Showing posts with label Toki Tori. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Toki Tori. Show all posts

Monday, August 7, 2023

Toki Tori Review (Nintendo Switch)

August 07, 2023 0 Comments

Toki Tori was originally about two decades ago in 2001 on the Game Boy Color, before seeing re-masters of sorts appear on the Wii and Wii U etc... I actually had my first encounter with this game on device called the Palm in the mid 2000s.


So imagine my delight when I got the Nintendo Switch and saw it on the e-shop... on sale! Of course I had to get it and relive my childhood.


It's a very rewarding yet challenging and fun puzzle game. You are tasked with guiding Toki Tori around 5 worlds and their multiple levels. To complete each level and progress to the next, you need to collect all of the eggs. All of this is to be accomplished with a set number of moves and abilities such as building bridges, freezing the enemies, and using blocks, bubble or teleportation etc... 

The first world is relatively simple and with each world and level you get introduced to new abilities. Of course the more you progress, the more challenging it becomes and solving the puzzle really takes some brain power. Thankfully there are videos online to help you out if you do get stuck on  certain levels and it gets somewhat frustrating as you find yourself sort on one bridge or teleport move to complete the level.


One of the features I love is the rewind button by simply pressing the 'Y' Button! This saves time having to restart the level all over again and you can just continue from where you think you made a mistake. It does bring the frustration level down a little but then having to start again from the beginning: you get to trial run some of the moves and redo them to get the right path to collect all the eggs.

There are 5 worlds which offer a set of regular levels. Once you have cleared the regular levels, the 'hard' and 'bonus' levels are unlocked. Both of these advanced levels are even more challenging and makes you really think out of the box, giving the most well-practiced puzzle experts a brain workout for sure. 


From World 2 onwards, there's a Wildcard option which enables you to pass on to the next level. You can only use this once and once you've spent it  you will need to complete the particular level it was used on in the future to have it returned to you. Of course there is the other alternative to search Google and find the solution online to see what you missed out. 


Toki Tori's difficulty is hard but rewarding when you manage to solve the puzzles: it forces you to plan out and execute each move to exact precision and timing, the wrong move could jeopardize the whole flow which results in a failed level. Unlike other puzzle games which are tricky due to infuriating mechanics which are out of your control, in Toki Tori you have more control per se. 


Some levels are relatively easy but others, especially as you progress, makes you wonder if it actually can be solved or not. The satisfaction comes from having solved or realizing what was the critical step to solve the level. Yes, even if you play cheat and find the solution from the countless of videos available on the internet it is still satisfying. 

Not only are the graphics and animation easy on the eyes, the soundtrack is adorable and catchy! So even if you are stuck on a certain level, it helps to soothe the frustration somewhat. 


Verdict: 4.5/5

Toki Tori is an adorably charming game which is fun and tricky at the same time. It really gives your brain a workout and the sense of satisfaction and accomplishment when is complete each level is indescribable: it's like you feel you gain more intelligence with each level you complete as you are forced  come up with perfect solutions throughout the game. 

It's totally worth the money, more so when it is one sale on the Nintendo e-shop.


So if you love yourself a good puzzle game, or simply want to have it on the Nintendo Switch, you should get it! 

Sunday, June 19, 2022

Toki Tori 2+ Getting Started Guide: The Basics

June 19, 2022 0 Comments
Welcome to my little guide on Toki Tori 2+

Basics

Let's start with the basics, throughout the game you only have 2 move sets (well, 3 if you count moving):
  1. Chirping: used to to attract animals in the direction you want them to be /go. You can also chirp different melodies which do certain things (more on that later on).
  2. Stomping: used to repel animals or move them to where you want to be. This move is also used to break platforms and push down pillars.


Melodies

Melodies are used are consecutive sequences of chirps which results in special effects. There are 2 types of chirps, Long (L) and Short (S) Notes.

Here are the melodies you can use in the game:

  • Finder (LSSS): This points towards any collectibles on the screen. If none appear, then you got them all in that screen!
  • Camera (LSLS): This summons a camera which you use to take pictures of animals and things which are then added to your Tokidex. Complete it, and something good will happen!
  • Map (LLSSLL): This brings up the world map and it comes in handy when you need to orientate your sense of direction.
  • Eagle (SSLSSL): This melody allows you to fast travel. It is only usable at a checkpoint. However, you can only land at obelisks.
  • Rewind (SSLL): This is the "Restart Checkpoint" option. Anything you did between that point and the last checkpoint will NOT be saved. You'd have to re-do it all over again. So this should be your very last resort!     


Walkthrough Gameplay

If you need a walkthrough or guide to complete the game, I found this cool collection on Youtube which I use as a reference too from time to time as the game can be a little confusing.


So there you have all the basics you need to start you adventure!



Have you played the game yet and did you like it? Let us know in the comments below~!

~Comments, shares and follows are most definitely appreciated! 💬💞



Tuesday, May 3, 2022

Toki Tori 2+ on the Nintendo Switch

May 03, 2022 0 Comments

Toki Tori 2+ is a metroidvania game, which just means it’s is a sub-genre of action-adventure video games focused on non-linear and utility-gated exploration and progression: the player travels through a map to collect items and gain new abilities, both of which open up the world to further exploration.

You play a chicken tasked by 5 ancient frogs to travel the country to destroy the floating crystal endangering everything. With only 2 moves, whistling and stomp, puzzles are to be solved as you progress towards your goal.

Unlike most of the games with explicit instructions and clear tutorials. This game leaves it to you to explore and solve your own puzzles. It can get frustrating trying to figure out what to do and where to go, but the satisfaction from solving the puzzles is amazing. The puzzles strike a really good balance of difficulty by demanding the player to observe their surroundings and plan their moves without ever getting too frustrating (if it does, just take a break before coming back to it again).

When I started playing, I got stuck and had to reset progress at least 3 times. But it got better the more I played and discovered new areas. It’s a relaxing game… that is… once you’ve learned something about the ecosystem of other creatures you manipulate with the only 2 moves you have.

Rule of thumb: If you cannot solve the puzzle, move on in another direction, just take a break and come back to it later. As you progress, you learn new ways of doing things and you can then come back to those puzzles to solve them with the new knowledge you’ve acquired.

The game also has various features such as the Tokidex

The Tokidex

During gameplay, you can use a song to bring up the camera, which is controlled via controllers to take pictures of the creatures that appear in the world. For that you get rewarded for collecting pictures of every creature in the game.

For USD$14.99 (or even less at USD$3.59 when there’s sales on e-Shop), it’s worth it!
You can also just download the Demo to try it out before buying it.


Have you gotten yours yet and did you like it? Let us know in the comments below~!

~Comments, shares and follows are most definitely appreciated! 💬💞