Goemon's Great Adventure

Developed by Konami Computer Entertainment Osaka, and released by Konami in North America on September 15, 1999, Goemon's Great Adventure offers 2.5D platforming action for the Nintendo 64.

I don't think I heard of Konami's Goemon until I was going through a Nintendo 64 game priceguide/checklist sometime in the early 10's. Somehow, the Goemon Super Nintendo game, as well as both Goemon Nintendo 64 games released in America, escaped my notice when they were released. Ever the completionist, I immediately scooped up both Nintendo 64 games. The first, Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon, is a 3D platformer in the vein of Super Mario 64 and Banjo Kazooie. The second, Goemon's Great Adventure, is a throwback to the 2D platforming of the Super Nintendo game. I decided to begin my Goemon gameplay experience with the latter.
Sequel to the less well-received Goemon's Okay Adventure

Goemon's Great Adventure takes advantage of the Nintendo 64's 3D capabilities by placing its 2D platforming into a a 2.5D world. This means that Goemon, his allies, his enemies, NPC's, and each level's terrain are in 3D, but viewed from a side-scrolling, 2D perspective. Even better, Goemon's levels feature branching and alternate paths that often go behind, before, above, and below the original path. This means there are essentially 3D paths intertwining all over each level, which are traversed in a side-scrolling manner. It plays and looks as cool as it sounds.
And also, there are Whomps?

The graphics here are very well done, particularly considering the game also has a day/night system. That's right, the day progresses as you're playing through a level, with the sun setting after about three minutes, casting everything into brilliant orange, then purplish hues (and bringing out more difficult enemies, who give twice the loot when killed). This includes changing the appearance of each level's background, which is often some kind of majestic Japanese mountainscape. Goemon and the three other playable characters, as well as enemies are also charmingly animated. It's like a high quality 2.5D, 64-bit cartoon. Several items, like weapons, coins, and powerups, appear to be well-animated 2D sprites, but all of these look great, as well.
If E.T. for Atari featured sunsets like this, it would only be the SECOND WORST game ever made. 

Thankfully, the game plays great (and runs smoothly), as well. Once all main characters are discovered early in the game, the player is allowed to choose which one they want to use, either when the game is booted up, when they stop in a town, or at select points during levels. Goemon is the most well-rounded, Ebisumaru is a big guy who can blow out platforms to cross large pits, Yae can turn into a swimming mermaid, and tiny, quick, Sasuke...can also swim. All four offer great playing options, though personally, I'll always take Goemon and his double-jump move first.
The multiple layers of depth not only look cool, but really get you obsessed with figuring out how to get to all of them. I want that kitty back there, Ebisumaru!

All four have a close-range weapon and a projectile weapon (the old "jumping on enemies' heads" go-to platforming attack doesn't work). The close-range weapon can be upgraded up to three times by picking up a cat that sometimes bounces out of vanquished enemies (and also is just found sitting around levels at certain points). Get hit, and you lose an upgrade. Enemies spill out coins when they're killed, and these are both fuel for your projectile weapons, as well as currency to use in the game's towns. Goemon's Great Adventure generally follows this pattern:
Pattern description coming right after this caption...

Reach a new island, which generally contains four or five side-scrolling levels and a town. Beat those levels to progress across that island's overhead map and get collectible entry passes. Visit the town, save, switch characters, visit a hotel or buy food to get lost hits back, and wander around to receive quests from townsfolk. Quests generally send you back to the side-scrolling levels to either find something or defeat something, in order to acquire more entry passes. Collect enough entry passes and gain entry to that island's castle. Venture through the challenging castle level until you reach its boss. Beat the boss in a 2D fight, and then the game switches to a 3D mech fight. Yes, this game has 3D, first-person mech fights. The mech fights feature their own unique control scheme and moves, and they're awesome. Win the mech fight, and you can then fly to the next island. Wash, rinse, repeat, to ever-increasing difficulty levels.
And also, be a mermaid for a little while.

If that sounds like a lot of gameplay, it is. I didn't even mention how some levels feature vehicles, like a weird tank...or a horse. However, the game's high production design and well-thought out, soon familiar rhythms ensure that none of this becomes overwhelming, but instead fun and addictive. Great Adventure's polished controls, excellent level design, and the game's total and unabashed Japanese insanity certainly don't hurt.
My saddle's waiting/come and jump on it

Insanity? Well, let's first get into the non-insanity unabashed Japanese-ness of this game. For one, the game's feudal Japanese setting is rendered in loving detail, from pastoral villages, to ancient temples. Dialogue is voice-acted in Japanese with English subtitles (apparently two Japanese songs were cut from this American version, greatly angering fans, but if you didn't know any better, you wouldn't miss them). Character's names, personalities, and interests are rarely Anglicanized. The vibe of the game is unapologetically Japanese.
It's like being in an Ozu film!

As far as insanity: the main plot of this game features a cross-dressing nun stealing a kindly professor's "ghost return machine" in order to resurrect the master of the underworld. There's also a cat lady involved. The mech's are intentionally over the top goofy. Ebisumaru constantly farts. When you get a game over, a heavily muscled, shirtless satanic figure dances sexily on the screen, then hula-hoops when you click TRY AGAIN, gyrating harder if you tap the A button quickly, over the sounds of bizarre sex noises. I don't know why.
Also, Goetanic

It's all part of Goemon's Great Adventure's bizarre charm. Thankfully, the game's charm never runs out over its extensive play time. It'll take a while to get through Great Adventure, with all of the islands to visit, quests to complete, and entry passes to collect. You don't have to find all of the passes, which are essentially like Mario's stars or Banjo's jiggies, to finish the game, but they do unlock some cool extra features. As far as difficulty, the main stages are a moderate challenge, but the castle levels really ramp it up. The game's final castle, which includes challenges from all previous castles, is particularly difficult. Even in Great Adventure's most challenging moments, though, the game's sweet, Japanese-influenced, high energy music will help keep you going.
Also, just like with Mario's stars or Banjo's jiggies, the simple desire to get all of the passes will keep you going. Gotta collect them all! So satisfying!

Overall, I suspect Goemon's Great Adventure will come across as a bit weird, even in its native Japan. However, its high production values, unique take on side-scrolling platforming action, and its lengthy, somewhat difficult quest, place it as one of the greatest, if not the best 2D platforming game on the Nintendo 64.
A tip: if you're having difficulties with the latter castles, you can always get extra lives in towns, by buying their special dishes. If you spend all your money, save, quit, then reset your Nintendo 64, you'll have all your stored up lives and 100 coins...which you can then buy another life with. Buy it, save, quit, and reset again and again and soon you'll be sitting on a pretty little stack of lives.


8.5
Graphics
Very cool 2.5D layered levels, with great animation for the characters and beautiful backgrounds.
8.5
Music and Sound
Excellent, upbeat, Japanese-influenced tunes and many, many minutes of Japanese voice-acting.
9.0
Gameplay
Well-balanced and fun side-scrolling platformer gameplay, PLUS some great 3D mech-fighting. 
8.0
Lasting Value
Plenty of quests to complete, passes to collect, and secrets to discover.


8.8  FINAL SCORE

Comments

Popular Posts