Within a Deep Forest (PC, 2006)

• Mostly linear (you can enter some of the sub areas/levels before you're supposed to but in all cases but two (one without sequence breaking) you'll just run into an ability gate/temporary dead end, two paths through the "that hover thing" level, some optional areas that lead to hints but you don't know it beforehand, can get the yoga ball before the glass ball)

• Multiple ball forms with different properties (for example: black/iron ball - heavy+less bouncy and breaks weak walls+no effect from wind, glass ball - bounces higher and moves faster than the pink ball+can pass through lasers but shatters if it hits solid ground or walls at high speeds including longer falls, ascent ball - button mash flight; Can switch between forms at checkpoints)

• Difficulty options (normal and hard)

• Frequent checkpoints/temporary save points (can jump over them) and a few save points ("menu rooms")

• Suicide command (Zillion) - Used as a sort of fast travel from levels back to save rooms here (can also teleport between a save point to the tutorial area and back but not between save points or visited levels)

• One hit deaths

• Platforming puzzles and logical (sort of) puzzles

• Optional tutorial area that expands with each ball form/material gained (sort of, some balls don't get a new segment here)

• One major sequence break possible (getting to the iron ball before the pink ball by jumping to the left off the mountain, early shadowlands via a glitch)

• Partial time travel/climate change theme (go to a different version of the hub area where it's winter and you can cross water)

• Kinda weird save/load and fast travel systems (no "resume game" option in the menu - instead you pick the area name of the area you were in and it continues from where you saved in that area which is kinda vague)

• Many neutral creatures but you can't interact with them (only with stationary NPCs)

• Can't attack enemies

• Glass ball form makes you feel vulnerable but the game takes it a bit too far, non-interactive dialogue

• Some non-persistent obstacles (breakable walls/floors)

• No control config and no built-in controller support (also can't fully map the game to a controller due to how ball selection and menus work)

• No message/quest log - pretty big info dump from the first NPC you meet if you go right in the beginning and others are in remote locations so you'll want to write their hints down

• No maps (and some identical level entrances don't have signs)

• No bosses

Playthrough w/ commentary - Review - Mini Review

Influenced by: Probably Metroid series, Knytt, possibly Cauldron II, Kula World, La-Mulana? (flip screen), Smart Ball/Jerry Boy

Influenced: Knytt Stories, Saira