Between 1986 and 2005, Konami released 20 entries in a popular series. Yet you’ve probably never heard of it Ganbare Goemona colossal franchise that predates the publisher’s hits like Castlevania, Metal Gear and Silent Hil. Only four of his games made it to the United States. None of these had much success.
For this reason, I realize that most Polygon readers will not have a rosy nostalgia for the tiny series Ganbare Goemon English-language localizations spread haphazardly across the SNES, Game Boy, and N64. That Konami hasn’t made a new entry in nearly two decades would suggest that Ganbare Goemon is doomed to playing trivia at your local bar arcade.
This would be the end of the shortest and saddest article about Polygon if developer Good-Feel, founded by Goemon veteran Etsunobu Ebisu, wasn’t planning the spiritual sequel Bakeru brought into being. And, most importantly for English-speaking audiences, the localization of the game – in all its Japanese geographical glory – for release in the West on Nintendo Switch and Steam.
I’m sure it will be the only game this decade to include “Fight your way through all 47 Japanese prefectures” as a marketing gimmick.
Bakeru plays and feels like a modern riff Mystical Ninja with Goemonthe English release for N64, which achieved cult status. Like this entry, Bakeru combines hand-to-hand combat, light platforming, Japanese history and folklore, and a cartoonish sense of humor. But unlike the N64 game, Bakeru features sophisticated controls, clever pacing, and all the other quality of life improvements you’d expect in 2024.
The title Bakeru is a tanuki who gradually unlocks shapeshifting powers that transform him into tiny and gigantic creatures and help him overcome various challenges. The adventure is divided into easily digestible levels, each representing a different corner of Japan and full of local tourist facts and curiosities.
In short, it feels like a Nintendo game Kirby and the Forgotten Lands without the time and budget to have the Nintendo shine. No wonder: Good-Feel previously led the development of Kirby’s Epic Yarn And Yoshi’s designed world for the house that Mario built.
At the time of publication Bakeru has 105 Steam reviews, suggesting a similar outcome to the Goemon games that reached US shores. Hardly the level of interest you’d expect (or hope) from an independent studio best known for developing Nintendo games in the truest sense of the word. Will it take another 20 years until Goemon or Bakeru returns?
Dear reader, I just can’t worry about that at the moment. I still have 12 Japanese prefectures to visit.
