Spotlight Stealers

Select Your Page

[Hai No Majutsushi] [Konami Wai Wai World] [Wai Wai World 2] [Kid Dracula] [Ganbare Goemon 2]
[Gokujou Parodius] [Battle Tryst] [Konami Crazy Racers] [DMTV: World Fighters] [New International Track and Field]

[Castlevania References] [Borrowed Elements]

 

Ganbare Goemon 2

Date Released
Systems For
Cartridge Size
1993
Super Famicom
2MB
Main Hero
Box Cover Scan
Manual Scan
Goemon
Not Available
Not Available
Opposing Castlevania Boss: Dracula

It seems that Japan always gets the good stuff. At least, that's the case with Ganbare Goemon 2: Kiteretsu Shôgun Magginesu, which is a Japan-only direct sequel to the 1991 SNES game Legend of the Mystical Ninja and a continuation of the Goemon series popularized on the MSX and the Famicom. In actuality, this is the first of three Japan-only sequels for the character who's also made more than his fair share of cameo appearances in Konami games.

          

After completing their first adventure, Goemon and close friend Ebisumaru head off for a little rest and relaxation. Their vacation is interrupted by the ninja Sasuke who informs them of the news that an evil western warlord named Maggenesu and his bunny-man army are coming to invade Japan, conquer it, and adapt it to western ideals. (Nope--they still won't get over it. And we can see why it wasn't released elsewhere.) So it's up to Goemon, Ebisumaru and Sasuke to prevent this from happening. What's important to us is that their trip lands them in the Circo Puerto Amusement Park, where they can attempt minigames to collect demon heads; after all four are collected--including one that can be earned by playing a minigame based upon Konami's famed shooter Xexex--they'll be able to uncover a hidden stage.

          

          

The fiery level is called "Hell," appropriately, and in terms of enemies and traps, it reminds us very much of a stage ripped right out of Castlevania. Goemon and friends will be assaulted by regular and axe-throwing zombies, balls of lava, fire bats and platform-circling spikes; they'll also negotiate through and around spike beds, spinning-top platforms, and a race against a rising pool of fire. But nothing will make them feel quite as at home than the boss of the level--Dracula!

          

Dracula will enter to the castle-entrance tune from Castlevania. Our old pal won't introduce any new tricks, though: It's all about teleporting in and out and stopping to release three-directional fire bats. The only way to deplete his energy meter is to strike his noggin' (preferably, for maximum nostalgia, with Goemon's chain whip, if you have his weapon powered up to that point) a number of times. As has become his calling card, he'll reveal his true form after the initial battle.

          

Actually, it'll be revealed that the Dracula representation was just a guise for another of Goemon's cybernetic foes--sort of a robotic version of Dracula's ghost--who will then continue the assault with swooping fireballs, jumping shoulder rams and heat-seeking sparks. (Reference suggested by fatphillipthegreat@hotmail.com.)

 

Gokujou Parodius

Date Released
Systems For
Respective Size
1994
SNES & Arcade
2MB | 13.8MB
Main Heroes
Box Cover Scan
Manual Scan
Konami Mascots
Not Available
Not Available
Playable Castlevania Hero: Kid Dracula

In 1988, Konami created a side-scrolling sci-fi shooting game called Parodius for the MSX computer system. Konami meant this wacky shooter to be a spoof of its classic hit title Gradius ("parody" plus "Gradius," you see). Over time, the Japan-only Parodius series spread to several systems, including the Famicom, Game Boy, and the PC-Engine; it even found its way into arcades (Kid Dracula does not appear in the arcade version, however).

          

By the time Gokujou Parodius came out on the Super Famicom and in the arcades, it had grown into yet another mascot-themed Konami game. This time, many of its famous characters take the skies to partake in the Gradius-style action. They are Goemon, Vic Viper, Takosuke, Twinbee, Pentaro, Hikaru, Mambo, Michael, Koitsu, Upa, and our Castlevania hero Kid Dracula. That they call him just "Dracula" proves further that this is the real dark lord and not his son, Alucard. However, Wereryu64@msn.com informs us that the second player's character list is slightly different, as it features alternate characters or those based on existing characters; these include Lord B., Balial, Winbee, Hamako, Akane, Samba, Gabriel, Ebisumaru, Aitsu and Rupa. Mainly, Kid Dracula is instead called "Kid-D." Maybe Kid Dracula is the representation of both? Or is this the proverbial father-son get-together?

          

The main hero is Vic Viper, from Gradius, whose style is emulated somewhat by the other heroes, including ol' Kid Dracula, who interests us the most. You'll feel right at home with him from the start, as the Kid Dracula main theme will play for a short time before segueing into the proper tunes.

          

Kid Dracula starts out with the ability to shoot fireballs, but, as he destroys enemies, he can collect power-up symbols that allow him to cycle through an inventory to strengthen his arsenal. Almost immediately, he'll be able to shoot his fireballs rapidly, and then from there, his attack scheme goes absolutely insane once he can use other weaponry to accompany the fireballs.

          

By "insane," I mean that he can use other weaponry to accompany the fireballs: By selecting "Macro," he can fire straight-moving missiles, one at a time; by selecting "Round," he can release small vampire bats in all directions; and by selecting "Needle," he can release a heat-seeking needle storm. He can only combine two of these powers at once. Additionally, by selecting "Grade Up," he can increase his overall strength several times; "Speed Up" makes all of his weapons fire more rapidly; and "Oh!" seems to clear away all of his current powers. Also, if you select "Change," it will allow Kid Dracula to transform into a bat; this increases his power while allowing him to crash into enemies without receiving damage. (Thanks to Enrico De Castro for this information.)

 

Battle Tryst

Date Released
Made For
Romset Size
1997
Arcades
Unknown
Main Heroes
Box Cover Scan
Manual Scan
Many Fighters
Not Available
Not Available
Playable Castlevania Heroes: Simon and Richter

In 1995, 3DO announced that it completed work on the next generation of its M2 technology, which would be marketed as a "quantum leap in advanced CD entertainment technology" for consumer software (mainly as an add-on for its lagging 32-bit console) and arcade machines. Borrowing a move from Sony, the breakthrough was touted as being the end-all, be-all of advancing technology, but in the end, as usual, it was all just hype. This turned out to be the company's last gasp before dropping out of the console race. You won't be shocked to learn, though, that Konami was one of the developers to make use of the technology in the arcades, and they created a rare title somewhat relevant to Castlevania called Battle Tryst, a unique fighting game.

The game is so rare, in fact, that I don't know a single person whom has ever played it. According to nfg.2y.net, the game's fighting style is a combination of Toshinden, Tekken and Virtua Fighter using Capcom's usual drain-the-meter system. Its presentation can be described as risqué, which seemed to be an industry theme for fighting games in the mid 90's. Those available for play include fighters named Yamato Takeru, Kika, Nadjeed She, Nuea, Kitagima, Madoka, Arex, Zai Zai, Elein She, Gare, Yamamoto, Youjiro, Bates Macintosh, Chio Tarran, Zankoku, Steve, Pastel and Sintoro. And, for once, we're blessed with two Castlevania heroes: Simon Belmont and Richter Belmont.

In Battle Tryst, they're known as Rehter and Shemon, but they're the same vampire hunters that we've come to know and love. But not much is known about their fighting styles. Both heroes, from concept art, seem to fight with morning stars, and I'd guess that the rest of their respective offenses include the usual punches, sliding kicks and uppercuts. (All screenshots are credited to nfg.2y.net and were sent in by Morgoth.)

 

Konami Krazy Racers

Point to screenshot for Japanese logo
Date Released
System For
Cartridge Size
2001
Game Boy Advance
8MB
Main Heroes
Box Cover Scan
Manual Scan
Konami Mascots
Playable Castlevania Hero: Count Dracula

In the same vein of similar kart-racing games comes Konami's contribution to the genre--Krazy Racers, known in Japan as Wai Wai Racers. There isn't much in the way of story other than the nature of the title, the concept of Super Mario Kart that all of these games seem to emulate: All of the mascots from a gaming company's universe (in this case Konami's) get together on the racing track for a battle for driving superiority. The game seems, maybe, to emulate the original Super Mario Kart too much to a tee, with everything from coin-collecting to an airborne moderator who fishes you out of hazards.

          

Another problem is that none of the mascots are all that familiar, since most of them come from games seen only in Japan; these racers include Goemon the Mystical Ninja, Twinbee, Parodius, Ninja, Moai and others. But there is one character who is very familiar to American Konami fans and Castlevania fans in general--Count Dracula, the ultimate evil of the Castlevania universe. (Why he was chosen over such characters as any of the Belmonts is a mystery, since you'd think a canon hero would be a huge selling point.) Dracula is the big roughhouse of the bunch--as Donkey Kong, Bowser and Wario are in the Mario Kart series--with his slow acceleration, high top speed and bruising frame; his reckless driving style makes him an ideal choice for such a game.

          

The characters race on several tracks that are grouped into sets. In three of those sets are levels designed to fit Dracula--all take place at the outskirts of Magma Castle, where you'll race around the fiery lava surrounding his domain, Castlevania (these tracks are reminiscent of the Bowser's Castle tracks in the Mario Kart games). They're of course littered with such appropriate obstacles as bats, pillars, crushing spiked balls, fireballs and rotting bridges. If you look into the foreground, you can even see such familiar landscapes as mountains, ominous clouds and the legendary Castlevania.

          

You'll race through the the Magma Castle 1 track twice, the second race loaded with even more deadly obstacles. In the final cup race, you'll tackle Magma Castle 2, which isn't as heavy on obstacles but is something straight out of F-Zero--the usual "multiple ridiculous 45-degree turns in succession." The music that guides you along these tracks is taken directly from the first stage of Dracula's Curse (titled Beginning, blandly I always thought).

          

Weapons are available to all of the characters, as you'd expect, and they include bombs, invisibility, homing and regular missiles, electrical charges, icicle dropping, protective shields, bottomless-pit drillers, and a strange item that allows you to turn opponents into pigs. To use these items, you'll have to spend collected coins to buy newer items directly from the genius of Konami's world, the stereotypical Dr. Cinnamon.

          

But, most disappointingly, character-oriented weapons, as you'd find in Mario Kart, are nowhere to be found. Regardless: If you can fight your way past the other characters and endure all of the madness throughout each set of races, numerous celebrations will be in Dracula's future. Just get the gold trophies in the four cups--Krazy, Hyper, Premium and Champion--and a Dracula ending shot will be yours.

          

Page 3: More Cameos | Back