Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon - Nintendo 64 Review - HD

[@tornekotaloon9732]

I used to rent this game all the time and play it with my dad. When my local Blockbuster was selling all their old N64 games, my dad knew how much I loved it and purchased the game from Blockbuster as a Christmas gift, so the copy I own now is the one I used to rent all the time! It's one of my favorite games of all time, and I just recently picked up Goemon's Great Adventure, which is fantastic as well! Thanks for the review, Glenn!

[@n64glennplant]

That’s an awesome memory and what a cool dad

[@tornekotaloon9732]

@@n64glennplant Thanks, Glenn!

[@YTC1234]

My dad rented this game for me too and I loved it. I started gaming on Japanese games so the cultural stuff in this game was right at home for me. This game had a charm that is very hard to duplicate. One of the best games on the N64.

[@mnop7832]

Love that story this is what makes that era of gaming great. Digital kids will never know that feeling which is sad

[@Arehexes]

Holy crap that's super close to how I got Mystical Ninja. My dad got it for me for Easter after multiple Blockbuster rentals. I loved this game so much when I finally got Ocarina of Time I was kinda unimpressed.

[@DGR_Dave]

I discovered this game WAY after the N64 hay day, probably late 2000s...and yet it is STILL one of my personal favorite N64 games. And it's sequel is incredible too!

[@leeartlee915]

DGR watches this channel? That’s awesome man. Man loves his deep youtube cuts.

[@n64glennplant]

The cool thing is that all 3 mystical ninja games on n64 are completely different but for me that’s also the sad part because I’d have loved another 3D adventure…..after this era the goemon games just started to suck big time

[@NoeLPZC]

@@n64glennplant Wait, what's the third one?

[@n64glennplant]

@@NoeLPZC Goemon Mononoke Sugoroku - did a review of it on the n64 Japanese eye years back. It’s a cross between mario party and a card game style

[@NoeLPZC]

@@n64glennplant Ah yeah, I vaguely remember having zero interest in checking that one out.

[@_etwas_]

Walking out of Zazen Town and looking into the Sunset with the "Yamato" ost in the background will always be one of the gaming experiences I will cherish for the rest of my life! Nothing beats that feeling of adventure! Then right after that you walk to the turtle stone and that soundtrack kicks in and after that you arrive at the ocean and you only hear the waves and the sea gulls... oh man! ... This game rightly deserves all the love it gets even decades later!

[@MondayTuesdayWednesdayThursda]

I totally forgot about this. I felt the same way!

[@Larry]

Have a look at TCRF's article on the game, a lof of the cut content is still in the game and accessible via an Action Replay or a GameShark. Oh, might be wrong, but I read somewhere the singer for the vocal songs in the game is the same guy who sings the Japanese Dragon Ball Z theme (the "Head Cha La" one)

[@FourSwordsGamingJCDSZ]

The singer for the intro of this game AND it’s sequel is indeed Hinorobu Kageyama of Dragon Ball fame. He not only sang Cha La head Cha La, but as well as the second opening We Gotta Power and most of the dragon ball video game intros.

[@n64glennplant]

Might have to dig into that Larry!

[@TRJ2241987]

Cut content was one of the greatest things about N64 games. When I was 12-13 years old, digging through my N64 games for lost content seemed magical to me

[@ivanramos1809]

Impact theme singer is the same who did mazinger

[@ZinhoMegaman]

@@FourSwordsGamingJCDSZ Holy shit, I knew It! The voice is 100% recognizable, just missing a confirmation, thank you!

[@Tony-fp7cn]

The cheesy comedy, OST, and robot impact battles were my favorite things from this game

[@n64glennplant]

All great moments!

[@Lucas_Jeffrey]

my favorite was running with the fat guy the way he swings his arms around ^_^ and loves sushi lol

[@NoirEtBlancVie]

Oh Glenn, what a wonderful game, probably something of my favorite music and gameplay on the N64! So happy to hear your thoughts on it 😃

[@HowellianEmpire]

Wow, wasn't expecting to see you here! You're an N64 fan too? Love your channel. Your synthesizer videos are amazing.

[@NoirEtBlancVie]

@@HowellianEmpire hehe, small world. I’m a big fan of Glenn’s channel, the N64 was like my childhood!

[@n64glennplant]

It’s soundtrack is just fire….the soundtracks to the bomberman games on n64 are also 🔥 perhaps I should do a video about some of the consoles best soundtracks

[@JulianRicardoAparicioSarmiento]

@@n64glennplant can't wait ford it

[@franciscor390]

Wow i cannot believe that you hadn't reviewed this already, it's such an important game, well for me at least, it's definitely close to being my favorite N64 game due to the fun exploration and god tier music.

[@n64glennplant]

Haha you’d be surprised how many of the huge titles I have still to do

[@cameronmoore7675]

I actually discovered this game backwards! I played Goemon's Great Adventure first and fell in love with it. So, naturally, I had to try Mystical Ninja too, and loved it just as much. Found these games all thanks to the appealing box art on the shelves of my local rental store! The Impact sections of Great Adventure were already my favorite part of that game, so when I got to the first Impact section in Mystical Ninja... holy moly, it blew my mind. It had me grinning from ear to ear, laughing my ass off through the entire roller skating minigame. Another thing about this game that really stuck out to me was Goemon's strength powerup clearly being a parody of Super Saiyan. I played this game only a few weeks after Goku first went Super Saiyan in the US airings of DBZ, so that was a serendipitous little moment, and probably the first time I'd noticed media referencing each other.

[@DexterManning]

The first Impact section is what my mind goes to instantly, that and running around as the chic in Zazen town Glad to see so much love for this game, one my fave n64 games for sure

[@n64glennplant]

I know right - that music in zazen is amazing

[@sameash3153]

This game was probably my most rented childhood n64 game. So so so glad I picked it up in the mid 2000s before the pricetag left the stratosphere.

[@n64glennplant]

Did you complete it?

[@mannypaul7369]

This game is a technical marvel for the N64, one of the most immersive adventures I remember having with this game as a kid.

[@joshuabrown2521]

Playing through this game from start to finish in tag team fashion with my dad will always be one of my favorite childhood memories. I’d play after school until he got home from work, then hand it off to him. We got really into the Japanese cultural references and I learned a good bit of introductory stuff about Japan from this game.

[@anaclaudiagarciacalderon192]

I remember this game from Club Nintendo magazine back in the day. I immediately recognized the characters since I was already an anime fan. I remember really wished to play it, but since I am from a small city in Mexico (specially in the late 90's) it was virtualy impossible to get this kind of games, I mean the not so mainstream ones. Anyways, I always enjoy your reviews, specially the ones about games I wished back in the day but never got to play. Glad you are fully back Glenn!

[@kenspeedbicycle]

my favorite memory of this game is your review because I didn't know it existed. Thanks for all you do. You're videos have brought me hours of joy and guided me on my new N64 collection

[@n64glennplant]

Ah thanks I appreciate that!

[@FortWorthRaised]

I’m about to age myself, but I remember renting this game back in 1998, and buying it later on that year. The music and setting were so good to my 10 year old self. I bought it again as an adult as well as the Japanese import version, maybe 6 years ago.

[@n64glennplant]

We’re around a similar age - old gits 😂

[@MasterAdam100]

I LOVE this game! Back in middle school, I'm the only person I knew that rented this game from the local video store and whenever I would try to explain some of the crazy stuff in this game, they always couldn't believe me. Games like this one, Blast Corps, Mischief Makers, etc. always got passed up a lot at rental stores back in the day. Glad I had nothing better to do back then or I would have missed half of them.

[@dasboot7889]

I have been waiting for you to do this one! This was a totally bizzare game that I loved, completely surprised me as a kid. I remember renting it on a whim, and I never expected to like it as much as I did.

[@n64glennplant]

Did you ever complete it?

[@dasboot7889]

@@n64glennplant yes, a few times! It was one of those I rented a number of times until I felt like I did everything. I would love to play it again, I'll have to look online for it (never seen it in a used game store).

[@Tony-fp7cn]

My childhood favorite! Thanks for the review!😁

[@n64glennplant]

And thanks for watching tony

[@joeyparkhill8751]

I rented this title from Blockbuster when I was 5 & I LOVED it!

[@n64glennplant]

Whoa that’s young!

[@JOEmega64]

The laugh track at the wrong times is arguably the funniest bit. Also love the whole “Fernando” saga.

[@bobbysworldofficial]

Some favorite memories: entering Kai Highway for the first time en route to Mt. Fuji (you get thrown into the game and less than two minutes later, your "tutorial" is one of the most iconic musical themes and locations in the series, and it's a joy to explore). Entering the Chugoku region, in Bizen and hearing that incredible theme as well as accessing an area you're locked out from for the first half of the game, as well as the most open and begging to be explored of those regions. Throw in the emotional catharsis of resurrecting Sasuke, a moment both touching as well as really signifying the "shit's officially serious" section of the game. When you go to I think it's called Ugo to fly into space and you have to verify you're sure you want to never go back to Earth (and the entire game up to this point) ever again.

[@scorpionwins6378]

Those you mentioned were all amazing moments in the game! I remember them well, as this was easily one of my favorite N64 games. Of course everyone who played the game will remember that rush you get upon setting out onto the highway headed toward Mt. Fuji to embark on the first adventure. Bringing Sasuke back to life was also exciting, making him a playable character upon doing so. A fair amount of time was spent using him since he was quite a nimble and agile fighter, probably the quickest of the 4. I would also like to add some memorable points in the game, like for instance as you're traveling in the open field as the sun is about to set and you encounter the first boss fight where you get to summon impact. I think it was just before you reach Zazen Town? And another favorite part which occurs much later in the game but it's when you enter the frozen sea and have to infiltrate the submarine as Yae in mermaid form. But of course the entire sequence of going into outer space was breathtaking in its own, making it the perfect setting for the final climactic battle. All in all this was a terrific game that I have very fond memories of and hope to one day re-acquire it in my N64 game collection. Just seeing footage and hearing the soundtrack really makes me want to play it again.

[@cloudrise]

One of my favorite games of all time. Back when it released, my brother and I would rent it constantly, but we didnt have a memory card. We would attempt to leave the 64 on as long as possible but it would always freeze up and we would have to start over. We never cared though! The game was so different and so charming that we fell in love with it and never minded. Eventually got a memory card 😅 To this day, I try to play if I can. Goemon's Great Adventure is also a masterpiece. Love them both equally!

[@n64glennplant]

Whoa trying to complete this without a memory card would be so hard!

[@brandonginsburg3120]

@@n64glennplant I did that with Wonder Project J2 in 2003/2004. I did not know how to save for a long time. Then I bought a larger memory pack at my local Radio Shack and solved the problem.

[@Nolifeterran]

As a 10 year old kid, I was one of those 50 thousand copies sold in the US. That makes me happy

[@TheGrackler]

Got this game after liking the look of it in a guidebook (for this and Forsaken) that came with N64 Magazine. I hadn't played Zelda at that point, and this was my first taste of an adventure in an interconnected world. Me and my sister loved the wacky story, the clean graphics, the gameplay and really, really liked the music (even making horrific casette recordings straight from the TV speaker with a mic so we could listen in the car!). I showed it off to so many school friends thanks to it's japanese weirdness. I have very strong memories of the opening half of the game as I didn't have a Memory Pak for a while (the local store didn't have stock). So for short while I played it like a Mega Drive game, restarting and seeing how far I could go! Also I strongly remember the Impact controls, as a friend I lent it to lost the instruction manual, so I had to work out and memorise how to do the rapid fists and laser attacks (in hindsight, they are pretty simple input sequences!) Overall very fond memories, and glad it wasn't as niche as it seemed at the time! Love the review, really nice quality footage. Had no idea about the troubled development or the planned co-op mode! As an aside, very glad to have found your channel recently, as a fellow UK N64 fan from the same era it's been a real dose of nostalgia to see these videos, both in content and your style (which does remind me of N64 Magazine!).

[@sebastianfeola8772]

I LOVE THIS GAME!!! I still own my copy from the 90's I hope Konami and Nintendo brings back this popular japanese franchise

[@n64glennplant]

I doubt it’ll happen - Konami mates gamers and has no interest in goemon for well over a decade now

[@_gorezone_]

I always wanted this game as a kid, but never saw it in any store around me.

[@n64glennplant]

Have you played it now though?

[@_gorezone_]

@@n64glennplant I played it for about 2 hours a few years ago. I really should get back to it.

[@Martial_Autist]

@@_gorezone_ yes you should x'D

[@AcheroniD]

A friend of mine had this game when I was a kid. It took me years to finally find a copy at a comic/game trade shop, since ebay and internet reselling wasn't around yet. So glad I finally did find it though, this is one of my all-time favorite games! Glad to see you review it~

[@n64glennplant]

It is so worth seeking out but glad you finally got a copy as a kid, lucky my town was small but quite a few indie game stores around

[@grand_wasabi5669]

It always makes me happy to see this game talked about. This was a classic blockbuster rental for me and probably the first time I heard spoken Japanese, very mystifying for my 4 year old self at the time. In the years since, I’ve only ever met 2 other people who’ve even heard of this game; one of which I ended up buying the game from. Goemon’s my favorite character, very unique in design, but I could say that about the rest of the game lol.

[@grand_wasabi5669]

Also I enjoyed hearing your story about discovering and playing in this game for your first time 👌

[@ksldfhjlkdsj]

Super excited to see you do this one finally! This game was my one and only foray into the Goemon universe. Bought it cheap on a whim from a rental place going out of business in 99 or 2000 or so. It was SUCH a neat game that I feel never got the praise it deserved, I especially loved the engrish humor and the transition into the mech battles, totally took me by surprise and overall was a really cool and unique adventure from start to finish. I also think the graphical style and aesthetic were some of the best on the system. The developers really took the strenths and limitations of the big blocky N64 polygons and colors and did something COOL. In my opinion it still holds up today just from watching it on the screen again on your video here. Like you touched on, it was no Mario 64 or Ocarina, but certainly not far behind for me. After finishing it I was honestly sad that I'd only ever heard of it in passing, word of mouth from my one weeabo friend. Yeah, you can pick it apart 20 something years later and come to the conclusion that it was just another mascot platformer. But like you at the time I just had an absolute blast with it and wondered why it wasn't advertised on TV, having everyone talk about it on the playground and the school bus, posters all over the game stores etc like the former. Whenever I think of N64 sleeper hits this is the first one that comes to mind.

[@roberthazelby4424]

I’ve just stumbled upon your channel while searching for Mystical Ninja N64, and within the first minute or two I knew I had to subscribe. Your presentation style is perfect. Very professional and full of tidbits of trivia. Great stuff!

[@n64glennplant]

Welcome aboard! Thanks for watching - check out goemon international it’s a great goemon channel too

[@vladderfehler1286]

My absolute favourite N64 game. I remember when I was a kid, playing Mario Party with my brother, when my older brother came in with this new game and I instantly fell in love with it and even now, almost 20 years later, it is still one of my all-time favourite games.

[@nekoprincess7489]

This game is one of my favorites! I remember renting this game back in the day, and bought it later on. It has some of the most catchy music in any video game I've ever played. I just love the bizarre and wonderful juxtaposition of robots and lasers with Feudal-era Japan, and the off-the-wall humor had me laughing out loud. It's great to see this gem get a shout out here in this review ^_^

[@n64glennplant]

There’s just so much to love here isn’t there!

[@professionalmoron8051]

Just one of the most crazy games ever, but also a total gem. Great to have your videos back!

[@n64glennplant]

And glad to have a cool community of people such as yourself here enjoying these memories

[@classic1245]

Man I remember playing this series back when I was a young guy I remember playing this on the super Nintendo the legend of mystical Ninja and then playing it on the 64 what a fantastic game so many great memories I really wish they would be released these games but unfortunately we know that it's not going to happen and it's a shame love the series

[@brennandye4475]

I absolutely LOVE this game! I'd kill for a re-release.

[@n64glennplant]

Yeah can you imagine how popular it would be

[@brennandye4475]

@@n64glennplant Too bad Konami hates everyone :\

[@jaylays690]

You will be in jail so it's not worth it

[@jonathan2950]

I played this for the first time last year. My first Goemon game, I’d never played one before so had no expectations or nostalgia for the series. And I absolutely loved it! I love how crazy it is, how fun it was and definitely the soundtrack! I can still hum most of the tunes now a year later. I got some funny looks from my wife when she came in and watched me for a few minutes, wondering what this weird Japanese game was I was playing! Can’t wait to play the 2nd game on the N64, hopefully I’ll get around to it soon.

[@Wkitchen82]

I remember playing this game and pretty sure I rented it and played until completion. Loved the whole thing. So wild back in the day, never played anything like it. Unabashedly Japanese culture and I just wanted more. Was so bummed out when they announced a second one and it was side scrolling… either way favorite character hands down is Sasuke. Was so excited to find the battery to get him working. Which made it feel it was a major sense of accomplishment if I remember. Cheers

[@n64glennplant]

Yeah that section of finding the batteries was such a cool way to introduce the character !!!

[@shignificent]

Always remembered this game as "that cool ninja game with the giant robot and funny song" I finally had the chance to own it again and wasn't disappointed in what scraps I had recalled from my childhood Your mom and brother sound awesome for doing that for you! The pureness of the story made me tear up lol. Good vid 👌

[@HandlebarOrionX]

The opening theme was performed by the legendary Hironobu Kageyama. The guy who did CHA LA HEAD and WE GOTTA POWER for Dragon Ball Z, a few Super Sentai opening and ending theme songs and a multiple decade long pantheon of other theme songs for other anime and tokusatsu. Both solo and in the band JAM Project with other japanese rock and TV show theme song legends Masaki Endoh, Hiroshi Kitadani, Masami Okui and Yoshiki Fukuyama

[@OKaFee]

Love this game - it's prob in my top 10 N64 games. Games like this and Earthbound made me fascinated with that quirky Japanese humor style. The OST is prob my fave part of the game - such diverse and memorable arrangements. I also loved how the music arrangements changed as you progressed through the dungeons (Ghost Toys Castle music is amazing). Oh, and PUUULLLAAAZZZAAAMMAAAAAA!

[@mooonddd]

I came here to post PUUUUURAAAAZUUUMAAAAAAAA!!!!! as well

[@dylarper]

I loved hearing your story about how you were home alone playing it. I love this game so much and it's very nostalgic to me so hearing that story made me dream of being a child again. Great video!

[@julessaulnier5630]

My story with this game is quite similar to yours! I was obsessed with it after reading a review in Nintendo Power, and called my local game store every week for about 3 months to know if it had come out. I played through it at least 5-6 times back in the day, and still hold on to my original copy to this day, even though I sold most of the rest of my N64 collection. A true gem!

[@Jabodie]

This was my absolute favorite game as a child. I was quite young the N64 came out. I vaguely remember trying to play this game before I could even read.

[@n64glennplant]

Whoa that’s 🥜!

[@joselcontreras4574]

This is my favorite N64 game. There is no other game in history that was able to replicate the charm, humor, the epic adventure, the characters and the journey that Mystical Ninja has. My favorite character is Yae by far.

[@TheBeird]

One of my favourites. I remember bursting out into laughter at the song first time I played it and from then on the game had me hooked. Too few things dare to be this weird anymore

[@n64glennplant]

Yeah that a very good point, no doubt someone would cause this game to get cancelled due to being offended in this day and age

[@SLCclimber]

One of the greatest soundtracks on the N64 if not THE best. I remember playing through a large chunk of the game as a kid, and after logging an (at the time) eye-popping 13 hours into a save, it corrupted. I was so gutted I put it away and never came back until like 15 years later when I downloaded the rom and FINALLY put it to rights. I still jam out to the full soundtrack every so often.

[@diendong]

If Nintendo releases the N64 mini classic, this game must be in there.

[@n64glennplant]

Amen to that! Must happen!!!!

[@maddoggaming1171]

This games was quite fun and so bizarre. It certainly left a memorable impression. I didn't remember the name of the game so I'm glad your video popped up in my suggestions. We rented this from a Blockbuster back in the day and me and my brothers had a blast playing it. We weren't able to beat it in the timeframe we had it but was quite the interesting ride. I'd be quite interested in playing it again if it comes to the Nintendo online at some point.

[@Vivi_9]

Oh man I COMPLETELY forgot about this game. I loved it sooo much, think I was into this before Pokemon got big. Some of the theme songs and sound effects are so memorable I can sing them right now! Haven't watched the video yet lol am just so excited to see this game I loved and forgot being talked about

[@pop2uno]

My favorite memory? The songs! The musicals! My little nerdy gay heart just couldn't handle it. Also buying a game back then without knowing anything about it and realizing it was a brilliant decision on my part. Truly a classic.

[@karmad.twelve6613]

This may sound silly, but I've been waiting for you to review this game. It holds such a special place in my heart and always has since I first played it at around 11 or 12 years old. There are few words I can use to describe the feeling besides simply nostalgic. I loved the SNES version of Mystical Ninja, but this game took that love to new heights! My favourite memory of playing this game as kid has got to be when you finally get to the town where you can buy the golden armour! :D Thank you so much, Glenn!

[@n64glennplant]

The weapons are just so nostalgic , love me the chain pipe!!

[@randomthoughtstech]

I remember renting and playing this game as a kid. This game became one of my favorite N64 games. I would sometimes intentionally stay in Zazen Town just so that I could listen to the music longer.

[@ThatSonOfAGlitch]

Favorite memorie came years long after beating the game. Made friends with someone who watched Zyuranger (the sentai MMPR used) and he told me the man who sang that intro ALSO sang "I am Impact" next we are both LOUDLY singing it.

[@n64glennplant]

It’s one of those special shared moments that if someone knows the game, they’ll want to share the experience!

[@Gameshotzhonduras]

Man, when I finished this game I was... wtf I just played? Then after the years I take care about the game but somehow the 2d iteration become my favorite

[@n64glennplant]

I love them both but really big shame the series went so bad after n64

[@stevenkaye1625]

Great video! I have such fond memories of this game. I remember finishing Ocarina of Time, and craving something similar. I'm pretty sure one of the N64 magazines at the time made some comparisons between Ocarina and Goemon, so I picked it up, and spent a whole summer playing it! Also the opening theme will never not be incredible lol.

[@Ejayz64]

I have 2 strong memories and they’re both tied to the music. As a kid I rented this game and with a magazine guide I was able to beat it. Even after 20 years and only playing the game once in my life, I could still remember zazen town and it’s music so vividly. The late afternoon orange skybox and the tranquil music is almost meditative. After 20 years I had to play this game again and see if my memories would hold up. And lo and behold, the game did hold up. The second memory is from the second playsession 20 years later. Kai highway is such a upbeat happy song, it sticks in your brain. Coupled with the kai highway that would get a sunset style setting as you’re nearing the old mans house. I love this game and I wish they revisited this franchise as a 3d action platformer

[@SolidSnake240]

Man I used to play this game so much back in the day. I still have it to this day.

[@redalchemy7322]

Mystical NInja Goemon, is unforgettable in a number of different ways. It was my favorite game as a kid and is still on my top 5 to this day. ... and even now I can hear "PLASMA!!!!" In my head by just seeing that scene

[@n64glennplant]

Plasma needs to be in smash 🤣

[@icebergthegamer]

I discovered this series on SNES. Like you, I was tracking this game through magazines. I remember seeing it as an AD, and I knew I had to play it. It just looked amazing. I got it for christmas that year and still to this day is one of my favorite games of all time. Naturally when this release for N64 was announced, I was excited. I couldn’t wait for it to come out. I remember a family member driving me to an Asian part of town where they sold import games etc. he felt this game wouldn’t be easily available everywhere so that was our best bet. Sure enough, they had a copy and I took it home. I remember finishing this game, but not playing it much after. Sadly, I don’t own it anymore, nor do I remember much about the game.

[@geraq0]

Very few games had made me laugh like this one, it was a welcome surprise. Even to this day I cannot forget PURASUMA! and those weird statues dancing. Gameplay-wise it was top-notch, it even had that metroidvania quality of having to backtrack after gaining a new ability. Remember when Goemon turned Super Saiyan to push heavy blocks? I sure do. What an amazing game.

[@thatonegeeksite5251]

Man this was one of my favourite N64 games. Everything from the gameplay to soundtrack was awesome. Would love to see this come to Switch Online.

[@lostsignal7961]

This was fantastic Glenn. A little bit of history on the game, a little bit of your history with it and an all around great review for one of my favorite games for the console. I hope you continue to do more reviews like this on other games you have previously covered. Keep it up.

[@n64glennplant]

Yeah there’s some from way back in the day which I’ll redux because naturally everyone sucks when they first start 😂

[@ColeFam]

Excellent coverage of my favorite N64 game! I had a friend that rented the game and brought it over, and it blew me away. Such a fantastic game. I would always say that Sasuke was my favorite since he looked cool and did flips, but we couldn't get far enough to unlock him. I like Sasuke a lot, but the main 4 are all so good, it's really hard to pick a favorite. And this is the game that got me to buy an N64 memory card. It was frustrating to always have to start over, and I didn't even know what a memory card was. Thanks again for the reivew!

[@AkaiAzul]

Played this came back in the N64 era, can't remember the events that lead up to me and my sister playing it, but we both had a blast playing. It may not have been he best N64 game we played, but definitely bizarre and memorable for it. I don't think I can truly forget Impact's theme song in my horribly mangled Japanese speech and nonsense.

[@davidpicard5376]

Fantastic coverage of an incredible game! Was like the blueprint or precursor for many wonderful ideas Nintendo incorporated into their own individual franchise. A wonderful work of genius. Thanks Glenn.

[@n64glennplant]

Glad you enjoyed it thanks for watching!

[@DP-kw9xh]

This game ruled. I think I found this a copy at my local BlockBuster. I always related more to Ebisumaru but played more as Goemon. Loved the food level. Coincidentally, I think this game induced my brief dumpling obsession.

[@TheJtyork420]

I remember getting so lost in this game not knowing what to do. But this is still possibly my favorite game on N64.

[@Balisades]

Of all the memories of this game, the music by far is when stays with me. It alone made all the levels, scenes stand out. From "Kai Highway", to the Ghost Toy Castle Boss, to the "Sushi Submarine".... It's such an incredibly made soundtrack and perfectly matched the style and vibe of the game. One of my favorite games ever. I've revised it multiple times.

[@kirkhunter4602]

The music in the submarine castle was truly the some of the best music I’ve ever heard, I had no memory card so the sound test was a blast lol

[@XpRnz]

I still listen to the soundtrack every now and then and particularly the submarine track! Also the music geared up with every section, which gave more sense of progression.

[@Phantomizer]

This Is one of my favorite games on the N64 and I absolutely love the soundtrack. I used to rent this game as a kid and I remember getting stuck In Zazen Town late In the game, when I had to find an Item that I didn't know how to get. Still...lots of fun times and I really wish they came out with a new game In the series.

[@RetroCollector89]

i remember reaching the festival village on a cold night of christmas eve, that was a magical night for me

[@n64glennplant]

Ah man I can just imagine what that would have been like

[@ryanschrader408]

I have been waiting for you to review this one! I distinctly remember being my only friend that loved this game, but man did I really love this game. Great review!

[@Pimpjira87]

I loved this game and probably rented it like 4-5 times before I finally beat it, I remember getting lost a lot back then. I was at first disappointed with Goemon's Great Adventure but the charm and towns/npcs were still there so I ended up liking it just as much other than the vocal songs being cut. That was a bummer. Thankfully they were kept in this game, so good.

[@subteeninhumansamuraiamphi5019]

This game was such a surprise when I rented it as a kid...so much fun.

[@Pai3000]

I absolutely loved this series since the MSX. This one was a very fun to play🤗. BTW, Ebisu was always my favorite character by far😂😂😂

[@n64glennplant]

He’s such a random guy! And quite 🏳️‍🌈 for the time too 😂

[@freddiejohnson6137]

I remember early magazine reviews of this comparing it heavily to Ocarina of Time before it even came for some reason. Which seemed a bit odd as it was essentially the Snes games in 3D rather than trying to be like Zelda. I do have a special place in my heart for this as it is one of the earliest games I had for the N64 but it was fantastic and while I usually like games made by Japanese developers I tend not to like them if they are overly quirky like this is but right from the opening song I was hooked. I had a blast playing it and laughed at the stupidly of it all at times. It's not particularly difficult or long but as a whole it's just a good fun time.

[@n64glennplant]

I think this had the right balance between being very Japanese but at the same time not being obscure interests

[@komemiute]

Fantastic piece! I'm *SO GLAD* you came back to make more of this content! :D Yeah, I wrote it before but I still mean it.

[@Tyson2023]

Every song is incredible! This needs to be on the N64 expansion pass

[@esotericmissionary]

I had this game back in the day, I loved it, too. It's weird seeing this review, as I swear I beat it several times, but I don't remember a lot of the later areas shown here. If anything, this review makes me want to play it again, as my main memories are the opening, running across the big empty fields, and other random stuff.

[@n64glennplant]

Now you must play it again!

[@FlavioThepianist]

I wish they would bring back this series I use to play this game so much back in the day!

[@cinnamonnoir2487]

It was wonderful to hear your personal story of finding and playing this game for the first time. I also have a lot of nostalgic memories associated with this game, which I rented more than once from a video rental store in the very late 90s (possibly the year 2000). The fact that so many of the places were based on real geographical and cultural landmarks in Japan made it such a trip to experience, and it's probably the reason I ended up taking two years of Japanese in college. What a fantastic, charmingly quirky game. By the way, I also appreciate your discussion of the game's development and early promotion at E3. I wish more channels spent time on that subject, because I almost never see it come up in videos about old games (at least, not the kind that are under an hour long).

[@ORLY911]

One of my all time favorites as a kid. A game I'd frequently play while on summer vacation, I've beaten it many times but it's still fresh for me. The charm is just so good.

[@n64glennplant]

A great way to spend the summer I think!!

[@bluejokelpie1044]

Glenn! You didn't promise too much just a couple of hours ago when you teased this viddy in the goemons great adventure comments!

[@n64glennplant]

🇩🇪 🍻

[@afsheen4034]

Wow what a blast from the past. Thank you for this review. I remember this being alot of fun and I totally agree the music was epic.

[@maxthrust88888]

Yes!!! I found this game so randomly. There was a small write up in a magazine, I loved the colours so asked my mam to get me it for my bday. I was about 8 or 9. I still have my original copy to this day.

[@Kentama]

The first memory that comes to mind when thinking of Mystical Ninja is..... Chuppy! Isn't he a good dog? Ebisumaru's hypnotic dance, the peaceful Zazen town, Yae's bazooka, the legendary music, the thrill of piloting Impact for the first time. But quite possibly the most memorable moment of all was the epicly unexpected and hilarious ending performance from Spring Breeze Dancin' and Kitty Lily. One of my favorite games as a kid, and a memorable and life-affecting experience for sure.

[@Kentama]

And my favorite character is Yae. A green-haired super secret agent ninja was just cool beyond words.

[@n64glennplant]

He is indeed a good dog hahahahah

[@ClockedIt]

When talking about 2D games coming to 3D for the first time, this game gets no where near enough credit! One of the earliest N64 games I played and I utterly fell in love it, such a great title! It's a legit Japanese adventure! Running through the rich towns, the characters, the Japanese culture...just so good! "Ganbare so ganbare!"

[@n64glennplant]

Yeah for it’s time it was amazingly open world

[@BeauCardwellReacts]

I rented this in 8th Grade. I would rent at a local place called Silver Screen Video…half of it was a tanning place. I think a rental was $5 USD which was a huge deal for my family that didn’t make much financially. I was completely drawn in. I fondly remember swimming around in a giant bowl of Ramen and getting the extended pipe. There was also a massive mountain to climb…I think in the snow? Need to revisit. Amazing video!

[@Phoenix507]

I rented this for years as a kid from my local gaming store. I remember poring over the instruction manual when we were waiting for clothes to dry at our local laundrette before heading home. I never got far due to lacking a memory pack for the N64, but I had a lot of fond memories exploring Oedo Town and clearing the first dungeon. Luckily as I grew older we acquired our own copy of the game as well as a memory pack and were able to play it in full. I hope one day we'll see it re-released.

[@n64glennplant]

I’d love to see that too, just a shame Konami really don’t like gaming or gamers anymore

[@Phoenix507]

From what I can gleam, the key reason there hasn't been any activity concerning Goemon is because in 2005, the division behind the series within Konami disbanded. That was the last time we got a new installment (Goemon DS released in the same year IIRC) that wasn't a pachinko game. A lot of the staff went on to form what is now Good Feel. (Goemon 64's director Etsunobu Ebisu is Good Feel's president, while Shigeharu Umezaki, the game's producer, is the chairman of the company.)

[@anders50510]

This game was such a treat. My friend traded it with me when I was living in Sweden. I remember trudging through the snow after school, taking off my winter clothes and tucking my feet under the radiator while playing this amazing hidden gem. I loved exploring the towns so much. Memories. Thanks for uploading:)

[@n64glennplant]

What did you trade for it?

[@anders50510]

@@n64glennplant pilotwings. Good game, but worth the trade I’d say.

[@Natural_Order]

My favorite memory playing this game was finding Yae's mermaid skill, and the sushi submarine. I loved that as a kid and even debated getting a Yae tattoo at one point

[@n64glennplant]

Sushi submarine is 🔥 it’s a shame in goemon a great adventure yaes underwater controls were a little fiddly to aim her bazooka

[@ryanperrault8174]

One of my favorites of all time....I want to play this again so bad.

[@TheBoredHero]

Such a underrated gem! Really Love this Game and the Sequel. Greetings from Germany.

[@Deathklok13420]

i can vividly remember fishing and the giant robot fights. it really surprised me the first time it happened and absolutely loved it.

[@n64glennplant]

Haha catching those fish was a fun mini game

[@SprocketWalker]

I just picked up this game today at the local thrift store. I'd never heard of this game before. Your review was really helpful! Thank you. 👍

[@n64glennplant]

Glad I could help!

[@jeffshackleford3152]

Ebisumaru's hypnotic dance definitely got him a discount on the dumplings.

[@clanpsi]

One of my favourite N64 games. I wish someone would remake this in UE5 or something. Ore wa GORGEOUS

[@n64glennplant]

Such a classic!

[@tutagalevaos]

Ahhh I remember running around the festival village in the middle of a full moon night so nostalgic

[@n64glennplant]

What a lovely memory to have 💪🏼

[@Sacred5mokE]

This was my favorite game right after the snes version before it blessed me into the franchise. I love the music and humor. Still till this day I still play the 64 game music on KZbin. Which is how I discovered you're video today. Thank you for being you. Keep growing and being successful sir. You have a new sub.

[@nobel11]

The four SNES games got really good translations recently, including a much more accurate retranslation of the first game. I adore this title, and played it at the perfect moment of really becoming aware of Japanese culture. I, too, was delightfully flabbergasted at the wonderful musical numbers, and agree this is some of the finest music on the console. I still play through this one every few years or so. I'd love to see Konami do some kind of Ganbare Goemon collection and include this masterpiece. Not that I ever expect that to happen.

[@n64glennplant]

I really should get around to playing those. Which of the SNES titles would you recommend first

[@nobel11]

@@n64glennplant I'd start with the first one. Although I'd recommend the fan translation over the official localisation 'Legend of the Mystical Ninja' version.