Bonsai Barber
Encyclopedia
Bonsai Barber is a video game developed by Zoonami
for WiiWare
. It was released in North America on March 30, 2009, in Europe on August 7, 2009 and in Japan on April 6, 2010.
who must groom and style the foliage of their plant, fruit and vegetable customers in similar manner to the art of bonsai
pruning. Using the Wii Remote
, the player uses tools such as scissors, hair clippers, combs and hairspray to work on the requests of up to five customers per day and try to achieve a professional five star rated cut for each.
The game also features unlockable modes and rewards as well as an achievement system, and players will be able to send photos of their stylings to friends via WiiConnect24
.
commended the tight, responsive controls and the quirky nature of the game, but also called it a pricey one trick pony. Official Nintendo Magazine loved the concept and the humor and called it "an enjoyable, idiosyncratic experience".
Zoonami
Zoonami is a video game development company, founded in 2000 by Martin Hollis, the director and producer of GoldenEye 007. He left Rare shortly before Perfect Dark was released while other members of the GoldenEye 007 team formed Free Radical Design....
for WiiWare
WiiWare
WiiWare is a service that allows Wii users to download games and applications specifically designed and developed for the Wii video game console made by Nintendo. These games and applications can only be purchased and downloaded from the Wii Shop Channel under the WiiWare section...
. It was released in North America on March 30, 2009, in Europe on August 7, 2009 and in Japan on April 6, 2010.
Overview
The game places players in the role of a barberBarber
A barber is someone whose occupation is to cut any type of hair, and to shave or trim the beards of men. The place of work of a barber is generally called a barbershop....
who must groom and style the foliage of their plant, fruit and vegetable customers in similar manner to the art of bonsai
Bonsai
is a Japanese art form using miniature trees grown in containers. Similar practices exist in other cultures, including the Chinese tradition of penjing from which the art originated, and the miniature living landscapes of Vietnamese hòn non bộ...
pruning. Using the Wii Remote
Wii Remote
The , also known as the Wiimote, is the primary controller for Nintendo's Wii console. A main feature of the Wii Remote is its motion sensing capability, which allows the user to interact with and manipulate items on screen via gesture recognition and pointing through the use of accelerometer and...
, the player uses tools such as scissors, hair clippers, combs and hairspray to work on the requests of up to five customers per day and try to achieve a professional five star rated cut for each.
The game also features unlockable modes and rewards as well as an achievement system, and players will be able to send photos of their stylings to friends via WiiConnect24
WiiConnect24
WiiConnect24 is a feature of the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection for the Wii console. It was first announced at E3 2006 by Nintendo. It enables the user to remain connected to the Internet while the console is on standby...
.
Development
Three prototypes of the game were developed on and off by a team of two people before the game moved into full development. In total, development for Bonsai Barber stretched over a period of two and a quarter years.Reception
IGNIGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
commended the tight, responsive controls and the quirky nature of the game, but also called it a pricey one trick pony. Official Nintendo Magazine loved the concept and the humor and called it "an enjoyable, idiosyncratic experience".