Whirlo
{{Short description|1992 video game}}
{{Infobox video game
|title = Whirlo
|image = SNES Whirlo cover art.jpg
|developer = Nova Co., Ltd.
|publisher = Namco
|composer = Hiroshi Ebihara
Norihiko Togashi
Tarō Nakanobu
|series = Valkyrie
|platforms = Super Nintendo Entertainment System
|released = {{vgrelease|JP|July 23, 1992|PAL|1992}}
|modes = Single-player
}}
Whirlo{{efn|Known in Japan as {{nihongo|Xandra no Daibōken: Valkyrie to no Deai|サンドラの大冒険 ワルキューレとの出逢い|Sandora no Daibōken: Warukyūre to no Deai|lit. "Xandra's Great Adventure: Encounter with the Valkyrie"|lead=yes}}.}} is a side-scrolling action-platform released by Namco on July 23, 1992 in Japan for the Super Famicom video game system,{{cite book |editor=Kindaichi, Wazahiko |title= {{nihongo|Kōgien|広技苑|}}|edition=2000年秋 |date=2000-12-01|publisher=Mainichi Communications |pages=219 |chapter=スーパーファミコン|isbn=4-8399-0447-2|language=ja}} and in Europe and Australia later during the same year. The game was re-released on August 1, 1998 in Nintendo Power flash RAM cartridge format.
The game is a prequel to Valkyrie no Bōken: Toki no Kagi Densetsu and features Whirlo (known as Krino Xandra in Japan), a secondary character from the first game, in a starring role. While the character designs by Hiroshi Fuji give the game the appearance of a picture book, the degree of difficulty is high, and there are many "bad ending" scenarios.
Gameplay
File:SNES Whirlo (Xandra no Daibōken - Valkyrie to no Deai).png
Whirlo is a side-scrolling action-platform game.{{cite web|last=Kalata|first=Kurt|url=http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/whirlo/|title=Whirlo|publisher=Hardcore Gaming 101|date=July 20, 2010|access-date=2020-08-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191219141942/http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/whirlo/|archive-date=December 19, 2019|url-status=live}}
Plot
The game is set in a time when the actions of the Valkyrie have become legendary. The story tells of events leading up to the initial meeting between the Valkyrie and Krino Xandra. At the beginning of the game, Xandra is living a peaceful and happy life deep in the countryside with his wife and son in the Land of Marvel.
One day, a huge explosion is heard throughout the land and a deadly dust falls from the sky, causing many people across the Land of Marvel to begin dying from a withering disease. One of those to be afflicted with the disease is Xandra's son, causing Xandra and his wife to be at a loss as to what to do. After overhearing talk of a marvelous curing medicine, Xandra sets out on a journey to find this medicine and save his son.
Reception
{{Video game reviews
|Fam = 24/40{{cite magazine|url=https://www.famitsu.com/games/t/5565/reviews/|title=NEW GAMES CROSS REVIEW: サンドラの大冒険 〜ワルキューレとの出逢い〜|magazine=Famitsu|publisher=ASCII Corporation|date=1992|lang=ja}}
|GameFan = 249/400{{cite magazine|last1=Halverson|first1=Dave|author-link1=Dave Halverson|last2=Off|first2=Gregory|last3=Stratton|first3=Tom|last4=Cockburn|first4=Andrew|url=https://archive.org/stream/Gamefan_Vol_1_Issue_03#page/n10/mode/1up|title=Viewpoint - Nintendo - Whirlo|magazine=GameFan|volume=1|issue=3|publisher=DieHard Gamers Club|date=January 1993|page=11}}
|HC = 89/100{{cite magazine|last=García|first=Marcos|url=https://archive.org/stream/HobbyConsolas019#page/n97/mode/2up|title=Lo Más Nuevo - Super Nintendo: El Gran Héroe Verde - Whirlo|magazine=Hobby Consolas|issue=19|publisher=Hobby Press|date=April 1993|pages=106–107|lang=es}}
|JS = 70%{{cite magazine|last=Demoly|first=Jean-Marc|url=http://download.abandonware.org/magazines/Joystick/joystick_numero031/Joystick%20031%20-%20Page%20153%20%281992-10%29.jpg|title=Console News: Super Famicom - Whirlo|magazine=Joystick|issue=31|publisher=Sipress|date=October 1992|page=153|lang=fr}}
|NLife = {{Rating|7|10}}{{cite web|last=Lopes|first=Gonçalo|url=https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/snes/whirlo|title=Whirlo Review (SNES)|work=Nintendo Life|publisher=Nlife Media|date=12 July 2016|access-date=2020-08-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200128063733/http://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/snes/whirlo|archive-date=28 January 2020|url-status=live}}
|SP = 88%{{cite magazine|last=Brookes|first=Jason|url=https://archive.org/stream/Superplay_Issue_01_1992-11_Future_Publishing_GB#page/n49/mode/2up|title=Import Review: Xandra's Big Adventure - Encounter with the Valkyrie|magazine=Super Play|issue=1|publisher=Future Publishing|date=November 1992|pages=50–51|access-date=2020-08-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160409222508/https://archive.org/stream/Superplay_Issue_01_1992-11_Future_Publishing_GB#page/n49/mode/2up|archive-date=2016-04-09|url-status=live}}
}}
Whirlo was met with mixed reception from critics since its release, but fan reception was positive: in a poll taken by Family Computer Magazine, it received a score of 21.8 out of 30.{{cite magazine|title=90年11月から'93年6月21日発売までの323本を収録!! Super Famicom All Catalog '93 8月情報号特別付録 - サンドラの大冒険 ワルキューレとの出逢い|magazine=Famimaga|issue=16|publisher=Tokuma Shoten|date=August 1, 1993|page=13|lang=ja}}
Notes
{{notelist}}
References
{{reflist|30em}}
External links
- {{moby game|id=/whirlo|name=Whirlo}}
- [http://www.devimension.com/dvp_doc_database/dev_docu000.html DeviFoxx's Valkyrie series history and resource website]
- [http://hardcoregaming101.net/valkyrie/valkyrie.htm Valkyrie series at Hardcore Gaming 101] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140613212359/http://hardcoregaming101.net/valkyrie/valkyrie.htm|date=2014-06-13}}
{{Valkyrie series}}
{{Portal bar|1990s|Japan|Video games}}
Category:Single-player video games
Category:Super Nintendo Entertainment System games
Category:Super Nintendo Entertainment System-only games
Category:Video games about reptiles
Category:Video games about valkyries