pedrocasilva Posted September 3, 2007 Posted September 3, 2007 Kiki Kai World is the spiritual successor to the cult favorite arcade game Kiki KaiKai series, known more commonly as because of the SNES releases outside Japan. It is not precisely the Kiki KaiKai 2 sequel that had previously been announced and canceled - however it is developed by the same company who was doing it, Starfish SD, and has been described as a "spiritual successor" and is "very similar": "To make a long story short, Taito, who is now owned by Square [Enix], had some issues with us and we had to let the title go," said a company spokesperson.Source: http://blog.wired.com/games/2007/08/full-kiki-kai-w.html The game will ship for the Wii in Q1 2008 in North America with a $29.99 pricetag for both PlayStation 2 and Wii consoles; there's no PAL release confirmed at this time. Boxart: Character artwork: Images: Old school gaming on the cheap Hope this comes over here. I understand these kind of games get no love, but I love their kind... Anyone here played/remembers the original?
Gaijin von Snikbah Posted September 3, 2007 Posted September 3, 2007 Yeaz, Pocky and Rocky was a lot of fun in co-op. And seriously frustrating at times. If this comes with pointer control then interested.
Teppo Holmqvist Posted September 3, 2007 Posted September 3, 2007 Kiki Kai World is the spiritual successor to the cult favorite arcade game Kiki KaiKai series, It is actually remake of first game, which appeared on PC-Engine. They are marketing it as a spiritual successor because Taito decided that they wouldn't publish the game. Only change in game is that Pocky's robe is now blue/green instead of original red (those screenshots are old).
jammy2211 Posted September 3, 2007 Posted September 3, 2007 Pocky and Rocky was a game I loved for a period of my childhood, and then it just disappeared. My God, this is pretty awesome to know. Hope we see it arrive over here at some point, I'd pick it up provided it holds true to the old games.
mcj metroid Posted September 3, 2007 Posted September 3, 2007 I never heard much about this. i'll keep my eye of it for sure
pedrocasilva Posted September 26, 2007 Author Posted September 26, 2007 Original site for the game: (before being reworked) -> http://namakoteam.com/kikikaikai/ Interview: The scrolling shooter Pocky & Rocky makes a spiritual return to the gaming world in Starfish's Kiki Kai World. Adam Riley recently spoke with the team and specifically Chong Ahn (Producer/Senior Project Controller) behind the upcoming PlayStation 2/Wii title on the project, previous cancellations and the future with Nintendo. Adam Riley: First of all, for those wondering, can you confirm whether or not this new Wii game is indeed a re-worked version of the cancelled PS2 Kiki Kai Kai? Chong Ahn: Yes it is. This new version for the Nintendo Wii will follow a different story arc but the essence of the title is the same. You can see it as the spiritual successor to the original Kiki Kai Kai. AR: What was the reason behind the PS2 game being cancelled and an amended Wii edition being green-lighted? CA: The PS2 version of Kiki Kai Kai was cancelled due to several issues that I cannot go into. We wanted to however, develop a title in spirit of Kiki Kai Kai and was able to develop the current project, which by the way, will release on the Sony PS2 and the Nintendo Wii. AR: There has been talk of a deal with Taito falling through. Can you explain this situation a little more, please? CA: We have a good relationship with Taito and wanted to make the best use of the license for the Sony PS2 and the Nintendo Wii but could not come to agreements on several issues. AR: In terms of rights, the game’s name has changed slightly, so has the colour palette of the characters…but what else has been modified to make this different from the old ‘Kiki Kai Kai / Pocky & Rocky’ project? Many people are worried the music will be scrapped in favour of new tracks… CA: Anyone who is a fan of the original Kiki Kai Kai/Pocky and Rocky series will be immediately familiar with the play style and feel of this title. We have the same development team that worked on the original version working hard at this title and they know the feel/style better than anyone else. The title and storyline has changed to accommodate for the new arc in the story, but the essence remains the same. There are several new attributes to make this title stand out from its predecessors, which we hope the fans of the series will enjoy. AR: How would you best describe / sell this game to someone that was completely unaware of its existence? CA: I would describe this title as an classic, fun, action adventure romp through mystical lands with an art style and gameplay reminiscent of classic arcade shooters. If you consider yourself an old school gamer, you will feel right at home with this. AR: What modes will be available in the final version and will there be scope for multiplayer action? CA: There will be several modes of play, including a Story Mode, a Boss Mode, etc. We are also working on a co-op multiplayer mode so friends can tackle the adventure together. AR: How will the game make use of the Wii’s various features, such as the controller and WiiConnect24 service? CA: The controller will be used in a variety of different ways, which I cannot reveal yet. As for the WiiConnect24 service, we do not feel it is something that needs to be utilised for this title. AR: Has any consideration gone into using the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection for online elements? And if not, is this something you would consider implementing in possible future editions? CA: We have definitely thought about adding such a feature to our title, but not for this one. We will definitely try and implement something unique in future renditions of this series but we do not want to venture there unless we have something really fun and unique. AR: When are you aiming to release the Wii version of Kiki Kai World in the US? CA: We are most likely going to release the title for next year (possibly Q1). We are definitely hard at work to try and bring this title out as soon as possible, but we don’t want to rush it for the sake of getting it out. Don’t be surprised however, if we do happen to release it in the near future. AR: Are there plans in motion to bring Kiki Kai World over to Europe as well in the future? CA: Absolutely. We feel that the European gaming community is growing and will be making every effort to release all our future titles to that market. AR: How about the future of the series – is it likely we will see the return of Kiki Kai World on Wii again? CA: You never know what the future holds. We are always pursuing compelling content that the gaming community may enjoy and will strive to deliver on that front. AR: And not forgetting the DS, do you think portable fans will be able to get a taste of the franchise as well? CA: Look above! AR: UFO also has Raiden III down for release in the US. Developer Moss recently featured a poll on its website to see what consoles its sequel, Raiden IV, should be ported to, including DS and/or Wii. Are you aware of any developments regarding a Raiden game for a Nintendo platform? CA: I cannot comment on that but know that all efforts are being made to reach the largest demographic possible. AR: And if nothing has been confirmed with Raiden IV yet, what are the chances of Raiden III coming from the PS2 to Wii in the future? CA: With Raiden IV in the works, I would say the chances are slim. If we were to bring anything over to the Nintendo Wii, it would be for the latest title. However, there are always chances that it may appear on the Virtual Console, so never lose hope. AR: Finally, a reader question: are you looking into Shikigami 3 for Wii or any other formats? CA: Not at this time. Source: http://www.cubed3.com/news/8624/1/Kiki_Kai_World_(Nintendo_Wii)
Gaijin von Snikbah Posted September 26, 2007 Posted September 26, 2007 Ooh excitement. Lets hope they use the pointer for aiming.
Strange Cookie Posted September 26, 2007 Posted September 26, 2007 I want this game! I really, really do! Please have mercy on us, and bring us a PAL-version! I'm willing to sell my unborn son! Pocky and Rocky and it's arcade inpiration were awesome and hard as nails.
pedrocasilva Posted October 5, 2007 Author Posted October 5, 2007 Gamespot Screens: Source: http://www.gamespot.com/ps2/action/kikikaiworld/images.html?
Strange Cookie Posted April 3, 2008 Posted April 3, 2008 Bumpidybump! *sigh* Still no confirmed Euro release for this one? I'm craving for a game like this! If we don't get this, I want, nay, demand Pocky & Rocky for VC! By the way, it's called Heavenly Guard now, and is due for Wii in North America for sometime is 2008. US PS2 boxart
Retro_Link Posted April 3, 2008 Posted April 3, 2008 Why is this not on the DS instead? I'd have thought it would sell more on the DS anyway!
ShadowV7 Posted April 3, 2008 Posted April 3, 2008 And it looks a lot like a DS game. Your right though, I would think it would sell better on the DS. Cause I really can't see me picking this up.
pedrocasilva Posted April 3, 2008 Author Posted April 3, 2008 By the way, it's called Heavenly Guard now, and is due for Wii in North America for sometime is 2008. US PS2 boxart Boxart é truly horrible now.
Recommended Posts