KiKi KaiKai
Encyclopedia
is a multi-directional shooter developed and published by Taito Corporation
originally for Japanese arcades in 1986
. Since then, the game has received a number of console and home computer
ports
in and outside of Japan, both as a stand-alone title and as part of compilations. The game originally saw a limited release in North American and European arcades as Knight Boy, a bootleg
copy of the original Japanese version not officially licensed by Taito. In the English-speaking world, it is usually recognized as the forerunner to the Pocky & Rocky
series.
Set in Feudal Japan, the player must assume the role of a Shinto
shrine maiden
named "Sayo-chan" who must use her o-fuda scrolls and ohari Gohei
wand
to defeat a number of renegade spirits and monsters from Japanese mythology
. The game is noteworthy for using a traditional fantasy
setting in a genre otherwise filled with science fiction
motifs.
shrine maiden
living in Feudal Japan. One night, while Sayo-chan is fanning a ceremonial fire, she is visited by the Seven Lucky Gods
, who warn her of a great, impending danger. Suddenly, a band of mischievous goblins appear and kidnap the gods, quickly retreating to a faraway mountain range. Sayo-chan, determined to help the gods, sets off on a journey across the countryside, where she confronts a number of strange creatures from Japanese mythology
, including yokai
, obake
, and yurei
-like monsters. After defeating several powerful goblin leaders, Sayo must battle their leader, the ancient serpent Orochi.
KiKi KaiKai is an overhead multi-directional shooter game that requires the player to move in four directions through various levels while attacking harmful enemies as they approach from off screen. As Sayo-chan, the player can attack by either throwing her special o-fuda scrolls in eight separate directions, or by swinging her purification rod directly in front of her. These techniques can be upgraded by finding special paper slips left by defeated enemies that will either enhance their power or improve their range. Sayo can be damaged by coming in contact with an enemy, and can only be hit once before she is knocked out and must resume the level from a preset continuation point. At the end of each level, the player must face a powerful boss monster that takes several attacks to defeat and is more difficult than normal enemies.
Several hidden items can be found by attacking objects with Sayo's purification rod, and can be used to either enhance her attack or grant the player points. Once a certain number of points are gained, the player will gain another life and have an additional chance to complete a level. When all of the player's lives are exhausted, a "number match" screen appears with a random 3-digit
number in 50-base increments (100, 150, 200, 250, and so on). If the last three digits of the player's total score match the number displayed, they are granted a free game; if not, the game ends.
The Family Computer Disk System version of KiKi KaiKai introduced a few gameplay changes over the original arcade version, including new levels and enemies, as well as limiting the number of times the player may use Sayo-chan's ranged o-fuda attack, along with a second playable character: "Miki-chan", another shrine maiden who is designated as the player two character. Though several additional ports would be made over the years, each one would rely on the same basic game mechanics.
by Taito
game designer Hisaya Yabusaki. Pulling inspiration from tales of Japanese mythology, as well as several top-down arcade shooters popular during the era, the game put a conventional spin on the usually technologically-driven science-fiction "Shoot 'em up
" titles at the time. Utilizing action game
elements, the player is free to move about the screen as they choose, instead of being forced forward in normal scrolling shooter fashion. While similar to the earlier released game Commando in both style and presentation, Kiki KaiKai is described by Taito as a "lovely action game" offering an "exotic Asian atmosphere".
Shortly after the game's Japanese debut, a bootleg version called Knight Boy was released for arcades in various countries. This version, though not officially licensed by Taito, was an exact duplicate of the original KiKi KaiKai with an altered title screen, and contained no new gameplay elements or features.
KiKi KaiKai has been ported
to numerous home consoles and personal computer systems since its original arcade release. The game's first console version was released for the MSX
on February 10, 1987, with minor gameplay adjustments. On August 28, 1987, a version for the Disk System was released entitled KiKi KaiKai: Dotouhen, which added two-player support and a new playable character, "Miki-chan". A PC Engine
version was released three years later on March 27, 1990, which was largely based on the previous Disk System instalment. The game made the jump from consoles on June 12, 2003, when Taito developed a java
-based version of KiKi KaiKai for mobile phones called KiKi KaiKai: The Bizarre World. A port programmed by MediaKite appeared on May 14, 2004 for Windows
-based PCs, and a web-based game service was launched on Taito's Japanese website later that year courtesy of EZWeb.
KiKi KaiKai was also made available along with various other classic Taito titles in a number of compilations. It would appear in the Japanese-only Taito Memories Vol. 1 for the PlayStation 2
on July 28, 2005, and again in Taito Pocket Memories for the PlayStation Portable
in 2006
. Bandai
's 2006 plug-and-play TV controller, Let's! TV Play Classic: Taito Nostalgia 2 would also contain a version, as well as a new character, Kakurenbou. The game would be officially released in English for the first time as part of Taito Legends 2
for the PlayStation 2
, PC
, and Xbox
released in North America in May 2007, and later in Taito Legends: Power-Up for the PlayStation Portable.
, is reflective of traditional Japanese folk music, mostly utilizing woodwind and string instrument
s like the shamisen
with an electronic
beat. The music was originally presented in mono format, and was composed entirely of synth-based chiptunes, a standard audio development system for older video game hardware
. An exclusive game soundtrack
was never released commercially, but all the music from the game was featured on the 1987 album Taito Game Music (catalog number 28XA-110) published by Alfa Music as a single track medley
. Each song was later presented as individualized tracks on the 2002 re-release of Taito Game Music (SCDC-00156), this time published by Sci-Tron Digital Content.
considers the games one of Taito's sleepier titles, and of overall less quality than their other classic games like Bubble Bobble
and Double Dragon
(the latter was licensed from Technos for the U.S.). The game's graphics, though unique at the time they were produced, did not preserve well, with AllGames.com remarking that "once you get over your initial amusement at the game's smiling ghosts and comical skeletons, you'll find the graphics to be dull. The controls were seen as simplistic, yet responsive, though each of the game's levels were found to be too monotonous.
, Taito released the game's first true sequel, KiKi KaiKai: Nazo no Kuro Manto, which would be known as Pocky & Rocky
for its North American release. This title would be followed by two more sequels, Pocky & Rocky 2
and Pocky & Rocky with Becky
over the coming years.
A modern continuation to KiKi KaiKai, KiKi KaiKai 2, was originally in development for the PlayStation 2 console by Starfish Entertainment and set for a 2006 release, but was canceled early in its development only to reemerge as the unlicensed spiritual successor with title Kiki Kai World, which later became Heavenly Guardian
when published.
The protagonist of the game's design, as well as the ghost enemies, would later become heavy influences for the charactes Reimu Hakurei and equvilent ghost enemies respectively in the Touhou Project
games on the PC-98.
Taito Corporation
The is a Japanese publisher of video game software and arcade hardware wholly owned by publisher Square Enix. Taito has their headquarters in the Shinjuku Bunka Quint Building in Yoyogi, Shibuya, Tokyo, sharing the facility with its parent company....
originally for Japanese arcades in 1986
1986 in video gaming
-Events:-Notable releases:*Namco releases Sky Kid Deluxe, Hopping Mappy, Toy Pop, The Return of Ishtar, which is the sequel to Tower of Druaga, Genpei Tōma Den, and Rolling Thunder....
. Since then, the game has received a number of console and home computer
Personal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
ports
Porting
In computer science, porting is the process of adapting software so that an executable program can be created for a computing environment that is different from the one for which it was originally designed...
in and outside of Japan, both as a stand-alone title and as part of compilations. The game originally saw a limited release in North American and European arcades as Knight Boy, a bootleg
Bootleg recording
A bootleg recording is an audio or video recording of a performance that was not officially released by the artist or under other legal authority. The process of making and distributing such recordings is known as bootlegging...
copy of the original Japanese version not officially licensed by Taito. In the English-speaking world, it is usually recognized as the forerunner to the Pocky & Rocky
Pocky & Rocky
Pocky & Rocky, known in Japan as , is a scrolling shooter video game with action elements licensed by Taito to Natsume, who developed and published the game for release in Japan in 1992 and the rest of the world in 1993...
series.
Set in Feudal Japan, the player must assume the role of a Shinto
Shinto
or Shintoism, also kami-no-michi, is the indigenous spirituality of Japan and the Japanese people. It is a set of practices, to be carried out diligently, to establish a connection between present day Japan and its ancient past. Shinto practices were first recorded and codified in the written...
shrine maiden
Miko
is a Japanese term that anciently meant a "female shaman, spirit medium" who conveyed oracles from kami , and currently means a "shrine maiden; virgin consecrated to a deity" who serves at Shinto shrines.-Word:...
named "Sayo-chan" who must use her o-fuda scrolls and ohari Gohei
Gohei
, or are wooden wands, decorated with two shide used in Shinto rituals.The streamers are usually white, although they can also be gold, silver, or a mixture of several colors...
wand
Wand
A wand is a thin, straight, hand-held stick of wood, stone, ivory, or metal. Generally, in modern language, wands are ceremonial and/or have associations with magic but there have been other uses, all stemming from the original meaning as a synonym of rod and virge, both of which had a similar...
to defeat a number of renegade spirits and monsters from Japanese mythology
Japanese mythology
Japanese mythology is a system of beliefs that embraces Shinto and Buddhist traditions as well as agriculturally based folk religion. The Shinto pantheon comprises innumerable kami...
. The game is noteworthy for using a traditional fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
setting in a genre otherwise filled with science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
motifs.
Plot and setting
The game follows the adventures of "Sayo-chan", a young ShintoShinto
or Shintoism, also kami-no-michi, is the indigenous spirituality of Japan and the Japanese people. It is a set of practices, to be carried out diligently, to establish a connection between present day Japan and its ancient past. Shinto practices were first recorded and codified in the written...
shrine maiden
Miko
is a Japanese term that anciently meant a "female shaman, spirit medium" who conveyed oracles from kami , and currently means a "shrine maiden; virgin consecrated to a deity" who serves at Shinto shrines.-Word:...
living in Feudal Japan. One night, while Sayo-chan is fanning a ceremonial fire, she is visited by the Seven Lucky Gods
Seven Lucky Gods
The , commonly referred to in English as the Seven Lucky Gods, refer to the seven gods of good fortune in Japanese mythology and folklore. They are often the subject of netsuke carvings and other representations.Each has a traditional attribute:...
, who warn her of a great, impending danger. Suddenly, a band of mischievous goblins appear and kidnap the gods, quickly retreating to a faraway mountain range. Sayo-chan, determined to help the gods, sets off on a journey across the countryside, where she confronts a number of strange creatures from Japanese mythology
Japanese mythology
Japanese mythology is a system of beliefs that embraces Shinto and Buddhist traditions as well as agriculturally based folk religion. The Shinto pantheon comprises innumerable kami...
, including yokai
Yokai
are a class of supernatural monsters in Japanese folklore. The word yōkai is made up of the kanji for "otherworldly" and "weird". Yōkai range eclectically from the malevolent to the mischievous, or occasionally bring good fortune to those who encounter them...
, obake
Obake
and are a class of yōkai, preternatural creatures in Japanese folklore. Literally, the terms mean a thing that changes, referring to a state of transformation or shapeshifting....
, and yurei
Yurei
are figures in Japanese folklore, analogous to Western legends of ghosts. The name consists of two kanji, 幽 , meaning "faint" or "dim" and 霊 , meaning "soul" or "spirit." Alternative names include 亡霊 meaning ruined or departed spirit, 死霊 meaning dead spirit, or the more encompassing 妖怪 or お化け...
-like monsters. After defeating several powerful goblin leaders, Sayo must battle their leader, the ancient serpent Orochi.
Gameplay
Several hidden items can be found by attacking objects with Sayo's purification rod, and can be used to either enhance her attack or grant the player points. Once a certain number of points are gained, the player will gain another life and have an additional chance to complete a level. When all of the player's lives are exhausted, a "number match" screen appears with a random 3-digit
Numerical digit
A digit is a symbol used in combinations to represent numbers in positional numeral systems. The name "digit" comes from the fact that the 10 digits of the hands correspond to the 10 symbols of the common base 10 number system, i.e...
number in 50-base increments (100, 150, 200, 250, and so on). If the last three digits of the player's total score match the number displayed, they are granted a free game; if not, the game ends.
The Family Computer Disk System version of KiKi KaiKai introduced a few gameplay changes over the original arcade version, including new levels and enemies, as well as limiting the number of times the player may use Sayo-chan's ranged o-fuda attack, along with a second playable character: "Miki-chan", another shrine maiden who is designated as the player two character. Though several additional ports would be made over the years, each one would rely on the same basic game mechanics.
Development
KiKi KaiKai was originally created in 19861986 in video gaming
-Events:-Notable releases:*Namco releases Sky Kid Deluxe, Hopping Mappy, Toy Pop, The Return of Ishtar, which is the sequel to Tower of Druaga, Genpei Tōma Den, and Rolling Thunder....
by Taito
Taito Corporation
The is a Japanese publisher of video game software and arcade hardware wholly owned by publisher Square Enix. Taito has their headquarters in the Shinjuku Bunka Quint Building in Yoyogi, Shibuya, Tokyo, sharing the facility with its parent company....
game designer Hisaya Yabusaki. Pulling inspiration from tales of Japanese mythology, as well as several top-down arcade shooters popular during the era, the game put a conventional spin on the usually technologically-driven science-fiction "Shoot 'em up
Shoot 'em up
Shoot 'em up is a subgenre of shooter video games. In a shoot 'em up, the player controls a lone character, often in a spacecraft or aircraft, shooting large numbers of enemies while dodging their attacks. The genre in turn encompasses various types or subgenres and critics differ on exactly what...
" titles at the time. Utilizing action game
Action game
Action game is a video game genre that emphasizes physical challenges, including hand–eye coordination and reaction-time. The genre includes diverse subgenres such as fighting games, shooter games, and platform games, which are widely considered the most important action games, though some...
elements, the player is free to move about the screen as they choose, instead of being forced forward in normal scrolling shooter fashion. While similar to the earlier released game Commando in both style and presentation, Kiki KaiKai is described by Taito as a "lovely action game" offering an "exotic Asian atmosphere".
Shortly after the game's Japanese debut, a bootleg version called Knight Boy was released for arcades in various countries. This version, though not officially licensed by Taito, was an exact duplicate of the original KiKi KaiKai with an altered title screen, and contained no new gameplay elements or features.
Ports
Porting
In computer science, porting is the process of adapting software so that an executable program can be created for a computing environment that is different from the one for which it was originally designed...
to numerous home consoles and personal computer systems since its original arcade release. The game's first console version was released for the MSX
MSX
MSX was the name of a standardized home computer architecture in the 1980s conceived by Kazuhiko Nishi, then Vice-president at Microsoft Japan and Director at ASCII Corporation...
on February 10, 1987, with minor gameplay adjustments. On August 28, 1987, a version for the Disk System was released entitled KiKi KaiKai: Dotouhen, which added two-player support and a new playable character, "Miki-chan". A PC Engine
TurboGrafx-16
TurboGrafx-16, fully titled as TurboGrafx-16 Entertainment SuperSystem and known in Japan as the , is a video game console developed by Hudson Soft and NEC, released in Japan on October 30, 1987, and in North America on August 29, 1989....
version was released three years later on March 27, 1990, which was largely based on the previous Disk System instalment. The game made the jump from consoles on June 12, 2003, when Taito developed a java
Java
Java is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million , it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is home to 60% of Indonesia's population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in west Java...
-based version of KiKi KaiKai for mobile phones called KiKi KaiKai: The Bizarre World. A port programmed by MediaKite appeared on May 14, 2004 for Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
-based PCs, and a web-based game service was launched on Taito's Japanese website later that year courtesy of EZWeb.
KiKi KaiKai was also made available along with various other classic Taito titles in a number of compilations. It would appear in the Japanese-only Taito Memories Vol. 1 for the PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
on July 28, 2005, and again in Taito Pocket Memories for the PlayStation Portable
PlayStation Portable
The is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...
in 2006
2006 in video gaming
-Events:* January 26, 2006 -- Nintendo announces its newly redesigned handheld, the Nintendo DS Lite. The new model is lighter, smaller, has configurable brightness and features an improved user interface.* January 26, 2006 -- Konami Corp...
. Bandai
Bandai
is a Japanese toy making and video game company, as well as the producer of a large number of plastic model kits. It is the world's third-largest producer of toys . Some ex-Bandai group companies produce anime and tokusatsu programs...
's 2006 plug-and-play TV controller, Let's! TV Play Classic: Taito Nostalgia 2 would also contain a version, as well as a new character, Kakurenbou. The game would be officially released in English for the first time as part of Taito Legends 2
Taito Legends 2
Taito Legends 2 is the sequel to Taito Legends and is a follow-up collection of 39 Taito arcade games for the PlayStation 2, Xbox and PC....
for the PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
, PC
Personal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
, and Xbox
Xbox
The Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...
released in North America in May 2007, and later in Taito Legends: Power-Up for the PlayStation Portable.
Music
KiKi KaiKais soundtrack, composed by Hisayoshi OguraHisayoshi Ogura
is a former member of Taito Corporation's "house band" Zuntata. He is best known for his musical compositions in the Darius arcade series. His musical style is often experimental electronica; however, in Zoids Infinity Ex he focused on more on an orchestrated soundtrack...
, is reflective of traditional Japanese folk music, mostly utilizing woodwind and string instrument
String instrument
A string instrument is a musical instrument that produces sound by means of vibrating strings. In the Hornbostel-Sachs scheme of musical instrument classification, used in organology, they are called chordophones...
s like the shamisen
Shamisen
The , also called is a three-stringed, Japanese musical instrument played with a plectrum called a bachi. The Japanese pronunciation is usually "shamisen" but sometimes "jamisen" when used as a suffix . -Construction:The shamisen is a plucked stringed instrument...
with an electronic
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
beat. The music was originally presented in mono format, and was composed entirely of synth-based chiptunes, a standard audio development system for older video game hardware
Hardware
Hardware is a general term for equipment such as keys, locks, hinges, latches, handles, wire, chains, plumbing supplies, tools, utensils, cutlery and machine parts. Household hardware is typically sold in hardware stores....
. An exclusive game soundtrack
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
was never released commercially, but all the music from the game was featured on the 1987 album Taito Game Music (catalog number 28XA-110) published by Alfa Music as a single track medley
Medley (music)
In music, a medley is a piece composed from parts of existing pieces, usually three, played one after another, sometimes overlapping. They are common in popular music, and most medleys are songs rather than instrumental. A medley which is a remixed series is called a megamix, often done with tracks...
. Each song was later presented as individualized tracks on the 2002 re-release of Taito Game Music (SCDC-00156), this time published by Sci-Tron Digital Content.
Critical response
Despite frequent ports, KiKi KaiKai has garnered harsh reviews long after its initial release. GameSpotGameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
considers the games one of Taito's sleepier titles, and of overall less quality than their other classic games like Bubble Bobble
Bubble Bobble
is an arcade game by Taito, first released in 1986 and later ported to numerous home computers and game consoles. The game, starring the twin Bubble Dragons and , is an action-platform game in which players travel through one hundred different stages, blowing and bursting bubbles, avoiding...
and Double Dragon
Double Dragon
is a classic beat 'em up video game series initially developed by Technos Japan Corporation, who also developed the Kunio-kun series ....
(the latter was licensed from Technos for the U.S.). The game's graphics, though unique at the time they were produced, did not preserve well, with AllGames.com remarking that "once you get over your initial amusement at the game's smiling ghosts and comical skeletons, you'll find the graphics to be dull. The controls were seen as simplistic, yet responsive, though each of the game's levels were found to be too monotonous.
Legacy
As the first game in the KiKi KaiKai franchise, the original game set the standard for future games in the series. In addition to several ports and versions on other platforms, in 19921992 in video gaming
-Events:-Notable releases:* Gremlin Graphics releases Zool, Amiga's answer to Mario and Sonic. It goes on to become the best selling Commodore Amiga game, boosting the already popular computer to be the leading gaming machine in Europe....
, Taito released the game's first true sequel, KiKi KaiKai: Nazo no Kuro Manto, which would be known as Pocky & Rocky
Pocky & Rocky
Pocky & Rocky, known in Japan as , is a scrolling shooter video game with action elements licensed by Taito to Natsume, who developed and published the game for release in Japan in 1992 and the rest of the world in 1993...
for its North American release. This title would be followed by two more sequels, Pocky & Rocky 2
Pocky & Rocky 2
Pocky & Rocky 2 is an action-adventure video game developed and published by Natsume in Japan and North America, and published in PAL regions by Ocean Software for the Super NES video game console...
and Pocky & Rocky with Becky
Pocky & Rocky with Becky
Pocky & Rocky with Becky is a video game developed and published by Altron in Japan, and published by Natsume in North America for the Game Boy Advance. It is the third game published under the Pocky & Rocky title.-External links:**...
over the coming years.
A modern continuation to KiKi KaiKai, KiKi KaiKai 2, was originally in development for the PlayStation 2 console by Starfish Entertainment and set for a 2006 release, but was canceled early in its development only to reemerge as the unlicensed spiritual successor with title Kiki Kai World, which later became Heavenly Guardian
Heavenly Guardian
Heavenly Guardian, known in Japan as and as Legend of Sayuki in Europe, is a scrolling shooter game developed by Starfish SD. It was self-published in Japan, published by UFO Interactive Games in North America, and published by 505 Games in Europe...
when published.
The protagonist of the game's design, as well as the ghost enemies, would later become heavy influences for the charactes Reimu Hakurei and equvilent ghost enemies respectively in the Touhou Project
Touhou Project
The , also known as Toho Project or Project Shrine Maiden, is a Japanese dōjin game series focused on bullet hell shooters made by the one-man developer Team Shanghai Alice, whose sole member, known as ZUN, is responsible for all the graphics, music, and programming for the most part...
games on the PC-98.