There are times when spin-offs, whether they’re on television or the big screen, will have me cringing with horrific memories of Joey (a spin-off of Friends) and Electra (a movie spin-off of Daredevil). Then again, there are spin-offs, such as Prinny: Can I Really Be the Hero? for the PSP, that I consider the perfect companion piece to the original concept it was based on even though it does its own thing. Disgaea fans will be pleasantly surprised to find the explosive Prinnys in their own game that’s strays away from its strategy RPG roots to jump into platform gaming territory.

 

Prinny’s have long been but bit players in a much larger world that have been introduced by NIS in games such as Disgaea as well as Phantom Brave. They’re short, bird-like creatures that resemble penguins that - if treated roughly - will explode as if they were but living bombs. Prinnys are really souls of people that have done something wrong when they were alive and are now forced to live out their existence as the fragile creatures that are commanded by the spunky Demon Lord named Etna. When somebody ate Etna’s desserts one day, she furiously points the finger at her Prinny followers. Giving them a rare red scarf that offers the creatures 1,000 lives, one brave Prinny sets out to find the ingredients that make up the Ultra Dessert.

Still, it’s not going to be an easy task seeing as the ingredients are scattered throughout the Netherworlds many regions. There are six locales, including the Prinny homeland, where you can talk to other Prinnys, get helpful tips from Etna herself as well as save your progress. You can also tackle the various Netherworlds in any sequence you like but be warned that other levels are certainly a tad harder than the ones placed first on the list. The levels range from the grassy Nethergrasslands, the High Tome Forest, Death’s Watchtower as well as the Moab Fortress. Then there’s the Magma Hideout and the Demon Sea Aria part of the Netherworlds.

Armed with his powerful red scarf and a pair of blades, Prinny sets off on an adventure to secure a part of the ingredients that make up the Ultra Dessert that can be found at the end of each level world. The Nethergrasslands, for example, contains rotten meat (one of many colorfully disgusting ingredients) that is in the possession of the Gourmet Ogre. Prinny must make his way through the environment that features many platforms, hazards and enemies that get in your way. Played like a 2-D side-scrolling platform game, Prinny can jump, attack and use his rear end to stomp and stun enemies. You can also unleash a powerful aerial blade attack as well as spinning dash that can get you out of a jam.

 

As I mentioned earlier, Prinnys are a fragile lot but thanks to the red scarf, he is able to take some damage before he explodes. The red scarf’s power also grants you 1,000 lives but if you successfully complete each level, you are awards dolls as well as extra points that will allow you to add a life. Having played the game all the way through, 1,000 lives is more than enough to get you through the game. Thankfully, each level also contains a number of checkpoints you activate by stomping a certain pillar with your Hip Pound attack. You can even obtain special items by trading them in for Lucky Dolls you earn in each level.  

The game’s levels do have a number of challenging hazards and a number of different enemies that range from flying monsters, cannons that shoots fireballs as well as unstoppable robots. Aside from Prinny’s attacks, there are moments where you can even hop into a tank or plane Metal Slug-style. While the enemies aren’t too hard to defeat, it’s the boss battles that will give you something of a workout. Some boss battles require combo attacks such as the time you take on the great dragon in the Magma Hideout level.

Graphically speaking, Prinny is also a gorgeous game with colorful backdrops that are sharp and filled with detailed enemies. It’s a blast running through the various worlds such as Death’s Watchtower or Demon Sea Aria. Even the bosses look great and watching Prinny unleash his aerial attacks is an impressive sight. As far as the sound is concerned, the music is actually enjoyable even though it tends to be recycled often. The voice acting is cute and it never gets old to hear the Prinny’s call each another “doods.”  Top it off with great sound effects that sound great coming from the PSP’s speakers.

 

It’s a genuine joy to find games like Prinny: Can I Really Be the Hero? for the PSP and even more when the game plays just as enjoyably as other hyped-up platform games. While it’s far from perfect, the game will not fail to provide fans of the genre a delightfully diverse and exciting platform title that PSP owners should definitely not miss even if you’re not a Disgaea fan.

Review Scoring Details for Prinny: Can I Really Be the Hero?

Gameplay: 8.2
Your Prinny has some basic moves but it’s all you’ll need to get through the diverse levels that offer different challenges along the way. While some battles can get a bit repetitive, things like vehicles and a variety of enemies will pleasantly keep you on your toes.

Graphics: 8.5
Visually, the game looks wonderfully crisp and colorful enough that you’ll often stop to admire the scenery. The characters look good as well and the visual effects are decently flashy.

Sound: 8.0
The soundtrack is as cute as the exploding Prinnys and it never gets old even when it repeats itself. What really stands out, though, is the voice acting that is oftentimes just as hilarious as some of the dialogue. Even the sound effects are good. 

Difficulty: Medium
Like most platform games, you’ll encounter some platform puzzles that are harder than others are but this game won’t have you stumped for very long. The real challenge comes from the boss battles with some of them requiring more than just a butt-stomp to defeat.

Concept: 8.0
Take a character that doesn’t get much attention in the Disgaea games and put them in a game that plays like an inventive platform game and we get a genuinely surprising treat. The search for a desert will lead you through colorful and oftentimes challenging levels. Data Swap allows you to trade replays of your run-through of a level with a friend.

Overall: 8.2
Prinny is an absolutely charming, funny and downright fun handheld gem we wish popped up on the PSP more often. This is a side-scrolling platform game with a lot to offer those gamers that appreciates an enjoyable, bite-sized adventure that is close to giving a certain Italian plumber some competition.