You’ve engineered every trap and twisted corridor in Ganbare Goemon 2: Kiteretsu Shogun Magginesu. What inspired you to refine your tactics for this SNES sequel?
Inspired? Hardly. Instead, I was driven by the smug confidence of players who thought they could breeze through a second outing. They’d casually call it “another adventure and jump-and-run romp,” all the while ignoring the razor-sharp spikes lurking behind bamboo groves. My goal was simple: elevate frustration into an art form. So, if they believed Goemon and his friends could sail through villages, I made sure they danced on collapsing platforms and fell into hidden pitfalls—each one a testament to my careful design.
The game introduced two-player mode with Goemon and Ebisu-Maru. How did you exploit that partnership to torment cooperative heroes?
Cooperation? A laughable thought. In fact, I arranged stage layouts so that one player’s win would instantly endanger the other. Picture Ebisu-Maru striding confidently across a rope bridge, only for Goemon’s spear shot to trigger a false floor beneath him. At first, they celebrate teamwork; soon, it turns into frantic finger-pointing. They asked for synergy; instead, I served chaos with a grin.
You also unleashed the robot Sasuke as a new playable character. What mischief did you weave around that mechanical marvel?
Ah, Sasuke. The tin soldier who thinks he can power through anything. To counter that, I scattered magnetic fields throughout the scrolling stages, designed to lock his metal torso in place—leaving him stuck while Goemon and Ebisu-Maru rush to the rescue. The poor player frantically mashes every button, convinced they can override my cunning. They expected robotics to tip the scales, but by then I’d already tuned every gadget to feed their frustration.
Let’s discuss the 3D boss fights featuring the colossal Goemon Impact mech. How did you turn polygonal showdowns into a psychological gauntlet?
Goemon Impact is an imposing beast—a giant mech you’d assume is invincible. However, I slipped in subtle camera shakes and phantom collision boxes. Your cannonfire seems to strike the model but never quite lands on the weak points I intended. Every shell feels like a tickle against reinforced steel. Players rave about the spectacle, yet they only sense the illusion of power as I toy with their expectations, leaving them shell-shocked against my ironclad defenses.
The reception from players was… enthusiastic. They awarded an A- grade, praising the balance of challenge and charm. How do you respond to those glowing comments?
A-? Delightful. They laud the challenge, yet curse the hidden traps. That tension is precisely the siren song I sought. High score tables fill with bravado; forums overflow with defeatist confessions. They adore the anime flair and 2D scrolling vistas, but beneath that kawaii surface lies my network of snares. Every cheer and expletive fuels my dark ambition.
Critics noted the hero’s arsenal sometimes feels overpowered—pipes that launch bombs, a puny pistol, even mystical items. Did you intentionally amplify those tools?
Amplify? I baited them. The ninja star grenade seems unbeatable, yes, until you meet my wall of spectral fire that deflects every shot. The hero’s puny pistol pumps bravado into players’ veins, but each level is laced with invisible barriers and pressure‐sensitive floor triggers. They brandish their arsenal like medals, unaware they’ve never truly wielded anything but my contrivance.
Looking back at release in December 1993, how proud are you of this legacy of havoc?
Immensely proud. I sculpted a world that masquerades as vibrant anime fantasy, yet bleeds adrenaline and exasperation. When players recall dazzling bosses or bustling villages, I smile at the memory of their frantic leaps and curses. A masterstroke of deception: entertainment and torment in perfect harmony.
Any final thoughts before our readers prepare to reenter your labyrinth of devious delights?
Prepare for patches, hidden levels, and as‐yet undetected shortcuts that collapse beneath unsuspecting feet. My next return will twist everything you thought you knew about balance and bravado. The shadows already tremble with anticipation…
more info and data about Ganbare Goemon 2: Kiteretsu Shogun Magginesu provided by mobyGames.com
