It's not often that a new DSiWare game shows up on the eShop, as that particular line of software is on the brink of extinction. Imagine, then, the shock when the G.G Series made its return to the service when Genterprise chose to localise the remaining games in the series. G.G Series WONDERLAND marked the beginning of the triumphant return and it was a good choice to lead with. For such a low price of admission, G.G Series WONDERLAND delivers a solid, if simplistic, bullet hell shooter experience.
Players take control of Alice from Lewis Carroll's classic literary tale and embark on a bizarre shoot 'em up tour through the crazy world of Wonderland. The unique setting presents an interesting break from the usual themes of games of this genre, as Alice blasts her way through strange enemies like card soldiers, griffins, and the Cheshire Cat, and the sprite designs of Alice and all the enemies she faces are excellently animated and detailed. While the environments that scroll by in the background aren't nearly as eye-catching as the sprites, they still do a decent job of conveying the Wonderland setting. All of this is paired with a rather generic soundtrack that does a good job of matching the tempo and pace of the action on screen.
Gameplay progresses in the same fashion as can be expected from a shoot 'em up; as the screen slowly scrolls by, players shoot at anything that moves while dodging all incoming attacks. At the end of every stage are boss fights which really take up the bulk of time spent playing this game, as complex attack patterns and a hearty health bar guarantee a protracted and lengthy fight. Alice has a basic, yet effective, moveset to take out her foes: there's a light attack that fans out in three directions, a heavy attack that deals significantly more damage at the cost of movement speed, and a screen clearing bomb that's charged up by defeating enemies. It's simple and it offers just enough diversity for there to be a bit of strategy behind the player's actions.
There are a few minor missteps that hold the overall experience back a little. For example, there are only three stages to shoot through and they can be cleared out in roughly 7-8 minutes, then the game loops back to stage one and gets a bit more difficult. Granted, games of this nature are made for score chasing, but it still would've been nice for a few more stages to be included. Another fault is that the hitbox on Alice's sprite is actually smaller than the sprite itself and isn't very clearly defined. Shots will pass through her head or other parts that are on the edges of her sprite, but she'll be struck if it impacts her somewhere in the middle. Given that the later boss fights have the screen virtually filled with bullets, it'd be nice to know exactly how much wiggle room the player has to manoeuvre around the volleys of attacks.
Conclusion
G.G Series WONDERLAND is a simple, enjoyable shoot 'em up that delivers a high quality game experience at a budget price point. Excellent spritework, tight controls, and fast paced gameplay combine to make this a well rounded arcade experience. There may not be a whole lot to it, but G.G Series WONDERLAND is addictive and fun, making this an easy recommendation.
Comments 15
EU release?
It's kind of rare for DSiWare games to get an 8. Don't most of us own a DSi anyway?
Thanks for the G.G Series reviews..frustrated too w/the hitbox..lots of bullets pass through and randomly one hits..
Good or not, this series seriously needs to get with the times. DSiWare is (supposed to be) dead. Make 3DS eShop games, the service could benefit from more good games.
Can you play these on the 3ds cause if so i cant find them.
So DSiWare is still a thing, apparently. That is news to me...
Edit: How many points for this?
@SirQuincealot Yes, just search g.g series.
@StarDust4Ever 200
@Tops It got an 8. WHat is horrible about that?
Cheap shooter on the go. Might pick this up. Thanks for the review.
@TruenoGT Oh, I see...well then yeah. What you said. Weird that they didn't just release them all at once.
@TruenoGT actually, the DSiWares came first. Then there was a retail collection with even more games (which we are getting separately).
Sweet. I've got $2.18 in the eShop. Just enough with tax. But there's
9 GG titles.Which one should I buy?Edit: more than 20. Bought Wonderland, teehee. 2 cents left...
@StarDust4Ever I'd suggest wonderland or the spiky blowfish.
For anyone considering the G.G. series, Ninja Karakuri-Den and Dark Spirits are the top of the class from my experience. In the realm of score-chasers, I'd put them against any other $2 games on the 3DS eShop. I've owned them for many years and I can still come back to them for 15-30 minutes on any given day.
Beyond those there are many other worthwhile purchases in the series (Air Pinball Hockey, All Breaker, Black x Block, Wonderland, Spiky the Blowfish, and Great Whip Adventure stand out off the top as maybe the next tier--mind that I've yet to play them all and I'm likely forgetting some), so if something catches your interest give it a shot!
Suzak did well to balance tight controls with simple, novel game design and just enough flair to at once harken back and yet feel fresh. I definitely have a soft spot for their DSiware fare.
As a fair amount of these G.G. series games are actually more than just decent, one wonders why they throw all of them out in one week...
I'd be more interested if DSi games weren't STILL being forced onto 3DS system memory.
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