#roller angels

While researching DSiWare a while ago I came across this, a digital release exclusive to Japan and North America (a physical version was planned but cancelled). Thanks to advances in emulation I managed to stream a complete playthrough but now seemed a good time to revisit it during a run of games inspired by Jet Set Radio (in this case I'm able to play it thanks to 3DS custom firmware enabling a glorious piracy eshop).

The JSR similarities come in the game actions: it involves roller blading, rail- and wall-grinding, tricks, and spray-painted graffiti. This is in the context of a sidescrolling action ride, where you have to juggle all these actions (along with ledge-grabbing, shaking the spray can, and boosting) in increasingly dense runs. The pace starts slow but ramps up to an engaging level of multitasking, before plunging into a hectic spree of button-tapping in the final two worlds.

Unlike JSR, the theme is very cutesy, the stars a trio of sugary sweet magical girl superheroes with animal-themed personae. Their task is to restore colour to the world with their magic paint cans after some very round and non-threatening aliens have siphoned it off (as well as brainwashed local animals to get in your way). For plot reasons the levels are very drab and grey the first time you do them which is a shame, because otherwise the art direction is quite charming.

On this playthrough I made it my goal to unlock every alternate painting in the shop, which required no small amount of grinding for coins. I must have played through the whole game four or five times to achieve this, advancing from mostly using Patty (Pink Bunny) for her higher jumps to Becky (Yellow Bear) for an easier time recovering spray pressure, to Mee (Mew Blue) using boosts more often for a more challenging technical playstyle. The game also supports the DSi/3DS camera for converting photos into paintings to use in game, but I preferred sticking to the defaults which are contextually themed to each world (wild west, forest, undersea, etc.).