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While absolutely cute, colorful, and pretty light rhythm game fun, the basic nature of the controls also limits its longevity
While having long been acquainted with the Hello Kitty characters, my daughter also being a huge Pompompurin fan, I can’t recall ever having played a notable video game using the license. While perhaps not making my jaw drop, I will admit that Happiness Parade is at least a viable choice for the right crowd, which would be fans of the characters and their general vibe of cuteness who don’t mind a game that works well enough, even if having a bit of a limited range. You’ll choose a crew of 3 characters to strut along to some very perky pop tunes, changing lanes to the beat, avoiding obstacles, and trying to collect cards and other goodies along the way. There’s a deceptive nature to this, because while the beats seem just slow enough to keep up with the game does quite a bit to throw distractions at you by keeping the camera moving and tempting you with items interspersed with enemies that will require you to thread the needle to get them without taking damage. There’s a bit of strategy at play as well, which is supplemented further as you unlock new characters, since each crew member has their own special power-up, making it wise to review which combinations will best take care of your weaknesses and help you get further along on each run. Far from a perfect experience, this still manages to go the extra mile to justify the purchase by fans who may just love that universe but can still be pleasantly surprised by a decent rhythm game.
Justin Nation, Score:Good [7.1]