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TurboGrafx-16

Circus Lido

TurboGrafx-16

TurboGrafx-16

Puzzle games come in all shapes and sizes. There are ones that rely purely on your mental abilities and there are others that throw in an arcade element to them. Circus Lido is more the latter, looking like some strange insectoid son of Bubble Bobble. You play a squat green lizard and your aim is...

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Developer
Uni Post Company

Released on
1991

Size
1 Player

Version
TurboGrafx-16

Requirements
NEC TurboGrafx-16

Downloads
Action

ESRB Rating
Not Rated

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Description

Puzzle games come in all shapes and sizes. There are ones that rely purely on your mental abilities and there are others that throw in an arcade element to them. Circus Lido is more the latter, looking like some strange insectoid son of Bubble Bobble. You play a squat green lizard and your aim is to clear the screen of bugs. To do this, you have a long pink tongue that shoots out to swallow any critters in your way, you then have to spit them out into the gaping maws of hungry plants dotted around the level. But being a lizard, you are seemingly unable to jump, so to navigate your way around, you have a tail that shoots upwards to catch on to any grippable areas of platform above. And to make things harder, there are certain sections of floor that can be slid left or right by pushing up when over the appropriate arrowed block.

Circus Lido

Overview & History

Released exclusively in Japan in 1990 for the PC Engine (known internationally as the TurboGrafx-16) by Hudson Soft, *Circus Lido* is a bizarre and charming action-puzzle platformer set against the surreal backdrop of an interstellar Big Top. The storyline follows Lido, a cosmic acrobat who must traverse a series of shifting, gravity-defying circus dimensions to rescue the kidnapped Star Ringmaster from the clutches of the mischievous mechanical clown, Maestro Gear. While it never received an official Western localization during its original 16-bit heyday, the game has since gained a cult following among retro collectors for its vibrant HuCard graphics, utilization of the platform's color palette, and eccentric soundtrack composed of synthesized calliope and chiptune melodies.

Gameplay Features & Mechanics

Unlike standard platformers of the era, *Circus Lido* blends acrobatic traversal with puzzle elements. Players navigate multidirectional stages shaped like rotating cylinders and geometric trampolines. Lido’s primary offensive move is the "Tumble Spin," allowing her to deflect projectiles and shatter brittle crystal blocks. Players must collect glowing star tokens scattered across the arena while avoiding eccentric enemies like unicycle-riding automata and fire-breathing acrobats. Special items include the "Trapeze Orb," which grants temporary flight, and the "Clown Horn," which freezes all on-screen enemies in place. Progression relies heavily on timing jumps with moving platforms, solving color-coded switch puzzles, and mastering the slippery momentum of Lido's sliding mechanics.