Retro Oddities 25: "Kula World" (PS1) - 25 July 2024

Tonight, I check out a cult classic for the PS1 in the form of "Kula World", an arcade-action/puzzle hybrid with a 3D perspective involving a bouncing beach ball. Also known as "Roll Away" in North America and "Kula Quest" in Japan, this game isn't as well-known as some other titles in the PS1 pantheon, but those who remember it have generally fond memories, including myself.
I remember playing a playable demo of this and liking it, but I could never find the complete version anywhere, not even at a local retrogaming store, until I stumbled upon a digital download for the PlayStation Store. It's actually a neat little game, an ideal combination of arcade action and puzzle solving, and I'm surprised it's not as fondly remembered or talked about like some other PS1 games like "Metal Gear Solid", "Final Fantasy 7" (even if it is slightly overrated) and "Tekken 3", instead developing a dedicated cult following. From what I understand, if this game is played on a PS3, then it crashes when the player reaches a certain level late in the game (136 out of 150!), so for your sanity's sake, either play it on a PSP or PS Vita, emulate it on a PC, or just play your original PS1 disc copy.
Recorded on 25 July 2024