In the early years of the game market, game companies were all very keen on exploring popular ips while creating “mascots” in line with the trend. Most of these works have achieved excellent commercial success, have good dissemination, and are often cartoon themes suitable for people of all ages. There’s no need to elaborate on Mario’s level. Even the commander Keane, who was later hanged in the hidden level of DooM, was originally a minor star of id Software.
However, the premise of operating a company mascot is always based on the factor of popularity. If one can no longer make a name for oneself in the market, the ultimate fate can be imagined. There are always very few lucky ones like Sonic, whose official games have been in short supply for many years but still managed to rise to the top with the support of the surrounding community and even with the help of folk fans.
It’s probably the fate of most washed-up mascots that the original team like Lehman Brothers was disbanded and their status was taken over by a more popular newcomer (Mad Rabbit).
But nowadays, the classification of users in the market has enabled many relatively “outdated” types or ips to be shared in a green space. So some big companies are also very willing to sell off their nostalgia and from time to time dig up some antiques to explore the market. And the mascot brand that Namco (Namco) promoted around the turn of the millennium – Wind Crest (Wind crest (ロノア)) – has returned to the market in the form of a high-definition remastered collection after more than a decade of silence, riding on this trend.
The producer of “Ninja Dragon” wants you to cry
Players who enjoy side-scrolling platform action games may have some idea of the major decline of this genre in the mid-1990s. Over the past decade or so, at that time, almost all major manufacturers had pushed this category to the extreme. There were too many excellent works, which led to extremely fierce competition – even titles like “Super Ninja 2” or “Moonlight Sonata” were hard to receive fair feedback at that time.
The top-down “intra-industry competition” and the aesthetic fatigue from the market to public opinion led to the rapid decline of this type for a time. Furthermore, entering the fourth-generation platform stage, the public’s almost blind worship of 3D graphics has also made the situation of this type, which mainly relies on 2D drawing, even more awkward.
But on the contrary, being willing to develop a type of game that is in a slump at such a time can better demonstrate the author’s determination and courage. So even if most of them fail to achieve commercial success, some high-quality works are still admirable. As a veteran producer who directed the FC version of “Ninja Gaiden”, Hideo Yoshizawa brought us a “counter-mainstream” masterpiece, “Wind of Kronoya: Phantom Gate”, during his PS era.
The cover of the US version has been deliberately drawn even more “Hardcore” again
Hideo Yoshizawa is a developer who pays considerable attention to the storylines of his works. His representative work, the FC Ninja Dragon Trilogy, is one of the typical examples of introducing a large amount of plot content into the ACT in the early days. The comic adaptation he planned after joining Namco, “High School Students” (スプリガ スプリガ), also emphasized the desire to have more story elements from the very beginning of the project.
Unfortunately, things didn’t go as planned. Namco failed to obtain the comic license smoothly at that time. But before getting the news, the work had been planned for some time. In order not to waste their own work results, the team decided to turn the game into an original theme for production.
Just by looking at the promotional image, it’s obvious that “Kloroya of the Wind” is a work that takes a cute route. However, in the team’s initial planning, this work was actually a more serious theme, even with a touch of dark style. The initial protagonist is a soul trapped in the body of a robot. In contrast to the final product is a shadow creature named “Shady”, and the scene theme is mainly based on various ancient ruins.
Even the attack method is to summon “evil spirits” to devour the enemy
However, as the project progressed, the designers began to feel that these two characters lacked distinctiveness, and thus the scene style and other aspects were all abandoned. After a period of change, this Kronoya, which combines dogs, cats, rabbits and some fantasy elements, was finally born. He is set as a “Dream Traveler”, adventuring in multiple different worlds, with a sunny and lively personality and a strong sense of justice – just like the protagonists in those standard mascot games.
Cronoya’s eye color and clothing details have changed many times in the collection, but his signature big ears and the Pac-Man Logo sun hat he wears on his head have always been retained elements. In the early draft, there was also a proposal to abandon a female character of the same race. One theory was that it would be a female lead similar to Lolo in the second generation, but considering that the voice actress of Kronoya is Kumiko watanabe 辺, it is also possible that Kronoya was originally considered to be a female.
Some of the early designs, with the one on the far right being the abandoned Wii remake
The game creates a world driven by “dreams”. Cronoya, who lived with his grandfather in the Village of the Wind, woke up one day and for some reason clearly remembered all the details of his dream from the previous day. He also found that a scene similar to the dream was taking place on a nearby small hill. Aroused by his curiosity, Cronoya, along with his childhood friend, the ring elf Hubo, set out on an adventure.
Hideo Yoshizawa hopes to create a sense of the fading of dreams in his work. In terms of story and scene design, the core is to evoke players’ memories of past dreams through visuals. Namco believes that such a story, combined with a style that becomes increasingly fresh as the development progresses, is sure to attract younger players.
Little did he know that Hideo Yoshizawa believed that this seemingly harmless atmosphere was very suitable for a twist, allowing him to lay the groundwork for a story that would be more beloved by adults.
… You know, this game is an example that can be smoothly completed with a bit of experience in side-scrolling platform games, but it does indeed require a lot of basic skills. For the children, who are the main target users in Namco’s eyes, it is mostly too difficult. Therefore, those who have the patience to play until the truth of the story is revealed are mostly adults – and those who are broken and shed tears in the rain are also them.
I play, I think, I… I can’t hold it in any longer!
Lovely Sleeper hit
The story of Kronoya is certainly not some kind of “pink to black” bizarre fairy tale. First and foremost, it is a game series suitable for all ages. However, this does not prevent the screenwriter from incorporating some relatively profound content into the story, leaving players with some unforgettable plots. (Hey, here’s a plot warning next!)”
After going through countless hardships and even facing the life-and-death parting from his grandfather, Cronoya defeated the mastermind behind the world’s threat. However, Hubo, who had been by Cronoya’s side all along, told him that he had actually been summoned here from another world. In order to make him a “brave warrior” who could save his homeland, Hubo modified Cronoya’s memory and gave him a false life.
However, even though the initial memories were forged, the two still established a true friendship during the adventure. But now that the mission is accomplished, the world will also voluntarily expel Kronoya, this outsider. The will at the level of causality was ultimately beyond the resistance of Cronoya. In the end, the two could only call each other’s names and watch each other disappear from sight.
Look, it’s not something dark, deep or rotten. But the production team indeed didn’t simply copy and paste a plain family-friendly script just because of its main sales target. Based on my personal memories of spending these years in some game communities, whenever we talk about the plot of this game, there are no few people who joke that they still can’t get over its ending.
I’m an adult, but… What the hell!
The plots of each installment in the series are not closely connected. They mainly revolve around independent chapters with fixed character teams under different worldviews. And in the subsequent sequels, this plot tone established from the early planning stage has been maintained all along. Especially the first-generation remastered version released on Wii in 2008, a detailed modification that often sparked discussions among the series’ fans was born.
In the original PS1 version, although Cronoya was forced to part with his friends, we can see that after his emotions calmed down, Hubo looked into the distance and smiled – hinting that he firmly believed they would meet again. But according to producer Hideo Yoshizawa, this scene was specially made by some development team members who were “not tough enough”, and he did not include this part in the original storyboard.
So, this detail was removed in the ending of the Wii remastered version in 2008. Although the plot development is the same as the original version, in the end, it turns into a crying Hubo helplessly gazing into the distance. It leaves no room for imagination about the future for players.
That’s really tough, Mr. Yoshizawa. It’s a pity that the FC Ninja Trilogy didn’t give him a chance to remake it; otherwise, the original female lead, Erin, who would often “pretend to be dead”, might really be doomed.
The production of Kronoya is exquisite. Even if we ignore public opinion and word-of-mouth, it is still a high-quality game compared with similar products. However, it is rather a pity that despite being regarded as a mascot for the new generation, the market performance of the Cronoya series has been less than satisfactory. Especially when compared with Namco’s “Pac-Man” – or most of its similar products – it does not count as a successful case.
Whether in Japan or in Europe and America, this game has received high praise from the media. But interestingly, while giving positive reviews, some Western media also thought it was “a bit too cute and silly”. Back in 1997, the popularity of Japanese cartoons in Europe and America might still have been slightly lower.
Namco’s focus on the market also has some issues. Of course, the early Chinese market was unimaginable. But even in Europe and America, they didn’t invest much in promotion and distribution funds – at most, it was just some magazine reports. According to the data left by the North American community, the only TV commercial of the first generation in their area was very strange, using adult insinuations as a gimmick…… This has completely had the opposite effect on promotion, okay! ?
Just… That thing, that stuff, you know
However, due to its plot highlights and the excellent quality of the game itself, the fan base of this IP has remained very solid. But to be honest, the fundamental reason why the series has maintained a certain level of popularity in various places for 25 years is also the outstanding character design of Cronoya – well, you guessed it right, he is still a rather significant label in the Furui community.
From around 2012 to 2017, this IP released webtoons and a film that was eventually cancelled. Many of its participants are fans who have applied from the community. Even if you take a stroll around the fan creation platforms now, there are still quite a few collaborations between Kronoya and Sonic or other popular Furui ips.
Author: HansGrosse1
Isn’t it quite amusing? It was precisely because the sales of the Wii remake were poor back then (some say around 6,000) that Bandai Namco completely put it on hold. However, as a mascot IP that failed to achieve commercial success, after more than a decade of development, it has instead demonstrated a considerable amount of popularity.
Outdated, but
After more than a decade, “Kronoya: The Wind Boy 1&2 Returns with the Wind” (hereinafter referred to as the Kronoya Collection) has made a comeback with high-definition resolution and some system optimizations such as difficulty adjustments. This collection includes two official titles: the Wii original remastered version and the PS2 sequel “The Veil of Luna”, with official Chinese subtitles added.
From a rational perspective, it can’t be considered a cost-effective product – especially when the original art setting and music appreciation mode both require additional DLC purchases. Although it is common for such fan-oriented products to have high prices, it is even more difficult to attract new users to fall in love with them.
Isn’t this kind of collection content supposed to come with the main body? …
Apart from being a bit expensive, the Cronoya collection, as a “recooked dish”, still has considerable collection value. Although it is impossible to expect any additions or remakes to the original content, the outstanding performance of the game itself, combined with modern improvements, can still offer a substantial and excellent gaming experience beyond the so-called “nostalgia”.
Both Cronoya games fall under what is commonly referred to as “2.5D games”, meaning that although they still follow the traditional single-axis side-scrolling platform gameplay, they adopt 3D modeling in terms of graphics technology. So compared with pure 2D works, when players progress through levels, their perspectives will change in multiple dimensions. In addition, pressing the up and down keys can make the protagonist face both inside and outside the camera, allowing them to interact with objects outside the axis.
The main attack method in the game is to use the ring in Cronoya’s hand to launch short-range wind bombs. After the attack works, the enemy will turn into a balloon and be held above our heads. At this point, we can throw it out or take it up and then stand on our feet in the air to perform a double jump. In addition, Kronoya can also perform actions such as slapping his ears to briefly hover or using slopes to accelerate and run, etc.
The balloon double jump is one of the core mechanisms of this game
Most of the levels are designed around the wind Ring system. As the process progresses, we will encounter some special enemies and various new strategy mechanisms will emerge. For instance, some enemies will explode after being inflated for a period of time, and we need to use them to destroy obstacles. There are also sections where you change the enemy’s color scheme to solve puzzles or catch flying enemies and let them carry you up in the air.
In the sequel’s levels, a cannon that enables Cronoia to move between multiple platforms has also been added. In some segments, there are also forced advances, which often involve sliding steps or rushing down a huge slope.
Overall, even if all the distinctive mechanisms of the two generations of works are included, Cronoya still stands out as a very ancient and traditional example in the side-scrolling platform action genre. This is also the reason why I deliberately avoided being too inclined towards reviews when writing this article.
The BOSS battle particularly highlights its conservative concept
Basically, in the current environment where the side-scrolling platform action game market has basically stabilized and most excellent works can receive good feedback, not many people would feel too unfamiliar with this type. There are no fancy action mechanisms or systems in the “Kronoya Collection”. Even the collection that increases playability seems very simple nowadays. Coupled with the detailed process tutorials, there should be no obstacles to playing.
A rather old-fashioned way to describe this situation is probably “the way of the king” – although the foundation is excellent and the production is exquisite, it also lacks any surprises. Of course, asking for novelty from an old game from twenty years ago is indeed a bit of a challenge.
In conclusion, if you love this fresh and cute art style and character design, and can still patiently accept classic-style action games, “Kronoya Collection” should not disappoint you. And after adding the most crucial new content, the two-player cooperative mode, the playability has been greatly enhanced compared to the original version.
The new two-player cooperative mode can further enhance the replayability
Don’t worry too much about the picture going out of style. Thanks to its cartoon theme that doesn’t require too many details, it still gives people a relatively comfortable texture after being high-definition. In addition, the one-click free fast-forward during conversations and transitions, as well as the “Easy Mode” which is less difficult than the original version, all make the experience even more enjoyable.
Cronoya is an IP that was born at the wrong time. When the side-scrolling platform action game market was in decline, although it still received a relatively fair and good reputation, it failed to meet the commercial expectations of the manufacturers and was eventually locked in the basement.
The reason for the appearance of this collection is obvious. It is Bandai Namco’s market test. Thank goodness, unlike some negative examples that only want to make quick money and are irresponsible, the operation effect and detail optimization of “Cronoya Collection” are still very reliable. Although the current Steam version has received limited but very positive reviews, it can be seen that the game has met the expectations of buyers. Whether it’s old users or new players, they are at least not facing a “childhood ruin” black pit.