I'm old enough to remember when there were just two kinds of graphics: Average and Amazing. There were also simplistic measurements of quality, which revolved around how many polygons could be jammed into one inch of screen space, and how "realistic" games were becoming. Then we started to notice that some games looked amazingly lifelike and played amazingly bad. As the capacity to pump out amazing graphics fell within the reach of more and more developers, quality and graphics became mutually exclusive. We do still love seeing detailed, lifelike graphics, but we've come to appreciate the finer qualities of gameplay and storytelling. We've also come to appreciate graphics that are amazing in a more artistic way, which definitely describes Ivy the Kiwi. This game exudes visual style like few others we've seen recently. Comparisons to Okami or further back Ico would not be inappropriate, even considering the very light feeling in Ivy the Kiwi. The design is really nice, with beautiful backgrounds, foregrounds, and characters. Sure, you're really just playing a 2D Platformer at the end of the day, but Ivy the Kiwi takes your eye off this fact by introducing you to a new world. No real-life kiwi ever went to places this exotic and exciting... There are some interesting things done in the level design, by virtue of unique navigation that lets you climb effortlessly. The later levels especially combine some really twisted maze designs with hazards that force you to think and plan well in advance. On this point, we have to say we didn't like the game's lack of free camera. Not that we want to worry about moving cameras around, but it seemed odd to have so many tricky sections in the game that you have to run blind. At the outset, you do a fly-through on each level, and there's a small map at the bottom of the screen just showing the level's contours, but you end up doing too much by trial and error. The music plays off the graphics nicely, making each setting feel unique and magical, without going over the top. Some of the sound effects become annoying, but only because the mechanics behind them are annoying. The visual and sound production on Ivy the Kiwi is a marvel, truly the high point of the entire game.

That said, it's a shame that the book doesn't match its cover... Touted as coming "from the creator of Sonic," Ivy the Kiwi gets a big push that ends up doing it a disservice. Fans of Sonic the Hedgehog that come looking for similar action are likely to be disappointed. Where that game was a freewheeling action title, Ivy the Kiwi is much more of a platforming/puzzle combination that rewards deliberate, studied players. It's not a bad game, by any means, but it won't feel connected to the hedgehog's legacy in most ways. The only place we might draw a line between the two is that they both choose to feature rather offbeat animals, and they both feature characters that like to run. Ivy the Kiwi has a story premise straight out of a child's book, as this little bird is looking for its mother. Kids will immediately appreciate the high cute quotient, but younger players will find the gameplay punishing in terms of difficulty. The basic mode of play is to guide Ivy the Kiwi through a level filled with passive obstacles like walls and pits, in an attempt to reach a goal-point. Time matters, and there are pickups along the way that earn points or protection from dangers. The dangers increase as levels begin to be populated by enemies on both the ground and in the air. This ups the ante, but doesn't change your goals in the slightest.

The Multiplayer offering here is split between a timed race and an item-collection variant. It's a nice touch that up to four players can join in on one session, with only one copy of the game between them! We know why this doesn't happen more often (a little thing called "revenue" that game companies depend on...), but kudos to Ivy the Kiwi for making it easier on players that may wish to try before they buy. In this case, the download play is a great way to get a feel for the action before picking up a copy of the game. Back to the Main Game, when you play alone, the game rewards you for finishing quickly and also for picking up items along the way. Once you complete a level, you can return to try boosting your score in Stage Trial Mode. There's a full offering here, but we found the basic mechanics of Ivy the Kiwi very frustrating. In a nutshell, you navigate by drawing vines on the screen that push Ivy the Kiwi along. You can only draw three vines at a time, and can't delete or erase a vine once it's drawn, so the fourth vine takes the place of the first, etc. The concept is very smart and original, but it would have been better as one of many abilities granted to Ivy the Kiwi, rather than the basis for an entire game. Both in terms of control schemes and gameplay devices, the vine-navigation becomes tedious. And, the game becomes very challenging in later stages, going well beyond what will be palatable for younger players.

The thing with these vines... It's actually a very cool idea, but I would draw an analogy to one of the first Spider-Man games that featured 3D web-swinging, where we all said "Yeay!" and "Boo" in quick succession. It's not a complete bait and switch, just a mechanic that needs further refinement. The idea of using vines as ramps, scoops, and launchers sounds good, and generally works as advertised. You really can move Ivy the Kiwi in any direction with a vine, since the game allows you to draw vines in mid-air. The biggest issue is that the bird never stops running! Getting a perfect vine-toss is hard enough, since you have to really think about your angles, but snaring a running bird in addition makes for some truly frustrating moments. In instances where you draw a line that blocks Ivy the Kiwi, the bird just starts flailing around, and you can't do anything to alleviate the situation other than quickly drawing more lines outside the play area, so the offending line is erased. If it sounds overly complicated and tedious, it's because it is... Add to the mix the requirement in later levels that you transport some object around with Ivy the Kiwi, and you've got all the makings of a royal pain. Enemies can mostly be avoided, but when they appear in large numbers, and in small passages, you'll have to launch Ivy the Kiwi at them, or use an object that's not always close at hand. The launching especially requires patient planning and good twitchy skills, and that's not always something younger players have in large supply. At least the game allows you two ways to complete a level. There's the easy way of making a beeline to the end-goal, and the hard way that involves collecting all 10 of the red feathers spread around the level. You'll get an extra life for your troubles, but the ability to continue from your current level once you use up all your lives takes the wind out of this reward's sails.

Ivy the Kiwi is a game that couldn't exist without touch controls. Trying to do this with anything other than a touch-screen and stylus would be murder, based on the fact that it's still murder even with the touch controls! It's cool being able to control everything with the stylus, a bit like playing Kirby: Canvas Curse. The difference between our favorite pink lozenge-shaped hero and Ivy the Kiwi is that this bird is in constant motion. It would have been a nice touch to have combined touch controls for vines and movement, so you could set vines up without moving. Instead, you literally have to trap Ivy the Kiwi with a couple vines while you figure out what to do. Otherwise, you'll just keep bouncing off walls, back and forth, back and forth... Perhaps the game's designers thought the vine-trapping mechanic was cute, but it becomes more frustrating than anything else. There's also a distinct left- and right-hand bias in certain screens that makes it more difficult to draw lines with the right angle, because you get used to doing certain motions with the stylus. Again, the concept had great potential, and could work fine as a part of any game. Trying to build Ivy the Kiwi entirely on this vine-drawing business doesn't go far enough to keep players engaged through the end credits. The level designers did a great job, and built in lots of interesting obstacles, but most players will just find getting through the later levels too tedious. Especially since there aren't any waypoints in longer levels, you'll just end up playing the darn thing over and over again. Perhaps if you have lightning reflexes and a steady, steady hand on the stylus, Ivy the Kiwi is just right for you. Most of us will find a few rough edges on this bird...