Steve's Obscure Super Famicom Impressions Thread

[Steve]

Tanuki's accurate translation is "raccoon dog." And according to Japanese folklore, they have shape-shifting powers. That certainly describes this next game perfectly.




POKO NYAN! HENPOKORIN ADVENTURE



This sucker had me chasing for some time. A friend told me last month Poko Nyan is even harder to find than Rendering Ranger (!). Dunno how accurate that claim is, but I trust his word. About a week later I found one CIB for just $50, a collector I know paid $150 for his not too long ago!

Gleaning from the box art, you probably could guess the genre... yes, platformer, thank you, you in the back.


Been curious since I saw this in EGM #66 Jan. 95

EGM wasn't kidding -- how very easy this game is. You can't die! The timer running out doesn't end gameplay, nor does any amount of hits from the bad guys. Being a popular anime with young children this game was created with them in mind. A four-year-old could beat this! The game has 15 levels and can be finished in 40 minutes, even sooner if you rush straight for the exit.


Doing his best Sonic impersonation

Not sounding good eh?

But wait -- what's this? The game's a RIOT?! Yes it is. Poko (I think that's his name) is such a likable chap, much like Rascal. The stages are beautiful, some ace set-pieces and even the enemies themselves are cute. Just take one look at the wild boar who, before charging, has a silly exclamation mark bubble pop over his head.



The set-pieces are awesome not just because of how they look but also how they come into play. Some have several platforms Poko can hop on, or hop down from. Down + jump makes Poko drop to the platform below. This becomes oddly fascinating in and of itself, as it's fun to knock off baddies from above. May not sound all that great, but you'd be surprised.



Some other cool ones:


Reminiscent of SNES Lion King


Looking a little sick there buddy


Looks like he's giving the finger...

These little things add a lot to the game's charm.

True to Japanese folklore, this tanuki has plenty of shape-shifting prowess!

(All forms can double jump, including Poko)

By pressing R, Poko changes into a high-jumping kangaroo.



Up + R? This bird-y thing with unlimited flight!



Down + R? This little runt!



He can do this (on the lesser baddies, mind)



You can switch to any form at any time, no limits. You can switch back to Poko by pressing R again, or whenever a baddie hits you. Adds a lot of extra life to the game.

The 15 levels are spread over 5 different "worlds" each guarded by one of the nasty foxes. These boss battles, like the rest of the game, are a cinch. The later ones have some cool powers though.

While the game is short, the key is to explore the levels rather than rushing to the end. There is also a point score where bouncing off consecutive baddies allots major points, so at least there's a point system.


That sends Poko soaring through the grapes


Groovy roller coaster multi-tier stage


Love the whale in the background


Platforming rule #162: must have water stage


Rule #163: ice too


More Northern Lights in SFC games


BY THE POWER OF GRAYSKULL!


The stages, however short, are fantastic


A deceptively fun game


CLOSING THOUGHTS

Poko Nyan won't light any gamer's world on fire, but it's very charming and enjoyable. Scrolling is a bit herky-jerky at times, but not bothersome enough to really deduct the game for. Perfect for kids, and great for anyone whose still a kid-at-heart


Good stuff


Poko Nyan (0:43)

[RoleTroll]

Fun fact: the tanuki is a dog, not really a raccoon. Apparently the raccoon/tanuki's biological place requires it to have black eyes and a ringed tail.

The Raccoon Dog is a member of the dog family indigenous to east Asia. It is the only species in its genus Nyctereutes. It is named for its resemblance to the raccoon, to whom it is only distantly related (no more than any other dog). The animal carries historical and cultural significance in Japan, and is also known under the Japanese name tanuki.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raccoon_Dog

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanuki

[Finch]

The actual wild tanuki has unusually large testicles, a feature that is often comically exaggerated in artistic depictions of the creature. Tanuki may be shown with their testicles flung over their backs like a traveller's pack, or using them as drums.

Tee hee hee.

[bbobb]

Fun fact: the tanuki is a dog, not really a raccoon. Apparently the raccoon/tanuki's biological place requires it to have black eyes and a ringed tail.

The Raccoon Dog is a member of the dog family indigenous to east Asia. It is the only species in its genus Nyctereutes. It is named for its resemblance to the raccoon, to whom it is only distantly related (no more than any other dog). The animal carries historical and cultural significance in Japan, and is also known under the Japanese name tanuki.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raccoon_Dog

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanuki

I was actually about to point that out as well. Despite what many westerner's think, the tanuki is not a raccoon at all.

[Finch]

That's right. The tanuki is some kind of horrible centipede, just like everything else in Japan.

[bbobb]

That's right. The tanuki is some kind of horrible centipede, just like everything else in Japan.

Truth... they're deadly poisonous... and they're everywhere.

But they're only here to kill off f-chan's who come expecting to arrive in the land of anime and videogames.

[Dyne]

do they have tenticles?

[Frogacuda]

do they have tenticles?

No, but they evidently have ridiculously large testicles.


Who was it that used to have the sig with the Tanuki with the large swaying balls and the little red riding hood girl?
edit:

[Josh]

Tan Tan Tanuki no kintama wa,
Kaze mo nai no ni,
Bura bura

[Steve]

"Chain" can be hard, and INTEC didn't stray far away from a much tried-and-true formula.

OTOBOKE NINJA COLOSSEUM is what you'd get if you cross female ninja's and Bomberman.

So, is it any good?


HOW TO PLAY

Instead of bombs you drop spiked capsules



2 seconds later, the capsule shatters, releasing 4 shurikens; North-South-West-East (if not blocked). OK, so it's pretty much like Bomberman's bombs right? Not so fast....



If a shuriken connects, it stuns the player for 2 seconds, but they're not yet eliminated



ONLY during a stunned state can the chain attack finish 'em off


"Y" for chain, "B" for laying spikes

So it's a little different, not much, but it is. Gone are the sad "dangit I accidentally killed myself in the 1st three seconds" syndrome. Plus, the chain attack is ace. It can be manipulated to curve around corners and, when prolonged, is quite an amazing sight not to mention really fun to control. More on this later...


PLAYING BY YOURSELF IS NO FUN...

The 1st world was very ho-hum and left a rather negative taste in my mouth. It was just so... bland.



I forced myself through, hoping things would pick up a bit. And it did at the 1st boss.



Shurikens hitting it does no damage. You have to first connect with the shuriken(s) and THEN send the chain ball at it. For regular enemies, shuriken is enough. For the tougher regulars, the ole shuriken-chain combo is called for


.... YES IT IS... SORTA

World 2 was a lot more interesting with more puzzles to solve instead of just laying spike capsules and high-tailing it. They're not yet mind-bending but it's still early. Here is the first "puzzle" you'll encounter:

To beat a stage you must clear every bad guy. Here, 3 unbreakable blocks halt your progress



Using your chain, pull 'em out 1 at a time



And again....



Now with 1 block left, you're able to push through it and unleash ARMAGEDDON



Like I said, not taxing but a lot more satisfying than the wide open. Later on, with teleports coming into play, they get rather perplexing


SPREAD OUT!

The next snow stage is very nice. I love little things like that creepy possessed-looking volcano face that rests in the middle of the screen launching fireballs without mercy... awesome. Watch the shadows of these on-coming flame balls and ski-daddle!



By the way, the 'cano mug reminds me of GAROKK from X-Men fame... in his rocky prison form


Garokk


THE BIGGER THEY ARE...

... the harder you fall! The haunted theme is the best. Contend with bats, vampires, ghoulish skeletons and super quick wolf-men. Check out this 2 by 2 screen level!





FOUR-PLAY

Feeling quite satisfied with the 1-player mode now, which went from meh to hey that's not-so-bad, the 4-player battle mode is the meat of any Bomberman clone. The 1-player mode was never anything more than a bonus, a frill, a silk hankerchief in the breastpocket of the game's velvet regalia


POWER HOUR

Power-up's are always important to these games. Otoboke has some of the coolest you'll find anywhere. A list of some:

-Drop more spiked capsules at one time
-Spiked capsules invisible when dropped
-Spiked capsules exploding after 1 second rather than 2
-Chain can break blocks, not just your shurikens
-Chain can PUSH spiked capsules around (very very evil powerup!)
-Speed up
-Speed down
etc.

Everyone starts with a full-screen chain and full-screen-travelling shurikens, not to mention the ability to drop two spiked capsules right off the bat. This makes it a bit more chaotic then, than Bomberman from the get-go


THE COLOSSEUMS

The powerup's are important but the battle zones make or break a game of this nature. So let's get right to it

#1



Your standard 1st stage. The snowmen are unbreakable and can be used defensively as shurikens cut through them not. The snowmen are pushable and your chain can pull far-away ones toward you. All but two battle zones have these movable barriers in some shape or form


#2



Each player has their own island waiting to be raided. The cool thing here is, unless you use the bridge points, chains cannot stretch across islands, eliminating "cheap kills." The Super Famicom barriers are a nice touch as well


#3



What would it be without a roof/tunnel-y stage? Can you locate the green player? Not here you can. This stage is full of Japanese culture -- from the roofing style to the TANUKI statues


#4



What else more could make it complete? Of course, the stage with multiple exit points. The green player enjoys a nice little blend-in advantage (see far right)


#5



The green bars restrict certain movement


#6

--->
notice the return of Tanuki

The green pool is aesthetically pleasing in a mystical, mythical fashion. All spike capsules are invisible!


#7



It's the super power war zone. Each player begins with 5 spikes! (don't worry, you can't fall through)


#8

--->

On 1st glance you wouldn't know the gimmick here. Play for a bit and arrows are soon revealed. Directs where shurikens travel? Nope. Directs where your CHAIN can go. A nice variation on top of a nice variation. The SFC barriers return


TAKE A SPIKE, PAL

When the clock runs down to 30 seconds, spikes crop up which if touched will stun you a la shurikens. Also, if you fall through the holes you'll lose




THE TIMES.... THEY'RE A'CHAINING....

Some of the cool things you can do with that ole chain ball...







WITH FRIENDS LIKE THESE, WHO NEEDS ENEMIES?

Nothing is quite as sweet as lurking about the screen, waiting for others to do the dirty work. And when you find a stunned opponent, sending the chain ball twisting and curving some safe twenty feet away... makes for great enemies and Ooooh-I'll-get-you-next-round! battles!

The feeling of surviving by the skin of your teeth as the chain comes your way JUST as you recover from your slumber is a great high, and on the flipside, morally deflating


CAN I GET FRIES WITH THAT?

Otoboke lacks the finishing touches and is not nearly as customizable as the Bombermen games. There's no option for CPU AI -- the default is quite laughably horrible. There's no tag team option. Thankfully the rest is status quo -- pick between 2-4 players (from a character choice of four females), 1-5 wins and one of the any eight colosseums


WAITER, THIS SODA'S A LITTLE FLAT

Some negative marks:

Graphically weaker than the SNES Bomberman games, which were no visual tour-de-force's themselves. The music can get annoying at times. Control is a bit "stickier" than the BM games (due to, well, see below)

And my biggest grip: you can't readjust your position when "waiting." You know how you drop a bomb in BM, go hide in a safe corner and can face NSWE to ready yourself for your next movement? Here if you go in facing east, you can't turn west without moving out of your safe position. Maybe hard to understand in text, but you'll see what I mean if you play it. This forces you to have greater wherewithall to compensate for a flaw that shouldn't be there in the 1st place


CLOSING THOUGHTS


Colosseum at night

I like SPARK WORLD quite a bit, but it was a blatantly shameless clone. At least Otoboke tried to be a little different, and as such, is a more commendable effort. Despite the bad marks listed above, I like Otoboke Ninja Colosseum very much. Obviously NAGA (not as good as) Bomberman, but hey -- what is?


Otoboke Ninja Colosseum (1:15)