A Kappa's Trail
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| A Kappa's Trail | |
|---|---|
 Logo depicting various kappas | |
| Developer | Brownie Brown |
| Publisher | Nintendo |
| Designer | Shinichi Kameoka |
| Platform | Nintendo DSi (DSiWare) |
| Release | |
| Genres | Puzzle, action |
| Mode | Single-player |
A Kappa's Trail (かっぱ道, Kappa Michi; lit. Kappa's Road), is a puzzle-action video game developed by Brownie Brown and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo DSi's DSiWare digital download service. The game puts the player in control of a kappa, a mythological creature from Japanese folklore, using the console's touchscreen to create a path for it to follow through a level, with its goal being to escape the ocean and reach land.
Directed by Shinichi Kameoka, it was released in Japan in 2009 and North America in 2010. Following the DSiWare Store's discontinuation in 2017 and Nintendo 3DS digital storefront discontinuation in 2023, A Kappa's Trail and other DSiWare games became unavailable for purchase.
It has been generally positively received by critics, receiving praise for creativity. Critics begrudged that it could be too difficult at times, particularly due to requiring the use of a touchscreen for all controls, with multiple critics suggesting the console's d-pad be used to control the overhead camera. Following various announcements of digital storefront shutdowns, several works listed it among other games that are worth purchasing before this happens.
A Kappa's Trail is a puzzle-action game[1] that follows a kappa controlled by the player, whose goal is to escape the ocean in order to reach land. The player controls the kappa by drawing a path for it to follow on the console's touchscreen. The game starts with the kappa in an ocean hubworld, where the player can either play a selection of mini-games or do the main adventure. In the main adventure, the action is presented on the touchscreen of the Nintendo DS, while the upper screen displays a map. Along the way, various obstacles will be present that the player must remove, such as boulders, flames, and balloons.[2] There are also collectibles, such as coins, which can be spent to purchase upgrades enhances the player-character.[3] The player can also find various baby kappas which assist the player by either helping the kappa progress or provide coins and health. Upon traveling a certain distance into a level, a hand will begin to follow the path the player draws.[2] If the kappa is stopped for too long, the hand will catch the kappa and force the player to start the level over.[4] Each stage is won by reaching the end without being caught.[2] The three mini-games include one where the player must guide the kappa across falling tiles, a visual memory quiz, and a survival game involving helping the kappa avoid the hand in an enclosed space.[4] The game has various collectible objects for the player to acquire, including paintings and cassettes.[2]
Development and release
A Kappa's Trail was developed by Brownie Brown[5] and directed by Shinichi Kameoka.[6] It was published by Nintendo to the Nintendo DSi's DSiWare digital download service[5] on December 9, 2009 in Japan and June 14, 2010 in North America.[2] It has also been made available for purchase through Nintendo's Club Nintendo website for Platinum Coins, a currency exclusive to the website.[7] It debuted 14th on the Japanese top 20 sales rankings for DSiWare games for the week ending December 16, 2009.[8] As of March 27, 2023, sales of A Kappa's Trail and all other DSiWare games ceased upon the closure of the Nintendo 3DS' digital store, which hosted the DSiWare store[9] that had been previously shutdown on the Nintendo DSi console on March 31, 2017.[10]