Nanatsu Kaze no Shima Monogatari

There are a few games that stand out in stark contrast to the myriad of ho hum titles which infest nearly every console. Usually platformers are a dime a dozen and range anywhere from the bland-seen-it-done-it to the play a few levels and shelve it forever.

However, throughout the history of videogames there have been sprinkled here and there some gems worth noting and well worth playing, even if they had to be imported. Noteable games were Wonderboy: The Dragon's Trap, Kirby's Adventure, Metroid, Super Mario Bros. 2 and 3, Kid Chameleon, Alisia Dragoon, Stormlord, Ghouls & Ghosts, The Misadventures of Flink, Sonic the Hedgehog, Super Mario World and Yoshi's Island amongst many many others. The games mentioned above possessed something that the average platformer / adventure title didn't which was either extremely solid gameplay, intense level designs and graphics, or a fantastic storyline which involved you in the character's quest.

The 32bit era saw the advent of 3D graphics which put the gamer in a whole new world with no real limits other than that of the programmer's level design and limits of the imagination. While the Playstation prided itself on flooding the market with average to awful 3D titles, the Saturn managed to focus more on putting everything it had hardware wise into making the ultimate 2D titles. We all know the fighters on the Saturn are 2nd to none and the shmups are nothing short of amazing, but aside from Keio Flying Squardon 2, the Clockwork Knights and Rayman, there weren't many titles to be had.

I stumbled across Nanatsu Kaze no Shima Monogatari on accident while surfing the internet for obscure Japanese Saturn titles. The review I had read said the artwork was pretty good, and the game was easy enough to play without knowing Japanese so I decided to check it out. To say I was blown away is a gross understatement.

This game harkens back to the days of old school platformers with intense level artwork like those of Stormlord or The Misadventures of Flink, but also offers a nice story along with loads of puzzles to solve. The one thing I'd like to point out is that studying some Katakana is an absolute must because there is only one FAQ online and it is littered with holes. There is a Katakana screen which comes up from time to time where you have to confirm a character's name or enter a new one, and this can be a rather daunting task for those with no Japanese language experience whatsoever. It is however quite easy to navigate and figure out with a little legwork on your part. I keep a nice Katakana guide on the table in front of me which actually adds something extra to the game for me. There's nothing wrong with learning while you play is there? Of course not!

NKNSM has some of the most beautifully designed levels and character movement I've ever seen in a game to this date in this particular genre. NKNSM comes with a bonus disc which displays all the artwork from the game. Using the Saturn's high resolution mode, it allows you to zoom in and out of each frame and move it to specific locations to see details up close. The artwork disc is a fantastic bonus to this amazing title.
I have to stress studying at least the first page of the FAQ closely to learn how to navigate the menus properly otherwise you'll be drowning in a sea of Katakana which all looks pretty much the same to me. Once you are prepared with pencil in hand and some knowledge of or a printed guide of Katakana, you are ready to enjoy one of the most incredible 2D platformer / adventure titles I've ever seen. Get out your bug catcher and summon your blue friend Kisuke to enjoy a special adventure on the Sega Saturn.