Clu Clu Land

Template:Nihongo foot is a 1984 puzzle video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Entertainment System. It was released in 1984 in Japan for the Family Computer, in North America in 1985 as a launch title for the NES, and Europe in 1987. It was ported to the Famicom Disk System in Japan as well as arcades through the Nintendo VS. System as VS. Clu Clu Land. The game was later re-released on the Virtual Console for the Nintendo 3DS and Wii U as well as the Nintendo Classics service.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Title

Although "Clu Clu Land" is the official English title for the game, "Clu Clu" is actually an anglicization of "Kuru Kuru", a Japanese onomatopoeia that refers to something going "around and around". This is derived from the main gameplay mechanic, in which Bubbles (the protagonist) moves around mazes via grabbing onto poles, hence spinning "around and around". The same phrase is also the basis for the title of the Game Boy Advance game Kuru Kuru Kururin and its subsequent sequels.

Gameplay

File:Clu Clu Land screenshot.gif

NES version, showing Bubbles (red), Unira (blue), and treasures

The player controls a female balloonfish named Bubbles, known as Template:Nihongo foot in Japan, who swims around in a maze trying to uncover all the golden Ingots.<ref name="Weiss2012">Template:Cite book</ref>

The story starts with a type of sea urchin, the Unira, stealing all the treasures in the underwater kingdom of Clu Clu Land. Bubbles, the heroine, sets out to retrieve the treasure. The objective is to uncover all the gold ingots in each stage while avoiding the Unira and Black Holes. Ingots usually form a shape such as a heart or a mushroom. The only way Bubbles can turn around to change directions is by means of Turning Posts located throughout the stages. She can stun the Unira by using a Sound Wave. When they are stunned, she can push them into a wall to get rid of them and receive points. If Bubbles is hurt by the Unira, she will lose a life. A life is also lost if she falls into a Black Hole, or if time runs out. The game ends when Bubbles has lost all her lives.

In later levels, the player must pass over the ingots an odd number of times to uncover them, as they will alternate between their uncovered side and a dull side.

Ports

An expanded edition known as Template:Nihongo foot was released for the arcade Nintendo VS. System. It contains twice as many puzzles, a new enemy named Boss Unira, different level themes, and other adjustments. A port of this version was released as the final game for the Family Computer Disk System (FDS), titled Clu Clu Land: Welcome to New Clu Clu Land. It contains a few minor enhancements such as difficulty selection.

In September 2001, a port was released for the Sharp Zaurus series of PDAs.<ref name=sharpzaurus/>

The game was re-released in 2004 for Game Boy Advance as part of the Famicom Mini series.

Reception

Template:Expand-section In a June 1986 survey of the NES catalogue, the Chicago TribuneTemplate:'s Steven Kosek and Dennis Lynch singled out Clu Clu Land and Ice Climber for "[keeping their] interest after repeated plays".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Legacy

Various elements from Clu Clu Land appear throughout the Super Smash Bros. series. Bubbles appears as a trophy in Melee, and the Unira enemy appears as an item in the series from Brawl onwards. A medley of various tracks from the original game can be selected as background music for a number of stages in several games in the series, and Bubbles and Unira are featured as Spirits in Ultimate.Template:Citation needed

Bubbles appears as an unlockable playable character in DK: King of Swing, which features gameplay inspired by Clu Clu Land.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

WarioWare: Smooth Moves and Twisted! both include microgames based on Clu Clu Land.Template:Citation needed

Both the NES and FDS versions are unlockable in the first Animal Crossing, with the latter retitled Clu Clu Land D outside Japan. It was playable through its Nintendo Space World 2000 demo<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> as well as the final game. Clu Clu Land is included in the NES Remix series. Hamster Corporation released the game as part of the Arcade Archives series for the Nintendo Switch in 2018.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Bubbles is playable in Super Mario Maker, appearing as one of the Costume Mario characters.Template:Citation needed

External links

• Template:Moby game
• Clu Clu Land at NinDB
• Clu Clu Land on the Famicom 40th Anniversary page Template:In lang