Monster Party
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Monster Party | |
|---|---|
 North American boxart |
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| Developer(s) | Human Entertainment |
| Publisher(s) | Bandai |
| Platform(s) | NES |
| Release date(s) | NA June, 1989 EU 1990 AUS 1990 JP Unreleased |
| Genre(s) | Platform game |
| Mode(s) | Single player |
Monster Party is a video game for the NES, released in the U.S. in 1989 by Bandai. It was and remains a relatively obscure platform game for the console, having a small following among some players. Prototype screenshots of a Japanese Famicom version exist, but the game was never released in Japan.[1]
Monster Party is very standard platform game featuring horror themes. The main character, Mark, teams up with a gargoyle-looking creature called Bert, and together they attempt to save Bert's home, the Dark World.
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[edit] Story
The story centers on a child named Mark who is accosted on his way home from a baseball game by a winged, gargoyle-like alien monster named Bert who requests his assistance in ridding "evil monsters" from his realm, "Dark World".[1] Mark is reluctant to help, but Bert insists, saying that Mark can use his "weapon" (the baseball bat in his hand) to fight enemies. He quickly whisks him away, and on the way to Dark World magically fuses himself to Mark so that they are one being (with Mark able to transform into Bert for a limited time).
This bizarre plot introduction sets up a game that is filled with variations on many traditional horror characters and themes (sometimes with ironic twists) as well as relatively novel, and always generally considered weird,[1][2] characters all its own. Some traditional horror bosses the game features include a mummy, giant spiders, zombies, Medusa, and Death; persistent players will also encounter such creatures as a haunted well that throws giant plates, a large caterpillar, walking pants, a huge cat that hurls kittens, and a bouncing piece of fried shrimp. It is also interesting to note the bloody and bizarre "graphic" graphics of the game.
[edit] Gameplay
The player takes the role of Mark, who wields his bat to attack and to deflect projectiles. Rebounding projectiles back at bosses is often necessary to defeat them as Mark, as he otherwise has limited attack options. Enemies drop hearts, which replenish life, as well as pills which (for a small period of time) turn Mark into Bert, who can fly and shoot beams a limited distance. The effect of Bert's beams on enemies is stronger than Mark's bat attack, and gradually improves as the player completes levels.[1]
Monster Party features eight levels, each of which has a unique password that allows the player to access a particular level without starting the entire game over. The basic objective in each level is to beat particular bosses (and a certain number of them) to earn a key and move on to the next level. Bosses are accessed by doorways found in the main part of the level, which is side-scrolling. However, many of these doors lead to empty rooms, adding challenge. Every door, whether it leads to nothing or a level boss, gives the player a question mark ('?') item, which can either provide the player with health, points, or transformation into Bert.
[edit] Levels
- Dark World: During the first part of this area, everything has a smile on its face. However, in the midway point, the area changes into a hellish environment.[2] The bosses for this level are a Man-Eating Plant, A lizard/dinosaur (deceased), and a Pumpkin Ghost.
- Dark World Dungeon: A sewer-like area infested with fish heads, crocodiles, and a blood-belching creature. Bosses for this level include Medusa, a giant snake with snakes for hair, Shrimp Attack, and a haunted wishing well that throws plates (a reference to the Banchō Sarayashiki ghost story).[1]
- Dark World Cave: Bosses for this level include Guardian of the Giant Sphinx, who complains that his legs are asleep, Giant Spider, and Giant Cow Man, whose attack is smaller cows.
- Dark World Castle Ruins: A pyramid-like area with desert enemies, such as scorpions. Bosses include Giant Samurai, a giant cat, and Punk Rocker.
- Dark World Lake: This area has two bosses instead of the usual three. Enemies include sharks with large fins and sea serpents. Bosses are Walking Dead, who become invincible if touched and must be destroyed by doing nothing, and Mad Javelin Man, a large wooden robot.[1]
- Dark World Haunted Mansion: The Chameleon Man, a large mask, is the boss.
- Dark World Tower: This level scrolls upward. There is a bug that causes the key to the level to be obtained after two bosses instead of three. Beating the third boss causes the player to lose the key instead, creating an unwinnable situation.[1] Enemies include umpires, masked elephants, and imps. Bosses include a caterpillar named (Rolls) Royce, the Grim Reaper, and the return of the Giant Spider, with a Roman numeral II on its back.
- Dark World Heaven's Gate: A heaven-like area that defies the physics of most side-scrolling games by allowing you to move left at the start. Enemies include dynamite and witches. Bosses are Pharaoh's head, Hand Man, and Giant Dragon.
[edit] Legacy
Monster Party is notorious for prototype images released in Japan before the game's release in the US. The Japanese images of the game reveal the title screen to be covered in blood and the enemies to look much more horrific than in the final game.[1][2] Other changes revealed by these images is a change to the first boss, a large plant, which was shown to have a microphone and speaker in the original.[3]
Critics of the game almost always cite the game as being bizarre and note that the weird factors of the game are what make it stand out.[4] The 8-bit blood and the use of the word "hell" in a later level also interests critics, as Bandai and Nintendo were big supporters of video game censorship in 1989 when the game was released.[1][4] Many critics also complain of the games simple and tedious gameplay, regarding the game as having little challenge.
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Strangman, Rob (September 2009). "Monster Party at Hardcore Gaming 101". http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/monsterparty/monsterparty.htm. Retrieved 2009-09-24.
- ^ a b c Encyclopedia Obscura (November 2002). "The Horror!". http://www.encyclopedia-obscura.com/gameshorror.html. Retrieved 2009-09-24.
- ^ Unseen64 staff (August 7, 2008). "Monster Party [NES - Beta]". http://www.unseen64.net/2008/08/07/monster-party-nes-beta/. Retrieved 2009-09-25.
- ^ a b "Monster Party - NES". November 2005. http://retrojunk.com/details_articles/297/. Retrieved 2009-09-25.
[edit] External links
- Monster Party - Digital Press Online Review of Monster Party at Digital Press Online.
- Monster Party - Bandai Shows screenshots of the Famicom prototype in comparison to the NES version.
- Monster Party at MobyGames
- Monster Party at GameFAQs
- Monster Party Review Review of Monster Party at Flying Omelette, with several screenshots.
- Syd Lexia on Monster Party Review of Monster Party with screenshots of all bosses.
