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Why hasn't this series come to a next-gen system??"

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: if you're making a sequel to a popular game, please, for the sake of humanity, make some worthwhile additions or changes. Don't recycle and repackage the same crap we've played through a few years back. It's unfortunate, but everybody's guilty of this sin. Miyamoto did it with the Jap version of Super Mario Bros. 2. Capcom did it over and over and over again with the geriatric Street Fighter II series, which spanned more than a five year period. Somewhere between these fiascos appeared the Lolo line of games, which featured a trilogy of titles so similar to one another that they make the Megaman adventures look like groundbreaking revolutions in creativity.

Essentially, if you've played Lolo or Lolo Deux, you've pretty much experienced all the excitement this new quest has to offer. To be fair, there are a number of enhanced ideas. Taking a cue from Nintendo's own SMB games, there's a nifty new map mode that lets you bumble around Lolo's world for a bit until you realize there's really nothing to do except enter one of the numerous puzzle stages. You've also got the option to switch characters, as well as occasionally being treated to some storyline cut scenes, where the lovable protagonists chase the bad guy, run over bridges, row a boat, and other activities you would expect cute little round creatures to do with their time.

Let's just leave the gameplay description at ''collect hearts and move to the next floor''. Any further discussion and I'm likely to start smashing my head against the nearest brick wall out of frustration. Be very careful when you decide to play this game, because some of these levels can eat up hours of your time. They can eat some controllers, as well, after you chuck a few in the trashcan in anger. I seriously had to pop in Sesame Street ABC so I wouldn't pass the rest of my day in a depression because the game made me feel so stupid.

The graphics actually have improved somewhat since the last adventure, but that's really not saying a whole hell of a lot, considering the first two games were practically identical visually. What's really nice is the inclusion of a variety of landscapes: you'll solve these brutal puzzles underwater, in a field, in a castle, in a cave... the changes are good. Lolo, Lala, and their I'm-cute-but-I'll-still-kill-you buddies seem to have slightly smoother animation, as well. As far as the graphics go, this is the top of the line for the Lolo series.

But then we come to the music. Yes, the worst that could possibly happen, has. Every single room in this game will play that same mind-numbingly repetitive melody from the last two journeys. Come on, what's going on here? Did the single, lone composer at HAL Laboratories up and leave after the first game? Perhaps he was fired because the budget didn't allow him on the payroll. At any rate, the only difference you'll notice in this version of the mad circus song is the addition of a kazoo or something, which is akin to drinking a little gasoline with your cyanide.

The only possible good point about this game's sounds is the fact that each map has a different tune, most of which are pretty catchy. Of course, try asking me that after I hear each song for three hours at a time. The sound effects here are for the most part unchanged, which means they're dull and boring.

Another interesting twist to the Lolo formula is the inclusion of Boss fights. That's right, after most towers are completed, you'll face off against a really big and ferocious-looking version of a cuddly enemy you've already encountered. As far as control goes in the battles, let's just say it's functional at best. It's a good thing all of the Bosses follow a relatively simple preset pattern, because Lolo isn't very agile. Come on, he's a fat little blue ball. He won't be carrying a machine gun and rescuing POWs. He's a thinker. It's a neat little diversion, though.

When it's time for some hardcore puzzle-solving, though, the control has no complaints. You might find yourself pushing a block half a space the wrong way and screwing up the past ten minutes of hard work, but that's one of the many perils of life as a blue ball. While this is by far the longest and most challenging of all the Lolo games, it also happens to be the most fun. If you have a high tolerance for frustration and a lot of time to kill, spend a few nights on this cart. If you're a puzzler rookie, however, you might want to check out one of the earlier titles, or find something else altogether.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 01/18/02, Updated 01/18/02