Project Goemon @projectgoemon.bsky.social · 09/09/2026I‘m not up to speed with the OoT remake discourse, but I will say this: There is something really unique about 32/64-bit visual styles. However, it feels like these were styles that were never explored. Graphics in games nowadays are prettier, but there was something lost in the HD era and beyond. 291
Project Goemon @projectgoemon.bsky.social · 04/09/2026I believe this is the first time the official title and official screenshots were revealed of the first SFC Goemon game, Ganbare Goemon~Yukihime Kyūshutu Emaki~, aka Legend of the Mystical Ninja. That said, why did Goemon and Ebisumaru travel all around Japan when they could’ve just used their car? 2156
Project Goemon @projectgoemon.bsky.social · 24/08/2026I have news for you… Cheaper than the Bluetooth version, too. 110
Project Goemon @projectgoemon.bsky.social · 23/08/2026I’ve been trying to write my thoughts about the Ganbare Goemon Daishūgō collection, but to be honest, I think I can’t play it on default Switch hardware. Decades of muscle memory are being undone by the clicky controls. Any recommendations for a good retro controller for Switch? 144
Project Goemon @projectgoemon.bsky.social · 21/08/2026It’s curious that even after Resident Evil’ release, the dev team for MNSG did not use pre-rendered backgrounds like Capcom did and wanted to do everything in 3D. Future games did (especially the last Goemon game on the DS), which highlights what an achievement MNSG was—despite the smaller scale. 030
Project Goemon @projectgoemon.bsky.social · 20/08/2026Intriguing. I downloaded and tested it earlier today, and I can say it’s slick, but still a work in progress. Games look good at default settings, but I have reservations about pixel output and the Mode 7 and the 3D layer mode. Games that used Mode 7 in novel ways are not broken, but look strange. 021
Project Goemon @projectgoemon.bsky.social · 09/08/2026New cover for the Switch 2 remaster just dropped. 0164
Project Goemon @projectgoemon.bsky.social · 01/08/2026And, yes, I celebrate the anniversary of the series on August 1, which was probably the official release date of Karakuri Dōchū. Like many release dates in the era, though, there is a certain looseness about the date, and somehow July 30 became the official date, even within Konami. 062
Project Goemon @projectgoemon.bsky.social · 01/08/2026Various health, family, and financial problems recently have kept me away from the series. I have only taken little more than a cursory look at Daishūgō. I plan to make August all about Goemon, however—if only to see if I can recreate a similar experience to someone discovering Goemon in 1986. 0124
Project Goemon @projectgoemon.bsky.social · 12/07/2026Project Goemon Daishūgō Game Rankings: SFC Goemon 3 FC Goemon 2 SFC Goemon 2 GB Sarawareta SFC LOTMN FC Gaiden 2 SFC Kira Kira Dōchū FC Gaiden GBC Dynamites FC Karakuri Dōchū SFC Soreyuke Ebisumaru GC Tengu-to SW Browsing the view options in the menus GB Kurofune *Crisis Force (FC) ineligible 0132
Project Goemon @projectgoemon.bsky.social · 11/07/2026I don’t know if this is a controversial opinion, but the more retro games I play on the Switch, the more I feel that the standard Switch/Switch 2 controllers are terrible for retro games. 250
Project Goemon @projectgoemon.bsky.social · 29/06/2026In Ganbare Goemon Gaiden 2, there is a memorable episode in which Goemon and friends go on a quest to defeat the evil centipede who poisoned Koryūta's mother. Unfortunately, in real life such a quest many times ends in failure. The evil centipede usually wins. 184
Project Goemon @projectgoemon.bsky.social · 28/06/2026The game is notorious for Stage 8, which tests your jumping skills to the fullest. Goemon has a very characteristic jump in this game with a lot of floatiness and inertia which gives you some trouble in some stages, but especially so in Stage 8. The rewind function in Daishūgō will be useful here. 120
Project Goemon @projectgoemon.bsky.social · 28/06/2026Development did not go very smoothly (the release date slipped a couple of times), but the final game is another gem. Sarawareta Ebisumaru is a fantastic trip that loses some of the charm because of its graphics, but makes up for it with memorable locations and a terrific plot. 110
Project Goemon @projectgoemon.bsky.social · 28/06/2026After finishing the masterpiece Cave Noire, the same team was put in charge of the Game Boy Goemon game. Two-player gameplay was difficult on the GB, so the team went back to the roots and developed a remake of sorts of the first game, but with a lot of features from Goemon 2 and the 1st SFC game. 110
Project Goemon @projectgoemon.bsky.social · 28/06/2026Konami never really paid the Game Boy the attention it deserved until the release of Pokemon, but 1991 marked the fifth anniversary of the Ganbare Goemon series and this was a good opportunity to build excitement for the series and for their Game Boy releases and accessories. 110
Project Goemon @projectgoemon.bsky.social · 28/06/2026The games in Ganbare Goemon~Daishūgō~: Ganbare Goemon~Sarawareta Ebisumaru~ Game Boy: December 22 (or 25?), 1991. The fifth entry in the Ganbare Goemon series and the first Goemon game on the Game Boy: a single player portable experience that takes Goemon across Japan in search of buddy Ebisumaru. 141
Project Goemon @projectgoemon.bsky.social · 27/06/2026As an experiment, Sore Yuke was not very successful. Very few of its ideas made any impact on future games and it was quickly forgotten by fans as well. That said, its appearance on Daishūgō, now with the ability to save and (one can hope) mouse controls, might make people appreciate it more. 120
Project Goemon @projectgoemon.bsky.social · 27/06/2026From what I can gather, Sore Yuke was probably one of many experiments Konami was doing from the late 1990s to the early 2000s: in this case, it was game development made for non-physical platforms (the Satellaview and Nintendo Power service), but one that somehow ended up with a physical release. 130
Project Goemon @projectgoemon.bsky.social · 27/06/2026Why does this game exist, and who made it, though? These are the two questions one you keep asking yourself as you play the game. The game is a very odd departure for the series and, like Akogingu, the game arrived without any explanation. It also has no credits. 120
Project Goemon @projectgoemon.bsky.social · 27/06/2026The game is played through a series of "units" comprising various levels exploring the formula culminating in a boss battle. There are still familiar elements, too: towns with shops and houses, a catchy soundtrack, and a parallel story with gags aplenty that also ties up loose ends. 130
Project Goemon @projectgoemon.bsky.social · 27/06/2026Sore Yuke turns the Goemon formula on its head: Ebisumaru is the hero going off on an adventure to Karakuri Island to search for missing Goemon. However, you don't control Ebisumaru directly: the game is a mix of Pipe Mania and Mario and Wario as you guide Ebisumaru to the exit with floor arrows. 140
Project Goemon @projectgoemon.bsky.social · 27/06/2026In the midst of that, however, came two very enigmatic games released in March 1996: Uchū Kaizoku Akogingu, the first PSX game in the series, and Sore Yuke ❤️ Ebisumaru. Akogingu was an odd sequel of sorts to the third SFC game, but Sore Yuke was something altogether different. 130
Project Goemon @projectgoemon.bsky.social · 27/06/2026The year 1996 was a very strange one for Goemon. Konami was refocusing its production strategy toward the PlayStation, and the Goemon team was focusing on what would become Neo Momoyama (MNSG) on the Nintendo 64. 130
Project Goemon @projectgoemon.bsky.social · 27/06/2026The games in Ganbare Goemon~Daishūgō~: Sore Yuke ❤️ Ebisumaru~Karakuri Meiro~Kieta Goemon no Nazo!! Famicom: March 29, 1996. The fifth entry in the Ganbare Goemon series for the Super Famicom—or maybe I should say, a curious spin-off released as a farewell (?) to the console. 152
Project Goemon @projectgoemon.bsky.social · 26/06/2026With a bevy of button-mashing minigames and a surprising variety of level designs, Kira Kira is a very memorable game, although it is difficult to shake the feeling that this is all just a feverish dream. A fascinating experience in many senses. 030
Project Goemon @projectgoemon.bsky.social · 26/06/2026That would be enough to make Kira Kira a unique game, but the team also decided to ditch previous designs in favor of a "Edo-era world in outer space" aesthetic that is bizarre in terms of visual designs and gameplay ideas. 120
Project Goemon @projectgoemon.bsky.social · 26/06/2026It's possible that producer Ebisu had other ideas for the next Goemon game, but fate forced the team to adapt to a new reality. They based the game on the conceptual design of a board game, with each hero going their separate ways through different routes. 110
Project Goemon @projectgoemon.bsky.social · 26/06/2026Kira Kira is a bizarre game from beginning to end, and perhaps it's a reflection of what the development team was going through at the time. The team had been working non-stop since Goemon 2, and on top of that the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake had smashed Konami HQ. 110
Project Goemon @projectgoemon.bsky.social · 26/06/2026The games in Ganbare Goemon~Daishūgō~: Ganbare Goemon ~Kira Kira Dōchū~Boku ga Dancer ni Natta Wake Famicom: December 22, 1995. The fourth game on the Super Famicom and a strikingly esoteric adventure that takes Goemon and friends to the final frontier. 151
Project Goemon @projectgoemon.bsky.social · 25/06/2026Despite some bug fines and unfinished areas, Manjigatame is a triumph. An incredible game that, perhaps due to its reliance on text, was overlooked in the West back in the day. Nevertheless, it is absolutely worth playing. 060
Project Goemon @projectgoemon.bsky.social · 25/06/2026Unlike a Zelda game, however, the Goemon team had less than a year to develop the game, and apparently the development time was stressful from day one. The designers kept adding features and the programmers kept performing miracles. 151
Project Goemon @projectgoemon.bsky.social · 25/06/2026There is so much to be said about Manjigatame. From start to finish, it is incredibly inventive, with a plot that takes Goemon and friends through unexpected twists and turns and evocative environments. The story of the game is also surprisingly deep. 130
Project Goemon @projectgoemon.bsky.social · 25/06/2026Specifically, it seems the Goemon team had been greatly impressed by A Link To the Past and decided to put their own spin on the template with Goemon and now a side-scrolling view, inadvertently creating both a Zelda homage and a 16-bit Metroidvania in the process. 130
Project Goemon @projectgoemon.bsky.social · 25/06/2026What was next after the extremely successful Kiteretsu Shōgun McGuinness? The Goemon team had achieved great critical and commercial success tackling the platforming benchmark set by Super Mario World, so the next step for Goemon was Zelda. 130
Project Goemon @projectgoemon.bsky.social · 25/06/2026The games in Ganbare Goemon~Daishūgō~: Ganbare Goemon 3~Shishi Jūrokubē no Karakuri Manjigatame~ Famicom: December 16, 1994. The third game for the Super Famicom was another interesting departure for the series and a massive undertaking by the Goemon team. 273
Project Goemon @projectgoemon.bsky.social · 23/06/2026Inspired more by anime rather than period TV shows, this sequel moved at a faster, more action-packed pace with amazing feats of programming. For most players, it is most famous for introducing giant mecha Goemon Impact to the series. 040
Project Goemon @projectgoemon.bsky.social · 23/06/2026Ebisu and his team approached Goemon like the Gaiden teams did: not so much as a new adventure for Goemon, but more like a challenge. "What if ~ but with Goemon?" Goemon 2 for the SFC is their take on Super Mario World, but they were not afraid to add more. 110
Project Goemon @projectgoemon.bsky.social · 23/06/2026Such seems to have been the story of the second Ganbare Goemon game for the SFC. With a lot of the staff from the Nintendo division busy with other projects, Etsunobu Ebisu gathered a small group of programmers and artists to develop a skunkworks project. 110
Project Goemon @projectgoemon.bsky.social · 23/06/2026The years 1992-1994 were very difficult years for the company, but amidst the gloom some teams within Konami decided it was time to explore ideas they had been exploring in their spare time. 110
Project Goemon @projectgoemon.bsky.social · 23/06/2026Konami had a spectacular game line-up in the 16-bit era, but their critical success came at a critical time when Konami desperately needed money more than ever. Then-CEO Hishikawa’s eyes were bigger than his stomach, and Konami was in serious debt. 110
Project Goemon @projectgoemon.bsky.social · 23/06/2026The games in Ganbare Goemon~Daishūgō~: Ganbare Goemon 2~Kiteretsu Shōgun McGuinness~ Famicom: December 25, 1993. The second game for the Super Famicom started a new chapter in the series with a novel approach founded on amazing feats of programming and design. 241
Project Goemon @projectgoemon.bsky.social · 21/06/2026That said, it's an astonishing accomplishment, especially the first 3 levels--unlike anything else on the platform. The game was a huge success in Japan, which is why Konami also decided to release it outside Japan, to positive reception but not-so-positive sales. 161
Project Goemon @projectgoemon.bsky.social · 21/06/2026The team ran out of time to properly brush up the game for release, which is the reason why it feels cruel at times. It's a game built on progress via your wallet, which you don't realize until you’re in the latter levels, and the lack of battery save also hurts. 140
Project Goemon @projectgoemon.bsky.social · 21/06/2026What sets this game apart, however, is its production quality. The development team tried to put every idea they had into the 8 megabit cartridge on top of amazing graphics and sound. Every level is different, and there is a cornucopia of mini-games and tiny details. 150
Project Goemon @projectgoemon.bsky.social · 21/06/2026Yukihime sees Goemon and Ebisumaru once again trekking around Japan in search of the kidnapped Princess Yuki, although the joke here is that they take advantage of their task to have a memorable summer vacation all on the government's dime. 150
Project Goemon @projectgoemon.bsky.social · 21/06/2026In many ways, this game did not stray very far from the design set 2 1/2 years previously by Goemon 2. Understandably, given that this was a new team with the unenviable task of updating one of Konami's most popular mascots for a new platform. 140
Project Goemon @projectgoemon.bsky.social · 21/06/2026The games in Ganbare Goemon~Daishūgō~: Ganbare Goemon~Yukihime Kyūshutsu Emaki~ Famicom: July 19, 1991. The 1st Super Famicom entry in the series and the first Goemon game released outside Japan. A graphical and audio tour de force. 4146
Project Goemon @projectgoemon.bsky.social · 20/06/2026The Goemon team would never go back to this Goemon, in large part due to how times change and also different goals: Kazuhiro Aoyama passed the baton to Shigeharu Umezaki and Etsunobu Ebisu, and they had many other ideas. 050