Yumetaro Returns After 32 Years!

 

Mr. Yumetaro

Who Is Mr. Yumetaro?

Ahhh, 1992, was a year cemented in video game history for the many groundbreaking moments during its run. Why, this was the year that Mortal Kombat ushered in a new realm for violence in video games and was one of the main reasons the ESRB was created. We also got the first blockbuster FPS Wolfenstein 3-D, Alone in the Dark ushered in a new wave of horror games and Sunsoft published Gimmick! You know, Gimmick! One of the greatest 8-bit platformers of all time! Ok, seriously now...you never heard of Gimmick? You know what, that's fine. I assume that's why you're here reading this on the toilet during your lunch break, and you know what...good for you! 

Alright, so in 1992, Gimmick was released for the Nintendo Famicom in Japan and Scandinavia. Effectively introducing us to Mr. Yumetaro, a green yokai able to throw stars in self-defense and capable of running high speeds and jumping to great heights...however, he is also afraid of humans so he spends his day hiding in a toy store among other plushies that look vaguely like him. One day he gets picked up at random, mistaken for a toy, and is given as a gift to a little girl who lives with her family in a huge mansion. Shortly after she discovers he's a live yokai and befriends him, little does she know that all her toys come alive one night and kidnap her away to another dimension! So it is up to you the player as Mr. Yumetaro to travel to that dimension and save the little girl from her evil toys.

Gameplay of Gimmick during a forest level

So, why is he back?

Gimmick as a series, never got a sequel. Being more of a cult hit and released to a smaller audience really limited the character's reach. However, thankfully over the years, the game gained a larger cult following among hardcore fans of retro games and platformers. In 2020 the original game got a remake for the Nintendo Switch on the Eshop. This brought a pleasant surprise to fans of the genre and was remade with enhanced visuals and more responsive button inputs. As of 2024, the sales of the digital-only remake were enough to prompt and legitimize a sequel which we recently got a trailer of today on the Nintendo YouTube channel.

You can enjoy the gameplay trailer down below!

Overview

• Solve puzzles, trick enemies, and, explore a physics-based playground
• New enemy designs that take us back to the glory of 8-bit character design
• Incredibly catchy soundtrack that is sure to make even the coldest heart smile
• If you're looking for a new platformer to invest time in, once this releases on the Switch make sure to give this a chance!

In Closing

Though I have no prior experience with this series, I can say that after doing some research on the title and listening to its incredible soundtrack, the sequel is sure to be a balls-to-the-wall fun ride. Hopefully, we have a new franchise player join the elite mascots and characters that have become cultural icons throughout Nintendo's history. Thank you once again for taking the time out of your day to read this post, and have a great day!

Post written by: Johannes A. Figueroa Miletti (7/18/2024)

For work inquiries contact:  (johannes.figueroa1792@gmail.com )