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Ivy the Kiwi? |OT| of Helping Baby Birds

Volcynika

Member
HiKVQ.jpg


Summary

Pillowed on a pile of leaves in the middle of a dark forest, a baby bird is breaking out of a curious egg. Her bright orange head and beak poke out the top of a polka dot shell and she cries for her mother. The forest animals watch her curiously, but apart from them there is no one to claim her. Still trapped in the shell except for her head and feet, Ivy begins walking through the forest calling out for her mother. She meets many other kinds of birds but none are like her and she wanders searchingly for traces of her kind until she finds a glowing orange feather. With a clue now in beak Ivy sets out to follow the trail that will lead her to her mother.

Quick Details

Platforms: Wii / DS
Release Date: August 24th, 2010 (US)
MSRP: Wii Version: $29.99 | DS Version: $19.99
Publisher: XSEED Games
Rating: E for Everyone
Website: Official Ivy the Kiwi? Website

Features

• Newest Platformer From the Creator of Sonic the Hedgehog - Yuji Naka, best known as the creator of Sonic, introduces a new loveable character, Ivy, to the world.

• Unique Children’s Storybook-Style Presentation - Hand-drawn artwork that appears as if it has been lifted directly out of a children’s storybook bring a unique and beautiful presentation to the title.

• Gameplay Perfectly Suited for Nintendo DS and Wii - Players easily guide Ivy by drawing, swinging, and pulling on vines with the use of the Nintendo DS stylus or Wii Remote, across over 100 unique stages.

• Multiplayer Madness - Four Players can compete against each other via local networking on Nintendo DS or split-screen on Wii.

Boxart

2e5jwck.jpg
5oth7t.jpg


Screenshots

-Wii-

xcoc2h.jpg
2871jd.jpg

24c5b2b.jpg
e00qx2.jpg


-DS-

2v0bj1g.jpg
wam6me.jpg

2zhksch.jpg
6y2mix.jpg


Videos

-Wii-

-DS-

Japanese Trailer

Reviews

-Wii-

Joystiq: 4/5
1UP: B

-DS-

GamePro: 4/5
 

bon

Member
I'm psyched for this.

You can download a demo of the DS version from the Nintendo Channel. Try it out!
 
Definitely got my eye on this, but I'm not sure whether to go for the Wii or DS version. I'm thinking that the DS will have more precise controls, but it's tempting to play it on the big screen with the nicer visuals.
 

Volcynika

Member
bon said:
I'm psyched for this.

You can download a demo of the DS version from the Nintendo Channel. Try it out!

I think that was already removed from the Nintendo Channel, but I haven't verified.

From a post made on August 9th on their Facebook for it:

A demo for the DS version hit Wii Channel today!! It will be available through August 15, 2010 so download it and try it out before it's gone!
 
Nice, looks like I'll be picking this up. :eek:

fake edit?: why is it "ivy the kiwi?", i hope to uncover the answers to this question mark in the game a;lsjnfhl;mnghdk.hl;

but no, srsly :|
 
Volcynika said:
I think that was already removed from the Nintendo Channel, but I haven't verified.

From a post made on August 9th on their Facebook for it:
My Wii isn't online currently so I can't check, but in the past they've kept games up past the date they say the demo expires.
 

bon

Member
Volcynika said:
I think that was already removed from the Nintendo Channel, but I haven't verified.

From a post made on August 9th on their Facebook for it:
I just checked and it's still there. Says distribution ends on the 22nd, so it'll be up until at least tomorrow.
 

Eric C

Member
Wow, I didn't realize this is being released in just a few days.

I'm probably going to get the DS one, seems like it will have better controls.
 

Snuggles

erotic butter maelstrom
First I've seen of this, but the artstyle is very pretty. I can always use more platformers in my life so I'll check out the Wii version.
 

GhaleonQ

Member
Jive Turkey said:
That question mark pisses me off. Are the publishers unsure of the title?

It's basically this:
Areyoumymother.gif
except with death and vines instead of other animals.

Guess what?
There's an adorable happy ending.

The solutions, from what I've seen, look open-ended but, as a consequence, too easy. That's kind of Prope's thing, though.
 
Why are the screenshots so dark for the Wii version?

Also, I guess it's kinda like Canvas Curse which is why yall are so hyped for it?

Lol I killed her in the demo.

Meh I don't really like it. PASS. (I loved Canvas Curse)

The controls are really shitty.
 
Volcynika said:
I think that was already removed from the Nintendo Channel, but I haven't verified.

From a post made on August 9th on their Facebook for it:

What the fuck? Why would you pull down a demo? This makes my head hurt.


MidnightScott said:
Why are the screenshots so dark for the Wii version?

Also, I guess it's kinda like Canvas Curse which is why yall are so hyped for it?

Lol I killed her in the demo.

More Yuji Naka than anything.
 
MidnightScott said:
Why are the screenshots so dark for the Wii version?

Also, I guess it's kinda like Canvas Curse which is why yall are so hyped for it?

Lol I killed her in the demo.

Meh I don't really like it. PASS. (I loved Canvas Curse)

The controls are really shitty.
The controls are perfect, you're probably playing it wrong. You have to swing the vine around Ivy like a pendulum and give her a whack to increase her momentum/send her flying.
 

[Nintex]

Member
The fact that this game isn't published by SEGA makes me wonder if we ever hear from Yuji Naka again after this. I don't think Probe had many hits, if any.
 

Nemo

Will Eat Your Children
Holy crap that is a great art style

And then you have the gameplay, crazy! Reminds of that ol helicopter game for the gameboy where you had to move the blocks. Will buy!

edit, no EU release? booo
 
no EU release? booo

Rising Star is going to release it here in autumn.

This is on the buy list for me. Not sure why it didn't get any attention in the upcoming Wii releases thread. Gameplay looks solid and art style is Kirby's Epic Yarn level of charm.
 

Tailzo

Member
[Nintex] said:
The fact that this game isn't published by SEGA makes me wonder if we ever hear from Yuji Naka again after this. I don't think Probe had many hits, if any.
Wikipedia says this:
iPhone
Published under the iPrope label

* Let's Tap (2009)
* 10 Count Boxer (2009)
* Fluffy Bear (2009)
* Just Half (2010)

[edit] Nintendo DS

* Ivy the Kiwi? (2010)

[edit] Wii

* Let's Catch (2008)
* Let's Tap (2008)
* Ivy the Kiwi? (2010)

[edit] Windows Phone

* Ivy the Kiwi? (2009)

I have heard about let's tap and Ivy the kiwi. But other than that I have no idea.
 

Nemo

Will Eat Your Children
Herbspicesoy said:
Rising Star is going to release it here in autumn.

This is on the buy list for me. Not sure why it didn't get any attention in the upcoming Wii releases thread. Gameplay looks solid and art style is Kirby's Epic Yarn level of charm.
Oh cool, thanks bro. I have a bunch of Rising Star games on Wii. Good publisher!
 
Yuji Naka confirmed that the Wii version is the original version. They finished it but couldn't get it published if I recall, but then they made the DS version and half-way they started on the Mobile version, which of course they self-published, probably why that's the first one we saw, and the success(?) of it got Bandai Namco to sign on the other versions.

I have to wonder, it was reported that Naka was underway with an "Action game" for the Wii of sorts at the beginning, but during development he discovered that the Wiimote can pickup tap motions, thus Let's Tap was born.

Could Ivy be that Action game?

In other news, Naka confirmed in a few interviews that he's underway with two bigger projects, one which is an action game using a new control scheme of sorts, the other is based on a real-world activity.

In another interview he mentioned one is using a new animal character with a theme based on the sky.

My bets are this being the new control scheme game, OR perhaps it's sort of a Wing Island thing and it's the latter where it stars a bird flying an aircraft, could be a hang glider for all we know.

Edit: Unless he was trying to hide something, Ivy was NOT that original action game, it never made it to development:

http://play.tm/interview/23282/yuji-naka-on-let-s-tap-and-beyond/

You mentioned that the idea for Let's Tap originated while you were working on an action game. Does this game still exist or has it since been scrapped?

The game never made it to development and it's unlikely it'll ever come out.
 

zigg

Member
AniHawk said:
I think the DS one would be a lot easier to control.

In the short time I had to try it out at E3, I preferred the DS version, just because there's friction and feedback underneath the stylus.

I got the feeling the Wii version might have worked out really well with practice, though. It wasn't exactly troublesome, just not ideal.

Same game, in any event, except as I recall the Wii version also has co-op. Which was kinda chaotic.
 

vall03

Member
totally forgot that the game is coming out on the 24th and Im still playing DQIX and just starting Ys Seven! thank god the DS version is only $20!
 

Jive Turkey

Unconfirmed Member
GhaleonQ said:
It's basically this:
That's all well and good but "are you my mother?" is a question. Is the character a Kiwi? From the looks of it yes. Is the character's name Ivy? One would assume the answer to that is also yes. The question mark makes no sense.
 
Jive Turkey said:
That's all well and good but "are you my mother?" is a question. Is the character a Kiwi? From the looks of it yes. Is the character's name Ivy? One would assume the answer to that is also yes. The question mark makes no sense.

Apparently it makes sense once you finish the game.

I've only played the DS demo, but I liked what I played of it. The Wii version's controls do have one big advantage over the DS one though, you can delete the vines that you have drawn by pressing the B button (you can't do that on the DS one)
 
Meh I'm not going to jump into hype like I did so many times in the past and ended up with games I don't really like. RIP Ivy, sorry I didn't want to play with you.

Wish XSEED would grow a pair and ask Nintendo if they can bring over Reginleiv or something...
 

Tiktaalik

Member
Whoa I didn't realize that this was releasing so soon and I didn't even know about a DS version! I'll have to keep a closer eye on this.
 
I am going to wait and pick this up the week I get Metroid Other M and Valkyria Chronicles II, but I am pretty curious and somewhat excited to play it. The game does look pretty fun though. I am always down for quirky platformers. I'll post impressions in a few weeks I suppose.
 
I know they colorized the levels for the US release, I wonder if by any chance they included the original all-sepia look too. I doubt it, but it would be a nice extra.

• Newest Platformer From the Creator of Sonic the Hedgehog - Yuji Naka, best known as the creator of Sonic, introduces a new loveable character, Ivy, to the world.

That's really not the most appropriate way to phrase that.

Then again, a lot more people know Naka's name than Ōshima's, so technically it could be true he's "best known" for that.
 

Mush

6.0
How the fuck have I not heard of this game? And I'm a Kiwi myself golfham. I'm importing, for $20USD that's a bargain.
 
Nintendolife's reviews are up, both versions received a 9/10! The reviewer recommends the DS version over the Wii version due to the lower pricetag and slightly better controls.

In before Stumpokapow dismisses the reviews for failing to live up to his Pulitzer Prize-winning standards.
 

Boney

Banned
nincompoop said:
Posted in spoiler tags = not meant to be taken seriously.

I'm still not sure why you hate NintendoLife's reviews so much, though.
It's not that he hates them.. but they are pretty crappy reviews sometimes..
 
Eh, the ones I've read all seemed very informative and well-written. Maybe I've been reading the wrong reviews.

Anyway, lets get back on topic, shall we?
 
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