Time Twist: Rekishi no Katasumi de...
Encyclopedia
is a text-based adventure game developed by Pax Softnica
under Nintendo EAD and published by Nintendo
for the Family Computer Disk System in 1991. The game was never released outside of Japan.
Time Twist was sold across two separate discs released on the same day, and completion of the first disc is required to activate the second. Many members of the Famicom Fairytales: Shin Onigashima
and Famicom Fairytales: Yuuyuuki
. staff also participated in the development of this game.
collaboration began on Famicom Folktale: Island of Oni
and continue through Famicom Folktale: Brave Spirits
. On the original two works, Nintendo EAD handled the story design and character design with Tatsuya Hishida leading the efforts as creative director on the behalf of Nintendo
. Development on Time Twist shifted towards Pax Softnica
and designer Keiji Terui as Nintendo EAD only provided the music and production tasks.
The game is played by choosing text commands given on the screen. The nameless protagonist is a young boy whose soul becomes separated from his body by a devil, allowing him to temporarily take control of other humans and animals. He must use this ability to thwart the plans of the time-traveling devil and return to his own body.
The game takes place in real historical locations and deals with serious themes such as religion, war and racism. Despite the serious setting, the game handles the topics with some light comic relief. Logic puzzles and historical trivia questions are presented over the course of the game, and the player must solve these correctly in order to progress. Unlike in previous Nintendo adventure games, you cannot get a "Game Over". Making a wrong choice will simply halt progress or return you to the previous scene to try again.
Like the Famicom Mukashibanashi games, all text in Time Twist is presented in hiragana
, including names of non-Japanese objects, people, and countries, which would normally be written in katakana
. The only sections of the game that contain katakana and kanji
are the title screen and staff roll.
On September 25, 1995, a young boy living in Tokyo hears on a fortune telling show that he will meet the girl of his dreams in a museum located outside the city limits. He visits the "Devil Museum" and meets a girl inside, but a sudden earthquake cuts their meeting short. The boy recites the incantation from the fortune-telling show said to "capture the heart of the girl of his dreams", but the incantation destroys the seal on a vase containing the devil.
The reanimated devil takes control of the boy's body, leaving the boy trapped in the devil's decaying body. He chases the devil to the house of Dr. Simon, a physics scientist hiding from the media. The devil has stolen the scientist's time machine called the "Time Belt" and uses it to travel back in time. The young boy's soul is also pulled back into the past by the Time Belt.
, Alexander the Great, Abraham Lincoln
and Jesus
of Nazareth
are described as the "Children of God," who have been sent to quell the disturbances caused by the devil.
Devil's portrait
Box of Sabbath
Gypsy charm
Bell of admonition
Devil's claw
Demon sealing vase
in Japan. Nintendo did not promote the game on television, as they had with their previous adventure games.
The game's rarity led to the packaged version being exchanged at prices higher than the original 2,600 yen. The rising price of the packaged release made the disk re-writing service a cheaper alternative to buying the game at 500 yen. Nintendo ended the re-writing service for Time Twist in Autumn of 2002; a year earlier than the end of all Disk System re-writing in September, 2003.
Pax Softnica
is a Japanese video game developer founded in 1983 under the name Image Soft and based in Kanagawa, Japan. Pax Softnica developed strong ties with Nintendo, and was hired often as a subcontracted programmer to work with Nintendo EAD and Nintendo R&D1 on several games published on Nintendo consoles....
under Nintendo EAD and published by Nintendo
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
for the Family Computer Disk System in 1991. The game was never released outside of Japan.
Time Twist was sold across two separate discs released on the same day, and completion of the first disc is required to activate the second. Many members of the Famicom Fairytales: Shin Onigashima
Shin Onigashima
, often simply referred to as , is a video game title developed by Nintendo EAD and Pax Softnica and published by Nintendo. It was first released on two disk cards for the Family Computer Disk System. The first disk was released on September 4, 1987, while the second disk was released September 30,...
and Famicom Fairytales: Yuuyuuki
Yuyuki
, often simply titled as , is a text-based adventure video game title developed by Nintendo EAD and Pax Softnica and published by Nintendo exclusively in Japan for the Family Computer Disk System...
. staff also participated in the development of this game.
Development
The Nintendo EAD and Pax SoftnicaPax Softnica
is a Japanese video game developer founded in 1983 under the name Image Soft and based in Kanagawa, Japan. Pax Softnica developed strong ties with Nintendo, and was hired often as a subcontracted programmer to work with Nintendo EAD and Nintendo R&D1 on several games published on Nintendo consoles....
collaboration began on Famicom Folktale: Island of Oni
Shin Onigashima
, often simply referred to as , is a video game title developed by Nintendo EAD and Pax Softnica and published by Nintendo. It was first released on two disk cards for the Family Computer Disk System. The first disk was released on September 4, 1987, while the second disk was released September 30,...
and continue through Famicom Folktale: Brave Spirits
Yuyuki
, often simply titled as , is a text-based adventure video game title developed by Nintendo EAD and Pax Softnica and published by Nintendo exclusively in Japan for the Family Computer Disk System...
. On the original two works, Nintendo EAD handled the story design and character design with Tatsuya Hishida leading the efforts as creative director on the behalf of Nintendo
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
. Development on Time Twist shifted towards Pax Softnica
Pax Softnica
is a Japanese video game developer founded in 1983 under the name Image Soft and based in Kanagawa, Japan. Pax Softnica developed strong ties with Nintendo, and was hired often as a subcontracted programmer to work with Nintendo EAD and Nintendo R&D1 on several games published on Nintendo consoles....
and designer Keiji Terui as Nintendo EAD only provided the music and production tasks.
Gameplay
The game takes place in real historical locations and deals with serious themes such as religion, war and racism. Despite the serious setting, the game handles the topics with some light comic relief. Logic puzzles and historical trivia questions are presented over the course of the game, and the player must solve these correctly in order to progress. Unlike in previous Nintendo adventure games, you cannot get a "Game Over". Making a wrong choice will simply halt progress or return you to the previous scene to try again.
Like the Famicom Mukashibanashi games, all text in Time Twist is presented in hiragana
Hiragana
is a Japanese syllabary, one basic component of the Japanese writing system, along with katakana, kanji, and the Latin alphabet . Hiragana and katakana are both kana systems, in which each character represents one mora...
, including names of non-Japanese objects, people, and countries, which would normally be written in katakana
Katakana
is a Japanese syllabary, one component of the Japanese writing system along with hiragana, kanji, and in some cases the Latin alphabet . The word katakana means "fragmentary kana", as the katakana scripts are derived from components of more complex kanji. Each kana represents one mora...
. The only sections of the game that contain katakana and kanji
Kanji
Kanji are the adopted logographic Chinese characters hanzi that are used in the modern Japanese writing system along with hiragana , katakana , Indo Arabic numerals, and the occasional use of the Latin alphabet...
are the title screen and staff roll.
Introduction
The year is 1995, and the impending turn of the century is instilling fear and uncertainty in mankind, and fortune telling shows have become popular.On September 25, 1995, a young boy living in Tokyo hears on a fortune telling show that he will meet the girl of his dreams in a museum located outside the city limits. He visits the "Devil Museum" and meets a girl inside, but a sudden earthquake cuts their meeting short. The boy recites the incantation from the fortune-telling show said to "capture the heart of the girl of his dreams", but the incantation destroys the seal on a vase containing the devil.
The reanimated devil takes control of the boy's body, leaving the boy trapped in the devil's decaying body. He chases the devil to the house of Dr. Simon, a physics scientist hiding from the media. The devil has stolen the scientist's time machine called the "Time Belt" and uses it to travel back in time. The young boy's soul is also pulled back into the past by the Time Belt.
Settings and characters
Below is a table listing the various events and historical personages that appear throughout the game. Joan of ArcJoan of Arc
Saint Joan of Arc, nicknamed "The Maid of Orléans" , is a national heroine of France and a Roman Catholic saint. A peasant girl born in eastern France who claimed divine guidance, she led the French army to several important victories during the Hundred Years' War, which paved the way for the...
, Alexander the Great, Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
and Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
of Nazareth
Nazareth
Nazareth is the largest city in the North District of Israel. Known as "the Arab capital of Israel," the population is made up predominantly of Palestinian Arab citizens of Israel...
are described as the "Children of God," who have been sent to quell the disturbances caused by the devil.
| Disc | Year | Location | Historical occurrences | Historical personages | Important items |
| One | 1995 | Tokyo, Japan | Fortune telling has become popular due to growing uncertainty towards the end of the century | none | Devil's portrait |
| 1428 | A castle town Castle town A castle town is a settlement built adjacent to or surrounding a castle. Castle towns are common in Medieval Europe. Good example include small towns like Alnwick and Arundel, which are still dominated by their castles... in Medieval France |
A witch hunt conducted by the church is targeting societal misfits | Joan of Arc Joan of Arc Saint Joan of Arc, nicknamed "The Maid of Orléans" , is a national heroine of France and a Roman Catholic saint. A peasant girl born in eastern France who claimed divine guidance, she led the French army to several important victories during the Hundred Years' War, which paved the way for the... |
Box of sabbath | |
| 1944 | A concentration camp in Southern Germany Southern Germany The term Southern Germany is used to describe a region in the south of Germany. There is no specific boundary to the region, but it usually includes all of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg, and the southern part of Hesse... |
World War II World War II World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis... and the extermination of Jews in Nazi Germany |
Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945... |
Gypsy charm | |
| Two | Around 400 BC | Athens in Ancient Greece History of Athens Athens is one of the oldest named cities in the world, having been continuously inhabited for at least 7000 years. Situated in southern Europe, Athens became the leading city of Ancient Greece in the first millennium BCE and its cultural achievements during the 5th century BCE laid the foundations... |
Expansion of the Macedonian Empire | Alexander the Great, Aristotle Aristotle Aristotle was a Greek philosopher and polymath, a student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great. His writings cover many subjects, including physics, metaphysics, poetry, theater, music, logic, rhetoric, linguistics, politics, government, ethics, biology, and zoology... |
Bell of admonition |
| 1864 | A cotton plantation in Atlanta, Georgia Atlanta, Georgia Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in... |
The American Civil War American Civil War The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25... and the Emancipation Proclamation Emancipation Proclamation The Emancipation Proclamation is an executive order issued by United States President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863, during the American Civil War using his war powers. It proclaimed the freedom of 3.1 million of the nation's 4 million slaves, and immediately freed 50,000 of them, with nearly... |
Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and... |
Devil's claw | |
| Around 100 BC | Nazareth Nazareth Nazareth is the largest city in the North District of Israel. Known as "the Arab capital of Israel," the population is made up predominantly of Palestinian Arab citizens of Israel... and Bethlehem Bethlehem Bethlehem is a Palestinian city in the central West Bank of the Jordan River, near Israel and approximately south of Jerusalem, with a population of about 30,000 people. It is the capital of the Bethlehem Governorate of the Palestinian National Authority and a hub of Palestinian culture and tourism... |
Annunciation Annunciation The Annunciation, also referred to as the Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary or Annunciation of the Lord, is the Christian celebration of the announcement by the angel Gabriel to Virgin Mary, that she would conceive and become the mother of Jesus the Son of God. Gabriel told Mary to name her... , The Nativity, and the Adoration of the Magi Biblical Magi The Magi Greek: μάγοι, magoi), also referred to as the Wise Men, Kings, Astrologers, or Kings from the East, were a group of distinguished foreigners who were said to have visited Jesus after his birth, bearing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh... |
Virgin Mary, Saint Joseph Saint Joseph Saint Joseph is a figure in the Gospels, the husband of the Virgin Mary and the earthly father of Jesus Christ .... , Jesus Jesus Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity... of Nazareth Nazareth Nazareth is the largest city in the North District of Israel. Known as "the Arab capital of Israel," the population is made up predominantly of Palestinian Arab citizens of Israel... |
Demon sealing vase | |
| 1995 | Tokyo, Japan | The world has been destroyed by nuclear warfare | none | Devil's portrait |
Important items
Certain items appear in each age which play a key role in completing the game. All of these items (excluding the Devil's portrait) were collected by the museum owner and displayed at the museum as historical artifacts.Devil's portrait
- A portrait drawn by the owner of the museum using artistic techniques developed in all different parts of the world. It was not displayed in the museum because it was never completed; it hangs on the wall of the museum owner's home. The depiction of the devil closely resembles that of the protagonist.
Box of Sabbath
- A weighty box engraved with unsettling patterns. The religion that made a covenant with the devil hid their contract within this box.
Gypsy charm
- An ancient good-luck charm placed within a pendant. An incantation that dispels the devil is engraved on its star-shaped metal plate. It was given to an American soldier by a prisoner of war.
Bell of admonition
- A small hand bellBell (instrument)A bell is a simple sound-making device. The bell is a percussion instrument and an idiophone. Its form is usually a hollow, cup-shaped object, which resonates upon being struck...
used by the Egyptian pharaoh to repel the devil. An Athenian doctor received it from a SpartaSpartaSparta or Lacedaemon, was a prominent city-state in ancient Greece, situated on the banks of the River Eurotas in Laconia, in south-eastern Peloponnese. It emerged as a political entity around the 10th century BC, when the invading Dorians subjugated the local, non-Dorian population. From c...
n soldier as payment for his services.
Devil's claw
- A statue in the likeness of the sharp, claw-like hand of the devil. Was used as a religious icon by worshipers of the devil.
Demon sealing vase
- A beautifully engraved droplet vase presented to the infant Jesus of Nazareth by the three magi. Jesus seals the devil into this vase later during his life.
History
Time Twist was the last packaged release on the Disk System, released eight months after the release of the Super FamicomSuper Nintendo Entertainment System
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a 16-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993. In Japan and Southeast Asia, the system is called the , or SFC for short...
in Japan. Nintendo did not promote the game on television, as they had with their previous adventure games.
The game's rarity led to the packaged version being exchanged at prices higher than the original 2,600 yen. The rising price of the packaged release made the disk re-writing service a cheaper alternative to buying the game at 500 yen. Nintendo ended the re-writing service for Time Twist in Autumn of 2002; a year earlier than the end of all Disk System re-writing in September, 2003.
External links
- Time Twist at NinDB