Klonoa: Door to Phantomile (lost mobile port of PlayStation 2.5D platformer; 2008)

Title screen of the mobile port of Klonoa: Door to Phantomile.

Status: Lost

Klonoa: Door To Phantomile is a 2.5D platformer originally released on PlayStation in late 1997. In the game you play the titular Klonoa, a cat-like being who travels to various worlds throughout the games. While the world itself is 3D, the allowed paths of movement are restricted to 2D, often referred to as 2.5D. Klonoa traverses levels by picking up enemies with his Wind Ring and utilizing them for double jumps or as ammo, in addition to solving puzzles to progress in levels.

The game was critically well-received at the time and sold well in its home country of Japan, but sold fairly poor comparatively abroad.

The Port

In late 2008, the game was ported to Java and released in Japan for DoCoMo mobile phones through its i-appli service. The port doubled as a way to promote the then upcoming Nintendo Wii remake of the game.^[1]^[2] The game was later released as a S! App and as an EZ app for their respective phones. The developer of the ports was Windream,^[3] who had also done mobile ports of other Namco titles. The ports were never released outside of Japan.

The game could have been purchased on its own and/or have been part of a compilation of titles accessible via subscription called Namco EZ Games.^[4] The S! App version included a new widescreen mode for phones that supported it. In addition, the Softbank 930P model came preinstalled with a trial version of the game, with the option to purchase the full game.^[5]^[6]^[7]

By 2015, the web links to Namco's page from the developer were dead. New phone plans for the i-mode service were discontinued in 2019,^[8] making it more difficult to access the network and because of this, it is unknown if it was even still available to purchase/subscribe to as recent years. On November 30, 2021, the i-Mode download store was shut down, making any i-Mode related title completely non-downloadable.^[9] The accessibility for S! App and EZ app is unknown but likely in similar circumstances.

As of 2021, the only evidence of the game's existence is a page with screenshots from the developer's website^[3] and two gameplay videos that were uploaded to NicoVideo shortly after release.^[10]^[11] No dump of the game is known to exist.

PS Version Known Changes and Differences

• The game could have been played in a 1:1 aspect ratio or a widescreen aspect depending on the version if the phone supported it.

• Widescreen mode has an altered HUD to fit the aspect ratio, what appears to have a revised indicator for rescued villagers along with an indicator if being played with an external controller.

• The port contains unique arrangements of the music to fit within the mobile hardware's limitations. Sounds and voices were similarly altered.

• Klonoa's movements are flat against the ground, unlike the PS version where his movement has a little bit of a bounce.

• The opening FMV had to be downloaded separately from the main game. To save on data charges however, the user had the option to skip directly to the game itself.

• Cutscenes and dialogue boxes are altered to fit the aspect ratio.

• Cutscenes are mostly still images with a few moving sprites.

• Levels are divided into smaller portions and have loading screens upon transitions and deaths.

• Mirror Spirit's HUD indicator box and sprite are altered.

• The Balue cutscene in Vision 1-1 uses an arrangement of "Melancholy Soldier" instead of "Balue".

• Boss health meters were changed from psuedo-3d sprites to a single bar.

Gallery

Videos

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Images

A screenshot from the developer's website.
A screenshot from the developer's website.
A screenshot from the developer's website.
A screenshot from the developer's website.
A screenshot from the developer's website showcasing the port's widescreen mode.
A screenshot from the developer's website showcasing the port's widescreen mode.
An ad for the port from an issue of "Weekly Famitsu".
A photo from a demo setup.
A photo from a demo setup, showing the game running on hardware.