Today I’m here to talk about Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon for the Nintendo 64. Let’s start by taking a look back. Legend of the Mystical Ninja was one of my absolute favorite titles released on the Super Nintendo. Konami released it to little advertising and fanfare. Although this wasn’t the first in the Goemon series it was the only one released in Japan up to this point. With the release of next generation consoles most developers were hard at work figuring out how to translate their established franchises into the 3D realm. There were growing pains for sure, but many were quite successful with this endeavor. I was surprised to see one of the early announced titles for the Nintendo 64 platform was a new ‘Mystical Ninja’ title, and that it would be fully 3D.
With every screenshot I became more and more eager, and then it was finally released and I couldn’t resist picking it up. Unfortunately Konami veered away from the franchise norm here by focusing on a single player only experience. I was disappointed at first, but this soon faded away when I actually sat down and played it. Mystical Ninja 64 (as I still call it even though it’s actually Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon) is one of the best platforming games on the Nintendo 64. This is quite the compliment considering the massive competition.
This game takes place in a rather unusual world which mixes elements of feudal Japan with modern day conventions and large mecha robots. Goemon is the star (as if you couldn’t tell just from the title) along with his friend Ebisumaru. The two live in the quaint village of Oedo, and the story begins as a large space ship descends upon the town. This is the work of the infamous Peach Mountain Shoguns as they kidnap the local King and Princess. It’s up to Goemon and Ebisumaru to save them using their combined ninja skills in an adventure that takes them across Japan and even into outer space.
The story doesn’t take itself seriously for even one second. The cast is filled with wacky and eccentric characters that spout off absolutely crazy dialogue. There are even several musical numbers that occur at several points within the story. It’s unusual to say the least, but no less amazing than you would expect. The game can be a little too crazy for my tastes, but I found myself laughing or at least cracking a smile with each major interaction. The humor this franchise is known for shines especially brightly in this first Nintendo 64 installment. Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon is memorable to say the least.
Although Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon is a mix of several different genres it is best considered a 3D platformer. As Goemon (or any of the other three characters you can play as) you wander across expansive three dimensional environments fighting enemies, dodging hazards, and collecting items. These areas are divided up into three basic categories; the overworld, towns, and dungeons. Whereas most platformers of this time generally featured a form of level select that’s not the case here; you have to travel to each area and the distance is often surprisingly large.
Towns are much smaller and are normally used to purchase items using coins (dropped by enemies) or to progress the story. Usually you’re safe here. Dungeons are much more interesting. These are set up as labyrinths wherein you must defeat many foes, solve puzzles, and eventually face off against a boss character. In this regard it reminds me a lot of the Zelda games. Unlike in most platformers you do not jump on enemies heads here and instead attack using either a melee or projectile weapon which differs between the characters but they are all functionally similar to one another.
Speaking of the characters you eventually gain the use of four different ones in your journey and you can switch between them on the fly. While their main attacks and handling are very similar to one another they all have a different proficiency. Goemon can move blocks that the others cannot, Ebisumaru can shrink in size allowing access to new areas, Yae can transform into a mermaid that allows her to swim effortlessly through the water, and the small robot ninja Sasuke has a boost to his jump thanks to rockets. They basically play the same but each has their little nuances. You’re forced to use each one in specific situations.
I was a little disappointed by the fact that, because of recurring obstacles, you must switch between these four characters on a frequent basis. Thankfully the developers came up with a pretty decent solution to make this process rather painless. You can cycle the character in play with the others simply by pressing the C down button on the Nintendo 64 controller, and this is a very fast real-time process. I didn’t mind constantly switching characters in this game because it’s seamless and not troublesome in the least.
What’s really interesting (and unusual I might add) is the method by which you fight against boss characters. Most of these encounters are against colossal machines or beasts, and at the onset Goemon and friends must call upon their own giant robot named Impact. These encounters are viewed from a first person view from the cockpit where you control cross hairs used to direct your attacks. Battle abilities in this mode include punching, blocking, shooting projectiles, hook which allows you to drag the opponent closer.
There’s also an ultimate attack which is a shot from a laser located in Impact’s mouth. These encounters are the most difficult part of the game, but they are a refreshing change of pace and they’re actually a lot of fun. Impact’s sequences are however a little clunky. I think this was a conscious decision considering he’s a gigantic mecha robot so I’m won’t throw shade. Unfortunately Impact only makes five or so appearances here. Considering the game is pretty short it’s not a big deal.
Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon is a fun game. Unfortunately the graphics mar the experience a bit. Everything looks clunky here with low poly models, blurry textures, and a rather pathetic draw distance. The framerate is the biggest problem though; the game just never runs particularly smoothly. It was not optimized very well especially compared to something like Super Mario 64. On the plus side everything is plenty colorful. I also really like the ancient Japanese motif. It’s a pretty ugly game, but it’s saved a little by its wacky style.
The soundtrack fares better with music that goes a long way toward selling the feudal Japanese setting. It’s always wacky and over the top, but it oozes personality and I’m a big fan. What’s interesting is the fact that this game features several musical numbers complete with vocals (in Japanese). This is a really nice touch and quite rare for an N64 title. I’m not the biggest fan of this soundtrack but it does carry on the proper legacy of the franchise. The voice work is a little muddled but passable. The audio is middle of the road for the N64.
Konami has basically given up on releasing new Goemon games in modern times which is really disappointing. Mystical Ninja 64 would be a perfect release for the virtual console because as it stands it’s a bit of a forgotten classic. Not many people seem to have played this one, but those who have tend to agree that this is one of the best platforming games of its era. It’s one of the shortest too which is a shame because I wasn’t ready for it to be over. Now if only they would re-release it and do something about that darn frame rate and draw distance. If you have a dusty old Nintendo 64 laying around I recommend seeking out Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon.
