The Nintendo Wii is an oddity for many retro gamers. With its expansive library, motion controls, and its once wonderful online shop, the Wii is a pure gaming juggernaut loaded with classic first-party titles that demonstrate what Nintendo is truly about. But yet, even with all the exceptional Mario and Zelda titles, the system was not known for its third-party games nor an expansive collection of RPG releases. Yet every once in a while the system produced minor masterworks. Certain games that pushed the limits of what the hardware could do and provided gamers with an alternative to the Microsoft and Sony dominated markets.
One such release is Little King’s Story, published by Xseed studios on July 21st, 2009. Directed by Yoshiro Kimura and written by Tomo Ikeda, the game is by far one of the most unique releases during the Wii’s lifespan and is the perfect blend of real-time strategy life simulation with a role-playing design. With a multitude of job classes, interesting plot and world design, Xseed published a product that perfectly blended two genres together into a uniform piece of art.Â
The PlotÂ
The game may not have the most elaborate grandiose plot but the exposition does enough to propel the main points of the story forward. Players take on the role of a young boy named Corobo who one day chases after a group of rats and accidentally stumbles upon a fantasy realm. After entering this mystical universe known as Alpoko, the young boy discovers an enchanted crown that grants him the power to control anyone without question, thus giving rise to his reign. As Corobo conquers his own territory he soon runs into a mystic named Skinny Ray who prophesizes about the end of the world and the many natural disasters that are evidenced to the land’s demise. This spurs the young King to embark on a journey of conquest to unite the neighboring six regions and provide stability throughout the land. As the exposition unfolds, King Corobo encounters NPC’s that provide useful tips and princess’ to marry, hence combining the elements of strategy life simulation with action role-playing. All this conquest leads to a satisfying conclusion that leaves players wondering who actually is the true villain of the game. Corobo is just as maniacal as the troops he faces and his cohorts, including the vicious Howser The Bull Knight, are equally malevolent. The game’s writers tossed away the delineation of good and evil for the sake of throwing players in the gray area. Little King’s Story is full of these twists and does not rely on your typical protagonist as being the archetypal hero of the piece.Â
GameplayÂ
As a hybrid genre title, the game is nothing short of masterful in terms of world design and core gameplay mechanics. Players must build villages, forge for items, use farmers to plant for resources, and organize troops for battle. Plot points are unraveled as you conquer and fight your way through hordes of enemy encounters, nothing new for an RPG. But combat tends to give way for realistic kingdom management, and Corobo must organize as much as conquer lands in order to provide them with stability. Many times after boss battles, players must choose where to place a farm while utilizing carpenters to erect military stockades to defend it. Such depth of gameplay is similar to strategy games found in the PC world but on the Wii, it’s definitely a novel entity. Infrastructure, questing, and adventuring is equally interwoven to the point where certain subquests can only be achieved through combat and land management.Â
Alpoko Is A Wonderous Land To Behold
Combat is structured like a tower defense system, where units are organized according to their use. For example, while questing through the forest one can easily stumble upon a dragon. After defeating the dragon, Corobo can signal his soldier units to protect his carpenters that are erecting farmland to mine for resources. Such intertextuality between classes is espoused in such a streamlined fashion where newcomers and seasoned strategy veterans alike can transition to the game with relative ease. A brilliant design choice clearly, something that Kimura and his team achieved through sheer foresight. The world itself is stunning with its lush cartoon-like animation design. Alpoko’s locations are varied and dispersed from its roaming green hills to its lava-filled caves. Landscapes appear to be ripped straight out of a fairy tale, as the color patterns pay homage to high fantasy tropes. Each territory is complimented with its own NPC’s that provide players with useful information about resources and hidden treasure. There is not a single line of dialogue that is wasted, and the writers focus more on NPC’s delivering plot points rather than epic storytelling.Â
Simple Design Producing Masterful Art
With all this in mind, Little King’s Story definitely owns the moniker of “hidden gem” on the Nintendo Wii. While not being as known as other more popular first-party titles like Mario Kart, Xseed studios published a product that does not aim to compete with the aces in Nintendos deck of cards. This truly is an amazing third party title that shows what the Wii can do even if it is not the most graphically impressive system. From its innovative gameplay mechanics to its colorful cast of characters, the magical land of Alpoko shines every so brightly nearly a decade after its initial release. The game leaves the player questioning everything about morality and if imperialism for the sake of peace is an honorable concept. Troops, farmers, carpenters, and even peasants can be organized through the click of a nunchuck controller. A streamlining of nuances that only the Wii can produce. Engaging from start to finish, Little King’s Story crystalizes the significance of innovative design over tried and true formulas.
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