But he's also a dedicated Klonoa fan, apparently, seemingly one of the few Wii owners who has bothered to pick up the gorgeous remake. Perry publicly expresses his adoration of the Wii-make via his Twitter, offering a little bit more information about his playing style.

On May 5th, Perry wrote: "About to try a new video game called Klonoa....I'll let you all know how it is. I'm 39."

Ten days later, the actor was still into it, writing that he was going "back to the gym and then a little Klonoa." Perry clarifies for the uninitiated that Klonoa "is not a venereal disease..it's a video game."

Finally, Perry updates the Twitter-following masses with: "Many of you have asked what Klonoa game I am playing. It's the new one on the Wii. I'm at level six. I play with my pants around my ankles."

Let's get this man some more professional attention, OK?

matthew perry (langfordperry) [Twitter - thanks, Jess?]

Such is the case with the 2009 version of Klonoa, which is amazingly simple in its concept, with regular play requiring only a directional pad and two buttons—one to jump, one to grab and throw enemies. Klonoa's story, involving the world-saving adventures of anthropomorphic rabbit-thing Klonoa and his enemy-inflating sidekick Hewpoe, is a little less straightforward. In fact, Klonoa can be downright dark and depressing at times, despite its bright presentation and obscenely cute characters.

The combination of Klonoa and Hewpoe's abilities—together, the two can overcome obstacles by inflating and tossing bubbly bad guys—and the "2.5D" perspective were refreshing in 1997. But does Klonoa still hold up?

Loved
Jumping & Throwing Mechanics: What's so enjoyable about Klonoa is how well the game's designers capitalized on a barebones set of jumps and attacks. Perfecting Klonoa's double jump isn't overly easy. Klonoa also makes a last ditch effort float with his floppy ears when jumping, making difficult to reach platforms, well, reachable—and surprisingly rewarding. Similarly, using the "Wind Bullet" ring to inflate, grab and toss bad guys—who are rarely on the offense—is fun. The game designers make expert use of the 2.5D environments, making Klonoa as much puzzle as it is platformer.

Perfectly Unmessed With: With the exception of a handful of improvements, most notably the vastly improved graphics and a level-mirroring "Reverse Mode," Klonoa for Wii remains extremely faithful to the PlayStation original. The game can be played with a quartet of control schemes—Wii Remote, Classic Controller, GameCube controller and Wii Remote/Nunchuk combo—only one of which adds hints of motion control. The new whirlwind attack that slows down enemies, performed with a nunchuk shake, is forgivably unnecessary.

Cheap! The game is priced right, released at a meager $29.99 USD. Considering the game's general lack of challenge and brief playing time, Klonoa at standard prices would leave us feeling shortchanged. But given the amount of polish and quality presentation, a budget release, one given obvious care, is welcome.

Hated
Still Too Easy: Everything about Klonoa's presentation, from graphics to voiceover work to difficulty, feels squarely aimed at a much younger audience. With the exception of a few later levels, there's really no challenge to be seen during the main storyline. Even much of the harder to reach collectible items present little difficulty to acquire. Namco Bandai has added new "Challenge Rooms," which sound genuinely challenging to veteran Klonoa fans, but I've yet to unlock them.

Over Too Quickly: You'll likely burn through the meat of the game in about 6 hours, even if you take your time to do some poking around the game's layered levels. Regrettably, some of that time will be spent watching some awkward, plodding cut scenes that may confuse players with Klonoa's wonky, threadbare plot.

Fans of Klonoa, if they already haven't snapped the Wii remake up, definitely should. Namco Bandai has created an excellent port of the PlayStation original, giving players a chance to faithfully revisit a classic game with a new coat of paint. Just don't expect much more than an old-school platformer prettied up for a new generation. And if you've only played through Klonoa 2: Lunatea's Veil for the PlayStation 2, expect a small step backward in game and level design.

Those unfamiliar with the series may wonder what the fuss is about. Klonoa may feel like a fluffy, candy-coated antiquity, a step back from mascot-driven adventure games like Super Mario 64 and Ratchet & Clank. Klonoa may not have the expected bells and whistles—or destructive arsenal—of its modern-day counterparts, but it does have an unshakable foundation of quality gameplay. Plus, you get a free fish taco.

Klonoa was developed and published by Namco Bandai for the Wii, released on May 5th. Retails for $29.99 USD. Completed main quest, tested time trials, reverse mode and other extras.

Confused by our reviews? Read our review FAQ.

No attempts to re-brand Klonoa as some sort of party, no garish freak out utilizing every color in the spectrum.

It even drops much of the original PlayStation game's title, whittling down Klonoa: Door To Phantomile to the simple Klonoa. Not that the name seems to carry much weight with gamers, as I find that very few of the folks in my own circle have ever heard of the series. Fortunately, that hasn't stopped Namco from giving the package some tender loving care. And including a free fish taco.

Even the manual is in color! That makes Klonoa the second third-party Wii game in my library to get the full color treatment. (The other is Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros' Treasure.)

The dual-language instruction booklet is dense with details, similarly not half-assed like other Wii game manuals. And look! A free fish taco!!

Bizarrely random? Maybe a touch, but when one remembers Klonoa's penchant for "wahooing" and the "Wahoo Stomp" from Klonoa 2, the free taco from Wahoo's makes a little more sense.

When I saw that Namco Bandai has passed along six different gameplay videos for Klonoa, I didn't expect six different short shots of the hand-eared mutant kitty thing crossing through the same dark cavern. I suppose they're trying to demonstrate the gameplay variety present in the game, but they could have given us something more to look at. Still, it is Klonoa, and Klonoa is endlessly loveable.

Look for the game to hit store shelves next week.

Now don't get me wrong...I love me some Klonoa. It's right up there with Pandemonium on my list of 2.5D rail platformers. I just don't remember any moments from the original game that made me and anyone else watching simultaneously lean backwards, and I would have remembered something like that.

Check out the latest screens for the game to see if you spot any simultaneously leaning backwards moments.

BUt it's OK! Namco Bandai have confirmed today that, yes, Klonoa will be coming to North American Wiis sometime in 2009. And here are some screens to celebrate.

SANTA CLARA, Calif., (January 9, 2009) - Leading video games publisher and developer NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. announced today that Klonoa® will be available in North America for Wii™ in 2009. Klonoa’s long-awaited return offers vibrant graphics, motion control and new secrets to discover in this update to the series’ debut adventure. Highly revered as one of the best platform games of the past 10 years, Klonoa will ignite Wii owners’ imaginations with addictive gameplay, exciting stages and a memorable story.

“Klonoa’s return marks an exciting re-boot of this beloved franchise with old-school gameplay, spectacular graphics and an instantly recognizable character,” said Todd Thorson, director of marketing and public relations for NAMCO BANDAI Games America. “Klonoa’s time-tested gameplay and intricate level design make for an awesome experience on Wii.”

Help Klonoa save Phantomile, a land formed by the dreams of its inhabitants, and recently besieged by an unknown evil. Klonoa’s breathtaking journey takes him through a series of increasingly difficult stages across multiple kingdoms as he strives to save his friends and homeland. Throughout his quest, Klonoa is aided by his friend Hewpoe, a benevolent spirit who resides in the ring from which Klonoa is able to fire his Wind Bullet. The Wind Bullet gives Klonoa the ability to grab and inflate his enemies and use them to his advantage.

With a simple move of the Wii Remote™ Klonoa can throw captured enemies to break obstacles, uncover hidden items or defeat other enemies. Klonoa can also use any enemy he is holding to perform a double jump which allows him to reach high ledges or jump across large pits. By moving the Nunchuk™, Klonoa can use his whirlwind to slowdown approaching enemies. In addition to the Wii Remote and Nunchuk controls, Klonoa offers a wide range of control options for any style of play, including Wii Remote only, Classic Controller and the Nintendo GameCube™ controller.

For more information on Klonoa, please visit: http://www.namcobandaigames.com.

The survey asks that participants choose which version they prefer, the original, floppier Klonoa on the left or the more cover-friendly, more Poochie-fieid thing on the right. We're on the fence, largely because we'll take what we can get, but we're interested to hear your opinion.

Thanks to Eric and AJ for the tip!

It may not be as well illustrated here as it is in some of the side-by-side pics at Impress Game Watch, but the two aren't even in the same league. The eye-opening, rose glasses smashing advancements in graphics, even on something as simple as Klonoa, only make us want the Wii-make that much more. We're looking at you, Namco Bandai of America.

Klonoa: Door To Phantomile Wii [Impress Game Watch]