The Newzealand Story

The Newzealand Story
Manufacturer:
Year: 1988

Other versions
The Newzealand Story (bootleg) 1988
The Newzealand Story Extra Version 1988

Here is one of those Taito games with the cute and cartoon style graphics, probably one of the best ones.
The story tells that our hero Tiki Kiwi, the small yellow bird, and his friends were kidnapped by Wally Walrus, the nasty in the game: he put all of them into a sack, but Tiki Kiwi jumped out of it and escaped. The brave yellow bird has got a mission now: rescue all his friends locked in cages spread in The Newzealand Islands. Tiki Kiwi can't fly without special items so, equipped with a pair of gym shoes, he has to walk and swim a log way throughout increasingly difficult levels. On his way he will find several items and additional weapons to help him in his mission.

At the bottom left of the screen there is a transparent box displayed that act as a map and shows all Tiki Kiwi movements by a small dot and where the exit of the round is. Every level is composed by 4 rounds.
It's a hard and long way for our hero, every island is a maze that hides many dangers, fortunately some signpost help him to find the right way to go.
While navigating the levels you'll find some letters: collect all of them (8) to compose the word "Extended" and you will get an extra life. But be careful! Some letters hide tricks and by taking them you will free a group of enemies.

To make Tiki Kiwi way even harder at the end of each level he has to fight with an always different huge monster, poor bird! So small and harmless!
You've finished the game when you free al Tiki Kiwi friends.
Bootleg version is equal to the original one, Extra Version keeps the same background style, but mazes are different, and maps at the end of each round are missing.
The Newzealand Story is absolutely fun, and during demo under the title this message appears: "THIS GAME WILL BE DEDICATED TO ALL MAZE GAME FANS" but, I'm sure, everyone will appreciate it.

Thanks for reading my story!

flyer

Ratings

PRESENTATION: 53%

GRAPHICS: 93%

SOUND:83%

ORIGINALITY: 90%

HOOKABILITY: 89%

LASTABILITY: 79%

OVERALL: 90%

Zaxxon1 Title screen is very nice but there are only two screens for demo-play and no indications for how to play. Characters are well designed, especially bosses at the end of each round. There is a good smoothness of movements and fairly good backgrounds. Soundtrack is fun, it fits well the game, sound effects are great.
Once again Taito has made a good maze game from a game type already used previously. We really can't leave Tiki Kiwi friends to their fate...
If you are keen in these kind of games, you'll never stop playing it!

Liliana Demo is very cute, especially when you see all Tiki Kiwi friends, all doing something different. The cartoonish style makes everything fun, also enemies. Backgrounds are colorful and lively but graphically poor in details. Tune is upbeat and sound effects represent well what happens. This is the kind of game I can always play without getting bored. I'm certainly enthusiastic for this game, I advice it to all!

Roy Jones Here is what happens: a nasty walrus kidnaps a group of young kiwi, but you manage to escape! It's your turn to save your friends! (It seems that in those years they weren't used to create game presentation... but it's OK...). Graphics and music are great, characters are nice and fit the game genre.
From an original game story you get an original game; enjoyable from the star, its difficulty isn't high, but in certain places (for ex. the first boss) you don't understand immediately what to do.
Conclusions: difficulty too high in some points and too low in other can cause a lack of interest. Anyway, it's a good game, try it!