Mystical Ninja starring Goemon

"Not a bad game, but too short"

Goemon is back again, but he's not in a side scroller; this time he's in a 3D adventure game. You play the role of Goemon, for the most part, and also Ebisumaru, Goemon's fat friend, a girl with the ability to turn into a mermaid and a robot who need batteries to run. The perspective is somewhat similar to Super Mario 64 or Tomb Raider. It seems two baddies are trying to make the world their own stage, and Goemon and his friends need to stop them. Goemon explores mutliple towns, mountains and castles, and uses weapons he finds along the way to dispatch enemies. Goemon obtains the help of the other characters along the way, and he encounters certain times where he must use them. From time to time Goemon will climb inside Goemon Impact, a huge Power Rangers-like robot, and battle bosses who are also inside giant robots. In here Goemon can punch, shoot fireballs and use a laser beam. This game is for one player only.

Graphics: 7/10

Hmm. Lots of clipping, but still decent. Bright, but not detailed, environments. The cut scenes are excellent, however.

Sound: 9/10

OK, I admit, I love the sound in this game. The music is well done, and that Japanese theme song at the title screen has a charm to it. The sound effects are nothing special, though.

Gameplay: 8/10

First of all, you'll notice a few things about this game: one, it's full of humor, and two, it doesn't always make a lot of sense. Some things are funny, like the "PLASMA!" fortune teller, and the fact that the enemy calls Goemon "Antonio" for no reason. The scene at the end of the game is great. In fact, the entire game is full of nice touches, like Ebisamaru running with his arms puttering in the air, to the jokes told by characters accompanied by a laugh track. That's where one problem arises: the game was obviously translated from Japanese, so some phrases come off sounding sub-par, and sometimes a characters says something funny that's not meant to be. The control of Goemon leaves a lot to be desired in some areas. Jumping can be a pain, as can running across narrow gaps. A bigger variety of moves would be nice as well. The game is also too short. It's seems like it's over way before it should be. The robot sequences add some variety.

Replay: 5/10

Nothing. There's really no hard-and-fast incentive to play again, though you may find yourself going back for some of the cutscenes or dialogue.

Overall: 7/10

Not a bad game, but there are definitely better ones out there. This is, however, one of the few games on the N64 that even remotely resembles an adventure/RPG, so it's worth a look. I recommend a rental only; a couple of rentals and you'll finish the game.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 11/01/99, Updated 11/01/99