PixlBit

A colorful and imaginative platformer on a system that's starving for them

The Neo Geo is known for its fighting games, and for good reason: 90% of the games for the console are fighting games! So I was excited to learn of a platformer on the system called Blue's Journey (it may be the only platformer on the system, but I'm not sure). Developed by Alpha Denshi and published by SNK, BJ was released for the Neo Geo in 1991 (the same year as such critical platformers Super Mario World and Sonic the Hedgehog).

The story is not important. Basically, Blue must save his planet from an evil emperor (you've seen it all before). The controls are explained right away, but they explain how to use the arcade controls (y'know, the joy stick and four buttons), which isn't helpful for a home console game. The text also moves so quickly that you can't read it unless you're a pro at speed reading, so basically, you have to figure out the controls on your own. However, they're simple: as Blue, you can shrink yourself, hit enemies (using deadly leaves!), and even pick up and throw enemies (after you've hit them). You can stack up multiple enemies and throw them all at once. That's really the main mechanic of the game: grabbing enemies and throwing them.

BJ is also two player. The second player will control Princess Fa, who is not an identical twin to Blue despite her character being a pallette swap of him. She can do anything Blue can do (making his amazing powers not so special). I have to emphasize that this is not a Mario game; the level design is not that creative, making the draw of the game more about throwing things than jumping on platforms. This is also not a Sonic game; speed is not important (although there is a time limit, but you'll never come close to running out of time).

Right away you'll notice that Blue is very small on the screen. The graphics are great, the game is very colorful, and the music is vibrant and interesting for the most part. The game is set in a fantasy setting (which is obvious from the weird creatures you'll face). Each planet is broken up into several levels, the last level ending with a boss fight. You can choose alternate routes between levels, giving the game some replayability. It's a good thing, too, because BJ is a really short game; you'll probably beat it in 30--45 minutes. It's also not a difficult game.

Blue only gets two hits before he dies, yet dying is never a problem for two main reasons: (1) you get unlimited continues, and (2) when you die, you always start at the exact spot you died or very close to it, even if you use a continue! That's right, you never have to start at the beginning of a level. Suffice to say, beating the game is not a problem. Believe me, I died many times (mainly because only two hits will kill you), but I had no problem progressing through the game.

Houses and shops will pop up in the levels. You can enter houses and talk to people, and you never know what to expect. One guy lets you use his boat to get across a river; another guy challenges you to a dual (he fights with leaves too); another guy helps you by chopping down a huge tree in your path. Shops are different; a sexy lady will sell you some stuff, but you only have 12 seconds to browse and choose what to buy. There's a time limit for everything in this game! The levels are timed, of course; when you enter houses and shops, you only have a few seconds; even choosing your next path between levels is timed to about eight seconds. All of this timing is no doubt due to the fact that BJ is an arcade port, but it's a little annoying for a home console game.

Throughout the levels, Blue can grab weapons and power-ups from flowers on the ground. Weapons include bombs and boomerangs, giving the game some variety. Power-ups such as  stronger leaves and invincibility are nice, although the game is so easy they seem unnecessary. You can also collect fruit for points. At the end of each level is a tower of bells; the goal is to jump and try to hit the top bell (similar to trying and hitting the top bar in Super Mario World). After you hit the bell, the tower bounces back and forth and some people sing happily (this is a weird game for sure!).

The controls are pretty good, although Blue can be a little slippery at times. There were times when he wouldn't jump when at the edge of a platform, causing him to fall right into a pit. Blue is also tricky to control under water, acting a little stiff when movement should be fluid. But overall, the controls are fine. The strangest thing about the game is that you cannot pause; once again, this is probably because it's an arcade port, and you can't pause some arcade games, but they could have added it for the home console version. Not being able to pause a video game is like not being able to stop your car at a red light; it's something that is very necessary! What if my house was on fire? Well, you get the point.

The bosses are fun, but they all require the same strategy: hit the enemies they throw at you, then pick them up and chuck them back at the boss. Do this several times and the boss screams in agony and jumps off the screen. They're not difficult; even the final boss is pathetically easy.

While Blue's stacking and throwing ability was used well throughout the game, I felt that his shrinking ability was under-used. Only four or five times throughout the entire game did I use it! It's not useful to use unless you have to squeeze in small spaces because you can't attack when you're small. But shrinking is not the main game mechanic, it just would have been nice to see it used more.

BJ has great charm and personality. The text is often humorous due to the wonky translation. After you beat a boss, a kid let's you enter the "lottery drewing." If you refuse to dual the guy who wants to fight, he'll say "So is that!" So is that what? A bad translation, that's what it is! But I can't hold this against the game because it was a common problem of games in the 90s. It's also hard to read the text because it moves so quickly; they hardly give you any time to read before it moves on! Blue's "journey" is a rushed one!

Final Verdict--4 Stars: Recommended

I know I was nitpicky, but BJ really has no major problems. It's a fun game that has charm and personality. The colorful setting and the exciting music certainly help a lot too. You can download this game on the Wii Virtual Console, and I would recommend it. Just don't expect a challenge because it's a really easy game. It's refreshing to see a platformer on a system that's filled with fighting games; for that Blue's Journey must be commended. Thank you, Blue!

Join me every Saturday as we take a look back at all kinds of retro games, good and bad.