Gimmick!
Encyclopedia
is a 1992 platform game
developed by Authentic Entertainment and published by Sunsoft for the Nintendo Entertainment System
. It was retitled Mr. Gimmick when it was released in Scandinavia
.
Yumetarō must make his way through six stages and six bosses to complete the game. Once the player completes the six stages, it is revealed that the girl is still missing. To fully complete the game, Yumetarō must go back and find a hidden area in each stage where a magic item resides. If he can obtain each stage's magic item without losing all his lives (i.e. no continues allowed), a secret stage will be made available where an extra boss must be beaten. Only after these conditions are met is the game completed in full, with a new animation showing Yumetarō rescuing the girl and leading her back to safety.
under the title Mr. Gimmick on May 5, 1993. The game was not overly successful; the Scandinavian release in particular is considered one of the rarest NES games released in Europe.
The game was reviewed in the July 1992 American issue of the Electronic Gaming Monthly
magazine, but it was never released in North America.
Gimmick! was re-released on November 21, 2002 for the Sony PlayStation
as part of Sunsoft's Memorial Series
Vol.6 in Japan, which included another Sunsoft game, Battle Formula (known outside of Japan as Super Spy Hunter
).
It is considered somewhat of a cult classic
now, due to the resurgence of the NES via computer emulation
.
Recently, Gimmick! appeared on a reproduction cartridge based on a unreleased NTSC prototype by retrozone.usb in 2011.
Platform game
A platform game is a video game characterized by requiring the player to jump to and from suspended platforms or over obstacles . It must be possible to control these jumps and to fall from platforms or miss jumps...
developed by Authentic Entertainment and published by Sunsoft for the Nintendo Entertainment System
Nintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
. It was retitled Mr. Gimmick when it was released in Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
.
Story
In the introduction animation, a young girl receives a gimmick doll named for a birthday present. She quickly favors the new doll over her previous toys who, jealous over abandonment, kidnap her and hold her captive in an alternate dimension inhabited only by toys. Yumetarō, as the protagonist, must track down his new owner and retrieve her from the toy world.Gameplay
The player controls Yumetarō, who uses a star that spawns above his head to defeat enemies found in the game. The star doubles as a functional utility, as Yumetarō can ride his creation and use it to reach otherwise unattainable areas.Yumetarō must make his way through six stages and six bosses to complete the game. Once the player completes the six stages, it is revealed that the girl is still missing. To fully complete the game, Yumetarō must go back and find a hidden area in each stage where a magic item resides. If he can obtain each stage's magic item without losing all his lives (i.e. no continues allowed), a secret stage will be made available where an extra boss must be beaten. Only after these conditions are met is the game completed in full, with a new animation showing Yumetarō rescuing the girl and leading her back to safety.
History
Gimmick! was released in Japan on January 31, 1992, and subsequently in ScandinaviaScandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
under the title Mr. Gimmick on May 5, 1993. The game was not overly successful; the Scandinavian release in particular is considered one of the rarest NES games released in Europe.
The game was reviewed in the July 1992 American issue of the Electronic Gaming Monthly
Electronic Gaming Monthly
Electronic Gaming Monthly is a bimonthly American video game magazine. It has been published by EGM Media, LLC. since relaunching in April of 2010. Its previous run, which ended in January 2009, was published by Ziff Davis...
magazine, but it was never released in North America.
Gimmick! was re-released on November 21, 2002 for the Sony PlayStation
PlayStation
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
as part of Sunsoft's Memorial Series
Memorial Series
The is a series of re-released Famicom video game titles for the Sony PlayStation game console by Japanese developer Sunsoft. Each volume cost 1575 yen .Even Volume 3 is delivered in the game archives as of September 27, 2007.- SunSoft Vol...
Vol.6 in Japan, which included another Sunsoft game, Battle Formula (known outside of Japan as Super Spy Hunter
Super Spy Hunter
Super Spy Hunter is a vehicular combat video game developed and published by Sunsoft for the Nintendo Entertainment System. It was originally released in Japan on September 27, 1991 as , which means that this game originally was not a sequel of Spy Hunter. Sunsoft would later obtain the license...
).
It is considered somewhat of a cult classic
Cult Classic
Cult Classic is a Blue Öyster Cult studio recording released in 1994, containing remakes of many of the band's previous hits.-Track listing:# " The Reaper" - 5:05# "E.T.I...
now, due to the resurgence of the NES via computer emulation
Video game console emulator
A video game console emulator is a program that allows a computer or modern console to emulate a different video game console's behavior. Emulators are most often used to play older video games on personal computers and modern video game consoles, but they are also used to play games translated...
.
Recently, Gimmick! appeared on a reproduction cartridge based on a unreleased NTSC prototype by retrozone.usb in 2011.
External links
- Memorial Series: SunSoft Vol. 6 webpage
- http://www.retrousb.com/product_info.php?cPath=29&products_id=105 Green NES reproduction cartrige