The Wonder Years 11.29.07: Week 32 - Goof Troop
Posted by Owain J. Brimfield on 11.29.2007
The goofiest game ever.
Welcome to the column where all gamers of a certain age come to wallow in 16-bit nostalgia. I'm your host, Owain J. Brimfield, and I'll be discussing some of the hidden gems and instant classics of gaming's golden era. Some of these games may crop up on the Wii's Virtual Console at some point, some may be consigned to the annals of history. Either way, they're worth tracking down if you missed them first time round, or replaying if you were lucky enough to catch them. Let's take a trip to:
GOOF TROOP
(Capcom, Super NES, 1993)
Some background information, first, on this seemingly random use of a license. The Goof Troop cartoon was one of a small family of Disney licenses that were developed into new kids' shows for a modern audience back in the early 90s, using classic Disney characters as a base and introducing their friends and relatives (see also: Tailspin and Duck Tales, both of which incidentally had above-average tie-in games released). Although the show itself wasn't particularly great and only lasted a year or two, it was relatively successful and had a fantastic theme tune, and obviously scored enough check-marks in the 'prerequisites' column to land itself a video game adaptation, developed and published by Capcom. The game follows Goofy and his son Max on a fishing trip, whereupon they discover that a bunch of pirates have kidnapped their neighbor Pete and his son PJ, mistaking Pete for their king. Of course, it's up to good-natured Goofy and Max to save the day yadda yadda. God only knows what the Japanese made of such a western tie-in, by the way, as I'm not sure the cartoon was even broadcast there. Mind you, we westerners struggle to comprehend so much of their anime that it was probably a worthwhile trade.
The game itself is an actiony/adventurey/puzzley hybrid that takes an entirely linear approach. Playing as the titular dog/man thing Goofy, you progress around Spoonerville island, solving a series of logic puzzles that rely on manipulation of the landscape (well, moving blocks and the like) in order to progress to the next screen. Items such as barrels and pots can be lifted and hefted towards enemies to dispatch them in a cuddly Disney manner. There's also a chap whose name I can't remember, who appears at random intervals to dispense (usually unnecessary) hints. Yeah, that's right, I'm close to the deadline this week, and I can't be arsed researching the guy's name - if the WGA can get away with abandoning their creative product for the sake of the $ sign, I figure I'm allowed a token moment of laziness as well. Goof Troop also comes replete with a co-operative mode, and in fact proves itself one of the few titles that's actually genuinely more fun to play through with two people. Strategizing, ganging up on enemies and using smooth teamwork to knock the puzzles out of the park is pretty satisfying if you have yourself a like-minded buddy, and it proves a welcome diversion from the questionable AI that makes the single player mode seem slightly underwhelming.
Visually, everything is as you'd expect from a Disney license, with bright colors and bold sprites. Capcom nailed Goofy, in particular. Hang on, that sounds nasty... oh, you know what I mean, it's fun to look at (with the exception of the between-level storyboards, which are largely uninspiring but I suppose serve to advance the "story" for the younger gamers). Going from my memory initially, I actually thought this game was released a year or two later and as such was pretty limited graphically for its time, but I guess that 1993 is still early enough in the Super NES's lifespan that the console didn't need to have its technical boat rocked by a Disney-flavored puzzler. The choons are typical flowery fare, with some embellished moments that makes retrieving an item seem like rather more of a big deal than it actually is.
The main problem with the game, and the factor that prevents it from realizing its puzzle-filled potential, is the fact that it's completely insubstantial. Clocking in at a paltry five levels overall, with around half a dozen decent puzzles plus a moderately challenging boss in each, the game can easily be completed in a single leisurely afternoon. And that's even without using the pretty much redundant password system. The single player mode will give the cartridge an increased lifespan, due to the bizarre decision to provide players with infinite continues in co-op mode, but even taking into account having only one brain and a limited number of lives to complete the game, you'll be feeding Keelhaul Pete to the alligators by teatime. It's understandable in a sense, as the game is obviously targeted at youngsters (just witness the paper-thin narrative for proof), but surely even kids aren't that stupid? I'm sure if this had have come along back in the day when I was wrangling with Apogee Software titles, I'd have knocked it out in a few days and gone straight back to figuring out the bizarre DOS controls to Joe & Mac: Caveman Ninja (incidentally, more on that one soon). Come on Capcom, don't make the same mistake 90% of adults make and assume that children are incapable of independent thought. This game certainly ain't a long-term investment, and a more sensible development approach could probably have made it so. Still, I suppose the ability to lob a wooden barrel directly into Goofy's face is some compensation.
Given that this is one of the more obscure titles yet covered in The Wonder Years, it's probably no surprise to learn that Goof Troop is a pretty tricky game to track down. I can't recall ever having come across the game in a second-hand shop, although I'd wager old copies may be slightly more ubiquitous in the US, as that was the game's primary market. As for the potential of a retro re-release, well I suppose anything's possible, but the odds on it would have to be pretty hefty. I suppose while it may have been considered a decent pastime back in the day, nowadays it seems it hasn't aged too well and probably seems more along the lines of a stocking filler than anything else. Still, the game has undeniable charm (more so than the cartoon, at any rate), and at a stretch can provide a diverting rainy day's entertainment for a couple of chums. Provided you can get hold of a copy, that is.
Goof Troop trivia
The voice artist who played Max in the original cartoon sadly died shortly after the series concluded, meaning future spin-offs have featured the show set ten years down the line.
The aforementioned Duck Tales game on the NES was actually one of the first three console games I ever owned, fact fans.
Goof Troop doesn't actually feature in my official all-time Top 100 games, sadly.
The Videosphere
Let's take a look at this week's video highlight. Cynics will no doubt point out a searing lack of imagination in this choice, but haters be damned, it's a cool song goddammit! Check out the opening sequence for the original cartoon of Goof Troop, and if it's not amusing enough try searching YouTube for the Norwegian version. Classic.
General indulgences
Every week in this section I'll endeavour to provide you, the faithful readers, with a fascinating insight into the various forms of entertainment currently dominating my spare time.
This week, I have been mostly enjoying:
Guitar Hero 3 - is it just me or is this harder than the previous two? I tackled Free Bird on expert and got most of the way through on my first try at it on the previous game, but I've only managed to complete one expert track on 3 so far. Weird. Good game, though.
The Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd, or rather the anniversary 5.1 surround version, which has a much prettier CD inlay than the original and sounds like heaven itself. What a great band, even if their new boxset is a ripoff.
Family Guy season 4 (going by the UK releases, anyway). The funniest iteration of the show yet? Still, I guess people can argue endlessly about which seasons of certain shows were better than others. Anyone care to name an indisputable "best season"?
and the Boss DD-6 digital delay, which is way overpriced, but I'm sure it'll turn out to be quite an in depth bit of kit to play with. Here's hoping, anyway.
And finally…
As always, reader feedback and suggestions are welcome, I respond to everything so just drop me a line. You can also check out my science fiction column "The Flux Capacitor" over at 411 Movies. Next week in "The Wonder Years" - an RPG in the truest sense of the term. Until then - keep it real, keep it retro.
