Mischief Makers

"Faces, the faces, so many faces."

Oh god, Mischief Makers. I have a hard time even beginning to tell you about this game.

First off, I would like to acknowledge that I am leaving a pretty big time in Treasure's history up for grabs. I never had the privilege to be able to play two of Treasures most revered games, Guardian Heroes and Radiant Silvergun, both on the Sega Saturn. This is a big regret, but as it's pretty damn hard to get both games let alone a Sega Saturn these days, and considering the Virtual Console will never support the Saturn due to it's almost complete inability to be emulated, this is something I will simply have to deal with. However, Treasure released three big games for N64. Two of them were Japanese only, Bangai-O and Sin and Punishment. The third was Mischief Makers. Originally slated as Yuke Yuke! Trouble Makers in it's native tongue, this is without a doubt the most bizarre game I have ever played. Only Treasure could have pulled something like this off… Never have I seen a game so completely skewed and screwed up and yet presented in such a wonderful, artful, and fun way. Save maybe Earthbound, but I'd have a hard time calling that “screwed up.”

I don't know what drew me to this game. I think a friend might have had it before I got it. Maybe it was the superdeformed graphics that caught my eye. Maybe it was the name. I was pretty young then and what kid doesn't want to make mischief? In any case, returning to this game over a decade later, you can still see my first file on my cartridge. The game makes you put in your age at the beginning. I was seven, as it still says. I can only imagine I didn't think the game strange at all. Mischief Makers is, strangely enough, a sidescrolling 2D platformer. In a market where 3D was the thing to do, this was surely a brave move. I can only think of a few other N64 games that used two dimensions with good success. Goemon's Great Adventure is one. Kirby 64 is another. Smash was 2D, but it was a fighting game. Mischief Makers is one of a kind though. I don't know why I still play it so often nowadays. It's a deep game at it's core, for sure. Once you realize that you can use dash-jumps and precisely timed boosts to get through levels at ridiculous paces, you get a little more interested in your times for each level. And interestingly enough, Treasure was aware of how far this game could be pushed to it's limits. Getting just one S-Rank on a level requires the utmost precision, a knowledge of the games glitches and tiny tricks, and speed that would make Sonic cry, even if he had a turbo controller. This is a speed runners paradise, and yet it is really very fun for casual players like me as well. You play as Intergalactic Cybot G Marina Lightyears, created by revered Professor Theo and allegedly has no time for snacks. Marina is a cute animated character on the outside, but a tough warrior on the inside. And her weapon is so simple that even Miyamoto would gasp at the thought that his simplicity in Mario's jumping was surpassed. Marina attacks with opposable thumbs and nothing more.

I wrote the following paragraph a some time ago explaining why I like Mischief Makers so much. It is sufficient.

This game is, in my opinion, is the epitome of indie gaming. It was released with very little hype or marketing, which just seems typical for a game so good. Many times, games get so quirky and different that critics just don't think American audiences will like it. And I'm sure if everyone played Mischief Makers, they would love it. Yes, the translation is quite literal and the shaking thing is very Asian, but this is just a fantastic game, and anyone playing it can tell that immediately. Every level throws in a charming new feel, be it through the frame of a boss, new concept, new terrain, new item, etc. But it does it on a level that really works. You can throw a bunch of new concepts into a game well, but it takes something really special to prevent this kind of rapid-fire introduction from being too trying. The art and music styles in this game really make it. The instrumentation and beats on the music are just fantastic, and this is really a standout soundtrack in my mind. And the anime inspired graphics, constant barrage of hallowed faces, and dropdead gorgeous backgrounds make for an extremely atmospheric experience. This game was just begging for a sequel, but then again, some games don't need sequels. I'm just going to sit quietly and know in my mind that Marina Lightyears truly deserved to headline Super Smash Bros. Brawl ten times more than Meta Knight did.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 03/24/08

Game Release: Mischief Makers (US, 10/01/97)