Twinkle Knights.

I guess you’ve been wondering where I have been for the past couple of months? Yes? Well let me tell you.

I was on the hunt for the rarest, most esoteric and wild games for the 3DO multiplayer known to man. I should warn you, 3DO game collecting is not as simple as merely scurrying off to some ‘bay or picking them off a web somewhere. Oh-no. As my good friends over at the 3DO Zero forums will tell you – collecting rare items for the 3DO takes real men of courage…

So - Men of 3DO, gather yea round and listen to tale too tall to fit on a cartridge.

I was in a small picturesque town in Eastern Hungry, and surrounded I was. By an angry mob of Scandinavian Atariyans, bent, ON REVENGE! They had already been chasing me for three days and three nights. Their vengeance fuelled by I, 3DO Kid, last of the great 3DO fan-boys, choosing to compare Checkered Flag on the Jaguar to the 3DOs Need for speed and they weren’t in the mood for debate. (They knew they would lose!)

Armed only with my ever present collection of 3DO accessories and a Japanese phrase book – I attempted to evade them again. And so, the chase continued.

Crossing the snowy mountains, past the rainy vale, through the mighty ancient woods and long through the deep dark nights. For three whole weeks I ran for my very 3DO life. You see – you cannot stop them. That is what they do. They’ll wade through me, reach down my throat, and pull my heart out. Given half a chance. They cannot be reasoned with. The Ataryians will not stop until I’m dead.

They had finally cornered me outside a castle in Bavaria but I was too quick, having honed my avoidance skills on Gex, I ran desperately into the castle. I rapidly fled through the great hall and ran up the mighty spiral staircase of the main tower. Flinging myself head long into a large room and then slamming the door shut.

But it wasn’t enough!

As I regained my breath, they were bashing on the door to the room in no time, as I hurriedly looked for means of escape. As the door began to splinter! They were using their mighty Jag Cartridges pegged to wooden stave's to hack away at the door! All was not lost! I quickly lashed eight 3DO controllers together (FZ-JP2x that’s the smaller Asian version) and at the last minute I rappelled down the castle wall to safety. Thank goodness Panasonic didn’t skimp on the amount of cable! And as the Atariyans bellowed from tower, I had escaped once again! Hurrah!

As luck would have it – I was picked up on my long walk back to 3DO palace by a troop of travelling Japanese female strippers, who were on their way, the long-way mind, to install a 3DO Robo unit in a Love Hotel just outside of Paris, and while enjoying a nice mug of green tea and some of the finer points of shiatsu – they offered me some advice for today’s game - ‘Cards’. They told me, “3DO Kid – san, we made a game once!”

Twinkle Knights.

…and what a game it was. There are four girls to play and each game is divided into rounds. The number of which depends on the girl.

There was a military girl. A Japanese girl pretending to be Chinese girl. Space girl and girl I knew would look girl with her kit off.

Each round you are given 5 cards with a number on them. The aim – although it wasn’t entirely clear, was to pick the card with the highest value. Some cards represented unarmed combat. Others armed combat. Some would increase you aura and others would release your aura in a Special move. The object was to get your opponents energy down to zero.

The rules did seem to vary between girls although it wasn’t clear why. But the game did have an addictive quality. Largely thanks to fact that every time you won a round – some of your opponent’s clothes came off.

Now, some would have you believe that Twinkle Knights is the best game of this ‘ahem’ type on the 3DO. I disagree. It’s not as good in my honest opinion, as Virtual Cameraman 1 and it’s for no better reason than this: Naomi Sawada-san.
Word of warning – the game ONLY plays on a Japanese 3DO and doesn’t work on Freedo either.

Moderately rare everywhere too.

3DO kid.

It's good to be back!