| Developer: | Nintendo R&D1 |
| Publisher: | Nintendo |
| Composer: | Akito Nakatsuka[1] |
| Platforms: | Arcade, NES, Famicom Disk System, Game Boy Advance, Zaurus |
| Genre: | Puzzle |
| Modes: | Single-player, multiplayer |
| Arcade System: | Nintendo VS. System |
| Clu Clu Land | |
is a puzzle video game developed and published by Nintendo in 1984 in Japan for the Famicom. It was released in North America in 1985 as a launch title for the Nintendo Entertainment System, with Europe receiving the game in 1987. Nintendo has re-released the game on many different platforms via emulation, of which includes the Virtual Console digital distribution service on the Nintendo 3DS and Wii U and the Nintendo Switch Online subscription service.[2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9]
Although "Clu Clu Land" is the official English title for the game, "Clu Clu" is actually an anglicization of "Kuru Kuru"; a Japanese onomatopoeia that refers to something going "around and around". This is derived from the main gameplay mechanic, in which the Bubbles (the protagonist) moves around mazes via grabbing onto poles, hence spinning "around and around". The same phrase is also the basis for the title of the Game Boy Advance game Kuru Kuru Kururin and its subsequent sequels.
In Clu Clu Land, the player is a female balloonfish named Bubbles, known as in Japan, who swims around in a maze trying to uncover all the golden Ingots.[10]
The story starts with a type of sea urchin, the Unira, stealing all of the treasures in the underwater kingdom of Clu Clu Land. Bubbles, the heroine, sets out to retrieve the treasure. The object of the game is to uncover all the gold ingots in each stage while avoiding the Unira and Black Holes. Ingots usually form a shape such as a heart or a mushroom. The only way Bubbles can turn around to change directions is by means of Turning Posts located throughout the stages. She can stun the Unira by using a Sound Wave. When they are stunned, she can push them into a wall to get rid of them and receive points. If Bubbles is hurt by the Unira, she will lose a life. A life is also lost if she falls into a Black Hole, or if time runs out. The game ends when Bubbles has lost all her lives.
In later levels, the player must pass over the ingots an odd number of times to uncover them, as they will alternate between their uncovered side and a dull side.
An expanded edition known as was released for the coin-op Nintendo VS. System. It contains twice as many puzzles, a new enemy named Boss Unira, different level themes, and other adjustments. A port of this version was released as the final game for the Family Computer Disk System (FDS), titled Clu Clu Land: Welcome to New Clu Clu Land. It contains a few minor enhancements such as difficulty selection.
In September 2001, a port was released for the Sharp Zaurus series of PDAs.
In a June 1986 survey of the NES catalogue, the Chicago Tribune Steven Kosek and Dennis Lynch singled out Clu Clu Land and Ice Climber for "[keeping their] interest after repeated plays".[11]
Various elements from Clu Clu Land appear throughout the Super Smash Bros. series. Bubbles appears as a trophy in Melee, and the Unira enemy appears as an item in the series from Brawl onwards. A medley of various tracks from the original game can be selected as background music for a number of stages in several games in the series, and Bubbles and Unira are featured as Spirits in Ultimate.[12]
Bubbles appears as an unlockable playable character in DK: King of Swing, which features gameplay inspired by Clu Clu Land.[13] [14], Twisted! and D.I.Y. Showcase both include microgames based on Clu Clu Land.[15] [16] [17]
Both the NES and FDS versions are unlockable in the first Animal Crossing, with the latter retitled Clu Clu Land D outside Japan. It was playable through its Nintendo Space World 2000 demo[18] as well as the final game. Clu Clu Land is included in the NES Remix series. It was released for the Nintendo Switch in the eShop in June 2018, by Hamster Corporation as part of the Arcade Archives series.[19]
Bubbles is playable in Super Mario Maker, appearing as one of the Costume Mario characters.[20]