Introduction:

Lolo is an extraordinary puzzle game for the NES, it was THE puzzle game to have. If you wanted to solve complex puzzles, then this was THE NES game for it. It wasn't a quick puzzle game such as Tetris and Dr. Mario, and many others, but an incredible thinking game. This game was loved by many a NES Player. It managed to spawn 2 sequels on the NES. I have always been a BIG Puzzle Game Player, So, shouldn't I like Lolo?

Story:

Princess Lala has been Kidnapped!!! You are Lolo, her brave hero, you must battle through locked rooms to rescue her. The only way to unlock these rooms is to solve the puzzle that lay within them.

Gameplay:

The Gameplay is a perfect thinking game. You will control Lolo, A cute loveable blue ball. (He's not really a ball, but he does look like one.) Each level will be composed within a square that will fill the screen. You will start somewhere in the room (Each level is called a room.) and have to solve the puzzles within the room to unlock the door, and reach the next level/room. You will have to collect these hearts in each stage, once you collect these hearts a chest will be unlocked, it will reveal a pearl, or something like that, after you grab the pearl, ALL the enemies in the room will be gone, and the door will open, you will have conquered that level. Well, there are a few enemies in this game. There are these loveable green bugs, they won't hurt you, they are more of an ally then an enemy, they will actually help you defeat rooms. There are these dragons, that will blow fire in 1 direction, it is possible to out run the fire, but not always. These dragons will be asleep (won't blow fire.) until you collect all the hearts in each stage, once you collect all hearts, they will wake up and blow fire at you. The dragons don't move, they will stay in place and blow fire at you. There are these stone head things. They are able to attack at any time, even before you collect all the hearts. They will shoot in all 4 directions. (Up,Down,Left,Right) There is NO Chance of running away from there deadly blasts, they will paralyze you if you have a direct path with them, and then kill you!  There are these weird Devil/Dragon enemies, they will move up to down, or left to right, they will be awake before and after you collect all hearts. This enemy will paralyze you and kill you, as well as shoot in all 4 directions.  This Devil/Dragon enemy is very annoying, considering it will move AND shoot, as the head will just stay still. There is a BIG SQUARE ENEMY! This thing will not kill you, but rather trap you somewhere in the stage and thus forcing you to restart the stage. ( I guess it does kill you, it juts makes you do the dirty work of killing yourself, by restarting the level.). This enemy doesn't require much of a puzzle element to escape, more of an action element, you just have to stay out of their way. But they will follow you. There is this green enemy, this enemy will not kill you either, if it touches you, it will fall asleep and not move. These enemies will actually help you, you will sometimes have to use them to conquer the level, but they will occasionally trap you, and thus making you restart the stage. Finally there is this grey enemy, it reminds me of an armadillo, how it will go into a circular shell formation and roll at you. (Well, the armadillos rolled at you in Donkey Kong Country.)  This enemy will kill you, if it touches you, your dead. Well, now that you know all about the enemies I can talk about the levels. Each level will give you the dilemma of having to get all the hearts and get to the chest, without dying. You will have to move blocks to the exact spot, as well as a couple other things. Some hearts will contain a shoot. You can shoot enemies with this. You will get 2 Shots per heart (that is if that heart gives shots, not all will.) If you shoot and enemy once, you will be able to move that enemy. You will have to position blocks in front of enemies, for example, you will have to move blocks in front of those stone heads, because if you don't they will paralyze and kill you. Enemies can't shoot through blocks, other enemies, and stones (stones will be placed in stages.) Sometimes you will not have enough blocks to cover all the enemies, so you will have to shoot an enemy and move it in front of another enemy. This might seem easy to beat, but it will get very hard. The first few stages will be sort of like training levels, they will teach you the basics of the game, but once you get going you will have to think very hard to pass each stage, usually replaying some over and over before you figure out how to beat it. This game provided me hours of fun and frustration of thinking. The game uses a password system, so you don't have to beat it all at once. You get lives, which I see as pointless, considering you can continue as many times as you want. This game will give hours of enjoyment if you like thinking games, not basic thinking games such as, Tetris and Dr. Mario, but more complex thinking games.

I give the gameplay: 8.5/10

Graphics:

The graphics are VERY WELL DONE for a NES game. I love the look of the characters as well as the levels. I just want to point out how I LOVE the look of Lolo, he's just so cute.

I give the graphics: 8.5/10

Sound:

The sound is good. The sound FX are basic, such as when you shoot something, or die. The background sound might get a little repetitive after a few stages, since it doesn't really change, but the song they do play is very nice and fits with the game.

I give the sound: 6/10

Replayability:

The replayability isn't the best. There is a difference between this puzzle game and a puzzle game such as Tetris, most people know that, but they are both called puzzle games, and they both are very different. Tetris and Dr. Mario have a very high replayability, while this does not, but its a lot more complex than Tetris, you have more of a goal then to just make lines. This is a more complex puzzle game with more movement. WELL, getting back to replayability and off my long ramblings, the replayability is good for the type of game it is. You can play and beat it then in a few years beat it again. I have, I beat it, then about 5 years later when I had forgotten most of it, played and beat it again, it was almost as frustrating, since I forget A LOT of the levels. =

I give the replayability: 6/10

Challenge:

This game will give a great challenge. I got very mad at some levels, thinking that there is a flaw in the game, that there is no possible way to beat that level. THEN, after COUNTLESS try's, finally figuring out how to beat it.

I give the challenge: 8/10

Value:

The Value is very good. My Sister got me this game for Christmas, so I don't really know how much she paid. It is a great game, and If I didn't have it I would pay up to 30 dollars for it, but I would guess you could get it for a lot less.

Overall:

Overall this game is awesome. It has VERY FUN Gameplay and cool graphics. The sound and replayability is ok. The challenge is GREAT. The value is good. If you like thinking games, then you should definitely like this one. Back to my ramblings, Tetris and Dr. Mario don't count as thinking games in this category, I grant you they are thinking games, but there not on this level of thinking. Anyway, this is a great thinking game, I love it and am looking forward to the sequel, if I can ever find the sequel.

I give Adventures of Lolo: 8.5/10

Conclusion:

Adventures of Lolo is an AWESOME thinking game. It gives a great play for anyone who likes these types of games. I have Lolo 3 at this time,. but not Lolo 2. I haven't played Lolo 3 because I have this crazy rule where I have to play them in order, not that it matters, I just have to. I remember wanting this game very much. I made a list of possible NES games I wanted for Christmas. My sister said she might get me one or two. I was VERY SURPRISED and HAPPY on Christmas when I opened this game up, because where I lived at the time, this was a rare game. Well, how do I end this review. Maybe another ramble on Puzzle Genres? NO!!! I have said it enough! Well, I guess I'll just say Thanks to my sister again, for buying me this great game. Thanks!

Written By: Joey Anderson

Date Written: April 21st, 2004