References added: 31, 429 "Platform action from Taito."
Released as "Mizubaku Daibouken" on the PCE in Japan, this is a port of Taito's arcade platformer that was known as "Liquid Kids" in the States (see entry 429). According to a FAQ on GameFAQs, "Mizubaku" means "water globe" or "water bomb," and I think "Daibouken" means something like "big adventure."
You control what I think is a cute little super-deformed platypus, apparently named "Hipopo," as he trundles in search of love across various middling large stages. He can throw water globes, and these mizubakus act something like the water-filled bubbles in other Taito platform puzzlers such as Bubble Bobble (see entry 31) and Parasol Stars. Baddies hit by them become waterlogged and stunned, and can then be kicked into each other and knocked off the stage. Additionally the longer you hold the button down, the larger a mizubaku you heft, and the big ones can really blast the heck out of dudes--oh, and when they burst the release a gush of water which, flowing downhill, can carry baddies away with it. You collect various goodies including bubble powerups and what looks like tasty tiramisu. Once in a while you may uncover a hidden little bonus room or warp, too!
Taito handled the graphic conversion here somewhat better than their earlier port of Don Doko Don (see entry 452), with large sprites everywhere and particulary impressive screen-filling animation on the bosses.
It is, in short, a brilliant little game. The only thing that seems missing is co-op play, though I don't think the arcade version had that, either--but it darn well should have!
There's something that's never quite clicked with me about Liquid Kids, and I think maybe it's the stage design; the first stage is okay, but after that they become rather arduous, really cut up.
