Incredible game with exceptional writing, interesting given we never got most of these games in the US.

The laugh track seems like it would have been a huge misstep, but actually works really well. The gameplay is great, with the exception of the camera (a general issue with games around this time) which likes to get stuck on the geometry of some of the levels.

When you learn that Impact has super secret special moves (like a head laser, or Hokuto No Ken style machine gun punches) the game really just hits full steam.

Could not recommend enough.

Ironically enough, this is technically the first 3d Zelda-like game as it predates Ocarina of Time by a few months. Ocarina of Time is a far better title, but that doesn't mean this isn't good. It's got a solid soundtrack ,good graphics for its time, cool areas to explore, and MECH FIGHTS! The plot is wacky and the game is genuinely funny. Only criticisms are the jumping in this game can be weird at times, the dungeons are a bit too simple, and the game isn't very long. Even with all of these in mind, is still an underrated N64 classic definitely worth playing.

First GOTM finished for January 2023. Just a super fun game oozing with charm! Game looks great for its time, has some fun areas to explore (though some are arguably too big with too little in them), and good boss fights. Each of the four characters feels different to play and control, with their own unique items and weapons. The plot is wackadoo, and the writing is at many times quite funny. The camera can be a pain at times, and with any time spent idle will automatically rotate behind the character. This can make some of the jumping in the game unnecessarily tricky, which isn't great for a platformer, but that's pretty typical of an early 3D platforming-adventure game. Even with that in mind, this was still a great experience. Also, you get to pilot a giant mech several times in the game. Who doesn't love that!?

Mystical Ninja: Starring Goemon is a wonderful Zelda like game on the N64 with plenty of comedy moments. While I certainly wouldn't put this game's story as serious, it was entertaining throughout, and it's just the right vibe of a Saturday morning cartoon show that is severally missed nowadays. The platforming is solid through out, and the ability to use up to 4 different characters, all of which can take center stage really helps from making this game staying fresh if you ever got bored controlling any given character. The dungeons are all interestingly laid out and different enough that each one feels like a new experience, and overall is one of the best experiences on the N64.

The world is colorful and vibrant, chock full of personality. This carries through to the story and dialogue, which strike this perfect balance of being cheesy without being annoying; there's literally a laugh track during cutscenes and it somehow works perfectly. Oh, and of course, nearly every song is a banger.

In terms of gameplay, it controls pretty well, though fairly slow. I thought the castles (aka dungeons) were well structured, though the open outdoor areas were too large and sparsely populated, resulting in exploring a lot of empty space. The use of four characters that each have their own abilities and powers was also done nicely, as the later portions of the game continued to utilize everything at your disposal as opposed to forgetting those options exist.

This game is severely overlooked, as it really was one of the better examples of a 3D platformer / adventure game upon its release.

Whoa... this game is pretty great. It's like a prototype hybrid of Mario 64 platforming and Zelda. You also get to play as multiple characters too that each have different abilities and items.

This is absolutely one of those games worth playing for the soundtrack. The music is awesome.

When you overlook the lack of camera control, this game is alot of fun and is full of variety and personality. Honestly, words cannot describe how much personality this game has. It's very memorable and unique (PLAAASMAAAA! hehehe)

Also this game has sushi platforms and you can swim in ramen broth in the gourmet submarine castle 10/10. That's pretty awesome (and it made me very hungry)

There are these cool sections where you get to play as Impact, this giant robot, and you just bulldoze through everything and fight Kabuki bosses and they're fun (when you know the controls because the game doesn't give any tutorials on that unfortunately).

The very first friend I ever had was named Greg. Greg's dad was a doctor and he lived in a really big three-story house on the edge of town, in a secluded forested area where the rest of the rich people stayed. Greg was always very nice to me in private, but publicly he was my first bully, so we shared this strange relationship where we got along great when no one was looking and as soon as someone was, he'd call me names as loudly as possible. Greg was an asshole, but Greg also had Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon, so I endured his torment. That's what I Am Impact! does to a motherfucker, I guess.

Goemon's gameplay is most easily described as a mash-up between Zelda and a 3D platformer, which is to say you spend a lot of your time running around a world map using various items and abilities to solve puzzles, and you jump around a whole bunch too. You can't jump in Zelda, so I think that means Goemon is the superior game. Sorry, Zelda-heads.

Thing is, this fusion works out really well. Platforming feels solid, though it is occasionally encumbered by a poor camera system, as was typical of the time. Puzzles and other roadblocks you encounter on your journey are all fairly simplistic in nature and don't take a whole lot of brain power to solve, which is appropriate considering Mystical Ninja never takes itself too seriously. At times it feels like the gameplay is in service of Goemon's humor, yet it never feels bad or compromised because of it. Even the gigantic robot battles you engage in play well enough and are primarily there simply for the spectacle and ridiculousness of it. I mean, you get extra points for careening through houses, there's a lot of stuff like that where it serves a gameplay purpose but is clearly meant to be humorous first and foremost.

Graphically, Mystical Ninja has aged like wine. That's the case for a decent amount of Nintendo 64 games with simplistic character designs, which fared better as low-poly models compared to other titles that strained for realism. That said, even compared to other cartoony and vibrant N64 games, Goemon's strong aesthetic style has it coming out looking better than most. The plot is great too. Goemon has to stop the Peach Mountain Gang from turning Japan into a gigantic dance stage and its inhabitants into brainwashed dancers. You end up fighting a bunch of weird freaks with names like Spring Breeze Dancin' (who has a habit of calling Goemon "Fernandez"), and some of the more off-beat jokes are punctuated with canned laughter, which as far as I can tell is just a single clip that repeats multiple times throughout the game.

My only real complaints are the aforementioned camera problems, and occasional abrupt jumps in difficulty. It's been a while, but I also recall the final boss taking forever to beat, and dying during the last phase can be incredibly irritating. But really, Mystical Ninja is just so goofy and fun that it comes as a hard recommend from me. Easily one of the better games on the Nintendo 64 and one deserving of your attention. Just be aware that it doesn't run particularly great in emulation, and loose used copies on Ebay are now trending upwards of 100$ (I'm pretty sure I paid around 30$ for it, so clearly Goemon fever has consumed the market.) Not available for Nintendo Switch Online, this game! Bad times.

Well thank you for reading my review. If you'll excuse me, I'm going to summon Impact and run over Greg's house. You know, for bonus points.