Kururin Paradise

Short description: 2002 video game

Kururin Paradise

Developer(s)| Eighting
Publisher(s)| Nintendo
Director(s)| Shinji Hatano
Tomonori Fujisawa
Producer(s)| Hiroshi Sato
Masato Toyoshima
Programmer(s)| Yasunari Watanabe[1]
Composer(s)| Atsuhiro Motoyama[1]
Series| Kururin
Platform(s)| Game Boy Advance
Release|

* JP: December 6, 2002[2]

Genre(s)| Puzzle
Mode(s)| Single-player, multiplayer

Script error: The function "nihongo_foot" does not exist. is a 2002 puzzle video game developed by Eighting and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy Advance. It is the second entry in the Kururin series and the sequel to Kuru Kuru Kururin (2001), which was released exclusively in Japan on December 6, 2002. A North American release of the game was planned and revealed at E3, but later canceled. The player controls Kururin in a constantly spinning helicopter, navigating through mazes to rescue members of his family, who he assumes were kidnapped by a group of traveling magicians. It introduces alternate paths that can be unlocked by finding keys in levels, which unlock additional levels. Additionally, a selection of sixteen minigames can be played in single-player and multiplayer.

The game received generally positive reviews, with praise for its introduction of new gameplay mechanics and minigames. It was also praised for its increased difficulty, being considered an improvement over the first entry in the series. Kururin Paradise was followed by Kururin Squash! on the GameCube in 2004, and was later re-released on Wii U Virtual Console on December 9, 2015, also exclusive to Japan.

## Contents

* 1 Gameplay
* 2 Plot
* 3 Development and release
* 4 Reception
* 4.1 Sales
* 5 Notes
* 6 References
* 7 External links
* 8 Features
* 9 History
* 10 See also
* 11 References
* 12 External links

## Gameplay

Kururin piloting the Helirin through a maze to collect a key.

Similar to the first entry, Kururin Paradise is a maze navigation puzzle game. The player pilots Kururin in the Helirin, a helicopter that continuously spins as the player attempts to traverse through mazes to reach the goal at the end. If Kururin loses all three hearts in a level, it is restarted from the beginning.[3] New to Kururin Paradise, the player can use the right shoulder button to speed up the rotation of the Helirin, with the left shoulder button changing its color.[4] The Adventure mode contains the game's story with thirty-four levels, some of which are accessed by unlocking alternate paths, and the Challenge mode contains thirty levels with the goal of reaching the goal as fast as possible.[5][6]

Four players in the multiplayer mode playing the minigame "In The Sky" involving Kururin flying solo from his helicopter.

Kururin Paradise introduces several new gameplay mechanics, including alternate paths and minigames. Keys can be obtained in levels, which unlock secret alternate routes inside a previously completed level. When the alternate route is completed, a new level is unlocked on the world map, leading to a path containing other new levels.[7] Levels take place in a variety of different locations and contain new obstacles the player must avoid. Some of these levels include the inside of a clock, where Kururin must avoid the clock's hands, as well as a graveyard setting, where ghosts will slow down the rotation of the Helirin.[5][4] Other obstacles include cannons, flying swords, and moving blocks that damage the Helirin when touched.[8]: 18–19 In the Adventure mode, boss battles take place at the end of each world, but appear in the form of minigames.[4] Sixteen minigames are included in the "Mini-Game Paradise" mode, all of which can be played in multiplayer with up to four players using the Game Boy Advance Game Link Cable. A majority of the minigames are based on achieving a high score or surviving a challenge given a certain time limit. One minigame titled "In The Sky" features Kururin outside of the Helirin flying in a side-scrolling stage similar to the Balloon Trip mode in Balloon Fight,[7] where the player must control the bird to avoid obstacles.[9][10] The dedicated multiplayer modes similarly support up to four players. A racing mode from the original game returns, with players competing against each other to reach the end of a maze in the Challenge mode.[11] Players can give themselves a handicap by increasing the length of their vehicle or remove hearts from their character to accommodate the skills of different players.[4][8]: 23

Kururin Paradise teaches the player various magic tricks that can be performed with the Game Boy Advance system, which are obtained by defeating bosses. Each magic trick has an explanation on how to perform them for others, and after selecting the magic trick, the player must turn their system off and back on to activate it.[6][8]: 15 One of the magic tricks is a Love Tester, which references the Nintendo product of the same name.[7]

## Plot

Kappado, Tenko, Naporon, and Baron Magic of the Magic Group visit Kururin Village to put on a show. While Kururin's family leave to see the Magic Group perform, Kururin oversleeps, arriving late to discover an empty venue.[8]: 3 Assuming the Magic Group kidnapped his family and his instructor Teacher Hare with villainous intent, Kururin sets out on an adventure to rescue them.[12] When first encountering Kappado, he reveals that Kururin's family want to learn magic tricks from the Magic Group, and Kururin has to get them back by beating members of the Magic Group in a minigame.[13][4] After rescuing his father Totorin, it is revealed that Totorin was the leader of the Magic Group, as he wanted to teach Kururin the enjoyment that comes from learning magic. In the end, everyone surprises Kururin by celebrating his birthday.[14]

## Development and release

Kururin Paradise was revealed to be in development in May 2002 prior to its appearance at E3 2002.[15] The previous directors at Eighting, Hiroshi Sato and Masato Toyoshima, returned as the game's producers. Shinji Hatano, the producer of Kuru Kuru Kururin, became one of the directors alongside Tomonori Fujisawa. Additionally, character designer Yōichi Kotabe worked with Yoshitaka Ikeda to create the members of the Magic Group.[1] The game was announced in Japanese and North American markets, with no word of it receiving a European release.[16] An English-translated version of the game was showcased at E3 2002, the first time a game in the Kururin series was announced in the North American market.[9][11][17] This version of the game was never released, and was canceled at a later date.[18] Kururin Paradise released exclusively in Japan on December 6, 2002.[2] A Chinese version of the game was developed for the iQue Game Boy Advance, but was unreleased.[19] On December 9, 2015, Kururin Paradise was re-released on Wii U Virtual Console.[20][21] One of the members in the Magic Group, Naporon, makes a cameo appearance in the Eighting-developed Master of Illusion on Nintendo DS.[22]

## Reception

Reception

| Review scores

Publication| Score
Famitsu| 29/40[23]
Planet Gameboy.de| 81%[4]

The game received generally positive reviews. Famitsu gave Kururin Paradise a rating of 29/40,[23] and Planet Gameboy.de, a website powered by 4Players, rated it 81%, considering the game an overall improvement from its predecessor.[4] Critics praised the graphics,[7][10] as well as the abundance of inventive minigames in both single-player and multiplayer modes.[10][4]

Bastian Karweg writing for Planet Gameboy.de described the game as much more difficult than Kuru Kuru Kururin, sometimes requiring split-second precision and perfect timing to navigate the mazes.[4] Regarding the game's difficulty, Kurt Kalata of Hardcore Gaming 101 wrote "[i]t’s definitely meant for veterans of the first game, but it’s ultimately a much more satisfying experience", relating to the added depth in the level design.[7] One Famitsu reviewer described the frustration of navigating tight spaces to be offset by a sense of accomplishment when completing a level, while another reviewer complimented the exquisite level layout for allowing the player to complete seemingly impossible tasks.[23] Tom Bramwell writing for Eurogamer recommended the title over its sequel, Kururin Squash!, citing the game's increased difficulty as a strength.[24] Additionally, when comparing the game to Kururin Squash!, Ben Kosmina of Nintendo World Report described how the multiplayer content and "secret branching paths" were some of the highlights in Kururin Paradise.[25]

Kalata praised the graphics as an improvement over Kuru Kuru Kururin for their pastel and cel-shaded look, describing the visual style as "a cartoon come to life".[7] Karweg described the game as very colorful and atmospheric with "beautiful 2D graphics".[4] Daniel Bloodworth of Nintendo World Report complimented the game's art style, citing it as "cleaner, more colorful and has a specifically hand-drawn look". Bloodworth also highlighted certain minigames such as "Mowrin" for being a particularly clever use of the series' gameplay formula in minigame format.[10] The Mexican Club Nintendo magazine claimed it to be "one of the simplest and most addictive games" they have played.[11] In a retrospective review, Rudy Lavaux of Cubed3 described it as one of the best Japanese-exclusive Game Boy Advance games, being a faster game than Kuru Kuru Kururin that focused more on planning ahead and using quick reflexes.[26] In an interview, WayForward director James Montagna called Kururin Paradise among one of his top five favorite video games, with the series inspiring the creation of Vitamin Connection (2020) on Nintendo Switch.[27]

### Sales

The game sold 3,508 copies after three days.[28] During its initial launch week, it sold 7,801 copies, marking the only time it would appear among the top thirty Japanese game sales.[29] Kururin Paradise sold a total of 80,404 copies in Japan from release to December 22, 2003.[30] It was the twenty-sixth best-selling Game Boy Advance game in Japan released in 2002, and the seventieth best-selling game overall in Japan.[31]

## Notes

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Eighting (December 6, 2002). Kururin Paradise. Game Boy Advance. Nintendo. Scene: Staff credits.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Hok (2002-11-18). "Kururin Paradise en images" (in fr). https://www.gamekult.com/actualite/kururin-paradise-en-images-22006.html.
3. ↑ "Kururin Paradise sur Gameboy Advance" (in fr). https://www.jeuxvideo.com/jeux/gameboy-advance-gba/00035683-kururin-paradise.htm.
4. ↑ 4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 Karweg, Bastian (June 2, 2005). "Kururin Paradise \- Nintendo GBA Spiel" (in de). http://www.planetgameboy.de/spiel/379-kururin-paradise.html.
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Famitsu Cube + Advance (2002-12)". Famitsu: 44. December 21, 2002. https://archive.org/details/famitsucubeadvance200212/044.jpg.
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Nintendo Dream Issue 80". Nintendo Dream: 74-75. December 21, 2002. https://archive.org/details/nintendo-dream-2002-12-21-vol-080-600dpi-ozidual/Nintendo Dream 2002 12 21 v080/page/n75/mode/2up.
7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 Kalata, Kurt (May 18, 2010). "Kururin Paradise" (in en-US). http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/kururin-paradise/.
8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 (in ja) Kururin Paradise Instruction Manual. Eighting, Nintendo. 2002. pp. 1–28. https://www.nintendo.co.jp/data/software/manual/manual_pcwj_00.pdf. Retrieved November 11, 2025.
9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 "E3 2002: Hands-on: Kururin Paradise". May 24, 2002. http://gameboy.ign.com/articles/360/360753p1.html.
10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 Bloodworth, Daniel (June 13, 2002). "Kururin Paradise Hands-on Preview". http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/hands-on-preview/2926/kururin-paradise-game-boy-advance.
11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 "Club Nintendo Año 11 Nº 07" (in es). Club Nintendo: 22. July 2002. https://archive.org/details/club-nintendo-ano-11-no-07-mexico/page/n23/mode/2up.
12. ↑ "Wii U Virtual Console software – Kururin Paradise" (in ja). https://www.nintendo.com/jp/titles/20010000014488.html.
13. ↑ Eighting (December 6, 2002) (in ja). Kururin Paradise. Game Boy Advance. Nintendo. Scene: World 1 cutscene. "Kappado: マジックのタネをのぞくからす~ / かえしてほしければ... このゲームで勝負だよ~"
14. ↑ Eighting (December 6, 2002) (in ja). Kururin Paradise. Game Boy Advance. Nintendo. Scene: Ending cutscene.
15. ↑ Trunks (May 30, 2002). "Kuru Kuru quoi ?" (in fr). https://www.gamekult.com/actualite/kuru-kuru-quoi-17697.html.
16. ↑ Bramwell, Tom (May 28, 2002). "Spinning Bird Kururin!" (in en). https://www.eurogamer.net/article-46056.
17. ↑ Bloodworth, Daniel (May 21, 2002). "Kururin Paradise Preview". http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/preview/3567/kururin-paradise-game-boy-advance.
18. ↑ "E3 2002 Preview". Nintendo Power 157: 63. June 2002. https://archive.org/details/nintendo-power-issue-157-june-2002_202111/page/n65/mode/2up. Retrieved January 24, 2026.
19. ↑ Eighting (March 25, 2019), Kururin Paradise (iQue) (Prototype), Internet Archive, http://archive.org/details/kurupara-a-9-qc-00, retrieved November 11, 2025
20. ↑ Somin (December 2, 2015). "『ルドラの秘宝』『逆転裁判 2』がWii U用VCで配信開始。12月9日には『メタルスレイダーグローリーDC』も" (in ja). https://dengekionline.com/elem/000/001/170/1170184/.
21. ↑ Kato, Tsukui (December 2, 2015). "Wii Uバーチャルコンソール12月9日配信タイトル ― 『メタルスレイダーグローリー ディレクターズカット』『くるりんパラダイス』" (in ja). https://www.inside-games.jp/article/2015/12/02/93592.html.
22. ↑ "いろんな場面で大活躍！". Nintendo. https://www.nintendo.co.jp/ds/ajqj/magic_recomend/index.html.
23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 23.2 "Famitsu No. 730 Cross Review". Famitsu (Enterbrain) (730). December 2002.
24. ↑ Bramwell, Tom (2004-12-07). "Kururin Squash" (in en). https://www.eurogamer.net/ir-kururinsquash-gc.
25. ↑ Kosmina, Ben (October 22, 2004). "Kururin Squash! Hands-on Preview". http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/hands-on-preview/3206/kururin-squash-gamecube.
26. ↑ Riley, Adam; Lavaux, Rudy (September 17, 2016). "GBA 15th Anniversary: Stuck in Japan: 15 of the Best" (in en-US). https://www.cubed3.com/features/insights/gba-15th-anniversary-stuck-in-japan-15-of-the-best.
27. ↑ MinnMax (May 5, 2023). Nintendo Abandoned It, These Devs Reimagined It. Retrieved January 27, 2026 - via YouTube.
28. ↑ Puyo (December 12, 2002). "Charts Japon : 2 millions pour Pokémon" (in fr). https://www.gamekult.com/actualite/charts-japon-2-millions-pour-pokemon-22531.html.
29. ↑ "Week of 2002-12-02". Garaph (Media Create). December 12, 2002. http://garaph.info/weeklyoverview.php?week=2002-12-02. Retrieved November 12, 2025.
30. ↑ "Kuririn Paradise". Garaph (Media Create). http://garaph.info/softwareindividual.php//gid/841.
31. ↑ "GBA first party". Garaph (Media Create). February 4, 2013. http://garaph.info/softwaregroup.php?grid=S107.

## External links

* Official Japanese website
* Official Wii U Virtual Console website
* MobyGames is a commercial database website that catalogs information on video games and the people and companies behind them via crowdsourcing. This includes over 300,000 games for hundreds of platforms.[1] Founded in 1999, ownership of the site has changed hands several times. It has been owned by Atari SA since 2022.

## Features

Edits and submissions to the site (including screenshots, box art, developer information, game summaries, and more) go through a verification process of fact-checking by volunteer "approvers".[2] This approval process after submission can range from minutes to days or months.[3] The most commonly used sources are the video game's website, packaging, and credit screens. There is a published standard for game information and copy-editing.[4] A ranking system allows users to earn points for contributing accurate information.[5]

Registered users can rate and review games. Users can create private or public "have" and "want" lists, which can generate a list of games available for trade with other registered users. The site contains an integrated forum. Each listed game can have its own sub-forum.

## History

Logo used until March 2014

MobyGames was founded on March 1, 1999, by Jim Leonard and Brian Hirt, and joined by David Berk 18 months later, the three of which had been friends since high school.[6][7] Leonard had the idea of sharing information about computer games with a larger audience. The database began with information about games for IBM PC compatibles, relying on the founders' personal collections. Eventually, the site was opened up to allow general users to contribute information.[5] In a 2003 interview, Berk emphasized MobyGames' dedication to taking video games more seriously than broader society and to preserving games for their important cultural influence.[5]

In mid-2010, MobyGames was purchased by GameFly for an undisclosed amount.[8] This was announced to the community post factum , and the site's interface was given an unpopular redesign.[7] A few major contributors left, refusing to do volunteer work for a commercial website.{{Citation needed|date=June 2025} On December 18, 2013, MobyGames was acquired by Jeremiah Freyholtz, owner of Blue Flame Labs (a San Francisco-based game and web development company) and VGBoxArt (a site for fan-made video game box art).[9] Blue Flame Labs reverted MobyGames' interface to its pre-overhaul look and feel,[10] and for the next eight years, the site was run by Freyholtz and Independent Games Festival organizer Simon Carless.[7]

On November 24, 2021, Atari SA announced a potential deal with Blue Flame Labs to purchase MobyGames for $1.5 million.[11] The purchase was completed on 8 March 2022, with Freyholtz remaining as general manager.[12][13][14] Over the next year, the financial boost given by Atari led to a rework of the site being built from scratch with a new backend codebase, as well as updates improving the mobile and desktop user interface.[1] This was accomplished by investing in full-time development of the site instead of its previously part-time development.[15]

In 2024, MobyGames began offering a paid "Pro" membership option for the site to generate additional revenue.[16] Previously, the site had generated income exclusively through banner ads and (from March 2014 onward) a small number of patrons via the Patreon website.[17]

On February 13, 2025, Freyholtz stepped down as the site lead to move onto new projects, leaving operations to Tracy Poff, a veteran coder on the site, and Atari staff.[18]

## See also

* IGDB - game database used by Twitch for its search and discovery functions

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Sheehan, Gavin (2023-02-22). "Atari Relaunches The Fully Rebuilt & Optimized MobyGames Website". https://bleedingcool.com/games/atari-relaunches-the-fully-rebuilt-optimized-mobygames-website/.
2. ↑ Litchfield, Ted (2021-11-26). "Zombie company Atari to devour MobyGames". https://www.pcgamer.com/zombie-company-atari-to-devour-mobygames/.
3. ↑ "MobyGames FAQ: Emails Answered § When will my submission be approved?". Blue Flame Labs. 30 March 2014. http://www.mobygames.com/info/faq7#g1.
4. ↑ "The MobyGames Standards and Practices". Blue Flame Labs. 6 January 2016. http://www.mobygames.com/info/standards.
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Miller, Stanley A. (2003-04-22). "People's choice awards honor favorite Web sites". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
6. ↑ "20 Years of MobyGames" (in en). 2019-02-28. https://trixter.oldskool.org/2019/02/28/20-years-of-mobygames/.
7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Plunkett, Luke (2022-03-10). "Atari Buys MobyGames For $1.5 Million". https://kotaku.com/mobygames-retro-credits-database-imdb-atari-freyholtz-b-1848638521.
8. ↑ "Report: MobyGames Acquired By GameFly Media". Gamasutra. 2011-02-07. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/report-mobygames-acquired-by-gamefly-media.
9. ↑ Corriea, Alexa Ray (December 31, 2013). "MobyGames purchased from GameFly, improvements planned". http://www.polygon.com/2013/12/31/5261414/mobygames-purchased-from-gamefly-improvements-planned.
10. ↑ Wawro, Alex (31 December 2013). "Game dev database MobyGames getting some TLC under new owner". Gamasutra. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/game-dev-database-mobygames-getting-some-tlc-under-new-owner.
11. ↑ "Atari invests in Anstream, may buy MobyGames". November 24, 2021. https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2021-11-24-atari-invests-in-anstream-may-buy-mobygames.
12. ↑ Rousseau, Jeffrey (2022-03-09). "Atari purchases Moby Games". https://www.gamesindustry.biz/atari-purchases-moby-games.
13. ↑ "Atari Completes MobyGames Acquisition, Details Plans for the Site's Continued Support". March 8, 2022. https://www.atari.com/atari-completes-mobygames-acquisition-details-plans-for-the-sites-continued-support/.
14. ↑ "Atari has acquired game database MobyGames for $1.5 million" (in en-GB). 2022-03-09. https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/atari-has-acquired-game-database-mobygames-for-1-5-million/.
15. ↑ Stanton, Rich (2022-03-10). "Atari buys videogame database MobyGames for $1.5 million". https://www.pcgamer.com/atari-buys-videogame-database-mobygames-for-dollar15-million/.
16. ↑ Harris, John (2024-03-09). "MobyGames Offering “Pro” Membership". https://setsideb.com/mobygames-offering-pro-membership/.
17. ↑ "MobyGames on Patreon". http://www.patreon.com/mobygames.
18. ↑ "An update on MobyGames leadership". 2025-02-13. https://www.mobygames.com/forum/3/thread/269628/an-update-on-mobygames-leadership/#post-269628.

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