Wikipedia

Mischief Makers

This article is about the video game. For other uses, seeMischief Makers (disambiguation).

Mischief Makers[a]is aside-scrollingplatform gamedeveloped for theNintendo 64gaming consolebyTreasure,and published in 1997 byEnixin Japan and byNintendointernationally. The player assumes the role of Marina Liteyears, a robotic maid who journeys to rescue her creator, Professor Theo, from the emperor of Planet Clancer. The gameplay is displayed in2.5D,based on grabbing, shaking, and throwing objects within five worlds and 52 levels.

Mischief Makers
A female robot named Marina Liteyears is blasting toward the right side of the box art, with fist outstretched and a trail of fire behind her. On the ground is a legion of identical, sad-faced creatures. The logo is in big, green bubble letters, and the Nintendo 64 sidebar flanks on the right.
North American box art
Developer(s)Treasure
Publisher(s)
Director(s)Hideyuki Suganami[1]
Producer(s)Yuuchi Kikumoto[1]
Programmer(s)Masato Maegawa[1]
Writer(s)Hideyuki Suganami[1]
Composer(s)Norio Hanzawa[1]
Platform(s)Nintendo 64
Release
  • JP:June 27, 1997
  • NA:October 1, 1997
  • EU:December 12, 1997
  • AU:1998
Genre(s)Platform
Mode(s)Single-player

It is the first 2D side-scrolling game for the Nintendo 64, and Treasure's first release for a Nintendo console. The 12-person team began development in mid-1995 with little knowledge of the prototype console. The team wanted to make a novel gameplay mechanic, and implementing the resultant "catching" technique became their most difficult task. The game was announced at the 1997Electronic Entertainment Expoand was released in Japan on June 27 that year and later in the United States, Europe, and Australia.

Mischief Makersreceived mixed reviews. Critics praised its inventiveness, personality, andBossfights, but criticized its short length, low difficulty, lowreplay value,sound, and harsh introductory learning curve. Retrospective reviewers disagreed with the originally poor reception, and multiple reviewers noted Marina's signature "Shake, shake!"sound biteas a highlight. Video game journalists appealed for its reissue either through theNintendo eShopor in a sequel or franchise reboot. In 2009,GamesRadarcalled it possibly the most underrated Nintendo 64 game.

Gameplay

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As Marina grabs a bomb, "clanball" platforms and warp stars float nearby.

Mischief Makersis the firstsingle-player2Dside-scrollingplatform gameon theNintendo 64.[2]Its gameplay combines platformgame mechanicswith aspects from the action and puzzle genres.[3]The characters and backgrounds are modeled in pre-rendered 3D[4]similar toDonkey Kong Country's "Advanced Computer Modeling".[3]This style, with 3D backgrounds behind 2D gameplay, is known as2.5D.[5]Its gameplay is more exploratory than previousrun-and-gun gamesfrom Treasure.[6]

Theplayer-character,a robotic maid named Marina, journeys to save her kidnapped creator.[2]The story takes place on Planet Clancer, a world on the cusp of civil war due to the actions of its Emperor and his Imperial forces. The Emperor brainwashes Clancers to kidnap the visiting robotics genius Professor Theo.[3]Theo's creation, the player-character Ultra-InterGalactic-Cybot G Marina Liteyears, pursues the professor and grabs, throws, and shakes the obstacles in her way, such as enemies, floating "Clanball" platforms, warp stars, and missiles.[3]Almost all game objects can be grabbed, which lends towards the shake-based combat system.[6]Marina can shake "grabbed" objects to throw them as projectiles or to find loot.[7]Objects sometimes change functions when shaken, such as items that become homing missiles and guns with multi-directional shots.[3]Some drop red, blue, and green gems, which restore playerhealth.[8]The health gauge in the corner of the screen shows the amount of damage Marina can take.[9]The player can store up to two additional stock lives.[3]Yellow gems hidden in each level extend the final cutscene's length.[6][7][10]Marina can run, jump, and boost (via jetpack) in the eightcardinal and ordinal directions.[6]She can also slide, hover, and roll.[8]

The game has five worlds with roughly twelvelevelsapiece.[b]Some levels are action-only while others include puzzles. The player's goal is to reach a warp star at each level's end. En route, Marina shakes enemies, breaks blocks, uses weapons, and rides "bikes" and objects along wire path mazes.[2]Each world has both final and mid-levelBoss es.The levels and Boss fights usescalingand screen rotationspecial effectsto vary the gameplay.[3]

Almost all things on Planet Clancer—including people, buildings, and pets—either wear or are inscribed with identical "sad" faces with red, glowing eyes.[6]A Clancer named Teran substitutes for Marina in several brief areas and uses non-shake mechanics like punching, kicking, anddouble jumping.[6]A character named Calina, a petulant Clancer who imitates Marina, recurs as acomedic device.[3]

Development

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The Nintendo 64 console

Treasurebegan to developMischief Makersin mid-1995, before the Nintendo 64's launch in mid-1996. At the time, little was known about the prototype console's future final technical specifications, graphics implementation, anddevelopment kit,but were nevertheless interested in the console and its improved "pixelquality ".[11]Historically, Treasure developed games exclusively for Sega consoles,[11][c]which madeMischief Makersits first release for a Nintendo console.[3]Choosing the Nintendo 64 was a hardware-based decision;[11]theNintendo 64 Game Pakcartridgeswere more expensive thanCD-ROMs,but they loaded data instantly and were thus more conducive foraction gamessuch as this. However, TreasureCEOMasato Maegawa said that development for the Nintendo 64 had a harsher learning curve than even theSega Saturn.Other than the special attention required to build a single Boss in 3D, the team did not use features specific to the Nintendo 64 hardware.[11]

Treasure's founders had come fromKonami,where they had worked onNintendo Entertainment Systemgames such asCastlevaniaandContra.[2]They found their development environment restrictive and left to try riskier concepts and to singularly focus on making "great games".[11]In the three years between Treasure's founding andMischief Makers's development, the company released highly regarded games such asGunstar Heroes—known as "one of the definitive16-bitaction games "—andDynamite Headdy.[11]An average of 12 people worked onMischief Makers,with up to 15 at times. Though the team was different in composition from that of previous Treasure games, it included the lead programmer and character designer fromGunstar Heroes.Treasure's CEO said that the staff liked to expand into new genres, though primarily in genres where the staff had experience. The company sought to depart from theGunstar Heroesshoot 'em updesign, and chose to buildMischief Makersaround an original "catching" gameplay mechanic, which became the hardest aspect to implement.[11]While foreign (non-Japanese) games were popular within the company, Treasure's CEO said the company's games did not look "particularly foreign" and could appeal to Japanese audiences.[11]

The game is Treasure's first to have been published byEnix.The publisher sought Treasure for its reputation in the action game genre, and had approached Treasure several times before the Nintendo 64 project surfaced. Treasure CEO Maegawa was already fond of Enix, having applied unsuccessfully to work there as a student.[11]Upon choosing the Nintendo 64, Treasure thought it would be a "good idea" to work with Enix.[11]Similar to how Treasure ended its historic loyalty to theSega Genesisby developingMischief Makersfor Nintendo, Enix had just recently ended its historic loyalty to Nintendo by signingDragon Quest VIIof itsDragon Questfranchise to Sony. Neither Square or Enix built a "special relationship" with Nintendo specific forMischief Makers's release,[11]though Nintendo was the publisher for Western markets.[12]Prior to Nintendo proposing to publish the game in the West, Enix said it had no plans to release it outside Japan.[13]When its English localization finished ahead of schedule, the North American release date was advanced two weeks.[5]

Mischief Makerswas the only game displayed at the Enix booth at the April 1997 Tokyo Game Show.[14]It was later demonstrated at the 1997Electronic Entertainment Expo[12]and released in Japan on June 27, 1997,[15]the United States on October 1,[2],in Europe on December 12,[16]and in Australia in 1998.[17]Its Japanese title isYuke-Yuke Trouble Makers,orGo-Go Trouble Makers.[11]Near the Japanese launch, Treasure announced that it would continue to develop for the Nintendo 64 with the Japan-onlyBakuretsu Muteki Bangaioh,which was released in September and later introduced to North America asBangai-O.[18]

Reception

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Mischief Makersreceived "mixed or average reviews", according to video gamereview aggregatorMetacritic,[20]and a "Gold Hall of Fame" score of 32/40 from Japanese magazineFamitsu.[22]Critics praised the inventiveness, personality, "variety", and Boss fights,[3][8][10][21][28]and criticized the brevity, low difficulty, lowreplay value,[8][10][24][21]sound,[2][4][10][27]and harsh introductory learning curve.[3][8][21][28]Retrospective reviewers were more positive,[7][29]and multiple reviewers noted Marina's signature "Shake, shake!"sound biteas a highlight.[6][8][21]Electronic Gaming Monthlyawarded the game its silver award.[21]

IGN's Matt Casamassina said that the game compensated for its average graphics with excellent level design and gameplay challenges. He added that the puzzles require thought, unlike those in other action games, and that the objectives were not clear until after the first few levels. Casamassina praised the transparency effects,anti-aliasing,mipmapping,and scaling rotations.[2]IGNdescribed anticipation for the game as "tremendous",[12]particularly among the target market of "younger gamers and 2D fans".[5]Nintendo Powersaid that the game was the best side-scroller sinceSuper Mario World.[4]Next Generationwrote that "only diehard 2D platform fans" would be interested and that the game did not meet standards set bySuper Mario 64.[27]In contrast,GameFansaid thatMischief Makersdid for 2D whatSuper Mario 64did for 3D, and suggested thatSegashould be influenced.[30]GameProinstead argued that the similarity toMariois superficial, and thatMischief Makershad carved out its own niche with unique gameplay mechanics.[28]GamesRadarretrospectively called it "pure, unadulterated awesome" and "2D brilliance". The website summarized the game as about "grabbing sad-faced aliens, shaking them until gems come out, and then hurling them at other sad-faced aliens".[29]Zachary Miller ofNintendo World Reportsaid that it may be most bizarre and surreal Nintendo 64 game,[6]butGamasutra's John Harris said that the premise is "only strange to people who have never heard of anime".[7]GameFandescribed the game as "obviously deeply Japanese",[30]where "old school gameplay and 64-bit visuals finally meet".[23]

Hirokazu HamamuraofFamitsucommended the gameplay for balancing against its poor character design. OtherFamitsureviewers admired Treasure's signature robot designs and were puzzled by the company's choice to use buttons instead of the 3Danalog stick.[22]Nintendo Life's Jamie O'Neill praised the characters and disliked the controls. He compared the Calina character to the role of Shadow Mario inSuper Mario Sunshine.O'Neill wrote that the intricate controls were "the antithesis of a friendly, approachable, and intuitive platformer" because they used every button on the controller (including thedirectional pad), though he said that players who persevered through the difficult controls would find them "inventive and unique".[3]He added that the complex controls allowed for experimentation that led to new and fun gameplay, and though the throwing enemies mechanic seemed to follow fromGunstar Heroes,the Clanball platforming was unintuitive.[3]John Harris ofGamasutrawrote that the game borrowed other elements fromGunstar Heroes,with similar protagonists, collectible gems, and Boss es.[7]Harris also put Marina's "grab" in a lineage of Treasure's signaturecounterattackmechanics (where a player can escape an attack with a well-timed button press), which he extrapolated out to counterattacks inViewtiful JoeandSoul Calibur.[7]As the game took time to learn and understand, O'Neill left the reader to decide whether it was "ultimately convoluted or bordering on sophistication and genius".[3]

Nintendo Life's O'Neill thought the five world Boss es were among Treasure's best (in particular, the transforming "Cerberus Alpha" Boss ), but found the mid-level Boss es uninteresting.[3]Peter Bartholow ofGameSpot[10]andElectronic Gaming Monthly's reviewers remarked similarly.Sushi-XofElectronic Gaming Monthlyadded that the technique of looking for a Boss 's weak spot was similar toMetroid.[21]Famitsureviewers praised how the game encouraged players to experiment with the basic "grab, throw, and shake" gameplay, and praised the cadence of the short levels.[22]O'Neill ofNintendo Lifesaid it had great variety in gameplay mechanics (from maze puzzles to outrunning lava), graphics (from Boss es that scale back the screen to levels with screen rotation), and audio (from upbeat quirk to scary), and added that he was surprised that other critics were against the "unique, varied, and dramatic" sound.[3]GameProalso praised the varied stage objectives, and said the "whimsical" music and sound effects worked perfectly with each stage, though found the voice acting overly cutesy.[28]Scott McCall ofAllGamealso appreciated the sound, from the voice to the "almost indescribable" music.[8]Gamasutra's John Harris noted its "tremendous variety" in gameplay—from aTrack & Fieldremake to outrunning a missile barrage—as rare for 2D platformers, and commented that "it is obvious that Treasure poured their hearts into this game".[7]

Peter Bartholow ofGameSpotsummarizedMischief Makersas "a good game that will leave players wanting more".[10]He liked the Boss es, which made the player use all available skills but said they were short-lived and easily solved in the context of a short game with tutorials as one-fifth of its levels. He did not consider the ending extension a suitable reward for returning to the levels, and predicted that most players would not finish the game more than once.[10]Game Informerechoed Bartholow's comments about the brevity, and named the seven-event Olympics as a highlight.[24]Sushi-X ofElectronic Gaming Monthlywrote that the game seemed incomplete and lamented that "a decent player can finish the game in under three hours",[21]thoughNext Generationsaid it was "certainly long enough".[27]The game's frequent reuse of a small selection of titles, objects, sound effects, soundtracks, and bland backgrounds (compared to the "impressive" Boss battle animations and effects) ledGameSpot's Bartholow to suggest thatMischief Makerswas limited by its cartridge space. He concluded that the "decent" game would be "truly excellent... on another medium".[10]Zachary Miller ofNintendo World Reportreported that the graphics did not age well into 2010.[6]Dan Hsu wrote inElectronic Gaming Monthlythat the game is "definitely asleeper hit".[21]Hardcore Gamer's Ryan Cartmel said it went "largely unnoticed",[31]andGameProclaimed that it had "[developed] a strong following in Japan".[32]

Legacy

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Video game journalists from sources such asGamesRadarandNintendo World ReportcitedMischief Makersas suited for reissue either through theNintendo eShopor in a sequel or franchise reboot.[29][33]Retro Gamerplaced the "masterpiece of mayhem" 80th on its list of "essential" Nintendo 64 games for its "unbridled quality".[34]In 2009,GamesRadarcalled it "possibly the most underrated and widely ignored" Nintendo 64 game.[29]In the years since,Retro GamerreportedMischief Makersas a somewhat rare collectible, with a rarity score of 7/10.[35]The website wrote thatMischief Makerswas received poorly because players wanted 3D instead of 2D gameplay in Nintendo 64 games.[29]Gamasutra's John Harris added that those who gave it a "bum rap" missed a "surprisingly clever" game.[7]UGOremembered it as innovative, though imperfect, and asked to see Marina reinterpreted and resurrected in a new game.[36]Marina reappeared as an unlockable character in Treasure's 1999Rakugaki Showtime.[37]

Notes

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  1. ^Known in Japan asYuke-Yuke!! Trouble Makers(Japanese:ゆけゆけ!!トラブルメーカーズ,Hepburn:Yuke Yuke!! Toraburu Mēkāzu)
  2. ^The five worlds are Planet Clancer, Migen's Shrine, Mt. Snow, Aster's Lair, and the Imperial HQ, and there are 52 levels accessed via astage selectscreen.[2]
  3. ^Treasure continued to develop for theSega Genesiseven while Nintendo had market control because the team found the Genesis development process easier.[11]

References

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  1. ^abcdeTreasure(October 1, 1997).Mischief Makers.Nintendo.Scene: Credits.
  2. ^abcdefghiCasamassina, Matt (October 1, 1997)."Mischief Makers".IGN.Archivedfrom the original on February 18, 2014.RetrievedMay 5,2014.
  3. ^abcdefghijklmnopqO'Neill, Jamie (June 12, 2010)."Mischief Makers (Nintendo 64) Review".Nintendo Life.Archivedfrom the original on August 30, 2014.RetrievedMay 7,2014.
  4. ^abcd"Now Playing".Nintendo Power.No. 101. October 1997. p. 95.
  5. ^abcIGN Staff (August 5, 1997)."Griffey, Mischief Makers Trade Spots".IGN.Archivedfrom the original on May 8, 2014.RetrievedMay 7,2014.
  6. ^abcdefghiMiller, Zachary (August 13, 2010)."Retro Revival #3: Mischief Makers".Nintendo World Report.Archivedfrom the original on November 2, 2014.RetrievedMay 10,2014.
  7. ^abcdefghHarris, John (August 23, 2007)."Game Design Essentials: 20 Difficult Games".Gamasutra.Archivedfrom the original on November 12, 2013.RetrievedMay 10,2014.
  8. ^abcdefghMcCall, Scott."Mischief Makers – Review".AllGame.Archived fromthe originalon November 14, 2014.RetrievedMay 10,2014.
  9. ^Mischief Makers Instruction Booklet.Nintendo of America.1997. p. 15.
  10. ^abcdefghiBartholow, Peter (April 17, 1998)."Mischief Makers Review".GameSpot.Archivedfrom the original on June 27, 2016.RetrievedMay 9,2014.
  11. ^abcdefghijklmIGN Staff (April 15, 1997)."Treasure Talks Yuke Yuke".IGN.Archivedfrom the original on May 6, 2014.RetrievedMay 5,2014.
  12. ^abcIGN Staff (June 10, 1997)."Nintendo to Publish Mischief Makers".IGN.Archivedfrom the original on March 20, 2014.RetrievedMay 7,2014.
  13. ^Ogasawara, Ken (August 1997). "Yuke Yuke!! Troublemakers".GamePro.No. 107. p. 36.
  14. ^"TGS 1997 Spring".Electronic Gaming Monthly.No. 95. June 1997. p. 62.
  15. ^"NINTENDO64 toàn phát bán ソフト một lãm (1997 năm )".Nintendo Japan.Archivedfrom the original on December 6, 2021.RetrievedJanuary 19,2022.
  16. ^"Mischief Makers".Official Nintendo Magazine.No. 63. December 1997. p. 80.
  17. ^"Game Play".The Sydney Morning Herald.March 8, 1998. p. 128.RetrievedApril 14,2024.Mischief Makers//Out Now//Rating: G
  18. ^IGN Staff (June 23, 1999)."Unearthing Treasure for N64".IGN.Archivedfrom the original on May 8, 2014.RetrievedMay 7,2014.
  19. ^"Mischief Makers for Nintendo 64".GameRankings.CBS Interactive.Archived fromthe originalon December 9, 2019.RetrievedMay 13,2022.
  20. ^ab"Mischief Makers (N64: 1997)".Metacritic.Archived fromthe originalon March 4, 2009.RetrievedMay 5,2014.
  21. ^abcdefghi"Mischief Makers".Electronic Gaming Monthly.No. 101. December 1997. p. 191. Archived fromthe originalon January 21, 1998.RetrievedMay 9,2014.Electronic Gaming Monthly'scomponent scores were 7.5/8.5/8.0/8.0.
  22. ^abcdゆけゆけ!! トラブルメーカーズ[Yukeyuke! Trouble Makers].Famitsu(in Japanese). No. 446. 1997.Archivedfrom the original on July 14, 2014.RetrievedJune 22,2014.Note: Review text only available in print magazine.
  23. ^abGlitch; Knightmare; E. Storm (September 1997). "Viewpoint".GameFan(57): 26–27.
  24. ^abc"Mischief Makers".Game Informer.No. 55. November 1997. Archived fromthe originalon January 21, 1998.RetrievedMay 9,2014.
  25. ^Nash, Jonathan (August 1997). "Go Go!! Troublemakers".N64 Magazine.No. 5. Future Publishing. pp. 60–65.
  26. ^Bickham, Jes (November 1997). "Mischief Makers".N64 Magazine.No. 8. Future Publishing. p. 63.
  27. ^abcd"Finals".Next Generation.No. 34. October 1997. p. 169. Archived fromthe originalon February 4, 1998.RetrievedMay 9,2014.
  28. ^abcdMajor Mike (January 1998). "Nintendo 64 ProReview: Mischief Makers".GamePro.No. 112. p. 78.
  29. ^abcde"123 games with untapped franchise potential".GamesRadar.April 30, 2009.Archivedfrom the original on December 15, 2013.RetrievedMay 10,2014.
  30. ^abE. Storm (September 1997). "Mischief Makers".GameFan(57): 76–81.
  31. ^Cartmel, Ryan (September 19, 2013)."Graveyard: Mischief Makers".Hardcore Gamer.Archivedfrom the original on May 13, 2014.RetrievedMay 10,2014.
  32. ^Four-Eyed Dragon (November 1997). "Mischief Makers".GamePro.No. 110. p. 103.
  33. ^Brown, Andrew (May 7, 2014)."Virtual Console Could Help Wiisuscitate U".Nintendo World Report.Archivedfrom the original on May 12, 2014.RetrievedMay 10,2014.
  34. ^Allen, Mat (November 9, 2006). "Essential Nintendo 64 Games".Retro Gamer(31): 23, 26.
  35. ^Davies, Jonti (May 27, 2004). "Nintendo's Greatest Games".Retro Gamer(4): 24.
  36. ^"11 Strong Gaming Girls We Never Saw Again".UGO Networks.June 30, 2010. Archived fromthe originalon May 13, 2014.RetrievedMay 10,2014.
  37. ^Bevan, Mike (June 19, 2008). "Full of Eastern Promise".Retro Gamer(52): 36.

Bibliography

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