All three GBAs Starfy The game was originally released only in Japan. Now available to play on Switch With a Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack subscription, we’re republishing an updated and brief introduction to this little star that first appeared a whopping 15 years ago. Enjoy!
Many gamers outside of Japan The Legendary Starfy Game series (Nintendo DS Legendary Starfy (It’s the only one released in the West so far.) So we thought it would be fun to take a look back at the history of the series, with some fun facts that will surprise even veteran fans.
First of all, there has always been a great deal of confusion about what exactly the game should be called in English. The Legendary Stafi He was probably the most popular before Nintendo officially resolved the Starfy controversy with the NSO release (to coincide with the DS release). legendary — or sometimes “legends” — Starfy and Starfy It is also used by fans.
Legendary Starfy is a unique platform game series developed by a small development team called TOSE. This team is a subsidiary of Nintendo. Game & Watch Game Boy release series or Many Games He has been involved with Nintendo platforms and other businesses since the Famicom era.
Starfy games use their unique use of platforming elements combined with underwater physics and puzzle-solving elements to create a unique platforming experience, which is the main reason why the game has become so popular among importers who have been enjoying the game since its debut in Japan in 2002.
No Starfy games have been released outside of Japan, but Starfy himself makes cameo appearances in two popular American games for the Game Boy Advance and DS. Mario & Luigi RPG Superstar and Super Princess Peach – In addition, Costume in Super Mario MakerUnfortunately for many English-speaking gamers, over the course of two decades, the opportunities to experience this adorable little platforming star for themselves have been few and far between.
The first title is The Legendary Starfywas developed as a prototype for the original Game Boy, and then later for the Game Boy Color platform. The game was already finished and close to release, but the decision was made to move it to the upcoming Game Boy Advance instead. This news initially upset players who were waiting for the release of the GBC version, but given the impending release of the GBA and the fact that it received a nice overhaul of its music and visuals, it seems like it was the right decision in the overall scheme of things.
The first game was packaged and released in Japan on September 6, 2002. The game sold fairly well and its moderate difficulty level made it widely accessible to less experienced gamers. Shortly after its release, rumors of a sequel began circulating in the Japanese gaming community.
TOSE has begun work. Legendary Starfy 2this time kicking the game’s length up a notch or two, addressing one of the main complaints many gamers had about the first title: a longer game. The sequel was released on September 5, 2003, nearly a year after the release of the first game. Again, its strong sales showed that it was quickly beginning to establish itself in the eyes of Japanese gamers alongside other popular Nintendo first-party franchises on the GBA.
The game that most fans consider to be the best in the series is Legendary Starfy 3This was the final Starfy release for the Game Boy Advance and was the largest of the three games in terms of playtime alone. Released on August 5, 2004, the game also featured a surprise appearance by Wario, another famous Nintendo mascot. Both Starfy and Wario were equally popular in Japan at the time, so it’s unclear which character Nintendo was trying to promote, but it did come as a bit of a surprise.
All of the classic Starfy gameplay returns, this time with much more complex level design and a slightly increased difficulty compared to the previous two releases. This third entry was a massive hit on the then-aging platform, setting it up perfectly for release on Nintendo’s upcoming DS system, which launched in Japan and North America at the end of the year. Starfy will soon be playable across two screens.
The development was progressing smoothly, Legendary Starfy 4Nintendo gave Japanese fans the chance to design an outfit for Starfy, allowing them to download photos, color them, and dress the little star however they wanted. The winner’s design will be added to the in-game outfit collection.
Starfy 4 was the first to have the luxury of dual screens, but stuck to the tried and true gameplay that fans love, only using the touch screen for maps and bonus stages, which was a nice touch, but not as good as some of the other early DS releases, where the touch screen was front and center.
One of the ways Legendary Starfy 4 stood out from previous GBA releases was its use of 3D visuals: while the game maintained a 2D layout and gameplay, many of the backgrounds and between-level cinematics used the system’s more powerful architecture to create some really nice visual touches.
With the success of Starfy’s original Nintendo DS release, it was no surprise when Nintendo announced that a fifth title was in the works. On July 10, 2008, Nintendo announced The Legendary Stafy Battle! The Oiru Pirates The game was released in Japan and was the first Starfy release to feature cooperative play functionality, allowing a second player to join in via the DS Download Play feature during boss battles and certain parts of the game.
Once again, the reviews were positive, and the game was a fairly successful overall sales success in Japan. In fact, sales were So Good thing Nintendo announced in February 2009 that the game would be released in the US. Legendary Starfy It was released on June 9, 2009. This was Starfy’s first release outside of Japan and was TOSE’s final game in the series.
While it’s uncertain whether Starfy will return as an all-new series in the future, we’re glad to see that Switch owners now have easy access to this great little series, even if it’s not localized. Let’s explore the stars!
Check out our retro reviews of each game below, and the expansion packs are available to play now for Nintendo Switch Online subscribers.
