Developer: Kunjee Studio
Publisher: Mega Cat Studios
Platform: NES
Tested on: NES
Roniu’s Tale – Review
It’s been a while since we reviewed a new title for the NES, Nintendo’s game system that has been around since the ’80s. Those who used to own the console often don’t realize that this console is far from dead. Many enthusiasts still collect retro games and the system actually still gets new releases from dedicated developers and publishers. The last NES game we reviewed was Log Jammers, which proved to be a very fun arcade experience. Now, brought to us by the same publisher, Mega Cat Studios, and developer Kunjee Studio, we have had the chance to try out Roniu’s Tale. Not only did we fall in love with the game’s design and soundtrack, but we found this tough-as-nails puzzle game a worthy addition to your NES library.
Story
Roniu’s Tale tells the story of Roniu, a boy who was attracted by a mysterious light that came from beyond the walls of his village. He follows the light and tumbles into a magic hole, only to find himself in a mysterious dungeon where he encounters the ghostly apparition of a young girl. The young girl is trapped in the dungeon with no way out, and Roniu decides to help her. Roniu can only do so by collecting all the orbs and keys in the dungeon.
The general story is extremely simplistic but the progress is quite nice. In-between each chapter you’ll get a small snippet of the story that unfolds, and this is very nicely done. The overall presentation is enjoyably handled.
Graphics
Within the 8-bit capabilities of the NES, Roniu’s Tale is a gorgeous game. You’ll go through many different themed environments during your descent into the dungeon. The game is very colorful and the sprite design is also nicely handled. Of course, you can’t compare the game to modern releases, but for an NES title, this is a very pretty title.
Sound
The game’s sound design is pretty much perfect. Each of the different zones has its own background track, and we couldn’t help but get into the zone more than often just bopping our heads to the soundtrack. We loved the music and we were always curious to see what track would accompany the next zone of the game. The sound effects are basic, but they are what you’d expect from the NES that was released back in 1985.
Gameplay
Roniu’s Tale is a puzzle game in which you’ll have to clear every level by considering every step carefully. Make one mistake, and you’ll find yourself plummeting to your death or ravaged by a demon. In the game, you must clear stages by collecting orbs and keys, and then you can make your merry way to the exit of the stage. The shtick here, however, is that you can only walk on each tile once. The moment you step off a tile, it will get destroyed and it will become a pit hazard. There is no margin for mistakes here, and you’ll soon notice that this is no easy game. The title also spices up the gameplay by throwing a few boss battles in the mix. These boss battles adhere to the same formula as the normal stages, albeit with a bit more action.
As the game progresses, you’ll get a few more powers at your disposal. For example, you start off by having three fireballs that you can use to kill demons and destroy objects. That being said, you soon learn to avoid monsters rather than kill them, as each fireball counts. You might not be able to break the object blocking the exit if you decide to go full Van Helsing on the creepy ghouls that lurk in the dungeon. After this, you’ll get the ability to fly for the length of two tiles, you get the ability to place a tile of your own, and so on. The game gradually ramps up the difficulty, and while you can beat the first few levels at a calm pace, later stages will have you time certain actions to a tee if you want to make it out alive.
As a whole, we loved the overall experience and the game plays really smoothly. You’ll have to get used to being able to walk over the edge of the map (and die) and you’ll also mess up from time to time when switching between your abilities. You can still select empty slots in your inventory, and this might cause you to slip up. It would have perhaps been better if the empty slots were removed or if they would automatically disappear if there was no need for them.
Conclusion
Roniu’s Tale is a great NES title that would also be perfect for PC or Nintendo’s Switch. We loved the overall gameplay design, and the soundtrack added a lot of charm to the experience. On top of that, the story progression was the icing on the cake that gave you the motivation to press on after dying over and over. We love that passion projects such as this are still being released and we wouldn’t mind a sequel for this one in the future. For now, however, we’ll have to make do with this gem for our elderly Nintendo Entertainment System.
Roniu's Tale - Review,
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