Kuru Kuru Kururin[a] is a puzzletop-down video game developed by Eighting and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy Advance (GBA). It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001, and in Europe and Australia on June 22 as a launch title. It was not released in North America until February 2016 via the Wii U's Virtual Console service. Kuru Kuru Kururin is the first title in the Kururin series and was followed by two Japan-only sequels, Kururin Paradise (2002) and Kururin Squash! (2004). The game was released on the Nintendo Classics service on February 8, 2023.
Kururin piloting the Helirin through a gap to reach the goal at the end.
The player controls a slowly spinning stick, and must maneuver it through a series of mazes without touching the walls.[1] The single player offers several goals per course, with each course presenting increasing difficulty.[2] The 4 player (single cart) multiplayer pits players in a race for fastest clear times.
The game starts with simple training levels, in which players are told how to play and how to get around the first corners. After that, there are three levels in each stage, which get progressively harder and longer. The obstacles and the look of the levels (ice, cave, machine, etc.) vary between stages. Taking damage incurs a time penalty, and losing all lives results in failing the level, requiring the player to restart the level from the beginning. Beginners can play the levels on Easy mode, where the stick is only half of its usual size.
There is a mode called Challenge mode, which is a collection of smaller levels, usually involving only one or two corners or objects to dodge.
Plot
The story begins when Kururin's brothers and sisters go missing, and it is up to him to find them. Kururin is initially unsure that he is up to the task because he has never left his home world before. Being the adventurous and helpful fellow he is, Kururin agrees to rescue his lost family. Teacher Hare trains Kururin in the art of controlling the Helirin, a stick-shaped helicopter that has a slow-spinning propeller. Piloting the Helirin through the different worlds will be a difficult task, but using Teacher Hare's valuable lessons, Kururin bravely sets out on his adventure to rescue his lost family.[3]:4
Development and release
Concept artwork of the titular Kururin illustrated by Yoichi Kotabe.
Kuru Kuru Kururin was developed by the Japanese company Eighting,[4] who had previously developed the Bloody Roar series.[5] This was Eighting's first video game created in partnership with Nintendo. The game remained as a draft years prior to its production due to the capabilities of Nintendo's consoles. The Game Boy Color and Nintendo 64 were both considered as platforms, but the lacking technical components of the former and expensive cartridges of the latter did not correlate with the type of game Eighting wanted to produce. After the introduction of the Game Boy Advance, Eighting approached Nintendo about the project. Nintendo reportedly liked the project, contributing some of its employees to assist the development of Kuru Kuru Kururin, including producer Hiroshi Sato.[6]Yoichi Kotabe worked on the character designs for the game, creating illustrations for Kururin and his family members. He was instructed by Sato to create a pilot of a vehicle, so Kotabe designed the protagonist as a "bird-like animal" with parents. One of the directors pitched the idea to have all of Kururin's siblings be coordinated to a different color of the rainbow, which Kotabe liked, implementing a colorful and diverse palette to the family. For the father, his crest was designed to represent all of the children's colors.[6][7]
It was first announced at the Nintendo Space World 2000 trade show.[4] It was estimated that the development process was around 60 percent complete while on display.[8] It released on March 21, 2001 in Japan and June 22, 2001 in Europe. Kuru Kuru Kururin released as a launch title for the Game Boy Advance alongside three other Nintendo-published games, these being F-Zero: Maximum Velocity, Super Mario Advance, and Napoleon in Japan only.[9][10][11] An official guidebook titled the "Kuru Kuru Kururin Complete Manual" was published by Famitsu in 2001, which contains level layouts for all levels in the Adventure and Challenge modes.[12] In the official guide book for Nintendo Space World 2000, an icon was displayed indicating the title would be compatible with the Mobile Adapter GB. This, however, was not implemented into the final release.[8] A Chinese version of the game was developed for the iQueGame Boy Advance, but was unreleased.[13] The game also released on the Nintendo Classics service on February 8, 2023 alongside the launch of the Game Boy Advance online application.[14][15]
Prior to its release, it was named the best handheld game at the ECTS trade show by Gestalt of Eurogamer.[29]
Kuru Kuru Kururin received generally positive reviews from critics.[16][30] It was praised for its simple yet addictive gameplay. Eurogamer rated the game a score of 9 out of 10 points. The reviewer lauded the game's learning curve and stated that there would be no other puzzle game on the Game Boy Advance at the time that can "rival Kuru Kuru Kururin for its sheer addictiveness and fun-value".[20]Nintendo World Report gave Kuru Kuru Kururin the same score as Eurogamer and declared that it is "simple enough that anyone can pick this game up and play". The reviewer praised the game's multiplayer mode, which he described as "an absolute blast", as well as its lasting appeal, but also commented that the "cutesy" characters and music would be a turn-off for "a lot of people".[26]Jeff Gerstmann of GameSpot rated Kuru Kuru Kururin 7.1 out of 10 and described its graphics as "simple but effective". He stated that the game is "excellent at filling up small periods of free time with its short, level-based nature".[22]Computer and Video Games was less impressed by the game, rating it 5 out of 10. The reviewer declared the game to be "extremely frustrating" and said that it lacks "the perfect simplicity" of other puzzle games such as Mr. Driller and Tetris. Nonetheless, he also commented that the novel gameplay of Kuru Kuru Kururin "will find many fans" and that the multiplayer mode is "unexpectedly brilliant".[17]
The game was nominated by Eurogamer for Best Designer in their 2002 awards.[31] Contributors to GamesRadar+ considered it one of the best Game Boy Advance games, as well as one of the best puzzle video games, calling it a "maddeningly tricky gem".[32] Graham Russell of Michibiku recommended the title as a European and Japanese import.[33]
Legacy
A sequel, Kururin Paradise, was released in 2002 for the Game Boy Advance. It released in Japan only, even though Kururin Paradise was previously showcased at E32002, the first time a Kururin game had been announced for the American market.[34] Another sequel was also released only in Japan for the GameCube in 2004, entitled Kururin Squash!, which became the only title of the series to use 3D computer graphics, as well as to appear on a home console.[35]
Several references to the Kururin series are made in the Super Smash Bros. series. The Helirin makes a cameo appearance as a Trophy in Super Smash Bros. Melee (2001), but is incorrectly referred to as "Heririn" in the American version.[36][37] The Helirin later appears in Super Smash Bros. Brawl (2008) as an Assist Trophy. Unlike most Assist Trophies, it doesn't attack, but it becomes part of the stage, and can be used as a platform or a wall.[38] Several other characters and vehicles in the Kururin series appear as Trophies and Stickers in the game.[39][40] In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (2018), the Helirin appears as a collectable Spirit.[41] Elements from Kuru Kuru Kururin have also made cameo appearances in some of Eighting's other developed titles.[42] One of the characters introduced in Kururin Paradise appears in Master of Illusion (2006) on the Nintendo DS.[43] The cartridge for Kuru Kuru Kururin also appears in Pikmin 4 (2023) as a collectable Treasure.[44][45] In a 2023 interview, James Montagna, director of games such as Mighty Milky Way (2011) and Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp (2023) at WayForward, expressed interest in creating a new entry in the Kururin series. He also claimed that the gameplay of Kuru Kuru Kururin inspired the creation of Vitamin Connection (2020).[46][47]Kururin has also been labeled as an inspiration for multiple indie games, including Roundabout (2014),[48][49]Spinny's Journey (2021),[50] and Spinfrog: All Aboard The Frogcopter (2022).[51]
12Berghammer, Billy (August 8, 2001). "GBA Review: Kuru Kuru Kururin". Nintendo World Report. Archived from the original on February 1, 2010. Retrieved March 9, 2010.
↑"Numéro 012 - Juillet 2001". Jeux Vidéo Magazine. No.12. July 2001. p.116. Retrieved February 6, 2026– via AbandonMag.
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