The New Zealand Story Overview
The New Zealand Story is a game where the player controls Tiki, a kiwi who must rescue her kidnapped tribe from cages across several New Zealand locations. The antagonist, a Leopard Seal, intends to sell the captured kiwis on the black market.
Gameplay involves navigating through areas like Auckland, Rotorua, and underwater caves, using a crossbow as a primary weapon against various enemies. Defeated foes often drop fruit for points or power-ups, including laser shots, bombs, and fireballs. Collecting the letters that spell "EXTEND" grants an extra life.
Movement is not limited to horizontal planes; Tiki can acquire flight from certain enemies to reach higher areas. Underwater sections introduce an oxygen meter that depletes, requiring periodic returns to the surface, though Tiki can also attack by squirting water while at the top. The rescue mission is challenging, as each main area concludes with a boss encounter, and a time limit for each captive kiwi summons a devilish pursuer if exceeded.