The Goonies II
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| The Goonies II | |
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| Developer(s) | Konami |
| Publisher(s) | Konami |
| Release date(s) | November, 1987 |
| Genre(s) | Platform game |
| Mode(s) | Single player |
| Platform(s) | Famicom and Famicom Disk System |
| Media | 48-kilobyte cartridge and FDS disk |
The Goonies II is a video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System, released in 1987, and developed by Konami. It is a sequel to the first Goonies game, which was unreleased in the United States. This led many people to believe that it was supposed to be a sequel to the movie The Goonies. The plot, however, does lend itself as a possible second chapter to the film. As Mikey, your quest is to rescue the other six Goonies who have been kidnapped by the Fratelli gang -- recently escaped from jail once again.
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[edit] The Map
The game begins at the entrance to a mansion, though it is quickly made clear that the building is linked to an increasingly-exotic series of other areas through passageways, including ice and lava caves, a mountainside chasm crossed via suspension bridge, and even a medieval-style castle. Stylisically, the design is very similar to the Metroid series or the newer 2D Castlevania games such as Symphony of the Night. The map is divided into two sides (a front and a back) which are connected by a vast number of doors spread throughout the complex. Usually, travelling a great distance requires the player to switch back and forth multiple times to bypass dead-ends or other obstacles.
Like similar-themed games, progress requires acquiring certain items (designed to be collected in a specific order, though well-skilled or prepared adventurers can sometimes skip steps) to unlock later sections of the map. These include hyper shoes (for long jumps), spring boots (for high jumps), bombs (for opening hidden doors), a candle (for lighting dark rooms in first-person mode), a hammer (for opening hidden doors in first-person mode), a ladder (to traverse between floors in first-person mode), and a scuba suit (to enter underwater areas).
Whenever the player enters a door, the game switches from a side-scrolling to first-person perspective. There, a list of commands appears which allow a choice between going in an open direction, hitting the walls/objects in the room with your first (which sometimes spawns items), taking items on the ground, or using an item from your inventory (the hammer or ladder).
The Goonies II is a long and difficult game to complete. With its sprawling interconnected maps, first-person problem-solving sequences, and a plethora of secrets and hidden items, it is easy for the player to get stuck or lost. Most players who manage to reach the end do so with the help of a strategy guide or walkthrough. The Goonies II was one of the games covered in-depth in The Official Nintendo Player's Guide.
[edit] Weapons
There are a number at the player's disposal as well. Mikey starts off with the yo-yo, a short-range weapon with limited power. He can later find and equip the slingshot, which allows attacks from far away but is dependent on rarely-found ammunition, or the boomerang. While the boomerang is stronger than the yo-yo and can be thrown an infinite number of times, enemies that appear on the suspension bridge area (a necessary crossroads on the map) can take it from your inventory. Fortunately, it can be found in more than one place.
Mikey can also make use of secondary weapons at the same time as his primary weapons, a choice between a molotov cocktail or time bomb. The molotov is thrown a short distance ahead of the player, while the bomb is dropped directly at his feet and should be cleared from before it explodes. Both can cause damage to Mikey if he is caught in the attack area. They deal far more damage than the regular weapons, but are also restricted in regard to how many can be carried at once. The stock can be replenished readily by defeating almost any enemy, however.
[edit] Characters
In first-person mode, a number of regular characters will sometimes appear in the passageways:
- Old Man - Dressed entirely in white and carries a cane. He marks the appearance of a warp zone that facilitates travel from one sector to another. If you choose to "hit" him with the fist icon or "use" the hammer on him, that warp zone will be blocked until you reset and continue the game using a password.
- Konami Man - Wears a red and blue costume like Superman. He will completely refill your health as often as you enter his room, though these rooms are often the most difficult to reach. The earliest instance requires the player to try and "enter" a room directly underneath a damaging waterfall while riding a moving platform. If Konamiman is struck, he will cease being helpful much like the Old Man. I don't give energy because you hit me.
- Oriental Man - Gives the player the candle item. In this case, you actually need to (inexplicably) punch him exactly five times in order to force him to relinquish the object.
- Goonies - Locked behind barred doors deep in each of the map's sectors, they require a key (rare drop from enemies) to be released, after which they disappear from the room.
- Annie the Mermaid - Inhabits the final room in the game. Like the Goonies, she was captured by the Fratellis and imprisoned at the end of the second underwater area. Strangely, she is not mentioned throughout the entire game and only makes an appearance for the ending (besides the game's cover, where she can be clearly seen), where she professes to "love" Mikey and gives him a kiss.
In addition to the consequences listed above, hitting these characters with a fist prompted the compelling engrish retort: "Ouch! What do you do?"
[edit] Enemies
In addition to a number of unusual enemies (such as animated suits of armor, meat-cleaver throwing eskimos, and fire-breathing dragons), the Fratellis make repeated appearances in certain rooms. They cannot be "killed" like other monsters, only stunned. After a short period of time, they get up and continue to chase the player (if still on-screen)
- Jake Fratelli - Large man in blue suit. Shoots bullets at Mikey.
- Francis Fratelli - Thin man in blue suit. Shoots arrows at Mikey.
- Mama Fratelli - Old-looking, hobbled woman. Throws bouncing bombs.
- Cousin "Pip-Squeak" Fratelli (a character exclusive to The Goonies II) - Short, rotund man in blue suit. Jumps at Mikey. Unlike the other Fratelli characters, Pip-Squeak can be "defeated" as a normal enemy.
[edit] Trivia
The theme Goonies 'R' Good Enough by Cyndi Lauper, featured in the beginning of The Goonies II was remixed by Mr. T for Pop n' Music 10, from Konami's Bemani Series. The theme retains its original 8-bit song from the NES with added drum and bass beats.
