Line #9 VideoGame/TheAdventureOfLittleRalph


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/15821-500m_5668.jpg]]
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3	''Chippoke Ralph no Daibouken'' (''Little Ralph's Big Adventure''), officially called in English as ''The Adventure of Little Ralph'', is a little-known Platform/PlayStation 2D platformer published only in Japan in 1999. The game's protagonist, Ralph, starts out as a grown man, but is turned into a child by the BigBad named Valgo. For most of the game, Ralph stays a child, except for every boss fight after the midboss, [[UnexpectedGameplayChange in which the gameplay changes to that of a fighting game]].
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5	The game's most unique factor is its graphics, as the game is one of the few 2D platformers released in MediaNotes/TheFifthGenerationOfConsoleVideoGames. Most developers stressed the 3D capabilities of the 5th-gen consoles, so 2D was shunned, for the most part, until MediaNotes/TheSixthGenerationOfConsoleVideoGames, when "retro" gaming started to rise in popularity. In fact, ''The Adventure of Little Ralph'' could be the first {{Retraux}} video game, given that it was designed as a 16-bit platformer but was released during a time when 16-bit was seen as obsolete. Possibly due to the game's lack of appeal because of this supposed obsolescence, the game was never localized for international markets, and it languished in obscurity, known only by niche retro gaming sites, until very recently, when major game journalism sites played and reviewed the game.
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7	!!This game provides examples of:
8	* OneUp: There are represented by a symbol of Ralph's head.
9	* AbsurdlySpaciousSewer: One of the levels, which features non-aggressive rats that'll scurry around as you approach them.
10	* AirborneMook: There are blue heron-like birds that are aggressive to Ralph for whatever reason.
11	* AshFace: Once Ralph blows up the first boss' mech, he is left standing dejected with his entire body covered in ash as Ralph merrily runs past him.
12	* BigBad: Valgo, the greenish demon who turned Ralph into a child and kidnapped his girlfriend. He also acts as the FinalBoss...if you were playing the game on easy mode.
13	* BloodlessCarnage: Played straight, since this is a child-oriented game. The defeated enemies will simply be tossed up in the air and then fall through the floor, much like in ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros''.
14	** Subverted with respect to the player, however. Ralph will find himself bloodily skewered on spikes or crushed with a splash of gore. Quite unlike the simple flashes or other conceits of most all-ages platformers.
15	* BreathWeapon: The third boss is a huge Sphinx head who breathes out fire as one of its main attacks.
16	** A dragon-like miniboss fought way later in the game breathes out either one or two fireballs as his only attack besides simply trying to impact Ralph.
17	* CollisionDamage: Played straight, even if Ralph collides with a mere piglet, or a robot thing that doesn't even have arms.
18	* DamselInDistress: Played with, in that she is a sorceress capable of casting powerful lightning strikes, and who attempted to rescue Ralph after he first got reverted to child form by Valgo. Unfortunately for her, Valgo was immune to her lightning, so he simply picks her up and teleports away.
19	* DefeatEqualsExplosion: What happens to both the robotic enemies and all the non-human bosses.
20	* DiscOneFinalBoss: Valgo himself ultimately ends up as one.
21	* DualWielding: The ninja-like bodyguards of the skeletal statue boss have a blade in each arm.
22	* EasyModeMockery: In the game's Easy Mode, the last few worlds are skipped, and the player does not get to see the true ending to the game.
23	* EyeBeams: The other attack of the Sphinx boss, though it always has a generous charge-up time.
24	* FlashOfPain: The opponents that do not fall in one hit will flash white in response to attacks.
25	* FlunkyBoss: The first boss regularly has snail-like creatures dropped in from the five chutes above the arena.
26	* FullBoarAction: Played for laughs: the first enemies Ralph fights in the game are pigs (or rather, ''piglets''), who are sometimes ridden by the basic mooks as well.
27	* GoombaStomp: Played straight; it'll also be animated with a blue magic blast for further awesomeness.
28	* LizardFolk: Travant, the first boss who duels you in a FightingGame style, is one.
29	* LoadingScreen: Each level is separated by a looping corridor that hides the game's loading times.
30	* MadScientist: The first boss is certainly styled as one, using a mech he built himself, wearing a lab coat, and possessing EinsteinHair.
31	* NintendoHard: It makes sense that the game is very difficult because of its intentional retro stylings.
32	* NoSell: In the intro, Ralph's girlfriend tries to blast the BigBad Valgo with lightning after successfully blowing away a pair of his basic mooks with it. However, Valgo simply ignores the repeated lightning strikes as he strides towards her and picks her up.
33	* PlayingWithFire: There is a power-up that looks like a FlamingSword. Once equipped, it results in a fireball launching out of Ralph's sword whenever it's swung.
34	* {{Retraux}}: Possibly the first Retraux game ever.
35	* RubberMan: Once you finally fight Valgo, it turns out that he possesses these powers, and can either swiftly morph his arms into a shield-like shape to protect himself from attacks, or have his neck become crazy long to quickly throw his head after Ralph and then reel it back.
36	* ScoringPoints: Defeating enemies and collecting fruit nets Ralph points in the increments of 100.
37	* ShapeshiftingExcludesClothing: Played straight in the opening when Ralph is morphed to a child by Valgo; he spends half the cutscene crouched down to hide his nudity, but still attempts to wrestle away from Valgo. He disdainfully tosses him away, and then teleports along with and the rest of his entourage.
38	* SheFu: The third FightingGame-style boss, Ferica, is a woman, and her fighting style is particularly acrobatic, with every attack being some sort of a twist with her body rather than a straight punch or kick.
39	* ShockAndAwe: Ralph's girlfriend can cast lightning, as she demonstrates in the intro. It works well on Valgo's mooks, but is useless on their boss.
40	* ShockwaveStomp: Both the skeletal statue boss and its two elite bodyguards can generate a line of icicles jutting out of the ground.
41	* SidetrackBonus: Each level features plenty of alternate paths with various bonuses.
42	* SpikesOfDoom: Spike pits are a frequent obstacle.
43	* SwordLines: Since Ralph's sword is magic, swinging it comes complete with a bright green flash.
44	* TeleportSpam: The skeleton statue boss will regularly teleport from one side of the screen to another.
45	* UnexpectedGameplayChange: The fourth stage's boss fight suddenly changes the gameplay into a FightingGame, with Ralph temporarily aging up to do battle with the level's boss in a style that's very reminiscent of the many, many SNES fighting games that tried to cash in on Street Fighter II's popularity. Then, three more bosses are fought in this manner. (Or just one more, if you are playing on easy mode.)

Context VideoGame / TheAdventureOfLittleRalph