![]() |
Goemon: Doin' the Nintendo '90s
|
|
|
The Legend of the Mystical Ninja
(SNES, 1991)
The first foray of Goemon into the next generation of video game consoles proved to be quite impressive. Impressive enough, in fact, to finally convince Konami to import a Ganbare Goemon game overseas. It may be naturally assumed that most Americans can only enjoy Americana and are culturally intolerant, but they sure didn't make note of that stereotype when they left more of the Japanese elements intact, thankfully. One thing they tinkered with was the names of the protagonists. Formerly Goemon and Ebisumaru, they were now known in North America as Kid Ying and Dr. Yang respectively. I don't remember when Ebisumaru picked up a doctorate, but it must have been between bouts of dancing in only his loincloth for food discounts. The game itself is pretty great, though, so don't let the yin-yang perspective leave a sour taste in your...hands. It's a good mixture of RPG-ish townsperson chatter and 2D platforming at its finest, with a modest goal of rescuing the Feudal Lord's daughter. Truly a fine game for any self-respecting SNES collector, and best played with a friend for two-player action. And don't forget to try out a level of Gradius at the fair...
|
|
|
|
Ganbare Goemon 2: Kiteretsu Shogun Magginesu
(SUPER FAMICOM, 1993)
As with the previous SNES game, Ganbare Goemon 2 is a healthy mix of platforming and running through towns to buy items, get useless advice, and also play arcade games -- including a level from the Konami arcade game, Xexex. The graphics have been very much improved, and these will be the types of visuals you could expect for the next few Goemon games on the Super Famicom. At this point, the series starts to get really weird. The storyline involves a strange general from America who is trying to Westernize Japan for his own whims via taking it over with an army of bunny men. Yeah, I can see why this one never made it across the pond. Two more staple characters are introduced here: the clockwork robot ninja, Sasuke, and the much MUCH larger robot ninja, Goemon Impact, who bears the visage of Goemon himself! That's neat, but it gets better with the Impact-specific battles, as viewed from the cockpit with neat Mode 7 effects.
|
|
|
|
Ganbare Goemon 3: Shichijuurokubei no Karakuri Manji Gatame
(SUPER FAMICOM, 1994)
But things just keep getting stranger. In this game, the Wise Old Man invented a time machine and transports himself into the future for the sake of picking up young women. However, the time machine is quickly overtaken by Sister Bismaru, a nun and a descendant of Ebisumaru, who uses it to enslave the Wise Old Man and force him to build a robot army to send back in time for ruling ancient Japan. Plots don't get too much more unusual than that in the Goemon series. Ganbare Goemon 3 is a radical departure for the series, sacrificing the unique stages for one large interconnected world that can be freely traveled by all four main characters (Goemon, Ebisumaru, Sasuke, and Yae), each boasting their own capabilities. It feels like a Zelda game, and plays like one too. Battles involving Impact are still around, so if you enjoyed those, get ready for more!
|
|
|
|
Ganbare Goemon Kirakira Douchuu: Boku ga Dancer ni Natta Wake
(SUPER FAMICOM, 1995)
The last game of the Super Famicom bunch also came as the most stellar of his adventures at the time! At the Wise Man's house, there's a knock at the door. Impact appears and informs the gang of the existence of Planet Impact, where everyone looks like him. Goemon Impact is being worshipped like a god there, but the planet has been attacked by the evil Seppukumaru and his Tsujigiri minions. It's off to space for our ninja troops! The game takes a step back and re-introduces the platforming aspects (and the traditional map screen format) from Ganbare Goemon 2. In an unusual move, every boss actually has you play a mini-game of their choice, including quiz and puzzle games, and even a bungee-jumping game. That's different. This is the most beautiful of the bunch, chalked up to its 24-meg cartridge, which allows for even more space for pretty graphics. As an added bonus, if you complete the game, you get to see Impact with an afro and disco clothing! Interestingly enough, Seppukumaru and his minions were later used in the first ten episodes of the Legend of the Mystical Ninja anime series as Goemon's primary rivals.
|
|
|
|
Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon
(NINTENDO 64, 1997)
Finally, Goemon graced the third dimension. But don't think for one second that he suffered the same fate as many other failed 2D-to-3D transformations (I'm looking at you, Bubsy... oh wait, you were already broken from the beginning...) because this is actually one hell of a game. The plot gets even more unusual when a bunch of weird Shoguns try to take over Japan for the purpose of turning it into their own personal stage. The game is filled with not-so-amazing graphics, but it does boast an absolutely killer soundtrack (including several vocal numbers), sweet first-person Impact battles, and a rare appearance by the one and only... Jichael Mackson!! This one also made it to North America and in a more pure form as well. The musical score, Japanese lyrics included, were kept intact, as were the names of all characters. The only major difference came in a weird translation whose jokes weren't quite as funny as the laughtrack indicated, and the Wise Old Man was defined as less perverted than his Japanese counterpart. For a first-generation N64 title, it held its own in terms of fun.
Check out our Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon review for a more in-depth look!
|
|
|
|
Goemon's Great Adventure
(NINTENDO 64, 1999)
Goemon returned to his roots by offering a three-dimensional romp... in 2D! Polygonal atmospheres and characters from a side-scrolling perspective, just like olde tymes. Goemon's Great Adventure marks the return of one of the more off-kilter characters in the Edo universe: Sister Bismaru! She's stolen the Wise Old Man's resurrection machine and plans on bringing back some nasty figures from the past, lest Goemon and Ebisumaru try and stop her. Two-player action is back, and the platforming couldn't get much better than this --- well, okay, it could stand to be a bit longer. Okay, a LOT longer. The Japanese humour that had peppered the series for ten years was still present, and it probably still confused the heck out of players whose previous gaming history mostly involved shooting their pals in the gherkin.
Check out our Goemon's Great Adventure review for a more in-depth look!
|
|
(Screenshot of 'Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon' provided courtesy of Run Jump Shoot)
(Screenshot of 'Goemon's Great Adventure' provided courtesy of GameFAQs)
|
|
![]() |
