Golgo 13: Top Secret Episode (NES) Playthrough

A playthrough of Vic Tokai's 1988 license-based action-adventure game for the NES, Golgo 13: Top Secret Mission.
Based on Takao Saito's iconic manga, Golgo 13: Top Secret Mission follows the exploits of Duke Togo, better known as Golgo 13, professional hitman and badass extraordinaire.
Though the series was virtually unknown in North America - only a small handful of volumes had been made available in English by 1988 - the NES release still retained the license. Top Secret Episode was the first truly adult-oriented game to appear on the NES, and it's quite unlike anything else in the console's generally family-friendly line-up. The film-worthy plot involves acts of espionage, murder, and the development of weapons of mass destruction, and the game's imagery makes no attempt to shy away from its controversial subject matter and adult themes. Somehow, the implied sex scenes, swastikas, and enemies who spray blood when shot all survived Nintendo's content review.
As Duke Togo, you travel the world taking care of business by turning the bad guys into swiss cheese with pistols, spear guns, and your trusty M-16. Much of the game plays out as a semi-linear 2D side-scrolling platformer, but it regularly switches genres to break up the flow of the action. Enemy ambushes play out as first-person shooting galleries, explorable building interiors are presented as 3D mazes, traveling long distances sees Duke piloting a helicopter through horizontally-scrolling shoot 'em up segments, and there are even a few special instances where you'll get the chance to take out a target by looking down the scope of your rifle.
The storytelling is some of the best I've seen in an NES cart, and it's served well by its ambitious multi-genre approach, but the gameplay stumbles in its execution. The sizable delay between when you hit the button and when Duke jumps in the platforming sections makes movement feel sluggish, and the platforming and shooting gallery segments both suffer from overly fussy collision detection. These things can be overcome with practice, and though they do result in a game that's much more difficult than it really needs to be, they don't bury an otherwise brilliant R-rated thriller turned video game.
(And for anyone who hates getting lost in the 3D mazes - read the instruction manual! It provides helpful maps for all of those sections.)
Golgo 13: Top Secret Mission isn't flawless, but if you can see beyond its shortcomings, you'll find a compelling, memorable experience that was crafted by a small but dedicated team who largely succeeded in pulling off their creative vision.
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No cheats were used during the recording of this video.
NintendoComplete (www.nintendocom...) punches you in the face with in-depth reviews, screenshot archives, and music from classic 8-bit NES games!

[@NintendoComplete]

It fumbles a few of its gameplay elements, but that doesn't stop Top Secret Mission from being an excellent adult-oriented, cinematic action game.

[@christopherthibeault7502]

This is the sort of multi-genre spot-welding shit that these so-called indie retro developers should aspire to instead of the umpteenth platformer.

[@bigduke5902]

@@christopherthibeault7502 I for one can't get enough Earthbound inspired platformers that are obvious metaphors for depression

[@NinpoHollowFlames]

Hey nintendo complete for your next video can you translate Battle Master For The Snes Like You Did With Mizoguchi Kiki Ippatsu?

[@murder.simulator]

Always liked the innuendo when the lights go out and the curtains close and your health goes up. Risqué by Nintendo standards

[@JoseRomero-xn4wo]

I remember playing this game wtih my brother and we never got past the 1st maze (act 3) but for us it was a masterpiece. Today, my first born is asleep on our bed, My wife is beside me while I'm over the phone discussing this video game with my brother who lives in a diff country... Thank You for this...

[@isaacman4157]

I’m surprised with the amount of content that slipped by Nintendo’s radar. And the fact that it’s a game based on a manga that actually retained the license in the 80’s was rare for the time.

[@TV-Tony]

Love the classic NES music. Takes me right back to childhood.

[@smooth_space]

Oh man I played this game at my neighbors forever and ever ago, but could not for the life of me remember its name or find it online, hell yeah, it's amazing to finally see it here!

[@AgentofLADON]

I kinda see Duke Togo as a Godzilla type character. He's not always the main focus but he causes major changes, his motivations are usually inscrutable and he scares the hell out of everyone when he shows up.

[@protoroc]

I noticed this when watching the anime movie of 1983. He didn't even feel like the main character, he was just a force of nature that the plot revolved around.

[@DoctorJohnSmith9]

Had this one as a kid but could never figure out how to beat the final boss! Such a great title, love it so much I have the OST, haha. Thanks for the upload!

[@NintendoComplete]

The last boss gave me a hard time, too. It took me forever to realize that there were three more targets you had to hit after destroying the lights above the glass cases. The music was great. It was composed by the guy who did the soundtracks for Rygar and Jekyll & Hyde, and you can definitely hear the similarities between them.

[@thewildeguys]

Great game. Loved these graphics when it came out.

[@Jaded_Spawn]

I can absolutely acknowledge the faults this game had, but as a kid it always kept me coming back. I actually played the sequel The Mafat Conspiracy first before this, so it was a weird jump to go backwards; but my main rental store never got either game so I think it was doing some trades at Microplay where I got Mafat first then Top Secret Episode a few months later. With the right team, Golgo 13 on modern systems could be something very intriguing.....

[@Taneuma_563]

In the Japanese version, the pause screen has lyrics, and in one of the hotel scenes, a girl takes off her top. Quite risque for a Famicom game, I have to say.

[@mariusamber3237]

This must've been the first (the only?) NES game in which the main character rather unambiguously lays the pipe; not surprising if you check out the manga. I believe it's even more explicit in the Famicom version. As for the game itself - it's quite ambitious for the time, though it fumbles here and there. An interesting oddity.

[@LeggomyMeggo84]

The series based on the game was unapologetically explicit 😂

[@AgentofLADON]

Mario is a plumber. Doesn't he lay pipe?

[@NintendoComplete]

​@@AgentofLADON😮 That sounds like some phallacious reasoning right there.

[@SheedLordBear]

Woooooow.. this bringing me back.. I used to be scared of this game

[@TheJasonsvideos]

The Professional Assassin for hire. He uses an S&W .38 revolver and an M-16 for sniping custom built.

[@boxtank5288]

They're smart picks. .38 S&W isn't hard to come by, the revolver is a weapon known for never jamming (or at least being rather easy to clean and maintain) and the six shot limit forces accuracy as he can't be too stingy with rounds but can't afford to waste a shot. It's also a gun that can be rather easily hidden under a pillow or in his clothes or somewhere no one's going to think to look for firearms (See a certain scene in Godfather for reference) The M-16 is the most common Assault Rifle in the world, has great accuracy all the way up to it's maximum range of 3,600 Meters, 30 rounds plus one per magazine and that's if he isn't doing an Expert Sniper trick to force accuracy: Only bringing enough ammo for the job. If it requires one then he'll just use the one. It's also easy to pack up and carry, not very heavy, and if he so needs to restock on ammo, it's 5.56mm NATO rounds aren't that hard to come by (Nor are they expensive compared to something like .50 BMG) And if he needs to ditch it or loses it? He can always get another without trouble.

[@dunndolo]

Ahhhh Nostalgia. Played this a kid. Has one of the best theme songs for a video game ever. I never got past the scuba gear section though so Im glad I get to see the rest of the game through your playthrough.

[@felixcruz5556]

I played this game so much back in the day, especially on the japanese version in the emulator, the last boss smirk had a ss on his suit while on the conversation window talking to him, finally beat both versions of golgo 13 after finding out those mazes and knowing what to do, thanks for putting this video up. 🙂👍🏾🎮

[@demonofelru3214]

Vic Tokai made some good games and some good soundtracks. A shame they don't make games anymore. Conflict and Super Conflict come to mind as well.

[@WakandaForever1776]

One of the best NES games ever.....I don't think I ever beat it

[@TheSwordUser]

0:30 so THAT'S where unlicensed Magic Jewelry got Statue of Liberty graphics from

[@RyanMclain]

Ooh ive actually been waiting on this one. And mad magazine spy vs spy

[@MuddyChipMunk1234]

this game was extremely underrated. definitely one of the coolest nes games out there

[@Avrelivs_Gold]

that moment when even old NES games had more realistic writing than Hollywood today

[@supersonicjc]

what a game, way beyond its time and era... remember getting this and thinking its a spy game but played it for hours and gave up once we hit the maze... think we got stuck in the first one and just couldnt get past it, always knew the naughty part for the bed scene... suprised you didnt go for the cig pack in the beginning of the game that gives you full health... might have to go dust off the old nes and pop this one in as its a classic and very well done

[@landismithCOJ]

This and The Mafat Conspiracy were ahead of their time.

[@TheJasonsvideos]

I played both these games, I've also watched 2 animes. One was "The Professional Golgo 13" and have it on DVD and "Golgo 13 Queen Bee." I used to watch that on KZbin.

[@bigduke5902]

I don't think the 2D era ever had a time in which the original Golgo would've fit, at least from a presentation standpoint. The sequel, though, is much, much more pedestrian an action game with only its Ninja Gaiden-style cutscenes and 3D mazes retaining the first games knack for innovation.

[@demonofelru3214]

I remember getting this for my birthday never got too far found the bases to be super difficult.

[@Michaelyurmom]

I love guys shooting 3 shots, walks away. lol Like is he going to get back and say if he lived which he does not: "Hey I tried and am tired."

[@chrissheffield5468]

I still don't know why Danny Devito was in this.

[@demonofelru3214]

lol! right?

[@scottl.1568]

Fuckin' good old days 🫡 Me and my best friend played this forever until we finally finished it! And fuck those stupid mazes😅

[@superstaramyrosethehardcoreyt]

Interesting video.

[@moviemetalhead]

It was from seeing this game at my local mom and pop video rental store and I was always intrigued by it. I never did rent it but it did inspire me, in my teenage years, to rent the OVA Golgo 13: The Professional. Such an amazing anime and character, subsequently bought that, Golgo 13: Queen Bee and later the 50 episode anime series. Still have yet to read any of the long running manga series, but it's the longest running manga in Japan.

[@AgentofLADON]

Was flicking back in the day and saw this movie right at the Mueller hit. Through a whole building to headshot his target followed by an epic car chase. Of course I kept an eye on the schedules for a repeat.

[@moviemetalhead]

@@AgentofLADON Hell yes. He's gotta hit multiple shots in the same spot to get through the bulletproof glass to get that last shot through to headshot his target.

[@UltimaKeyMaster]

I still wonder where this game got its title screen theme from, because I can't seem to find it in any source of the animes it's had. Maybe it was original?

[@NintendoComplete]

I think it might've been original. The only other place I've heard it is The Mafat Conspiracy.

[@edwardgaines6561]

Who else thought Golgo 13 was a grown-up, serious _Lupin The III?_ 😆

[@AgentofLADON]

Such a crossover would either be hilarious or terrifying. Possibly both.

[@edwardgaines6561]

​@@AgentofLADONAnd Fujiko wouldn't know which man to seduce! 😅

[@ArttuTheCat]

I didn't know, there is the NES game of GOLGO 13. I have seen the japanese 🇯🇵 anime movie of the early 1980's.

[@NintendoComplete]

That movie rules.

[@Dorian_Scott]

Are both the manga/anime any good?

[@elbateador]

Duke Togo be like: 😠 . . . .

[@rvfiasco]

Haha yeah 😅

[@Shittlebees]

This was so well done. Great memories with this game. Warm and fuzzy

[@glenngratz4077]

The sequel was a much better game overall. Would like to see a remake of this and the sequel.

[@davidva8694]

I loved this game❤

[@edparadis4371]

you should 2 the maffat conspirity next '

[@Dorian_Scott]

The only thing I know about this game is the stripping scene in the Japanese version lol.

[@kascnef]

At the time I didn’t know it was anime

[@Santafunk]

Way cool

[@andrewdunn49ers]

15:28 was too much for my 8 year old mind 😂

[@JuraIbis]

....

[@BernardManansala]

34:56 Is what you are looking for.

[@MillerTheOfficialGaming]

🦾

[@dallase1]

All the Chick Characters used the same Image, how cheap and lazy on the programmers part.

[@buttsexandbananapeels]

I rented this when I was 8. I didn’t understand anything.

[@1971khaos]

Geez I 100% forgot about Golgo 13 on Nes...wow. The last time I saw or played this game 35 years ago. I was still in high school.

[@JuraIbis]

(Looks at you, looks away) Fun fact: Vic Tokai is now a telecomm company. It's style is very similar to Kemco (think Rescue Embassy Mission) but the two companies are not related at all.

[@montana_patriot]

I remember buying this game in the dollar bin at Toys R Us in 1990. Good times!

[@lucianoborgmann4664]

HITMAN is nothing close to Golgo... 😂😂😂

[@rvfiasco]

Fully agree!

[@aguthrie91]

This the type of cold war propaganda I endured as a small child, at the hands of the Japanese, in the late 80's 🤣😂

[@rvfiasco]

Same!

[@SJReid82]

Personally I always preferred the Mafat Conspiracy, which came out two years after this so obviously it'd be a little more refined, but I love the variety in gameplay both share.

[@85futureshock]

One of those games that deserves a remake.

[@bigduke5902]

I was in second grade I think when my mom rented this for me, thinking it was a James Bond game, and it really, really struck a chord with me. Beyond the obvious mature theme being so cool and unique, the different styles of gameplay really captured my imagination. I never made it past the first scuba level when I was young, but returning to it later I was finally able to actually get to Greece. Very, very interesting game that came from an era when the idea of what a video game at home could be hadn't really been formed, let alone standardized like it is today, and experimentation was high. I consider myself lucky to have grown up with the maturation, if not birth, of this exciting new medium that was not only almost exclusively the domain of children, but that did not yet have the eyes of popular culture yet scrutinizing it and dictating what it must be. Having played games like this in my early youth made me a whole hell of a lot more open minded and accepting of new ideas, so much so that when the far more polished, playable, and technically superior sequel was released I was so disappointed to find how much more conformist it was to its contemporaries. The lesson there was in realizing flawed novelty often has more value than mediocre utility, at least in the art world, and would be learned by future generations when the Star Wars prequels found themselves reappraised after the sequels wrapped up.

[@SMAXZO]

Fun fact...before he made Golgo 13, Takao Saito did adapt some of the James Bond novels and yeah, Bond looks like Duke Togo.

[@gary9346]

Had me in the first half. No, the prequels are NOT good.

[@mnemonichotpocket]

Still dont know what a golgo is, but cool old school flavor

[@bigduke5902]

The hill Christ died on

[@NintendoComplete]

I'd guess it's probably a reference to Golgotha.

[@mnemonichotpocket]

Well shit....look at me over here learning something.

[@dimviesel]

He walks so smooth

[@sotheresthat7882]

The cart tossingly hardest NES game ever. Great music, though 😅

[@FleetStreetBarber765]

Always wanted to play this game never got to 😢😢😮😮

[@SomeOrangeCat]

Nothing quite like going through a bullshit hard game only to get a pithy half-paragraph of text for an ending.

[@Clara-fp2ot]

Classic game

[@adobochicken]

Holy crap! I Remember getting lost in that maze 😂. Definitely brings back memories.

[@goatrush4566]

It's weird that the "And then they banged." theme sounds like spooky Halloween music.

[@toriel2.024_comentarista]

great title, it has its errors but it was well ahead of its time but the mafat conspiracy is a little better in my opinion

[@NintendoComplete]

Mafat Conspiracy comes across as a better polished game, but I thought that it lacked the substance and the originality that made this one so memorable for me. It was like it was made by a team that didn't really "get it," imo.

[@bigduke5902]

@@NintendoComplete You absolutely nailed it, man. That is exactly what I thought about the sequel even when I was a kid and rented it for the first time.

[@CyborgTeam]

i thought this was a crappy game back then, and now that i watched most of this through, i thoroughly despise it 🤨

[@biggsweaty]

Oh, GOD. This game lol

[@NOFRILLS_GAMING]

Blast from the past! I totally forgot about this one!

[@spoonshiro]

I think kids back in the day knew this one more for its (extremely tame) "racy" content than anything else.

[@bigduke5902]

As someone who actually was a kid when this was new, the thing I knew this game for most was its blend of gameplay styles and cool, "grown up" James Bond story and dialogue. Duke's implied sexual encounters didn't really register as anything out of the ordinary because, after all, that's the kind of thing that would happen in the kinds of movies I thought this game was trying to be like. I wasn't really aware enough yet to understand this was something rare that most video games didn't, or wouldn't, do.

[@rainydayman2k]

I never quite understood what the deal was with the dedication in the credits: "Dedicated to all of the children and Lost Generation" - it just seems weird, especially in a game like this. And, of course, one of the things changed in the Western release was the identity of the enemy - namely, that "Smirk" is actually Hitler, though they didn't change the artwork for him at all.

[@lofitillidie]

niceeee

[@southbronxny5727]

Funny how you fully jump over men on motorcycles....np.😂

[@rickardcr8770]

Excellent!! 🎮 🕹 🎉🎉

[@rebeldevil5710]

I remember this game, holy cow, how time flies.

[@richardchang9187]

Hi Robert and Kobe it’s me Richard Chang from Alexandria Virginia USA. I just wanted to wish the two of you a happy Easter 🐣 to both of you guys. Also Robert and Kobe I hope the Easter bunny brings you both very nice things tomorrow on Easter Sunday love Richard Chang

[@EuSouRCS]

Golgo 13 The Mafat Conspiracy is even better!!!

[@EuSouRCS]

VIC TOKAI !!!