I really like weird games, and Clu Clu Land is definitely a weird one. This is one of the games that I didn’t know about until the 2010s. I don’t remember if I ever saw this game when I was collecting games in the 1990s, and I definitely don’t remember any of my friends talking about it.
This is a simple arcade game that has some awkward controls on the home console. Back in the 1980s, quite a few companies would do something like this. Sega, Nintendo, and Atari all made arcade games and used those games as the basis for their console’s library. Clu Clu Land was one of the original Black Box games on the NES.
It was one of the games released on the Nintendo Vs. Systems. These were a way for Nintendo to test market the NES/Famicom games in North America. The arcade cabinet had versions of Famicom games in it. It isn’t too different from the Play Choice 10, but more simplistic. A Clu Clu cabinet was released in Japan, but not released in North America.
These arcade games deserve their own post because there is a lot to get into with them. I just want to focus on Clu Clu Land, and a deep dive into the VS. System is beyond the scope of that. Let’s get into the game.
Narrative
I bet you weren’t expecting this game to have a story. I know that I wasn’t expecting it, or that it would be as involved as it was. Looking up more information on this story also sent me down a rabbit hole about Balloon Fish, Pufferfish, and Porcupinefish. I have no idea what to do with this newfound wealth of information.
You play as a female balloon fish known as Bubbles, or Gloopy in Japan. I like the name Gloopy more. The goal of the game is to find the treasures of Clu Clu Land that were stolen by Unira.
That’s about it. The story is fine for a game like this. If you didn’t know the story, then you’re not really missing anything.
Gameplay
The gameplay is pretty different to put things in a nice way. Your character has little claws which you use to swing around on things. What you have to do is reveal the “gold ingots,” which would eventually be turned into rubies in The Legend of Zelda.
The controls are a little awkward. They aren’t terrible, but I felt like they could’ve been better. Given how good the controls are in other Nintendo made arcade games, I was expecting more from this.
Clu Clu Land is a single screen arcade game. Each stage has you trying to uncover a picture while avoiding enemies. These stages get more complex as the game goes on.
The picture is usually pretty basic and composed of the golden ingots. There are a few “rubber bands” that act as barriers. It is a pretty cool mechanic.
You can stun enemies with a little sonic blast. When you stun them, you can smash them into a wall. It’s a pretty cool way of doing things. There are also black holes that you’ll need to avoid as you try to uncover the ingots.
Overall, this game has some cool ideas, but the controls are a little odd at times. The gameplay feels like it is inconsistent in some spots. Clu Clu Land is one of those games that I really want to like, but it is more of a curiosity than anything else.
Visuals
I do like the game’s graphics. It looks different from the other Black Box games, mostly because of the gameplay. Each stage is pretty simple looking, but they’re bright and colorful. Thankfully, the graphics don’t interfere with the gameplay.
There aren’t too many character sprites in the game. The ones that are there look pretty good. I really like how cute the main character is on the stage and between them.
The stages look pretty good. You have to uncover things; so much of the stage is hidden until you pass over it. In some ways, it feels like you’re exploring the ocean, which is probably just me reading too much into things.
The golden ingots would eventually turn into the rubies in The Legend of Zelda. That is really the only thing that surprised me. It was kind of interesting to see this. They look good.
Overall, the graphics are the best part of the game. They’re bright and colorful, and I love the cartoonish feel to things. Looking at this game makes me smile.
7/10
Pros
- Good Graphics
- Fun Story
- It’s kind of weird
Cons
- Repetitive
- Awkward Controls
Conclusion
I like the idea of Clu Clu Land more than the actual game. It isn’t a terrible game. This game feels more like an experiment to see if something worked. I enjoyed it when I played it, but I don’t have a desire to play the game again.
The game’s story is pretty absurd, which is one of the reasons that I like it. It is just an odd game in the NES library, and I like it because of that. I probably gave this game a higher score than I probably would’ve if it were so weird. There is something about it that I enjoy.
I’m glad that I didn’t play this game until I was older. It is really hard to tell if I would’ve liked something when I was in kindergarten. After playing it several years ago, I like the game, but not enough to put it on a list or anything like that.
If you liked this post, check out some of the others about NES games. Such as Metal Storm or TMNT III.