Platforming Week: Prinny: Can I Really Be the Hero?

Although it usually is the case, "2-D platforming game" does not ALWAYS have to mean the same thing as "retro platforming game." A fine example of a recent 2-D platformer that wasn't a re-make or re-imagining of a retro title was the 2009 PSP game, "Prinny- Can I Really Be the Hero?" Yes, it's a silly title, for a silly game, but the platforming elements are strong.

Prinny is a game that really came out of nowhere for me. I honestly could not have predicted a 2-D side-scrolling platform game would be a spin-off of a major strategy RPG series. I can only imagine how frustrated someone would be if they bought Prinny thinking it was going to be a strategy RPG. I, on the other hand, was thrilled to see it. In fact, I've never even played a Disgaea game, I was just thrilled to see a solid 2-D platforming title in 2009. Unfortunately, I can't imagine this game has a very large fanbase. Fans of the Disgaea games may not enjoy playing a punishing platformer, and fans of old-school platformers might not like the game's anime aesthetic. A random game that I'm as surprised as I am glad to see. As a humorous side-note, not surprisingly, Gamestop's website incorrectly identifies this game as being in the "role-playing" category.

Soundtrack
The soundtrack in Prinny is a bit lackluster. It isn't bad, by any means, and has a few catchy/memorable tunes, but for the most part, it's simply there. Ironically, this is one of very few games that came with a CD of the soundtrack as a pre-order bonus. Seeing as it was a pre-order bonus, it was free, so I can hardly complain. It's also a portable game, so you're usually listening to the music through the PSP's crappy speakers, which probably doesn't help any. All in all, the music is generally okay, it just isn't anything to write home about.

Difficulty
Despite the cute/silly appearance of Prinny, the game's difficulty is no joke. Up this point I've neglected to mention, the game's gimmick is that you have 1000 lives. That's a lot of lives, but the game takes this into consideration and really ups the ante when it comes to the challenge. I consider myself fairly skilled in the ways of platforming, but by the end, my first time through, I had lost several hundred lives. Worse still, that was on the "Normal" difficulty. Prinny features 2 difficulties, "Normal," and "Hell's Finest." In the normal difficulty, it takes 4 hits to kill one of your 1000 prinnies. In Hell's Finest, however, much like Rocket Knight Adventures, one hit takes you down. 1000 lives may seem like a lot, but with one hit deaths and all the traps this game throws at you, those lives will disappear before your eyes. I personally have not braved the hard difficulty but I can imagine it truly would be hell. I can say that the normal difficulty is plenty hard on its own, but the 1000 lives give you a lot of chances to learn the trickiest parts of the levels. It's a challenge, but it's do-able and ultimately rewarding.

Control
This game features a stiff control scheme for jumping not unlike the original NES Castlevania games. What's different, however, is that Prinny features a double-jump which does allow for some mid-air adjustment. Anyone who played through any of those classic Castlevania games will learn the controls quickly, but others may need some time to get acquainted with them. Jumping isn't complicated by any means, but it is tricky to master. The game also features a dash mechanic, which is complicated. In order to dash, players must hold the circle button to get their prinny spinning. After a brief period of twirling, the prinny will glow, meaning you can release the button and send your prinny running off. While the prinny is in this state, glowing and ready to dash, he is invulnerable to any attack. That sounds useful, but it's extremely difficult to use effectively. Not to mention, if you hold the button too long, all that spinning will make your prinny dizzy and unable to move for a few seconds, rendering him a sitting duck to any nearby enemies. I imagine this technique may be useful in the Hell's Finest difficulty, but frankly, I never really used the dash/dodge mechanic and was able to beat the game just fine. It does add some depth to the game, however, so I have to commend it for that.

Overall Fun Factor
Prinny is a solid platformer that offers a tough challenge and a lot of replay value. One level is "one hour" in the game. There are 6 different "hours" you can play at for each of the 6 different levels, ranging from morning to night. The levels become harder the later in the day it is, changing enemy placements and actually changing the geography of the stage itself. Different times sometimes even result in different boss battles, so to see it all you'll have to play through the game 6 times.

Aside from the replay value, the game's story is exceedingly ridiculous, which in turn is fun. The reason hundreds of prinnies are sacrificing their lives is to collect ingredients for a dessert their master, Etna, is craving. Between levels, you can even go into Etna's chamber and see her yell and bark orders at your prinny. Unnecessary, but entertaining and a nice touch. Being one of those newfangled games, it has a few extra levels purchasable as downloadable content, but unfortunately, they're very pricey at 4 dollars a stage. I bought one of them, and while it was enjoyable, I beat it in under 10 minutes. I'd like to play the others, but 4 dollars a stage is simply too overpriced.

That said, Prinny was a very satisfying game and one that kept me glued to my PSP (and an outlet, thanks to the PSP's poor battery life). So please, NIS America, I'm begging you, bring Prinny 2 to the states. You brought us a visual novel (Disgaea Infinite) but no Prinny 2? I have to admit I'm losing hope of that game ever making it over here. If it does though, I'll be excited to line up for another serving of punishingly addictive platforming once again.