Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon

• Release Date: April 16, 1998
• Genre: Action
• Style: Overhead View Action
• Similar Games: Super Mario 64 (Nintendo 64), The Legend of the Mystical Ninja (Super Nintendo Entertainment System)

Game Description

An unidentified flying object shaped like a peach has invaded the Oedo Castle, so the mystical ninja known as Goemon agrees to save the day. With the help of Goemon's three friends, you must explore the 3D world of Japan to stop the aliens. Along the way you'll interact with wacky characters, solve various puzzles, and storm dungeons and castles. You will also need the help of your super-giant robot, Impact, to take on various bosses that threaten Japan. Will you be able to stop the aliens from taking over the once peaceful land?

Review: Overall

Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon is the first "true" adventure/role-playing game for the Nintendo 64. Players must travel through many locations of Japan while stopping a gang of Peach Mountain Shoguns (the UFOs) from bringing chaos to the land. While it is a good game overall, it does have a few shortcomings.

One strength is the game's various modes of play. While in towns, you can interact with all the townsfolk, obtain clues to your next destination, sleep at inns and buy items for your journey. You must also go outside from time to time in order to progress through the game. In outdoor locations, you will run into all sorts of weird enemies, some of which are funny and some of which are, well, uninspired.

There are also castle stages where you must get rid of enemies and take out their "ring leader," and stages that require you to play as a giant robot named Impact. This involves rampaging through the land, destroying enemies and buildings in order to gain "Nasal" bullets. At the end of these stages is a "Large Boss." You fight inside your robot from a first-person view while punching, kicking and pulling the boss towards you with your chain pipe.

There are also different characters featuring special powers that you can use throughout the game. There is, of course, Goemon the mystical ninja; Ebisumaru, Goemon's sidekick who can shrink himself; Sasuke, a fairy that can reach places normally inaccessible; and Yae, who can turn herself into a mermaid and swim freely underwater. Each character is essential to complete the game.

Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon also uses a lot of Japanese culture and comedy. This may turn off some gamers looking for a more serious title, because it is often very, very strange with off-the-wall humor. Since the setting of the game is Japan itself, players can travel to such places as Mt. Fuji and see lots of Japanese characters and words. This is actually quite nice because games rarely have any sense of culture at all.

Alas, there are a few shortcomings. The 3D graphic engine is a bit weak compared to other titles on the system. While the graphics are nice and colorful and everything is well animated, the game suffers from choppy and often sluggish gameplay, which usually results in misjudged jumping attempts. The choppy gameplay isn't the only thing that will cause the player frustration, however; as in most 3D games, the camera can sometimes be a pain. While players usually have complete freedom to move the camera, it often moves itself while you're in mid-jump or turns itself in front of your character. This is not a good thing.

Yet if you can look past these problems, Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon is a fun little game with lots of offbeat humor. It is enjoyable despite the tricky and sluggish controls, you might be pleasantly surprised. This game certainly won't appeal to everyone, but those looking for a relatively enjoyable adventure with lots of wit (not to mention a lesson in culture) should prepare for a trip to feudal Japan. You won't soon forget it.

Review: Enjoyment

Because of the choppy gameplay and somewhat awkward camera control, the game can be frustrating at times while attempting jumps and aligning your character with platforms. On the other hand, it is fun to explore the vast world and mingle with the townsfolk. The game is also very humorous and wacky!

Review: Graphics

The 3D graphics are colorful and the characters are animated well, but the engine itself is at times choppy which results in sluggish gameplay. The enemies are sometimes uninspired and lack originality.

Review: Sound

The music is very good and often memorable, something the Nintendo 64 is not usually known for. There are a few Japanese songs with English subtitles to add a sense of culture to this game.

Review: Replay Value

There really isn't too much of a reason to go through this game again once completed, unless you really feel like exploring Japan again.

Review: Documentation

The instruction manual is very well done and explains everything from special moves and character abilities to controlling the game's different modes of play.