Innovation is one of those ideas that is frequently demanded without quite being understood. Players don’t want every game they play to feel the same, even if there is a common trend (amongst consumers and media alike) to endlessly compare games together. Even when it doesn’t quite fit, games will forever be compared because that’s the easiest way to describe something. “Well, it’s kind of like X product, but with a dash of Y.”

I think what players are really looking for is a sense of identity. That games like Battlefield and recent Medal of Honor titles are so clearly trying to imitate Call of Duty’s recipe is tiresome. When you go to the supermarket you don’t want to see Cocoa Puffs up on the shelf accompanied by a bunch of imitation knock-off brands. You want a variety, even if you’re filling your gut with the same general mixture of whole grains, corn starch, and sugar.

So when I say Majin and the Forsaken Kingdom is a game likely to be enjoyed by Zelda and Metroid fans, understand that I don’t mean it plays precisely like those two games together. I mean that it has similar design and feel to each of those games that anyone looking for something akin in spirit should find something to enjoy in Majin.

You play as a nameless anti-social rogue hiding away from humanity, an endeavor cut short as the world is being swallowed up by an inky black darkness. Former human beings now take a monstrous shape and hunt for anything living. The rogue breaks into the castle, which seems to be the source of all this darkness, only to uncover an ancient, koala style sasquatch with grass for fur known as the Majin. Despite being ancient, the creature also has child-like speech and sometimes intelligence because…for some reason big ancient things that are also happy must therefore be less intelligent.

The Majin has lost most of his memories, knowing only that the King has been swallowed by darkness and that you must defeat his four generals in order to gain access into the castle. He names the rogue Tepeu, and they soon begin to bond.

The world is one continuous location, much like it would be in a Metroid game. You never enter a dungeon separate from the rest of the world or enter a new level. Certain sections are locked away either by a gate or a puzzle relying on specific powers the Majin has not yet regained. In order to face one of the game’s four bosses, the player must go from environment to environment and break what are called “masks”, unlocking the general’s chamber. Once the general has been defeated, the path to the next general will be revealed.

What makes the entire process interesting is the emphasis on puzzles and item collection. Each “room” the player enters will typically be designed with a puzzle in mind. This could be how to most effectively take out the foes in a given room, how to get the Majin through the room, or simply figuring out how to access the next area. Scattered throughout will be treasure chests and fruit, both of which are valuable to the different characters.

Tepeu’s strength increases in a more traditional role-playing manner, where earning experience rewards him with a new level that boosts his physical prowess and health. A variety of treasure chests will contain experience for him or, on occasion, pieces of a costume that can reduce damage from certain kinds of enemies in combat. The Majin, on the other hand, increases in ability when given different kinds of fruit. Red fruit increases strength, green will increase his health, and a variety of others will boost his powers.

Finding these items is made easier via the map menu. One of the most troublesome aspects of collectibles in a game is not knowing where the last few items may be hiding. In Majin and the Forsaken Kingdom, when you hover the cursor over any given room on the map, the upper left hand corner presents a number of boxes with question marks. When the player finds an item, that box will be changed to indicate what sort of item was found. The player will likely notice a pattern as to what order the collectible types are listed in, which can help provide clues when backtracking for more collectibles.

That is the real meat of the game, and is certainly most helpful in terms of completion. Some of the later enemies are quite strong, and without the benefit of increased levels, power ups, and costumes, the player may have a very challenging road ahead. Yet finding these treasures is half the fun. They always stand out in the environment, typically are found via some form of puzzle, and because there is always a benefit to the gameplay it feels very rewarding to find these items.

The combat itself is quite interesting, and sets itself apart from a game like Zelda, and many other action games, via the teamwork between the Majin and Tepeu. Without the Majin present, the player cannot really defeat the soldiers of darkness. They can be incapacitated, but they’ll simply revive unless the Majin is present to absorb their dark energy. In addition, Tepeu is much more weak than the Majin. As a result, the game is littered with sections that separate the characters, forcing the player into a stealth mode as they control Tepeu, allowing him to sneak by or sneak attack foes in order to try and solve puzzles, granting the Majin access.

The player can give very simple commands to the Majin, such as who to attack, where to wait, and at times even where to prepare a trap. The game provides a move called the “finisher”, a way to deal the greatest amount of damage to weakened foes. It is also the only way to earn “friendship” experience, which grants more abilities to the Majin and Tepeu when working together as a team. None of them are necessary to complete the game, but they make hunting for certain treasures and combat easier. Aside from the finishers, traps are the only other method to gain this friendship experience. If either the Majin or Tepeu deal a death blow on their own, only Tepeu gains experience, and much less at that.

While the game continues to find ways to make combat interesting, the game is at its best when the player is being forced to think through a puzzle. None of them are too difficult to work out, but they’re interesting enough that the player will be drawn in. Most of all, each of the boss fights (save for the final one) becomes interesting as a result. The player must observe their surroundings, consider their newly found abilities, and implement them on the foe in relatively creative ways. Each fight is unique not only within the game, but amongst video games in general. This is where Zelda fans will find the most delight, as these are some of the most clever confrontations assembled in a game.

Which is one of the many reasons why this game comes highly recommended to fans of games like Zelda and Metroid. It is very rare to get games of such creativity and quality. Most of all, however, it’s rare to find such a nicely put together package that also is not rated M. While I’d leave it up to parents to determine if this game is fine for their children, it at least provides another option than just Nintendo games.

Majin and the Forsaken Kingdom is a game that should have been played by a lot more people, and I wish I had gotten around to it sooner.