Loco Roco 2!

[MinisterofDOOM]

A big fan of the first game, I looked forward to the sequel for a lot time. It finally hit our shores a couple weeks ago.

This is easily one of the best follow-up games in history. It took everything good about the first game and added more excellence on top. The level designs are more varied and interesting. The world offers more things and creatures for the Locorocos to interact with and more ways for them to interact. Unlockables/collectibles have more useful purpose now, adding depth to the music and unlocking mini story clips about the creatures in the world.

In addition to being more varied, level design is also less linear. Before, hidden passageways offered little rewards. Now, you often miss large chunks of levels if you don't explore thoroughly, and levels are structured to reward you for doing well the whole way through. It's a much more comprehensive and involving feel that fleshes out the experience nicely.

The boss fights are fantastic and some of the most unique ever. The emphasis is placed on keeping the fight unique rather than making it difficult. I'm always up for a challenge in games, but I really prefer this tactic to the more mundane fights you see in more traditional games.

One really neat touch was the playable credits screen. After the (excellent) final boss fight, locorocos begin tumbling down a screen as the credits roll upward. After a moment I realized I was still in control of the world. The text serves as surfaces and there are things for the locorocos to eat scattered around like in a normal level.