I’d actually completely forgotten about this game until I was recently in a pub and saw a sign that reminded me of it (the start/end points of a level specifically). Japan saw two sequels (Kururin Paradise for Game Boy Advance and Kururin Squash for the GameCube), but they never made their way West unfortunately. The series got shout outs in some of the Super Smash Bros. series, but that’s all we’ve gotten.

For the uninitiated, Kuru Kuru Kururin sees you play as a strange creature that could only have been designed in Japan as they hop into a rotating helicopter and make your way across increasingly difficult landscapes. In many ways it plays like the classic wire loop game as you cautiously navigate your way through.

You’re able to control your direction and alternate between three different speed settings, but aside from that you’re at the mercy of the clever level design and the ever-rotating helicopter. A classic puzzle game eases you in before ramping up the challenge and Kuru Kuru Kururin certainly does that, although the challenge comes later on..

Sadly Kuru Kuru Kururin only features 35 levels so it doesn’t take long to complete, but it is fun while you’re playing it. A four-player mode saw you race against friends, but it being the GBA you needed link cables and I doubt many people really went through the hassle.

If you’ve never played it I highly recommend you check it out on the Wii U Virtual Console. It’s short but sweet and a wonderful challenge. If you want a bit of nostalgia, the Japanese website still exists - complete with pre-YouTube video clip downloads.