Jajamaru no Daibouken is another almost-classic in the series
I have a serious soft-spot for Jajamaru-Kun. It was Jaleco’s almost-classic series of games. None were all that great, but they tried their little hearts out. 1986’s Jajamaru no Daibouken was the second game in the series (third if you count Ninja-Kun). Super Mario Bros. dominated the previous year, so for the sequel, Jaleco decided to change the formula to be more of a side-scrolling platformer.
1986 was the year that Metroid and Castlevania hit the scene. Next to them, Jajamaru no Daibouken is pretty embarrassing. It’s an obvious attempt to keep up with the pack but makes so many mistakes that it’s not batting in the same league. Despite that, it’s everything I love about plumbing the Famicom library. It’s unique, it’s blatantly Japanese, and it seems to exist in a moment that we never saw in the West.
Jajamaru no Daibouken has the same story as Ninja Jajamaru-kun. The princess has been taken prisoner by the Catfish pirate. Go save her. The big difference here is that instead of clearing out a bunch of short levels, you alternate between reaching the right side of the level and fighting a boss.
The levels are completely horizontal and typically consist of a bunch of floating platforms. Some of the blocks are destructible and contain either money, power-ups, or a bomb so you can die in a fire. There’s a wide variety of enemies standing in your way, and you throw shurikens to make them die. Pretty standard stuff.
The controls in Jajamaru no Daibouken are extraordinarily floaty. You’re also allowed only two projectiles on screen at a time, so if you miss, you’re waiting until those babies fall off the edge of the screen before you throw another. It’s not that difficult in concept, but there are 20 levels (before it just
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