Goemon's Great Adventure

"Fun fun fun till your daddy takes the conroller away"

Goemon returns in this 2D (as opposed to the original's 3D) sequel. With he brings a madcap bunch of friends and villains, which leads to bizarre story (I wont spoil it ) set in a Japanese universe . Firstly, I don't really know what Goemon is, apart from the two games on the n64. From what I can tell, its about some crazy Japanese hombre with blue hair, that travels around the country side beating up cactus's and the like with a wooden spoon and a chain pipe, who has friends that are also as weird, including a fat bald blue fellow called Ebisumaru , who shouts " pudding " as a war cry , and another fella called Sasuke , who throws knives and has his hair on an extendable spring . If you don't follow me, don't worry, I'll explain.

The plot really isn't explained that well at the start. Basically, Goemon and Ebisumaru have to get through essentially 2D levels, which are rendered using a 3D engine, and earn entry passes, which act like the stars in Super Mario 64. You need a certain number to get past certain gates. The towns and villages are explored using pseudo 3D, meaning you can run around freely … until you reach the boundary. I suspect this is implemented to lessen the confusion of the towns, as they are quite confusing already. The first town has at least twenty rooms of house to visit, which can be quite daunting if when you are first playing. Most rooms contain someone who gives you some information relating to your quest, or who gives you a new sub-quest all together. In the first town there is a DJ named Mania, who wants you to find his lost DJ equipment on one of the levels. For doing this he gives you another entry pass, which is vital to your quest.

An island consists of three or four levels, one town, a gate and a boss level. Once you have completed all the other levels, you may pass through the gate and onto the boss level. These levels are very long and you cant save during them, but you can when you get to the boss. The boss's would easily be the coolest I have ever seen in a platformer. First there is a boss on that stage, like a fish or a giant robot or something, but then you have to fight a giant mech in a robot called "impact'. This game switches to a cockpit view from the robot, where you can punch with either arm, hold both and block, or throw a pipe at another mech that is on your side, which makes you switch to that mech, which has its own health for you to use. The first one of these battles is fought on land against what appears to be a teapot that fires love at you. Yes, a love firing teapot.

Well just when you though the game could not get any wackier, you find a house containing "Plasmo". Plasmo is a man that wears only a pair of boxers and a purple bag on his head, that swings backwards and forwards on one of those male signs ( y'know those pointy things that Austin Powers has around his neck ?) while giant dancing rustic robots sing " plasmo ". If you don't believe me, get the game! This actually happens at more than one stage.

To add to the innovation, the game allows for two players to play. This is not a hindrance as it is in other games, but a help, as the second player can jump on the first players back, and the first player steers while the second unleashes a super powerful projectile attack from the first players back! Also there is a cheat so that four players can play, but I can't seem to get that working.

The music in the game is great, with bright Japanese tunes making you bob along as you run around the map screens. The graphics are also great, but what makes them even better is the attention to detail. In one house, there is a movie poster for "goetanic" with a picture of Goemon and someone else that looks like the Titanic poster. These details are throughout the game and wil make you chuckle each time you see something like that.

Overall, this is the most fun adventure game I have played since Zelda, so if you want some fun don't be afraid to go out and buy it.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 11/01/99, Updated 11/01/99