E3 2005: Level Up
Nintendo is the Kitty
Product: Hello Kitty: Roller Rescue
Company: Namco
Date: 05/29/2005
Avaliable On:

Hello Kitty: Roller Rescue is an action-adventure game that is obviously bent towards a slightly different audience that Namco's other E3 entries.

Meant primarily for younger girls, Hello Kitty: Roller Rescue has players controlling Kitty, as well as her friends, as she saves Sanriotown from an invasion by blockheaded aliens.

The menacing Block-O, a ruler of Planet Cube, had decided to leave his planet in search of a new planet to conquer. He soon discovers Earth. While investigating this strange, new planet, Block-O discovers that its inhabitants love to give gifts. Once the gifts are received, the boxes are thrown away. Misinterpreting the gift boxes as his own kind, Block-O dispatches his troops to invade Earth and liberate the discarded boxes. Armed only with her roller-skates and a magic wand, it?s up to Kitty and friends to repel the invasion.

Players take control of Kitty as she skates, jumps and bops enemies in the head. The game is a straightforward action/adventure game, though a few puzzles will be thrown in from time to time. Players will also go face-to-face with challenging bosses, such as a baseball-throwing robot who calls an electrified baseball diamond his home. Word has it that Kitty will also have to face off against ninjas -- which can only mean good things.

When not saving Sanriotown from aliens, Kitty can dress up in various outfits and purchase new options by using special coins. She'll also be able to choose a companion from a cast of 20 Sanrio characters who will accompany her on her mission. These include fan favorites like Keroppi, Mimmy and Badtz-Maru, as well as some lesser-known characters. There's no word yet as to how these characters will influence gameplay.

Hello Kitty: Roller Rescue bears the unmistakable Sanrio look. Levels sport a simple look painted in vibrant colors that go along with the minimalist character designs. It may not bowl over the videophiles out there, but fans of Sanrio will no doubt love the look.

So far, it looks like Hello Kitty: Roller Rescue definitely has the looks to attract the game's target audience. Hopefully the gameplay will back it up and offer a little more challenge that games usually targeted towards this group.

Hello Kitty: Roller Rescue skates to the GameCube later this year.

Starscream aka Ricky Tucker

GameVortex PSIllustrated TeamPS2