Parents' Guide to

Klonoa

By Chad Sapieha, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 10+

Short remake of classic platformer with some mild violence.

Game Nintendo Wii 2009
Klonoa Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this game.

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age 5+

Based on 1 parent review

Dakota R.
Dakota R. Adult
January 31, 2021
age 5+

Highly enjoyed it!

I knew about Klonoa since the Wii remake came out, however, I only really got into the series when I was in high school. After beating the Wii remake of "Door to Phantomile," I highly recommend it. The puzzle platforming elements are pretty spot on that'll give you a challenge during the mid half of the game. The characters also have their own "quirks" and "charms" that make them stand out. There's also some heavy themes where you have to restore the world from nightmares. The ending of the game is also a real tear jerker. Overall, I recommend this game to anyone who enjoys platformers or who grew up with this series.

This title has:

Easy to play/use
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What’s It About?

A remake of the original Klonoa, which appeared more than a decade ago on the original PlayStation, KLONOA is a side-scrolling platform adventure game set in a lush, three-dimensional environment. Players follow a set path (or paths) as they leap over crevasses, jump from one floating platform to another, and avoid various health-draining obstacles, such as enemies and spiky balls. You can go on the offensive by grabbing one enemy and throwing it at another, and some areas can only be reached by holding onto a flying foe. Players can also navigate their environments by sliding through streams of water, floating up air vents, and riding carts. Completing the game unlocks bonuses meant to add replay value, such as mirrored environments.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1 ):
Kids say (3 ):

There's nothing particularly groundbreaking about Klonoa, but that doesn't detract from the fact that this is a beautiful and expertly crafted bit of platforming fun. The side-scrolling 3-D level design is nothing short of brilliant. Players navigate lush environments by running circular paths around buildings, ducking in and out of caves, and leaping through the canopies of forests. What's more, the simple controls, which make use of just three buttons and either the joystick or d-pad (Klonoa works with not only the remote and nunchuk, but also Wii Classic and GameCube controllers), can be learned in minutes, regardless of the player's previous experience with games in this genre.

Klonoa's only downfall is that it runs on the short side -- just six hours or so, by our clock. Even casual players could finish it in a single weekend. And with no multi-player options, there's little reason to come back. A great game, but one that is perhaps better rented than purchased.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about value in interactive entertainment. How many hours do you expect to get out of a game? Do you tend to play through games more than once? Does that factor into your value equation? If a game is lots of fun but lasts only a handful of hours, are you still satisfied?

Game Details

  • Platform: Nintendo Wii
  • Available online?: Not available online
  • Publisher: Namco Bandai
  • Release date: May 5, 2009
  • Genre: Adventure
  • ESRB rating: E10+ for Mild Cartoon Violence, Tobacco Reference
  • Last updated: November 5, 2015

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