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Game Info

Cover art of Goemon's Great Adventure

3.2 / 5

7 votes

Platform
Nintendo 64
Genres
Platformer · Adventure
Player Perspective
Third person · Side view
Developers
Konami
Publishers
Konami
Release date
December 23, 1998

Summary

Goemon's Great Adventure feels like a love letter to the 16‑bit side‑scrollers that shaped my early gaming days, but it’s dressed in a sleek 2.5D package that lets the world wind along the Z‑axis like a modern Yoshi’s Story. The day‑and‑night cycle is more than cosmetic; every few minutes the sky shifts, enemies grow tougher, and the soundtrack subtly rewrites itself, turning a bright theme into a mellow night version that still drops double Ryō coins when you defeat foes.

Navigating the world map is a charming mix of linear stage hops and hidden routes, with towns that hand out entry passes for dungeons after you complete tiny side quests—like helping Sasuke set off fireworks in Spook Village. The two‑player co‑op shines because you can tag‑team the action, and the robot Impact battles break the platform flow with cockpit‑view mecha duels where you punch, kick, and fire lasers while swapping control via a baton if one robot gets wrecked.

Visually, the game’s cartoonish graphics pop with bright colors and smooth animation, and the music blends synths with traditional Japanese instruments, even swapping arrangements for sunrise and sunset. Although the North American and European releases stripped out the vocal theme tracks, the instrumental score still carries the same energetic spirit that made the series’ earlier titles memorable.

All told, Goemon's Great Adventure stands out as one of the N64’s finest side‑scrollers, delivering nostalgic platforming, clever co‑op, and a day‑night soundtrack that keeps the adventure feeling fresh from start to finish.

Storyline

Goemon’s Great Adventure follows the blue‑haired ninja Goemon as he races to stop the cross‑dressing nun Bismaru, who has stolen the Wise Man’s "ghost return machine" and used it to revive the ancient underworld prince Dochuki. Together with his quirky companions—Ebisumaru, the food‑loving big‑headed friend; Yae, the green‑haired kunoichi who can become a mermaid; and Sasuke, the fast mechanical ninja—the team travels through five distinct worlds, each steeped in Japanese‑style scenery, to battle revived ghosts, skeletons and other folklore creatures.

The heroes confront Bismaru’s giant robots Impact and Miss Impact, piloted by the Wise Man’s inventions, and eventually learn that Bismaru intends to unleash an army of undead under Dochuki’s command. After rescuing allies such as Omitsu and Princess Yuki, they reach a series of castles—including an underwater stronghold, a floating island, and the final Dream Castle, which fuses elements of the previous fortresses.

In the Underworld Castle they destroy the resurrection device, but Dochuki is already alive. With the help of a mysterious ghost girl named Susaku, Goemon obtains a container to trap Dochuki’s soul, only for the spirit to break free during the climactic battle in Dream Castle. Impact defeats Dochuki’s evil robot, and Goemon finally defeats the giant wolf‑form of Dochuki, aided by Ebisumaru’s infamous gas attack.

The game ends with the Wise Man unveiling a new, more powerful resurrection machine, a baby appearing mysteriously, and Bismaru attempting another kidnapping before the machine self‑destructs, leaving the adventure on a hilariously chaotic note.

Edited by Maya Carter

Game Screenshots

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Multiplayer

Game modes
Cooperative
Multiplayer setup
Split Screen

Alternative Titles

  • Mystical Ninja 2 Starring Goemon Alternative