The New Zealand Story is a fine example of a game that was everything it needed to be at the time. It was fun, refreshing and had a number of new features, which can still be found in the gaming industry today.
The game, unsurprisingly is based in New Zealand, and follows the adventures of Tiki, a small Kiwi chick who was personalized by wearing a pair of trainers. As a weapon, he started off using a bow and arrow, which was upgradeable throughout the game.
The bow and arrow feature was used very well, with more realistic firing lines than other games using that same weapon.
The purpose of the game was to save your other Kiwi friends who had been kidnapped by the games main villain, the leopard seal. This would take place over a number of different levels and environments with levels being split in a similar way to those in Mario.
One of the most unique features of the game, and something which even today sticks in my memory is the way the game would hurry you through levels. If you were taking too long on a certain level, a large creature, dubbed a floating spider, would start to chase you through the game. The spider
was unable to be harmed by weapons, and its arrival normally resulted in Tiki's death. However, it is possible to outrun the spider, which in turn will help you through the level much quicker.
The New Zealand story is proof that the computer game world is nowadays much more focused on story lines and graphics than it is on game play and enjoyment. In the year 2007, there is no way a game like this would ever get past the discussion stage of a developers meeting, never mind being designed. It was fun, unrealistic and addictive! The game was one of the more difficult ones of the market at the time, but that didn't matter, because it was so fun based, it wasn't too much of a problem to go back to do levels again. The graphics are great, so it’s more beautiful and colorful!
The New Zealand Story is defiantly worth a look, even if it is to remind you that there was a time when fun, out there games were accepted by the gaming community. I highly recommend it to all ages!
