Crowning Achievement- Little King’s Story

With high unemployment, an increasingly large, unskilled workforce, and a woeful economy, the populace looks toward a young leader for hope. If this situation sounds eerily relevant, don’t worry- recent Xseed release Little King’s Story is such a charming and innovative title, that any semblance to national affairs are quickly forgotten. In fact, household chores, work, and responsibilities may also be forsaken by this wonderfully addictive and absorbing title.

Players assume the role of the young ruler, who inherits the empire when he stumbles across a gold crown. Alone, he is feeble and unable to perform the most elementary task. However, with a quick tap on the Wiimote’s ‘B’ button, he has the charismatic charm to persuade any villager to follow him, and then give orders.  Initially, the gamer can have a procession of five allies, although that number will grow along with the King’s ambitions.

At first, your followers are untrained collection of carefree individuals, who lack the skills needed to fend for themselves. With the advice of one of your faithful commissioners, the player is directed into constructing a training center that allows this proletarian mob to receive farming instruction. A quick tap of the ‘A’ button sends your supporters into the front doors, where they will emerge with an instant and (initially) free education. A handy cap or helmet is donned to indicate their new vocational expertise. Each facility trains a specific type of worker- farmers can dig and harvest edibles, but are week fighters. Grunts, on the other hand, are competent combatants, but lack the ability to dig for treasure or perform construction. Little King’s Story wisely allows the player to concentrate on the bigger picture. The gamer never has to decide where to build a structure, instead focusing on which of the game’s fourteen job classes would benefit the kingdom most.

Once the player successfully completes a handful of missions and maintains a sense of contentment within the empire’s realm, something magical happens. The kingdom begins blossoming into a semi-autonomous domain, as soldiers man guard posts, followers die (and are subsequently mourned), lovers marry, children are born, and parties celebrate after defeating a difficult boss. Much more than Animal Crossing, Little King’s Story feels like a living, digital world.

Caveats with the title are few; most relate to the title’s control impression. Although players can press the Nunchuck’s ‘Z’ button to bring up a targeting cursor, an inexact order will often result in confused miners milling around near an ample quarry. Players must keep a close eye on their procession as friendly pathfinding is woefully inadequate; followers will frequently get stuck on environmental curves and bends. 

Visually, the game is near-perfectly polished from its oil color-influenced cinematics, to its vibrant forests, and murky unexplored territories. Small touches- from falling leaves, to the wash of the coastal tide, elevate the game past typical Wii fare. Like 1995’s tank shooter Return Fire, Little King’s Story forgoes an original soundtrack, for the use of classical pieces to drive the action. Beautiful arranged renditions of Bolero, Carmen, Tchaikovsky and even Elgar’s Pomp and Circumstance March Number 1 complement the title, and lend a bit of aristocratic pedigree.