Monster Party
Encyclopedia
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. The game follows a boy named Mark who is asked by a gargoyle/dragon-like alien named Bert to help rid his world, Dark World, from the monsters that have invaded it. The game both plays homage to and parodies horror
pop culture, alternately featuring enemies and locations based on classic horror icons, and parodic reinterpretations.
In the 2000s the game became infamous in online gaming circles when a prototype
screenshot
s of a Japan
ese Famicom
began circulating, showing that the game was originally intended to be much darker and more morbid than the relatively light-hearted version that was ultimately released to American and European gamers. No version of the game was ever released in Japan. On May 26, 2011, a prototype of the canceled Japanese release was listed on Yahoo! Japan auctions, closing at a very high price of ¥483000 (approximately $6000 in American dollars).
game by a winged, gargoyle
-like alien
named Bert who requests his assistance in ridding "evil monster
s" from his realm, "Dark World". Mark is reluctant to help, but Bert insists, saying that Mark can use his "weapon
" (his baseball bat) 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 characters all its own. Some traditional horror bosses
the game features include a mummy
, giant spider
s, zombie
s, Medusa
, a Dragon
, and The Grim Reaper
; the game also features more esoteric enemies, such as Banchō Sarayashiki's well
from Japanese folklore
. Enemies unique to the game include a large, talking caterpillar
; walking pants
; a giant cat that hurls kittens as projectiles; and a bouncing piece of fried shrimp.
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.
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.
After beating the eight levels, the player faces the Dark World Master, seen only as an angry giant zombie
face that shoots flying eyeballs. His nose opens into another eye, his only weak spot.
Monster Party is infamous in the retro gaming community for prototype images released in Japan before the game's release in the US. The images reveal a different original concept for the game that was much darker and more graphically complex than the version eventually released.
Originally, the title screen was to be covered in blood, and the enemies designed to look much more horrific than in the final game. The first level's setting, presently an abstract
black-and-pink pattern, was originally an elaborately drawn mountain range at sunset. 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.
The game is remembered for its bizarre premise by both fans and critics alike. The horror content that was permitted to remain in the game—notably large amounts of blood and the use of the word "hell"-- have puzzled gamers, as Nintendo was notorious for enforcing censorship policies in the late 1980s and early 90s, when the game was released.
In the latter 2000s, following the release of beta images, gamers realized that an invisible platform inside the man eating plant's chamber was in fact the "deleted" speaker system, and that programmers had simply covered the sprite in black pixels rather than outright remove it. This led to the establishment of a restoration project, in which gamers began searching through the game's source code in attempt to discover if other "deleted" content had in fact remained on the cartridge, and reinsert it into a "restored" version of the game. As of 2011 the project is still underway.
Nintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
, released in the U.S. in 1989 by 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...
. It was and remains a relatively obscure platform game
Platform game
A platform game is a video game characterized by requiring the player to jump to and from suspended platforms or over obstacles . It must be possible to control these jumps and to fall from platforms or miss jumps...
for the console, having a small following among some players. The game follows a boy named Mark who is asked by a gargoyle/dragon-like alien named Bert to help rid his world, Dark World, from the monsters that have invaded it. The game both plays homage to and parodies horror
Horror fiction
Horror fiction also Horror fantasy is a philosophy of literature, which is intended to, or has the capacity to frighten its readers, inducing feelings of horror and terror. It creates an eerie atmosphere. Horror can be either supernatural or non-supernatural...
pop culture, alternately featuring enemies and locations based on classic horror icons, and parodic reinterpretations.
In the 2000s the game became infamous in online gaming circles when a prototype
Prototype
A prototype is an early sample or model built to test a concept or process or to act as a thing to be replicated or learned from.The word prototype derives from the Greek πρωτότυπον , "primitive form", neutral of πρωτότυπος , "original, primitive", from πρῶτος , "first" and τύπος ,...
screenshot
Screenshot
A screenshot , screen capture , screen dump, screengrab , or print screen is an image taken by a computer to record the visible items displayed on the monitor, television, or another visual output device...
s of a Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese Famicom
Nintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
began circulating, showing that the game was originally intended to be much darker and more morbid than the relatively light-hearted version that was ultimately released to American and European gamers. No version of the game was ever released in Japan. On May 26, 2011, a prototype of the canceled Japanese release was listed on Yahoo! Japan auctions, closing at a very high price of ¥483000 (approximately $6000 in American dollars).
Story
The story centers on a child named Mark who is accosted on his way home from a baseballBaseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
game by a winged, gargoyle
Gargoyle
In architecture, a gargoyle is a carved stone grotesque, usually made of granite, with a spout designed to convey water from a roof and away from the side of a building thereby preventing rainwater from running down masonry walls and eroding the mortar between...
-like alien
Extraterrestrial life
Extraterrestrial life is defined as life that does not originate from Earth...
named Bert who requests his assistance in ridding "evil monster
Monster
A monster is any fictional creature, usually found in legends or horror fiction, that is somewhat hideous and may produce physical harm or mental fear by either its appearance or its actions...
s" from his realm, "Dark World". Mark is reluctant to help, but Bert insists, saying that Mark can use his "weapon
Weapon
A weapon, arm, or armament is a tool or instrument used with the aim of causing damage or harm to living beings or artificial structures or systems...
" (his baseball bat) 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 characters all its own. Some traditional horror bosses
Boss (video games)
A boss is an enemy-based challenge which is found in video games. A fight with a boss character is commonly referred to as a boss battle or boss fight...
the game features include a mummy
Mummy
A mummy is a body, human or animal, whose skin and organs have been preserved by either intentional or incidental exposure to chemicals, extreme coldness , very low humidity, or lack of air when bodies are submerged in bogs, so that the recovered body will not decay further if kept in cool and dry...
, giant spider
Spider
Spiders are air-breathing arthropods that have eight legs, and chelicerae with fangs that inject venom. They are the largest order of arachnids and rank seventh in total species diversity among all other groups of organisms...
s, zombie
Zombie
Zombie is a term used to denote an animated corpse brought back to life by mystical means such as witchcraft. The term is often figuratively applied to describe a hypnotized person bereft of consciousness and self-awareness, yet ambulant and able to respond to surrounding stimuli...
s, Medusa
Medusa
In Greek mythology Medusa , " guardian, protectress") was a Gorgon, a chthonic monster, and a daughter of Phorcys and Ceto. The author Hyginus, interposes a generation and gives Medusa another chthonic pair as parents. Gazing directly upon her would turn onlookers to stone...
, a Dragon
Dragon
A dragon is a legendary creature, typically with serpentine or reptilian traits, that feature in the myths of many cultures. There are two distinct cultural traditions of dragons: the European dragon, derived from European folk traditions and ultimately related to Greek and Middle Eastern...
, and The Grim Reaper
Death (personification)
The concept of death as a sentient entity has existed in many societies since the beginning of history. In English, Death is often given the name Grim Reaper and, from the 15th century onwards, came to be shown as a skeletal figure carrying a large scythe and clothed in a black cloak with a hood...
; the game also features more esoteric enemies, such as Banchō Sarayashiki's well
Bancho Sarayashiki
is a Japanese ghost story of love separated by social class, broken trust and broken promises, leading to a dismal fate.The story of Okiku and the Nine Plates is one of the most famous in Japanese folklore, and continues to resonate with audiences today....
from Japanese folklore
Japanese folklore
The folklore of Japan is heavily influenced by both Shinto and Buddhism, the two primary religions in the country. It often involves humorous or bizarre characters and situations and also includes an assortment of supernatural beings, such as bodhisattva, kami , yōkai , yūrei ,...
. Enemies unique to the game include a large, talking caterpillar
Caterpillar
Caterpillars are the larval form of members of the order Lepidoptera . They are mostly herbivorous in food habit, although some species are insectivorous. Caterpillars are voracious feeders and many of them are considered to be pests in agriculture...
; walking pants
Trousers
Trousers are an item of clothing worn on the lower part of the body from the waist to the ankles, covering both legs separately...
; a giant cat that hurls kittens as projectiles; and a bouncing piece of fried shrimp.
Gameplay
Monster Party features eight levels
Level (computer and video games)
A level, map, area, or world in a video game is the total space available to the player during the course of completing a discrete objective...
, each of which has a unique password
Password (video games)
In many video games of the 8-bit and, to a lesser extent, 16-bit eras , after a level was beaten and/or when all continues were used, the game would display a password, that when entered in the game would allow the player to return to this part in the game...
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
Question mark
The question mark , is a punctuation mark that replaces the full stop at the end of an interrogative sentence in English and many other languages. The question mark is not used for indirect questions...
('?') item, which can either provide the player with health, points, or transformation into Bert.
Levels
- Dark World: Initially a grassy, mountainous region with blocks bearing smiley faces. After passing a haniwaHaniwaThe are terracotta clay figures which were made for ritual use and buried with the dead as funerary objects during the Kofun period of the history of Japan....
statute at the midway point, lightning strikes, the faces melt into bloody skulls, and the world becomes a hell environment. The bosses for this level are a Man-Eating Plant, a Dead Spider (no fighting necessary, as its dialogue box "SORRY, I'M DEAD" confirms), and a pumpkin-headed ghost.
- Dark World Dungeon: A sewer-like area infested with fish heads, crocodiles, and a blood-belching creature. Bosses for this level include Medusa,; Shrimp Attack; and a haunted wishing well that throws plates (a reference to the Banchō SarayashikiBancho Sarayashikiis a Japanese ghost story of love separated by social class, broken trust and broken promises, leading to a dismal fate.The story of Okiku and the Nine Plates is one of the most famous in Japanese folklore, and continues to resonate with audiences today....
ghost story).
- Dark World Cave: Bosses for this level include the Guardian of the Giant Sphinx, who complains that his legs are asleep; a Giant Spider; and the 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 The Walking Dead (a pair of invincible, dancing zombies who automatically deteriorate if the player simply watches them perform); and Mad Javelin Man, a large wooden robot.
- Dark World Haunted Mansion: A large maze that must be navigated. There is only one boss here, Chameleon Man, a giant, reptilian head that blends into its environment.
- Dark World Tower: An upward scrolling tower. Amongst gamers, the level is notorious for a bug that renders the game unwinnable if all three bosses are defeated; the player must only beat two and then proceed to the end of the level in order to beat it. 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 IIIiIi or ii can refer to:* ii , a digraph in certain romanized alphabets* Ii, Finland, a municipality of Finland* Ii is a Japanese surname, daimyo of Hikone** Ii clan, Japanese clan...
on its back.
- Dark World Heaven's Gate: A heaven-like area that defies the conventions of platformers by having a "hidden" area to the left of the starting position. Enemies include dynamite and witches. Bosses are a Pharaoh's Head, Hand Man, and Giant Dragon.
After beating the eight levels, the player faces the Dark World Master, seen only as an angry giant zombie
Zombie
Zombie is a term used to denote an animated corpse brought back to life by mystical means such as witchcraft. The term is often figuratively applied to describe a hypnotized person bereft of consciousness and self-awareness, yet ambulant and able to respond to surrounding stimuli...
face that shoots flying eyeballs. His nose opens into another eye, his only weak spot.
Legacy
Originally, the title screen was to be covered in blood, and the enemies designed to look much more horrific than in the final game. The first level's setting, presently an abstract
Abstract art
Abstract art uses a visual language of form, color and line to create a composition which may exist with a degree of independence from visual references in the world. Western art had been, from the Renaissance up to the middle of the 19th century, underpinned by the logic of perspective and an...
black-and-pink pattern, was originally an elaborately drawn mountain range at sunset. 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.
The game is remembered for its bizarre premise by both fans and critics alike. The horror content that was permitted to remain in the game—notably large amounts of blood and the use of the word "hell"-- have puzzled gamers, as Nintendo was notorious for enforcing censorship policies in the late 1980s and early 90s, when the game was released.
In the latter 2000s, following the release of beta images, gamers realized that an invisible platform inside the man eating plant's chamber was in fact the "deleted" speaker system, and that programmers had simply covered the sprite in black pixels rather than outright remove it. This led to the establishment of a restoration project, in which gamers began searching through the game's source code in attempt to discover if other "deleted" content had in fact remained on the cartridge, and reinsert it into a "restored" version of the game. As of 2011 the project is still underway.
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 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.
- Monster Party Beta Restoration Project Beta restoration of Monster party showing educated guess work of the Beta elements of Monster Party