Feeling a little worn out from too much thinking and hard work? Here's another stress busting, eye pleasing mouse-based exploration puzzle from Yoshio Ishii of NekoGames: KIKKA. The soothing charcoal greys and enchanting chimes will remind you of OUKA, and the simple gameplay is similar as well, except this time you're looking for many-floreted, delicate chrysanthemums—petal by petal. There are sixteen levels and, while it starts out easy, that hint button becomes more and more tempting as you go along. The trick is to figure out the "rule" that gathers all the petals back to the flower's center. Like discovering a lovely vase packaged in a sheet of blossomy bubble wrap, KIKKA is both beautiful and gratifying; more proof from the creator of the Hoshi Saga series that games truly can be art.
Review
- Walkthrough
15 Comments
I think this one is actually easier than Ouka. I beat the whole thing without any hints.
Beautifully done, but not quite as challenging as OUKA. I got through it on my first playthrough without ever touching the hint button.
Still not sure how I cleared #15, though. O_o;
I have no problem with the whole game, but I'm kind of stuck in the last one... some help, please?? :)
nevermind... done it!!! cool game! xD
Too easy. A few of the levels I just moved the mouse around randomly and I won. That shouldn't be possible, in my opinion.
ack, got all of them except number 6.
Probably missing something simple, but I do not wanna hit that dang hint button!
oh, wow. I guess power of posting is a real thing. Ok, got them all!
The "puzzles" in all Yoshio Ishii's games (Hoshi Saga, Ouka, Kikka) are less puzzles as experiments in ways to create complex interaction with simple inputs.
It'd be fantastic to see some of these interaction techniques used in games like the various room escape or platformers - they could really add a whole new dimension to what are becoming a pretty standard range of in-game puzzles.
So, I got through most puzzles quite easily, using the hint button occasionally but mostly just moving and clicking my mouse randomly.
But somehow I still can't get past lvl 6 :(
Here's a walkthrough and hint-through for the game.
KIKKA Walkthrough
Level 1
Hint
The mouse isn't used only for clicking.
Solution
Roll over each piece of the symbol, and then click on the fully-formed flower.
Level 2
Hint
What is the only thing on the screen?
Solution
Each time you click the dot, a petal shoots off-screen then comes back to the flower. Do this enough times and you'll have a completed flower.
Level 3
Hint
Try dragging the petal around.
Solution
Drag the petal off-screen and watch them all assemble.
Level 4
Hint
Clicking doesn't have to be quick.
Solution
Hold the mouse button down and see the spiral of petals form.
Level 5
Hint
This level's just a little target practice.
Solution
Click and watch where the petals meet, then move there and click. You may have to adjust a few times.
Level 6
Hint
Charge up your petals before you release them.
Solution
Hold your mouse button down for 12 seconds, then release.
Level 7
Hint
Remember "Simon"?
Solution
Number the petals like a clock with 12 at the top and continue around clockwise.
Click these:
12,3,6,9
1,4,7,10
2,5,8,11
Level 8
Hint
There's an invisible circle around your mouse.
Solution
Go to the bottom right corner and find the perfect spot to light up all of the petals. This shouldn't take too much time.
Level 9
Hint
Twist.
Solution
Hold down the left mouse button and move your cursor counter-clockwise around the screen. The petals should move inwards.
Level 10
Hint
Speed is the key.
Solution
Move your mouse quickly and roll over the petals before the zone around the mouse can catch up.
Level 11
Hint
Conveyor Belt
Solution
Repeatedly drag the petals to the left.
Level 12
Hint
Again, speed is the key.
Solution
Move your mouse as fast as possible. The faster you move it, the more petals will come up.
Level 13
Hint
There's an invisible box around your mouse.
Solution
If you move your mouse far away from the petals, they will be dragged behind. Move them all to one spot, and then guide them to the center.
Level 14
Hint
Stealth is necessary here.
Solution
Sneak up behind the petals and they will be added on as you pass.
Level 15
Hint
All but one are unmoving.
Solution
Chase the petal in the bottom left. As you follow it, the rest will move as well.
Level 16
Hint
The petals here are a little disoriented.
Solution
Click each petal to turn it. Make them all face toward the flower and they'll assemble for the last time.
Alyssia, on lvl. 6 you have to
hold the left mouse button down for an exact number of seconds.
Although the walkthrough above says 12, for me 13 seconds was the one that worked.
If it's difficult to time yourself by counting, you can use the system clock or your watch.
I think this puzzle could've been better if the petal count didn't reset when the mouse was held down longer.
A little trivia: KIKKA probably refers to Kiku (菊) the Japanese name of Chrysanthemum. :-)
Thanks for Kikka, nice to see another abstract puzzler without much colour.
Is there anything quite as unsatisfying as solving a puzzle without understanding it?
@SiamJai
Kiku (菊）does indeed mean Chrysanthemum, and so does Kikka (菊花). The second character literally means "flower", so it's a more specific/redundant rendering of the word.
I liked this game but I agree, a bit too much on the easy side. I liked the plain art of it a lot though.
@kalamari
菊 as "kiku" seems to be the "on" reading. In fact, I just looked it up and there seems to be no "kun" reading for this. Therefore, 菊花 as "kikka" seems to be just the process where く gets combined with the "か" of 花 to make it っか ("kka"). This is as opposed to last time, where 桜 is usually read "sakura" (the kun reading) but gets turned into the "ou" (the on reading) when it gets combined with 花.
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Game of the week
Walkthrough Guide
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Here's a walkthrough and hint-through for the game.
KIKKA Walkthrough
Level 1
Hint
The mouse isn't used only for clicking.
Solution
Roll over each piece of the symbol, and then click on the fully-formed flower.
Level 2
Hint
What is the only thing on the screen?
Solution
Each time you click the dot, a petal shoots off-screen then comes back to the flower. Do this enough times and you'll have a completed flower.
Level 3
Hint
Try dragging the petal around.
Solution
Drag the petal off-screen and watch them all assemble.
Level 4
Hint
Clicking doesn't have to be quick.
Solution
Hold the mouse button down and see the spiral of petals form.
Level 5
Hint
This level's just a little target practice.
Solution
Click and watch where the petals meet, then move there and click. You may have to adjust a few times.
Level 6
Hint
Charge up your petals before you release them.
Solution
Hold your mouse button down for 12 seconds, then release.
Level 7
Hint
Remember "Simon"?
Solution
Number the petals like a clock with 12 at the top and continue around clockwise.
Click these:
12,3,6,9
1,4,7,10
2,5,8,11
Level 8
Hint
There's an invisible circle around your mouse.
Solution
Go to the bottom right corner and find the perfect spot to light up all of the petals. This shouldn't take too much time.
Level 9
Hint
Twist.
Solution
Hold down the left mouse button and move your cursor counter-clockwise around the screen. The petals should move inwards.
Level 10
Hint
Speed is the key.
Solution
Move your mouse quickly and roll over the petals before the zone around the mouse can catch up.
Level 11
Hint
Conveyor Belt
Solution
Repeatedly drag the petals to the left.
Level 12
Hint
Again, speed is the key.
Solution
Move your mouse as fast as possible. The faster you move it, the more petals will come up.
Level 13
Hint
There's an invisible box around your mouse.
Solution
If you move your mouse far away from the petals, they will be dragged behind. Move them all to one spot, and then guide them to the center.
Level 14
Hint
Stealth is necessary here.
Solution
Sneak up behind the petals and they will be added on as you pass.
Level 15
Hint
All but one are unmoving.
Solution
Chase the petal in the bottom left. As you follow it, the rest will move as well.
Level 16
Hint
The petals here are a little disoriented.
Solution
Click each petal to turn it. Make them all face toward the flower and they'll assemble for the last time.
Posted by: Deusovi
|
December 4, 2011 9:20 PM