Manual Stimulation: Don Doko Don 2 (Famicom)

At the end of my post about the Don Doko Don Famicom instruction manual, I mentioned that the manual you see here makes its predecessor "look like something that was pulled from the gutter."

Harsh, I know, but I stand by it. I mean, just look at the cover of the Don Doko Don 2 manual, below. It alone is more stupendous than anything you'll find in the first Don Doko Don manual.



Don't take any of this to mean I think the original Don Doko Don manual is a stinker. I think it's pretty snazzy, actually.

Maybe not as snazzy as, say, the manuals publisher Taito created for the Famicom Disk System version of Bubble Bobble, or the PC Engine ports of The New Zealand Story or Mizubaku Daibouken, but still worth the occasional ogle.



I say without hesitation, however, that the Don Doko Don 2 instruction manual is snazzier than all of the above-mentioned booklets--perhaps combined.

Every page of the Don Doko Don 2 booklet features something fabulous, usually in the form of a stunning drawing.



OK, so they're not all as jaw-dropping as the gigantic one that opens the Don Doko Don 2 manual. But, really, not every illustration can be of a huge, crying, king-turned-into-a-frog, right?

At any rate, the pages that follow shine a light on the game's story. Besides all of the art they produced, I also love how the designers who worked on this booklet used pops of red and pink to add drama and interest to the proceedings.



The spread above educates readers on how to play Don Doko Don 2. There's not much to tell them, however; as is the case in the original Don Doko Don, in part two, you dispatch enemies by smacking them with your mallet, picking up their squished bodies, and then tossing their corpses at oncoming clueless baddies.

Five more overlooked Famicom games you need to play as soon as possible

I've published a bunch of "overlooked games you need to play as soon as possible" posts over the last year and a half.

One focused on oft-ignored PC Engine games. Later write-ups focused on Japanese PlayStation, Game Gear, GameBoy, GameBoy Advance, DS, and 3DS eShop games.

And of course another, which first went live all the way back in November of 2016, focused on overlooked Famicom games.

A recent Twitter conversation prompted me to take another look at that last post. Afterward, I thought of a few more great Famicom games people tend to pass on and so decided to chat about them here.

Don Doko Don 2--I know the Famicom is home to a ton of wonderful platformers, many of which do more to impress than this 1992 release. Still, I've long had a soft spot for it due to its adorable cast of characters, candy-coated visuals, and surprisingly appealing backing tunes. OK, so Don Doko Don 2's gameplay isn't as unique as it probably should be considering its protagonist wields a variety of hammers as weapons. It's loads of fun regardless, and for me that's more important than--or at least as important as--all of the above-mentioned bells and whistles when it comes to side-scrolling platformers.

Flying Hero--I've never been much of a fan of Arkanoid, Breakout, or any of the copycats and pretenders that have followed in their wake over the last four or so decades. The lone exception to that rule is this Aicom-developed title. It switches things up just enough for the bat-and-ball gameplay at its core to feel refreshing. Usually, you control some sort of oval or rectangular "ship." Here, that's replaced by a pair of firefighters holding a net. With most Breakout clones, a ball bounces around the screen and destroys blocks or bricks. In Flying Hero, a third fireman ricochets across each stage in an attempt to rescue people from burning buildings. Combine those aesthetic updates with settings that include castles, forests, and even outer space, and you've got a great way to spend a chunk of your free time.

Hello Kitty World--A lot of people probably turn up their noses at this game because of its Sanrio connection and its childish, saccharine graphics. Well, those folks are missing out, as Hello Kitty World's basically a re-skinned remake of Nintendo's magical Balloon Kid. I hold that GameBoy side-scroller in high regard despite its disappointing brevity. Although I don't consider Hello Kitty World to be quite the gem that Balloon Kid is, I still think it's well worth checking out if you've got a Famicom (or some way of playing Famicom carts). This title's graphics and music are a step or two down from those showcased in Balloon Kid, but the gameplay's almost exactly the same. Still not convinced? Maybe my Hello Kitty World review can sway you to give it a chance.

Kiki Kaikai: Dotou Hen--I'm guessing a lot of people ignore Dotou Hen because they assume it's yet another home port of Taito's original KiKi KaiKai quarter-muncher. In fact, it's a completely unique offering despite its familiar visuals. The biggest difference here: the o-fuda scrolls Sayo-chan sends at oncoming enemies are no longer unlimited. So, unlike every other KiKi KaiKai (or Pocky & Rocky) game in existence, you can't just spam the shoot button while playing this Famicom Disk System release. That adds a welcome layer of tension and even strategy to what can otherwise seem like a brainless overhead shmup.

Onyanko Town--Truth be told, Onyanko Town has its issues. Its protagonist, the apron-wearing mama cat showcased in the screenshot above, often moves like her paws have been slathered in molasses. Its soundtrack is grating and shrill. And its visuals, well, the best you can say about them is they get the job done. Still, the overall experience is intriguing enough that I return to it rather frequently. I guess it's because Onyanko Town, which tasks players with tracking down a delinquent kitten while avoiding prowling dogs and fishmongers, tweaks the formula made famous by Namco's Pac-Man just enough to feel enjoyably unique.

See also: all previous blog posts about overlooked games you should play as soon as possible

Aural Gratification #3: 'Woods Land' from Don Doko Don 2 (Famicom)

I'm not entirely sure why, but Taito's Don Doko Don 2 is strangely absent from most online discussions of great Famicom and NES platformers.

Which is a real shame, as this Japan-only release from 1992 is one of the system's better side-scrollers, in my opinion.

One reason I hold it in such high esteem is it's as cute as can be. Another is that it's full of the kind of charm Taito was known for back in the day. (Don't know what I'm talking about here? Check out Bubble Bobble, Rainbow Islands, Parasol Stars, The New Zealand Story and Mizubaku Daibouken.)

Most importantly, though, Don Doko Don 2 is a blast to play. I especially like how it takes the hammer-centric gameplay mechanism of the original Don Doko Don, which basically is a Bubble Bobble clone, and puts it to use in a Super Mario-esque platformer.



Don Doko Don 2 never reaches the dizzying heights of Super Mario Bros. 2 or 3, mind you, but it's still very much worth trying if you tend to enjoy the genre.

And even if you consider it a flop from a gameplay perspective, you should still get a kick out of its soundtrack. "Woods Land," which can be heard in the video above, is my favorite of its many tunes, but plenty of others also will have you tapping your foot or bobbing your head as you traipse through the title's brightly colored stages.

So, what do you think of this Don Doko Don 2 song? Or what do you think of this Famicom game in general?

See also: previous 'Aural Gratification' posts

#PlatforMonth game suggestions for some systems that aren't the PC Engine

In my last post, I discussed a handful of PC Engine platformers that I think would be well worth playing as part of Anne "apricotsushi" Lee's just-announced #PlatforMonth game-along.

Today, I'm going to share some #PlatforMonth recommendations for a few other systems--namely, the Famicom (NES), Mega Drive (Genesis), Super Famicom (SNES), PlayStation and, of course, the GameBoy.

Don Doko Don 2 (Famicom)--I've long considered this to be a rather under-appreciated gem given its pedigree (made by the masters at Taito, follow-up to sort-of-classic Don Doko Don) and its overall quality. I'm guessing the lack of attention from the Famicom set stems, in part, from the fact that this sequel's basically a straight-up, side-scrolling platformer rather than the single-screen sort like its predecessor. Plus, Don Doko Don 2 doesn't do a whole heck of a lot to separate itself from the Famicom-platformer pack. Still, I've always found it to be an enjoyable little romp that sports a bit of that "classic Taito" look as well as a unique gameplay hook--involving the same hammer used to such success in the first Don Doko Don--for the genre.

Marvel Land (Mega Drive)--It took me a while to warm up to this console port of Namco's amusement-park-themed arcade title from 1989. I'm not sure why that is, to tell you the truth, as the game's appreciably bright and colorful and the princely protagonist calls to mind the kind of characters Sega was known for during its heyday. Maybe it's because the first few levels are far from thrilling? Thankfully, I eventually found a way to work through my ho-hum feelings for this cart and I now consider it to be one of my favorite platformers for Sega's 16-bit system.

Nail 'N Scale (GameBoy)--I only just discovered this Data East-made game, which was released in Japan (in 1990, with its North American release coming in 1992) as Dragon Tail, a few weeks ago thanks to a recommendation made by someone on Twitter, I believe. Regardless, I'm glad it found its way onto my radar, as it's a surprisingly unique entry in the platforming genre largely due to the fact that its hat-wearing main charatcer can climb--and sometimes destroy--the walls that populate each stage by shooting spikes into them.

Shake Kids (PlayStation)--OK, so this platformer recommendation is on a different level than the ones I've made so far--as in, this one's a far less polished and accomplished offering, to be completely honest. That said, I think people who get a kick out of undeniably odd Japanese games will enjoy the time they spend with On Demand's Shake Kids, what with its cocktail-shaking protagonists and poor man's Rankin/Bass aesthetic (to put it nicely)--as long as they don't spend too much money to acquire a copy of it.

Spanky's Quest (Super Famicom)--Is this Natsume title really a platformer? Probably not, or at least not entirely, but it features enough of the genre's tried-and-true elements that I think it warrants being included here. For those of you who've never heard of it, Spanky's Quest (Hansei Zaru: Jirō-kun no Daibouken in Japan) stars an adorable monkey who subdues enemies by tossing various kinds of sports balls (baseballs, soccer balls, volleyballs) at them. Don't worry, it's far more engaging than it sounds--and it's so darn cute that I think it would be worth checking out even if it weren't. (Oh, and a similar game was released for the GameBoy, too--as Spanky's Quest in the West and Lucky Monkey in Japan.)

Have you played any or all of the above-mentioned platformers? If so, do you agree with my assessments of them, or do you feel differently?

Also, if you were asked to do so, what are some of the platformers you'd suggest to people who are planning to participate in this #PlatforMonth game-along?

Five favorites: Famicom/NES platformers that don't involve a fat, Italian-American plumber

As much as I love the first three Super Mario Bros. titles as much as the next guy or gal, they're not the only cartridges I stick into my Famicom when I'm in the mood for some platforming action.

In fact, these days I'm far more likely to reach for the five games listed below--each of which offer up music, graphics and gameplay that I consider to be on par with those aforementioned Nintendo-made classics.

1. Don Doko Don 2--I'm guessing Taito's decision to turn Don Doko Don's sequel into a Super Mario Bros.-esque, side-scrolling platformer was met with at least a bit of skepticism back in the day (it was released in 1992), but gamers needn't have worried. After all, the contents of this particular cart is a treat for the eyes, ears and even hands. (You know, because it controls well and is an overall joy to play.) Plus, it features a cameo of sorts by Chack'n (of Chack'n Pop fame)--which, in my mind at least, means it's an absolute-must-play.

2. Hoshi no Kirby: Yume no Izumi no Monogatari (aka Kirby's Adventure)--Is Kirby's first console outing his best? I tend to think so, although I also hold Kirby's Epic Yarn and Kirby's Return to Dream Land in high esteem. (Sorry, I've yet to play Kirby Super Star.) Regardless, the game known to westerners as Kirby's Adventure easily is one of the more enjoyable--and precious--platformers released for Nintendo's 8-bit super system. It is easy? Yes, it is, but that's the point. Focus on taking in the sights and having fun while doing so and you won't regret a second of the time you spend with this one.

3. Pajama Hero Nemo (aka Little Nemo the Dream Master)--Would you believe me if I said that this may be my favorite Famicom/NES game? Well, it is. Or it may be. Whatever. Anyway, even if you don't agree--due to its difficulty, most likely--you have to admit this title is a looker. I mean, really, how adorable are those sprites? That Little Nemo sounds nearly as good as it looks just adds to its status as a top-shelf platformer that should be experienced by everyone who isn't afraid of a bit of a challenge, a splash of color and a protagonist who's still in his pajamas.