GAME CLEAR No. 3 -- Goku Makaimura Kai

Goku Makaimura Kai (極魔界村 改) (2007, PSP)

Clear Date: 10/30/2020
Developer: Tose
Publisher: Capcom

As mentioned in my previous post, Ultimate Ghosts’n Goblins was the last game in the Ghosts’n Goblins universe starring Arthur that I had left to beat. Shortly after that post, I starting playing it, which naturally led me to research it a bit. What I discovered and did not know at the time of writing “GAME CLEAR No. 2” is that there also existed a Japan-only re-release that includes the original game alongside the “Kai” (改, roughly “revised”) version. This version largely strips away the RPG and collectable elements of the original in favor of a more traditional, arcadey, and linear GnG experience. While I appreciate Tose’s/Capcom’s ambition to flesh out the game’s basic gameplay, I must admit the traditional style is what I’m used to and prefer, so I abandoned Ultimate Ghosts’n Goblins and purchased the lone US-based eBay listing for Goku Makaimura Kai.

I’m quite happy I did! The game instantly clicked and felt a lot better once I was free from worrying about missing the various collectables and warp staves of the original. As they should have, the devs made this the best-feeling and playing GnG yet. The controls are really tight and precise, and the double jump returns from Super Ghouls’n Ghosts. Additionally, Arthur can now grab ledges, making certain jumps a bit more forgiving. Weapons and magic feel as good as ever to fire, although there are still a couple dreadful weapons that feel like a punishment to accidentally pick up. With saves allowed between every level, though, this is not as devastating as it was in previous entries (nor is anything else, really). Another interesting new wrinkle is the addition of a shield that offers temporary flight and a suit of armor that allows the player to fly indefinitely. Both are rare and difficult to find, but when Arthur has them, they make the game feel almost like a shmup instead of a platforming shooter. Not necessarily a bad thing! It’s a fun thing to mix in. And although these items break in a single hit in true GnG style, the generous saving system allows particularly determined players to try to keep them as long as possible if they wish.

This game surpasses Makaimura for WonderSwan as the game with my favorite bosses. The WonderSwan game had great ones, but the PSP’s comparative power allows for grander, more exciting offerings. Encounters often occupy considerably more than the space of a single screen and require deft platforming in addition to precise shooting to defeat the imposing beasts. It’s a combo that is very rewarding to master.

Another huge point in favor of Goku Makaimura Kai compared to all previous entries is that the weapon that is required to face the true final boss after the traditional second lap of the game is for once not a collossal piece of shit. It also isn’t even a weapon, it’s magic. This means the player can use the normal shooting weapons they’re accustomed to through the first lap to face the new challenges of the second. This does mean that it’s ill-advised to pick up another form of magic (I don’t know how to find the required magic again if you lose it, and the game is not richly documented in English), but it hardly matters. The magic is a rather large hadouken (scales with current armor) that passes through walls and enemies! It’s really incredible and helped balance the cranked-up challenge of the second lap. By far the best execution of this requirement.

All told, the stream of consciousness points I’ve made above probably put Goku Makaimura Kai in first place in my series rankings. It’s still just as challenging as any other game in the series, but it has very, very few “bullshit” moments compared to previous entries, and with a reasonable save system, it respects your time more than previous games if you, like me, insist on playing on original hardware.

Helluva game. Probably the most sensible entry point for the series if it weren’t a Japan exclusive. It’s not terribly expensive on secondhand markets, though, and it can be readily emulated, so consider giving it a shot some time.

Remains to be seen if I’ll ever go back and beat Ultimate Ghosts’n Goblins itself. I don’t think I’ll like it as much, but I think I owe it a proper playthrough to really finish this series. Maybe next Halloween! 🎃