NewZealand Story, The

The NewZealand Story is a platformer on NES where the player controls Tiki, a kiwi bird, navigating maze-like scrolling levels to rescue his girlfriend Phee-Phee and kidnapped kiwi chick friends from a large blue leopard seal. Tiki must avoid enemies, fire, and spikes (one-hit death) while reaching the end to free each friend in 20 stages spanning Auckland to Mount Cook on the North and South Islands. The game features single-player and multiplayer modes and stands out for its colorful New Zealand-themed environments, original Bubble Bobble-like letter-collecting to extend lives, and quirky mascot characters including the leopard seal boss.