Ishida believes that the series is still unique enough from a gameplay perspective that players on any platform could appreciate it. In fact, Ishida says that one of the main goals was to bring the past platforming icon to all six current-gen platforms with the intention to spread and promote the appeal of the Klonoa IP to everyday users as much as possible. While bringing Klonoa to a new generation wasn’t an easy task, Ishida and Namco Bandai felt it was one worth taking. “We also needed to present the game to new players in the current generation, so we have to create a quality game that satisfies both audiences.” A unique flavor in a new era “There were definitely some nerves since there are a lot of existing fans for the IP,” Ishada says. As with any re-release of a beloved game of this caliber, the main goal isn’t to get pre-existing fans to fall in love again, but to capture those that haven’t been properly introduced in the past. Ishida told me that there were some nerves coming into play at the thought of getting these old titles into the hands and hearts of new players. Of course, bringing back Klonoa isn’t easy money - it’s not exactly a bankable franchise. “By including the two games that represent most of the Klonoa IP in this remastered version, we hope new users enjoy the games’ appeal.” “As this year marks the 25th anniversary of the Klonoa IP series, and since there is not a new game in the series that has been released since 2008, this time we are presenting Klonoa Phantasy Reverie Series,” Ishida tells Digital Trends. Under the guiding eye of Ryo Ishida, the series is now returning just in time for its 25th anniversary. Afterward, the series went dormant for nearly 15 years. This remaster released to critical praise but was a commercial flop, earning it a hidden gem label. The last time we met up with Klonoa’s feline hero was on the Wii with Klonoa. In an interview with Ryo Ishida, Producer of Klonoa Phantasy Reverie Series, I asked just that and got his thoughts on why now’s the right time to revisit two underappreciated titles.
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