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[Tizoc]

FYI I've been planing this thread for a week now, and has nothing to do with Croc or Gex threads ;3 ...just don't castrate me over the grammar, point it out for me and I'll fix it @3@
...and let me know if I linked one too many YT vids >_>;



In December 1997, Namco introduced a new hero to the pantheon of Video Game Platform heroes: Klonoa. The first game, Door to Phantomile is considered among the first 2.5D games…to get it right. In Japan the series is known as Kaze no Klonoa.

Between 1997 and 2002, the Klonoa series had half a dozen games released on various platforms. Incidentally enough, this would be the ONLY period in which the Klonoa series had any new games released in Japan, until 2008/2009 when a remake for the 1st game was released to the Wii. The last known Klonoa games to be released in English are Dream Champ Tournament, which was released in 2005 for the GBA (it was released in Japan in 2002), and Klonoa Wii in 2009. The last Klonoa game released in Japan is Densetsu no Star Medal/Legendary Star Medal, which was released in December 2002, with the Wii remake releasing in 2008.

I personally own a copy of the Wii ver. and have beaten it and I really liked it. If you have a Wii, def. check it out as it’s a pretty good and for the most part, faithful remake and the graphics are very good, and it supports the classic controller.
Furthermore, Klonoa 1 is available on US PSN and will work on the Vita.

The Klonoa series recently got a webcomic which is pretty good and is drawn by Hitoshi Ariga (who drew Rockman manga series, and even if you didn't like his Rockman work, this comic is still great):
http://www.shiftylook.com/comics/klonoa/dreams-and-adventures

Hardcore Gaming did a write-up on the Klonoa series-
hardcoregaming101.net/klonoa/klonoa.htm

…but here’s take a quick rundown of the Klonoa games that were released over the years:

Klonoa: Door to Phanotmile
Released to the Playstation/PSX on December 1997 in Japan and in 1998 in Europe and USA.
It got a remake that was released for the Nintendo Wii on December 2008 in Japan, with its English release being May 2009.

Kaze no Klonoa: Moonlight Museum
Released to the Wonderswan on May 1999, in Japan only.
This game set the basis for how the later GBA games played.

Klonoa 2: Lunatea's Veil
Released to the PS2 in 2001, first in Japan then months later in English
The game, sadly, is not available on PSN yet.

Klonoa: Empire of Dreams
Released to the GBA in 2001 for Japan and US, Europe got it in 2002

Klonoa Beach Volleyball
Released in 2002 to the PSX in Japan and Europe only
Supports 4 player, and I rather want to play it if only for being a Klonoa game >_>;

Klonoa 2: Dream Champ Tournament
Released for the GBA in Japan on August 2002, US release was in 2005
Introduced Gantz who would appear with Klonoa in Namco x Capcom.

Klonoa Heroes: Densetsu no Star Medal
Released for the GBA in December 2002 (series’ 5th anniversary~) in Japan only.
Introduces Pango and is an action RPG game, though based on HCG’s article it isn’t that good, sadly.

Here are links to some amazing tracks from the 1st game. I gotta say the people who worked on the music did a fantastic job of making the music tell you that you’re playing in a mystical world.
Baladium's drive: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhsZLk2ctTU
Untamed Heart: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1XwmILHOYk
Windmill Song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2MMoqE9P_c
Mine of Lights: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1OO1KdBqGpw
Jugpot Falls: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3zRBWTZLRs
Blue Cave Echo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9lOa4JOUqU
Red Heat Coronia: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0MEpCPehgM
Nevertheless: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyXaYMvRtf4
Dawn over dawn & Dark into dark: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtpWFt4njCc
Inquisitive Waltz: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOp8VKOYfuY
Ghazzaland: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kq9xIZhWeVk
Priamill: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqD2q81IdtM

Klonoa OSTs on iTunes:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/klonoa-door-to-phantomile/id420361558
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/klonoa-2-lunateas-veil-music/id425590279
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/klonoa-heros-legendary-star/id425480681


…and here are some remixes:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EAXuyPd0jY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7pPPLUzvCo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SzmwGEvGY3g
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Grk3_FFmpYs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuZYjSuFncI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6NjSBR0xH8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dE5cBtM8Q7U
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTaLb4f5u-A
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAdq0rcP1lo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMYx94VyAwE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZkz2Rgoa0g


*Vision Clear theme*

 

[Takao]

And now Klonoa is dead.

 

[Tagg9]

Fantastic series. I remember playing Klonoa 2 over and over again on PS2. Wonderful visuals, great 2D gameplay. There wasn't much not to like.

What I wouldn't give for a third entry!

 

[thetrin]

Lunatea's Veil is still the best game in the series, imo. Don't try to correct me!

 

[ActStriker]

RIP

 

[Kazerei]

I actually preferred the GBA games, since they had a heavier emphasis on puzzles.

 

[sixteen-bit]

I have the 1st GBA one. Not really my cup of tea to be honest.

 

[Hero of Legend]

Loved it on Wii! I wanted Klonoa 2 to be remade for Wii SO BADLY! :'(

I'm hoping we'll get a Wii U HD collection with the Wii game and a Wii-grade remake of Klonoa 2. Put him in Smash 4, that will get him known for sure, ala Fire Emblem.

 

[Napalm_Frank]

I for one didn't feel sad at the ending at all. No siree!

Really simple platformers but they more than make up for it in the charm. Actually I'll go so far to say the story elements and charm are absolute best in the genre when it comes to the first game.

 

[krae_man]

Moonlight Museam is my favorite of the series. The level progression is just perfect. First you need a block to complete a puzzle, then an enemy, then both a block and an enemy. Then a fan is introduced, then a block and a fan... Love it so much.

Those GBA games can take a hike however, especially the second one. I hate the scrolling levels it's way too easy to miss gems and the completionist in me wants to collect them all. The up and down scrolling snowboarding ones especially, it was way too easy to miss the gems.

 

[Dark Octave]

And now Klonoa is dead.

The good die young.

I've never played a full Klonoa but I have always been fond of the character and what little I know of it's world.

 

[Tizoc]

Fantastic series. I remember playing Klonoa 2 over and over again on PS2. Wonderful visuals, great 2D gameplay. There wasn't much not to like.

What I wouldn't give for a third entry!

Depends on what you mean by a 'third entry', as the game's continuity is a bit strange primarely because non of the games are connected

Spoiler

due to Klonoa forgetting the events of the adventures he had in the dream worlds he visits, so for all intents and purposes, MM and Empire of Dreams can count as sequels

 

[WeaponKnight]

Klonoa Beach Volleyball
Released in 2002 to the PSX in Japan and Europe only
Supports 4 player, and I rather want to play it if only for being a Klonoa game >_>;

My favorite volleyball game right here. Loved playing it with 4 players, and you only need 2 controllers: each player uses one hand, with the analogues controlling the character and shoulder buttons for the actions.

 

[FrostuTheNinja]

Klonoa lived hard and fast.

The GameCube revision of the original is pretty great. One of the best platformers on the system. I think I still have both GBA Klonoa games, as well.

What a great little series and character. Wish Namco would've given him a full 3D platformer. Could've been awesome.

 

[Tizoc]

^I must've missed something here as non of the games were released to the GC ^_^;

Lunatea's Veil is still the best game in the series, imo. Don't try to correct me!

OK =3

And now Klonoa is dead.

RIP

The good die young.

You people...are weird, next you'll be telling me every fighting game from SNK that isn't SamSho or KoF is dead.

 

[Steve McQueen]

Awesome gameseries....Please Sony.... Bring all titles to Vita and while you're at it... "HD" graphics please.

 

[Ahasverus]

Dead things don't celebrate birthdays.

 

[Aeana]

I really, really, really love Klonoa 1 and especially its remake. Also a pretty big fan of the first one on GBA. I just did not like what they did with Klonoa 2 one bit. They added all kinds of dumb friend characters, and way too much story stuff -- there are even locations on the map that serve only to show a story scene, which blew my mind. The addition of the mini-game type stages also was completely unwelcome. The second GBA game bugs me because of the inclusion of all of the crappy friend characters too. :\

 

[DrFunk]

Dat Klonoa 1 ending

 

[Takao]

Awesome gameseries....Please Sony.... Bring all titles to Vita and while you're at it... "HD" graphics please.

That's Namco Bandai's call. I think at best you'll get a PS2 Classic release of Klonoa 2. I'd buy a Klonoa HD Collection for PS3, or Vita that was a port of Klonoa Wii (which I bought day 1 so don't ban me bro) and Klonoa 2 but like that will sell 10 copies.

 

[Meccanical]

OP you so silly, dead things don't age.

 

[Combichristoffersen]

I really, really, really love Klonoa 1 and especially its remake. Also a pretty big fan of the first one on GBA. I just did not like what they did with Klonoa 2 one bit. They added all kinds of dumb friend characters, and way too much story stuff -- there are even locations on the map that serve only to show a story scene, which blew my mind. The addition of the mini-game type stages also was completely unwelcome. The second GBA game bugs me because of the inclusion of all of the crappy friend characters too. :\

So they basically turned Klonoa into modern Sonic :|

Still have Klonoa 1 on my PS3. Need to finish it sometime.

 

[Diggeh]

The GBA games were amazing. Really wish they'd pop up on the 3DS eShop.

Spoiler

Or any non-ambassador GBA games for that matter.

 

[Aeana]

So they basically turned Klonoa into modern Sonic :|

Still have Klonoa 1 on my PS3. Need to finish it sometime.

Yes, that's a pretty accurate statement. Namco and Sega always took turns aping each other, so it wasn't any sort of big surprise, but I really felt like it hurt Klonoa a lot.

 

[Fullmetal-GTO]

Listening to the Windmill Song Theme always makes me happy!

 

[Tizoc]

@Aeana- I need to replay Klonoa 2 someday, but I rather liked the characters that were in DC for the GBA.

Dead things don't celebrate birthdays.

OP you so silly, dead things don't age.

=V

Just listen to this ya grumpy noobs:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2MMoqE9P_c

 

[Napalm_Frank]

Dat Klonoa 1 ending

What was even up with Klonoas grandpa concidering the ending :/.

 

[Tizoc]

What was even up with Klonoas grandpa concidering the ending :/.

I believe that Klonoa DOES have a grandpa, and his memory was used to ease Klonoa's existence in Phantomile.

 

[Neuromancer]

I liked the PS2 one a lot. That opening level with the huge waves and the cliffs was very striking.

I'm surprised that the Wii remake never came to any other platforms.

 

[Tagg9]

I really, really, really love Klonoa 1 and especially its remake. Also a pretty big fan of the first one on GBA. I just did not like what they did with Klonoa 2 one bit. They added all kinds of dumb friend characters, and way too much story stuff -- there are even locations on the map that serve only to show a story scene, which blew my mind. The addition of the mini-game type stages also was completely unwelcome. The second GBA game bugs me because of the inclusion of all of the crappy friend characters too. :\

It's true that the story sequences were lame and unnecessary, but the gameplay seemed far superior in Lunatea's Veil. The boss battles were fantastic, and the environments themselves were a big step up.

 

[BIGWORM]

I still love this game. I'm still upset that Wii got the exclusive remake for DtP, though. Untamed Heart remains one of my favorite songs to this day.

 

[JustAnotherOtaku]

Original is a bona fide classic. Loved the Wii remake too. Sequel was decent enough as well, although it always seems to get forgotten by a lot of people. I've played the GBA ones and while I enjoyed them, the puzzle emphasis turns me off slightly.

 

[A Huge Battleship]

OP needs more Untamed Heart. Unless it's there and I missed it. Ditto for Cursed

Spoiler

Leorina

from Lunatea's Veil, which is probably the best track from the series.

Anyway, the Klonoa games are some of my favourite platformers. Time still hasn't healed the mental scars from the original's ending.

 

[Aeana]

It's true that the story sequences were lame and unnecessary, but the gameplay seemed far superior in Lunatea's Veil. The boss battles were fantastic, and the environments themselves were a big step up.

I think there are several really neat stages in 2, but I really wish it dropped stuff like the surfing levels.

 

[Takao]

I liked the PS2 one a lot. That opening level with the huge waves and the cliffs was very striking.

I'm surprised that the Wii remake never came to any other platforms.

The sales for the Wii remake were incredibly poor. It likely wasn't worth Namco Bandai's time and money to get Paon to port it elsewhere.

 

[Dark Octave]

You people...are weird, next you'll be telling me every fighting game from SNK that isn't SamSho or KoF is dead.

Well I don't see any sequels to Ninja Combat or Magician Lord popping up any time soon.

Nobody wanted to tell you but it's time to pull the plug, man...

 

[GreggTheGrimReaper]

I wonder if a series like this could be marketed to modern "hardcore gamers", maybe if they find a way we'll get a new game.

 

[Ahasverus]

I wonder if a series like this could be marketed to modern "hardcore gamers", maybe if they find a way we'll get a new game.

Rayman could!

 

[krae_man]

If only the WiiU gamepad had the second analog stick under the face buttons. Then we could have got Moonlight Museam on the WiiU E Shop.

That's another reason why Moonlight Museam is great, tate mode:

 

[Aeana]

I wonder if a series like this could be marketed to modern "hardcore gamers", maybe if they find a way we'll get a new game.

We were going to get a new game if the Wii remake sold well. :\
It's really too bad, since that remake made the game even better (in my opinion) and I think it's by far one of the best games on the system.

 

[SkyMasterson]

The original Klonoa was so good and the Wiimake is arguably better.

Just wish it had sold well enough so they could have remade 2

 

[Tagg9]

We were going to get a new game if the Wii remake sold well. :\
It's really too bad, since that remake made the game even better (in my opinion) and I think it's by far one of the best games on the system.

Such a shame it didn't sell better. It's really difficult to market (and sell) platformers today, even on Nintendo systems.

 

[JazzmanZ]

screw you Klonoa and you're wahoos, that extra level in the Wii remake is the bane of my existence.

But happy 15th anniversary, perhaps Namco will give you another outing on the Wii U, and a cameo in SSB4

 

[Dachande]

Yeah, I loved Klonoa 2. The level design is wonderful and the soundtrack ruled, and it looks so pretty. I didn't play Klonoa 1 until a few years later, and it was also great but I still prefer the second. The Wii remake was a lovely thing, and I wish they'd given Klonoa 2 the same treatment or ported it and released them both together or something.

I'd kill a man for Klonoa 3.

 

[Tizoc]

Well I don't see any sequels to Ninja Combat or Magician Lord popping up any time soon.

Nobody wanted to tell you but it's time to pull the plug, man...

Heh I've already thought up a successor game to Magician Lord for some time now.
What's Ninja Combat and why should I give a crap about it?

Besides no game series is dead unless YOU want it dead, and even then it never dies. Game series live on, don't matter if they never got a new game, they live on by how one enjoys playing the games that series already has.

 

[GreggTheGrimReaper]

Rayman could!

Rayman is a good example, I wish other developers would follow suit. And while we're at it, we could get a new Bonk/BC Kid, 2D Actionvania, Clockwork Knight, Pandemonium, Ristar etc... different developers I know but one can still dream.

 

[Steve McQueen]

That's Namco Bandai's call. I think at best you'll get a PS2 Classic release of Klonoa 2. I'd buy a Klonoa HD Collection for PS3, or Vita that was a port of Klonoa Wii (which I bought day 1 so don't ban me bro) and Klonoa 2 but like that will sell 10 copies.

I know, I know...but it would be great if Sony told Namco Bandai to develop this for Vita

 

[Acquiescence]

I was there day one for Klonoa: Door to Phantomile. Fuck, I had good taste even as a young teenager. There are few kiddy platformers out there that contain the same unexpected bittersweet maelstrom of an ending that that game has. Doesn't hold up too well visually, but it's still captivating stuff. Don't even get me started on the soundtrack.

The sequel, while slightly inferior, did the first game justice. I have the Wii remake too, but I didn't feel the same magic from it as I did the original.

 

[BIGWORM]

I remember renting DtP from my local "Mom n' Pop" video store. It was the one copy they had from their bursting PSX library (read: 25 titles). I grabbed it, thinking "I'll give it a shot." Needless to say, I ended playing the sleeper hit of the year, that day, and my life was complete, lol.

 

[Dark Octave]

Heh I've already thought up a successor game to Magician Lord for some time now.

Cool. When are we going to see it? I'm serious man. Make it happen.

What's Ninja Combat and why should I give a crap about it?

Exactly.

Besides no game series is dead unless YOU want it dead, and even then it never dies. Game series live on, don't matter if they never got a new game, they live on by how one enjoys playing the games that series already has.

Sure, just like how our deceased loved ones live on in our hearts and minds. I get it.