Flipper & Lopaka (GB) (Flipper & Lokapa (GB))

Member Name: thole09

Product:	Flipper & Lokapa (GB)
Date:	31/01/09 (36 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Simple gameplay

Disadvantages: Minimum challenge

"Flipper & Lopaka" is a side-scrolling platform game released to the Gameboy Color console. It is based on an Australian animated television series of the same name. In it, players guide Lopaka, an 11 year old boy, to find sacred crystals before the evil giant Dexter is able to locate them and rule the land.

Gameplay is generic to the platform genre at large. Players must guide their character from one end of the stage to the next while collecting various items, here sacred crystals, and avoiding enemy contact. The game appears to be overly simplified in that Lopaka's jump, used by pressing the "A" button", is incredibly high and long which makes accessing higher places quite simple. For higher areas there is usually a nearby vine or other climbing instrument which is a matter of simple searching. Lopaka also has an attack by pressing the "B" button and this is throwing a seashell in the direction which he is facing. A possible flaw to be noted here is that a player can press the "B" button and simply run behind the shell until it makes contact with an obstacle or enemy; It seems that the seashell can remain in perpetual motion.

The display is always filled with bright and well detailed graphics that show no area of flaw. It could be said that the facial features of Lopaka are difficult to distinguish, I personally didn't find this to be an issue and other areas of this title are graphically sound.

Audio makes good use of lighter musical compositions that don't distract the player from the objective at hand. The sound effects are very cartoon-like with the more warping "boop" sounds for jumping and a similar effect for the throwing of seashells.

"Flipper & Lopaka" is a generally simple title to complete and may not offer a suitable challenge to a player seeking such in a game. It could perhaps be recommended to younger players beginning to seek a more in-depth and challenging titles.

Summary: May be more suitable for younger audiences