an adorable, bouncy-looking tank.

Controlling said tank is accomplished using the GameBoy's directional pad--which allows the spherical vehicle to scoot about each level with surprising ease--as well as its A and B buttons. Pressing the former rotates (in a clockwise fashion) the tank's turret, uh, whatever half of 45 degrees is, while pressing the latter launches some sort of bomb, bullet or shell at anything and anyone in your path.

Sure, the distinct lack of playfields included in this portable title is a terrible disappointment, but in the same breath, I have to admit the experience doesn't suffer due to that limitation as substantially as you may think.

In fact, Totsugeki! Ponkotsu Tank is a lot like the aforementioned Kirby games in that it's hardly the deepest of experiences, but it's such a blast to play that you probably won't waste much time whining about that fact after blowing through the content that's on offer.

On a related note, the only piece of criticism I feel like leveling at Totsugeki! Ponkotsu Tank at the moment is that the designers and developers at HAL Laboratory were perhaps a bit too buttoned-up when they conjured up this cartridge's visuals. Don't get me wrong, the graphics here are nice and clean, but where's the whimsy? I would've killed for a stage that, say, dropped players into the middle a carnival or forced them to climb Mt. Fuji.

Oh, well, even in its current, semi-conservative--for the makers of the Kirby and Mother series, especially--state, Totsugeki! Ponkotsu Tank is a joy to behold. Plus, at least its packaging displays a bit of playfulness. Take a gander at the illustration (pulled from the game's instruction manual) of the bow-tied tank in the photo above for just one example.

Have any of you spent time with this fine (in the opinion of yours truly, of course) GameBoy title? If so, what do you think of it? Feel free to share your opinions in the comments section that follows.

See also: previous 'Another Year of the GameBoy' posts

Shall We Do It? (BOXBOY! plus more Danganronpa and My World, My Way)

I may have only added one new game to my "now playing" roster in the last couple of weeks, but that title--Nintendo's BOXBOY!--has proven to be quite a thrill, so at least my precious time hasn't been at all wasted.

Along with the above-mentioned 3DS effort, I've also put some additional time into two games I slobbered over in my last installment of "Shall We Do It?"--the cult-ish, Vita-based visual novel, Danganronpa, and the oddly endearing DS RPG known in this neck of the woods as My World, My Way. (Elsewhere, which in this case means Japan, it's known as Sekai wa Atashi de Mawatteru, a phrase that apparently translates to something like The World Revolves Around Me.)

Here are a smattering of my thoughts on each of these captivating titles:

BOXBOY! (3DS)--In the hours and days since I bought and downloaded HAL Laboratory's BOXBOY!, a just-released 3DS eShop title, I've spent a good bit of time with it. 

Actually, I've only sunk about two-and-a-half hours into this intriguing puzzler-platformer thus far, but that's been enough for me to get to its eighth world (each world is stuffed with five or more stages), so I'm not about to punish myself for not giving it an acceptable amount of attention.



In conquering those 35 or 40 bite-sized stages, by the way, I've experienced a surprisingly broad array of gameplay elements, although all of them are showcased within similar set pieces--monochromatic, minimalistic affairs that wouldn't have looked out of place during the GameBoy "era."

Anyway, the aforementioned variety definitely is the main thing that's keeping me glued to my digital copy of BOXBOY! at the moment. There's simply a depth to what you can do with this game's protagonist, or to what you can make the protagonist do, that makes the overall experience a grin-inducing blast.

All the said, one slight piece of criticism I'd lay at the otherwise gorgeous feet of BOXBOY! is that I'm not sure I'll ever return to it after I complete it. Of course, the same could be said of the majority of the games I've played over the years, and this one cost me just a couple of bucks (as opposed to many times that), so maybe that won't seem like such a big deal when all is said and done.

Danganronpa (Vita)--Considering how much I loved my first hour or two with this dark Vita adventure, I assumed it would basically take over my life for the next couple of weeks. That didn't happen, surprisingly enough, although I think the addition of BOXBOY! to my ever-growing list of "now playing" titles had a little something to do with it.

Still, I've continued to kind of methodically plug away at it, and over the last few nights I've devoted two or three more hours to its nail-biting story.



I have a feeling I'll devote even more time to it in the coming week, as Danganronpa really turned up the drama dial during my last 60-minute-or-so stint with it, and now I'm chomping at the bit, so to speak, to get back to it and see how things pan out for the colorful cast that sits at the center of this title.

I've still yet to experience any of Danganronpa's trial segments, by the way--though I know one is going to be forced on me shortly--so it'll be interesting to discover how they manage to change things up.

Hopefully I'll be able to chat about that in my next installment of this series.

My World, My Way (DS)--Despite the love I expressed for this quirky, Atlus-published RPG in my last few posts about it, I basically gave it the cold shoulder after I started BOXBOY! and Danganronpa.

Thankfully, that only lasted for about a week, and a few days ago I started playing it again in earnest. Well, maybe I shouldn't say "in earnest," as I've only put about two more hours into it in the last couple of days, but considering this time last week I was worried I'd never play it again, I'd say a two additional hours is worth at least a mini-celebration.



As for how far I was able to progress during those two hours, the CliffsNotes version is that I made it through two more of the game's rather miniscule maps--which, as I believe I've mentioned in earlier posts about My World, My Way, usually contain a town, an exit gate (which allows you to access the next map location) and somewhere between 20 and 30 or so "overworld tiles" that can be traversed, step by step (almost like you would in a board game), and which offer up enemy encounters, items and the like.

My World, My Way's still pretty darn repetitive, by the way, but I can't say I'm all that bothered by it. In large part, I think that's because the game does an excellent job of throwing new environments, baddies and abilities at you right around the time you begin to feel bored with the existing ones.

A case in point: shortly after I gained access to My World, My Way's desolate desert zone, I was introduced to a new pout ability that allowed me to produce unique areas called "southern islands." These map-altering creations feature sandy beaches, crystal-blue waters and even breaching whales--as well as a couple of curious-looking enemy types that only can be encountered while within their borders.

For whatever reason, all of the above have re-ignited my interest in this weird role-playing game--which is a very good thing indeed, as I have a feeling I'm still a considerable distance from its credit roll.

See also: previous 'Shall We Do It?' posts

Manual Stimulation: Ghostbusters 2 (GameBoy)

There are all sorts of reasons to like HAL Laboratory's Ghostbusters 2 for the GameBoy. This Japan-only title features some surprisingly unique--and fun, for the most part--gameplay and also sports some pretty snazzy packaging (see photos of it in this previous post).

Best of all, in my not-so-humble opinion, is the instruction manual that was included with every copy back when the game was first released in 1990.



Its first few pages aren't anything to write home about, although I'd hardly call its cover imagery disappointing.



The fifth page is where the Ghostbuster 2 manual hits its stride, thanks in large part to the juxtaposition of the film's in-character stars with their in-game, pixelated counterparts.



Is it me, or is the 8-bit-ified Dana Barrett (Sigourney Weaver's character) the worst of the bunch? Also, who--or what--on earth is that "thing" in the upper-right corner supposed to be? Creepy, regardless.



And here we have two of the manual's best pages. It looks like they detail the game's three stages? I've yet to get to the third one, I have to admit, so I can't say it for sure, but I'm pretty sure that's the case.



Don't you just love the screenshot included in the right-hand page below? Those sure were the days, weren't they--when companies literally had to snap photos of their games running on TV screens if they wanted to show off their wares in instruction manuals or elsewhere.



Behold, my favorite Ghostbusters 2 enemy: the little blob-like thing shown in the screenshots on the left. How could such an adorable creature be "bad"?