Ludography
Kula World cover

1998 · Adventure · Platformer

Kula World

PlayStation console exclusive

Roll Away is a 3D platform puzzle video game which places the player in control of a Kula beachball. The main objective of the game is to collect keys which unlock the level exits, as well as coins and jewels along the way. The game makes use of alternative physics, changing the direction of gravity as the ball moves.

Released
10 July 1998
Platforms
AndroidPlayStationPlayStation 3PlayStation Portable
Genres
AdventurePlatformerPuzzle
Developers
—
Publishers
Sony Interactive Entertainment
Modes
MultiplayerSingle-player
Perspective
Third personSide view
Themes
Fantasy
Country
Sweden
Age ratings
ESRB EUSK 0ACB G
Composers
Twice a Man

About

Kula World, released as Roll Away in North America and KulaQuest (クーラクエスト, KūraKuesuto) in Japan, is a puzzle-platform video game developed by Game Design Sweden AB and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation. Sony's subsidiary Psygnosis released the game in North America. The player character, a kula beach ball, collect keys to unlock the level exits, as well as coins and jewels along the way. The game makes use of alternating physics, changing the direction of gravity as the ball moves. It was the only video game to be developed by Game Design Sweden AB, who would later be more well-known for launching Netbabyworld.

Keywords

  • gravity
  • 3d
  • playstation network
  • digital distribution
  • psone classics
  • playstation tv support
  • backwards compatibility

Media

The articlegameplay, story, development, reception

Gameplay

Various elements and obstacles are introduced as one moves on to new levels, which means that the complexity and level of puzzle solving required gradually increases as the game progresses. The game involves making ingenious use of the various types of platforms and surrounding objects, from moving platforms and transporters to bouncing platforms and jumping pills.

Bonus levels can be unlocked by gathering five fruits (one available in each stage). If one enters a bonus level, the word "BONUS" appears. Completing the bonus stage requires one to 'activate' all the cubes on all platforms by rolling over them. The bonus stages also become more complex as the game progresses.

Reception

Kula World received generally positive reviews from video game publications. Edge praised the game for gradually introducing new challenges as the player advances through the stages, comparing the game's progression to a "good Nintendo title", but criticized the game's lack of replay value and the multiplayer mode for not offering split screen gameplay. GamePro was critical to the game's import, saying that the players must always play the same worlds in the same order, greatly hindering replayability, and called the title more as a rental or trade-in. In Japan, Famitsu gave it a score of 29 out of 40.

The game was nominated for the "Best Puzzle Game" award at the 1998 OPM Editors' Awards, which went to Devil Dice.

Releases by platformdates and regions as published

PlatformReleasedRegions
PlayStation10 July 1998Europe · North America 27 November 1998 · Japan 27 May 1999
PlayStation PortableDigital Compatibility Release29 November 2007North America · Europe 29 November 2007 · Japan 10 February 2009
PlayStation 3Digital Compatibility Release29 November 2007North America · Europe 29 November 2007 · Japan 10 February 2009
Android5 May 2011Europe

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Description adapted from its source, CC BY-SA 4.0.