Kolibri
North American cover art
Developer(s)Novotrade International
Publisher(s)Sega
Producer(s)Ed Annunziata
John Pedigo
Designer(s)Ed Annunziata
József Molnár
Programmer(s)Attila Kristóf
Imre Ignácz
József Molnár
Artist(s)András Bakai
Árpád Balku
Zsolt Balogh
Composer(s)Zsolt Dvornik
Platform(s)Sega 32X
Release
  • EU: November 17, 1995[1]
  • NA: November 1995
Genre(s)Scrolling shooter
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Kolibri is a shooting game created exclusively for the Sega 32X, a Sega Mega Drive/Genesis add-on console. It was designed by Ed Annunziata and developed by Novotrade (now known as Appaloosa). Kolibri is the word or root word for hummingbird in several European languages.

Gameplay

In-game screenshot

The game offers numerous power-ups for the player's kolibri. Each one follows different patterns. Some are spread shots and others will home in on an enemy. This game also features a good number of puzzles which grow increasingly difficult with each level.

Plot

Long ago, a crystal from outer space embedded itself in the earth and started creating life. Soon another similar crystal crashed to earth and started to destroy what the first crystal had created and started to sap away its strength. Before being totally destroyed the crystal gave a lone hummingbird its power. It is up to this hummingbird to save the earth.

Reception

Kolibri received mostly middling reviews. Electronic Gaming Monthly praised the game's impressive visuals and originality, but highly criticized how the game restarts the player character in a highly vulnerable position each time it dies.[3] Scary Larry of GamePro concurred that the visuals are impressive, but was not convinced of the game's originality, remarking that "Although the concept is unique, the gameplay and FunFactor are standard." He also commented that the power-ups look weak, needing to manually turn the bird around to shoot enemies behind him is cumbersome and frustrating, and the bird often gets lost in the backgrounds. He concluded, "Kolibri isn't awful, just average. You'd expect more from the 32X—something more along the lines of Gradius or R-Type."[6] A reviewer for Next Generation said the game doesn't have anything which couldn't have been done on the stock Genesis and suffers from "very monotonous" gameplay, though he saved most of his criticism for the "absurd" premise: "Trying to remember why you bought that 32X? Well, Sega is hoping you've been waiting for the ultimate hummingbird simulation game. That's right, in Kolibri you are a hummingbird (not even a wisecracking, zany hummingbird with an attitude, just a hummingbird) and you fly around toasting insects with the guided missile on your beak."[4] Sega Saturn Magazine commented, "Large and complex, Kolibri offers value for money, but a certain dullness and insipidity accompanies it."[5] Italian magazine Mega Console criticized the controls and music, but praised the graphics and parallax, yet giving the game a near-perfect score of 99.[7] In 2001, webcomic Penny Arcade lampooned the game in their 25th anniversary "We're Right Awards," calling it the "Best Hummingbird-based Shooter Available For The 32X."[8]

References

  1. ↑ Lomas, Ed (December 1995). "CVG Review - 32X - Kolibri". Computer and Video Games. No. 169. Future Publishing. pp. 28–29.
  2. ↑ Christopher Michael Baker. "Kolibri Review". Allgame. Archived from the original on November 15, 2014. Retrieved July 22, 2022.
  3. 1 2 "Review Crew: Kolibri". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 76. Sendai Publishing. November 1995. p. 46.
  4. 1 2 "Kolibri". Next Generation. No. 12. Imagine Media. December 1995. p. 188. Retrieved June 5, 2020.
  5. 1 2 "Review: Kolibri". Sega Saturn Magazine. No. 2. Emap International Limited. December 1995. p. 90.
  6. ↑ "ProReview: Kolibri". GamePro. No. 87. IDG. December 1995. p. 82.
  7. ↑ "Mega Console 21". December 1995.
  8. ↑ Holkins, Jerry (December 17, 2001). "Awards Ceremony, Part One". Penny Arcade. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
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