Back in the early 1990s, Nintendo and Sega were in the midst of their console wars. While each console had its own strengths and weaknesses, it was inevitable that one would come along that would define the age and push other consoles forward. One of those games for the Sega Genesis was Landstalker: The Treasures of King Nole. It is a 2-D and a one-fourth perspective game. And there was nothing like it at the time. Add awesomely tight controls and level design, and it became one of the best platformer adventures at the time. As well as one of the most frustrating as it took some time to get used to figuring out distances between platforms. Fast-forward almost 18 years, and now gamers have the opportunity to play its spiritual successor: Steal Princess. Does it live up to the 16-bit classic? Is it a good game overall?
Steal Princess follows master thief Anise. She’s sort of like Robin Hood. She steals from the rich and gives it to ... herself. One day, she sneaks into this tower of a supposed demon lord. She successfully avoids detection and traps. Until the last trap; she and Indiana Jones both hate those rolling boulders. In this case, Anise ends up in the water and watches as a prince is held captive in a cell. Several hours later, she is nursed back to health by the kingdom of said prince, and the local fairy deems her to be the “legendary hero.” So, she has two choices: Either she saves the prince and stops the demon lord from returning to the mortal realm, or she gets persecuted for her crimes. Guess which one she chooses. Thus begins an interesting and occasionally funny misadventure.
Like it’s older sibling, Landstalker, the world is massive. Unlike Landstalker, the world of Steal Princess is broken into clever little levels. It starts rather simple: Kill the monsters and get the key to open the door to the next level. But Anise’s handy dandy whip will not take out anything. Instead, its main goal is to get her from one point to another. It can also temporarily paralyze an opponent (and possibly release a gem) and hit switches from a distance. Thus, you have to find weapons that match the element of the monster. If you want to kill that water kobold, you have to have a weapon enchanted with water. Got fire monsters that need killed? You need a fire sword. The downside is that only one weapon or item can be held at a time. And some weapons have limited durability, so you have to properly plan your attacks.
That is really where the main joy comes into play: Figuring out how to solve the level is like nothing else as it slowly keeps throwing new things at you. As previously mentioned, Steal Princess starts easy with only one monster to kill. It then adds in the different weapons, the usage of the whip to help set things up, moving platforms and cannons ... the list goes on with different combinations and tricks. Sure, you might see the basic level template a few times, but it mixes things up so well that you never know what will happen the first time you play through.
And if you are one of those folks who like to tinker with things, this is one of those games that is right up your proverbial alley. Right off the bat, Steal Princess offers a level editor. It is rather basic at first (it does expect you to play the game), but as you progress through Anise’s adventures, more items are available for purchase. This is why you should collect gems. Selling them not only pays off her debt (which allows access to hidden levels), but it also lets you purchase map parts. Once you have finished your masterpiece, you can share with friends locally and through Nintendo’s Wi-Fi. I have not done so because I lack a way to get my DS online. However, I think once players become modding masters, it’ll keep this game fresh for a long time.
Controls are rather decent. You are able to play the game using either the D-pad and buttons or movement with the stylus. (You’ll still need to hit one of the shoulder buttons for her to jump.) It would be perfect if not for a few flaws. First, you are timed as you traverse Anise through each level. But the timer doesn’t stop whenever you place the key in the lock. Second, Anise jumps and falls rather slowly. It just feels a little off to me. Third, it is difficult to aim the whip — especially when those whip points are right above each other. It does not matter if you use the D-pad controls or the stylus. Best term to describe the aiming system is “craziness.” Plus, if items are dropped close together, the game has a hard time deciding which one to pick up first. Ultimately, Steal Princess is a tough game. Even if the controls were perfect, this is one of those games that requires a bit of trial and error. It is meeting the conditions for victory that make it so.
Graphically, things are a bit pixilated. But don’t underestimate it! It looks good, continuing the feel that it is the spiritual successor of Land Stalker. It does not chug, and everything moves smoothly. Nothing looks out of place, and each of the areas has a cohesive feel. The forest is bright and green, and the mountains are icy and cold with waterfalls. Every single space is clearly defined, which is a necessity in a game like this. Plus, it helps make each space feel unique, no matter how many times you may have seen it.
All sounds are in their proper places. Anise’s shoes squeak cutely as she travels across the map. The whip snaps as it hits enemies. Explosions are heard as bombs explode. Monsters die with a decent defeated cry. But nothing is more rewarding than hearing that wonderfully sweet victory music. I feel like a competent gamer whenever I hear it. Voice acting is kept to a minimum. Essentially, you’ll hear Anise cry out in pain. But, the sound design all works well.
Overall, Steal Princess is a strong DS game. It quickly becomes apparent how much detail and attention was put into it and can be seen in the wonderful level design, the unique platforming and puzzle solving. However, experienced gamers can tell that this game has been in development for a long time due to the controls. (It was originally scheduled for release for February or March 2009.)
But don’t let that scare you. There is no platformer like this to date. There is no character exactly like Anise. Thus, I find it hard to fault a team of developers that haven’t fully worked together in about 20 years when they’ve worked so darn hard on Steal Princess. It isn’t perfect. But, what game is? The developers at Climax make up for it by showing off their creativity just like they did for that fateful Genesis game all those moons ago.
Steal Princess lives up to older sibling’s namesake. Action, puzzle and strategy fans, feel free to rejoice. A portable brain buster is here that will keep you busy solving, creating and exchanging levels for hours. And, Climax, I look forward to playing your next game. Whatever that maybe.
