‘Roll’ Model- Marble Saga: Kororinpa Reviewed

Marble Saga: Kororinpa is the quintessential sequel that significantly expands on its predecessor’s scope. In addition to offering additional levels, the title offers support for the Wiifit balance board, and includes a versatile level editor with the ability to share creations with people on your friends list. Regrettably, one major caveat keeps us from giving the title an unrestrained recommendation. 

As the game open’s, players are introduced to a small ant determined to acquire a golden sunflower seed. The protagonist exists solely to give the title narrative motivation, and to give credibility to the game’s garden setting. Most players will feel little affinity for the game’s protagonist, and will likely desire to jump into the heart of Kororinpa.

The game’s 150 stages contain three different collectables. The collection of golden crystals is required before traversing to the exit. Kororin capsules contain unlockable parts used in the game’s level editor. The rarest items are green crystals; these typically require a steady hand to attain, but reward the player with additional marble skins and special abilities. Players journey through seven worlds, each with a unique motif that presents an escalating challenge to players. Fortunately, the game’s first world is relatively effortless, and the learning curve is surprisingly; levels didn’t become truly challenging until the third world.

Players can hold the Wiimote in two ways: television remote-style, or in a horizontal position, to control the tilt and slant of each level. Within minutes, players will perceive Marble Saga’s greatest snag- its physics system. For a majority of the marbles in the game, instigating movement is a bit too difficult. Players will have to tilt the maze broadly to get the sphere moving, as if some unseen adhesive was on the marble. However, once the ball gets rolling, gamers must quickly counter-steer to regain control of the speeding sphere. Without an option to control the Wiimote sensitivity, players are forced to rotate mazes past forty-five degree angles to initiate movement. The game’s incorporation of the balance board is interesting, but we experienced difficulty in moving the maze with our body, rendering the levels little more that a novelty.

Marble Saga’s level editor (referred to as the ‘junk factory’) is surprisingly detailed and flexible. Unlike most level editors that are inexplicably finicky about piece placement, the title has few limitations. This adaptability does come at a price- overlapping pieces suffer from an awkward flicker when they are rendered during test runs. This was one of our favorite elements of the game, and offering a reprieve from level navigation.

Graphically, Marble Saga is wonderfully effective. The game maintains a steady framerate, which is instrumental for a title reliant on fine hand coordination skills. Levels are well detailed, and even the menu system is vivid, from its delicate dandelions to well-rendered underground ant tunnels. The title has a handful or upbeat, charming songs that complement the tone of the game.