Can Ufouria: The Saga 2 live up to the legacy of a cult hit from the NES era? It makes a much-needed return.
One that escaped was the first Ufouria: The Saga. Despite being released in Japan and Europe, the game was somewhat of a stand-alone when its North American release was shelved back in 1991. It served as the foundation for Sunsoft’s whole Hebereke series, albeit other titles were spin-offs focused on puzzles and collections of minigames. And that was a shame because the original Ufouria was a fun side-scrolling platformer that was both more sophisticated and more approachable than other NES maze-driven games.
Sunsoft never went back to that formula—that is, until this year. With its striking new aesthetic and contemporary tone of self-satire, Ufouria: The Saga 2 aims to make up for decades of lost possibilities. This comeback to normalcy starts with a very relaxed alien invasion. The only remedy for the blob infestation that the UFO pilot Utsujin brought to his nation is found in local Popoons, which are face-sporting spheres that are gathered and thrown by Hebe and his buddies. Hebe is a penguin hero. The alien blobs take control of the friends, but Hebe manages to free them and brings in three new characters: Jennifer, a fish-dude who dives freely through depths that hinder his companions; Sukezaemon, a formal, tea-drinking ghost who glides along in sunglasses and a winged hat (evoking either Mercury or Dr. Slump’s Arale); and O-Chan, a seemingly human girl in a catsuit that lets her tread water and grip icy surfaces.
Similar to the first game, Ufouria: The Saga 2 is based on a slowly revealed exploration style that some refer to as “Metroidvania,” others as “search action,” and me as “You might need a map for this.” Sections of the world become accessible with every new character enlisted and ability acquired, yet this exploration adheres to standard side-scrolling game mechanics. While there are things to find and foes to attack, Ufouria 2 still has the peculiarity of the original game—that is, you have to press down on the directional pad in order to properly defeat an opponent.
Along with Popoons, which they conjure out of thin air to startle foes or destroy alien slime constructions, Hebe and his friends also encounter vending machines, which beckon with more features and power-ups. The game progresses because of those vending machine purchases, but it’s easy to earn money for new stuff. Compared to the original Ufouria and other search-and-action games, Ufouria 2 further segments its universe into several phases. Every level has an alternative task that might be to avoid taking any damage, complete the course in a certain amount of time, or even just destroy a single monster.
The real measure of any action-platform game, or maybe any game at all, is how much fun it is to just run, leap, explore, and bounce off big springboards at strange angles without having to think about it too much. Ufouria 2 makes a strong case for this. You may change characters with ease because the controls are sufficiently versatile. For example, you can jump from a cliff as the multipurpose Hebe, change to the floating Sukezaemon in midair, and then land as Jennifer. The majority of levels have randomly chosen adversaries and obstacles, which lessens the boredom when you’re walking through the Popoitto Caves for the twentieth time.
The fact that Ufouria 2 is consistently, acutely, almost primally cute is an additional bonus. With stop-motion animation akin to Yoshi’s Crafted World, the characters have fluffy, soft toy-like appearances, while the levels have bright, comfortable backgrounds. While some people might not enjoy the empty and dreamlike atmosphere of the first Ufouria, Ufouria 2 is hospitable in every way. The characters are brimming with unique nuances, such as Sukezaemon patiently taking a seat for some tea, Hebe flapping his stubby wings as he leaps, and O-Chan rolling around on her back and skipping on the floor rather than just crawling.
Some of the most iconic soundtracks in the NES collection can be attributed to Sunsoft, and Ufouria 2 prudently relies on remixes of the original theme by Naoki Kodaka. The game sensibly doesn’t provide the characters spoken language beyond their squeaks, beeps, and other less easily described noises, yet it still has a wonderful selection of catchy earworms. Even a button to make them sing is there, however it has no clear tactical use. It’s simply adorable.
The quartet’s hunt is entertaining as well, as they respond to new information with sardonic and perceptive remarks. It’s simple to fall in love with them (and question why Sunsoft hasn’t used them more as mascots over time). Even during standard gaming, they provide entertainment, as cast members in reserve will periodically comment on how little playtime they get or the useful things they’ve discovered. They’ll deliver coins and power-ups when you tap the button, or maybe simply a poo they’re so pleased of finding. Even the modified characters from the first Western edition of Ufouria—where O-Chan was a dinosaur named Freeon-Leon and Hebe was an extraterrestrial snowman named Bop-Louie—make brief appearances in the game.
The sole significant flaw in Ufouria 2? Rarely is it a challenge. The majority of the bosses can be defeated using the same general tactics, and the game isn’t any more difficult than a simple Kirby title overall. Common opponents are also predictable and don’t offer much variation. You can defeat opponents with a little more aggressive difficulty setting, but even so, you can complete Ufouria 2 without ever running out of your limited number of lives. And in the event that you do lose them, your only loss is that Hebe keeps half of your money for comfort food.
Compared to more recent entries in its genre, Ufouria 2 is not as big or as intense. There’s no enormous labyrinth of caves where you can take great pleasure in poking every crevice with a just obtained weapon. There’s not a particularly challenging boss fight that forces you to apply every tip you’ve learned. With the exception of a little one near the very end, there are no plot twists. On a system with torturous, maze-like Metroids, Blaster Masters, and Legacies of the Wizards, this was the whole charm of the original Ufouria; nothing was too far away, and getting there was never boring. Unlike its late-period NES buddy Mr. Gimmick, its purpose was not to hide horrible challenges behind adorable packaging. That being said, Ufouria 2 is every bit as adorable as it appears.
Underneath its beautifully rendered felt veneer, Ufouria 2 plays very much like a Super NES game, the follow-up that Sunsoft ought to have released in 1993, and that’s perfectly acceptable. Indeed, there’s something pure and invigorating about a game that doesn’t try to fit any artificial notion of “content” above sheer fun. It’s not as extensive as comparable Mario, Yoshi, and Kirby adventures, but it’s ultimately just as fun. Ufouria 2 is an always enjoyable side-scrolling game for fans of the genre.
