Clu Clu Land puts players in control of Bubbles, a round creature who moves around a level built from metal posts to reveal buried gold bars. The idea is simple. The result grows dull fast.
Bubbles and the Posts
The core system is unusual for the NES library. Bubbles does not walk or spring. She takes hold of posts and turns around them, building force to guide her path through each level. That control scheme takes time to learn, and it never stops feeling awkward.
Control mistakes cost players dearly. Bubbles can only travel in the direction her turning motion carries her, so a poor direction often means hitting an enemy creature waiting near the posts. There is no quick change once the motion starts.
The Puzzle Course
Each stage asks players to trace the outline of a shape by passing over the correct spaces in the correct order. Miss a piece of the shape, and the stage does not clear.
- Level designs repeat with only minor changes
- Enemy position offers little variety across stages
- Time limits press players before they have learned the post system
- A companion mode allows shared play, but adds no new content
Two Modes Compared
| Mode | Players | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Single Player | 1 | Standard goal of clearing each level |
| Two Player | 2 | Shared play, same stages, no added variety |
The companion mode is a nice addition on paper. In practice, it does not fix the repetition that runs through the whole game.
Clu Clu Land asks for accuracy the controls do not always deliver. Players will find themselves repeating stages not because the shape escaped them, but because Bubbles turned a few degrees off course. That is annoyance born of control, not challenge.
The graphics are plain even by 1985 standards. Scenery stays the same throughout. Color use is limited. Once the novelty of the turning system is gone, there is little left to hold attention, and that happens quickly.
Sound design fares no better. The soundtrack repeats a short, thin tune that adds nothing to the water setting. Sound effects are adequate at best.
Final Score
Clu Clu Land had a fresh idea in its turning system. That idea needed more polish, more level variety, and tighter controls to hold up. What is left is a puzzle game that feels more tedious than clever, with controls that fight the player as often as they assist her.
Those fond of early NES curiosities may find something worth a look here, if only to see an unusual control scheme attempted this early in the console’s life. Most players will turn away from the repetition and poor turning before they find much to enjoy.
Clu Clu Land is a game whose ambition exceeds its execution. The result is a title of modest, limited appeal.
