From as far back as the ‘80s, the name Sunsoft was synonymous with quality. Perhaps a name not quite as revered as Capcom or Konami, but if you were to buy a game brandishing their logo you knew you were in for a good time. This was particularly true for NES owners, with the likes of Batman, Gremlins 2, Blaster Master, and Journey to Silius all pushing the console hard.
By 1992, the humble NES was starting to look pretty tired as it entered its twilight years. Sunsoft hatched a plan – to create Gimmick, a new platformer with the look and feel of a 16-bit game. While this may sound like an impossible task, the developers had created a new tile set tool that freed up processing power, while the Japanese Famicom version included an extra sound chip for enhanced music. It also helped that the developers at Sunsoft already knew the NES inside and out.
But there was a flaw in Gimmick’s conception. The NES’ popularity had long peaked, with the Super Nintendo now taking the limelight. Sunsoft’s American arm believed it wouldn’t sell well. They weren’t particularly englamoured by the cutesy visuals either, claiming that hero Yumetaro – a small horned green blob, not entirely dissimilar to Kirby – was too quirky. For these reasons, Sunsoft of America passed on the platformer. This decision seems to have been rather last minute, as the popular US gaming mag EGM published a review in July 1992.
In Europe, the NES market was a little different. The console never achieved sales figures to match US and Japan, with European gamers preferring the likes of the Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum, Master System, and Amiga instead. In the end, only a single European NES distributor took a chance on Gimmick (then rebranded as Mr. Gimmick) which resulted in a small print run in Scandinavia only, and as late as 1993. NES collectors will know that it’s incredibly tough to find a PAL copy.
Generally, review scores were positive – although many critics claimed that the cute and colourful visuals were deceiving. Gimmick may have resembled Kirby’s Adventure, but the difficulty level was far tougher. It wasn’t until the NES officially became retro in the noughties that gamers finally appreciated what Sunsoft set out to achieve back in 1992. Due to the lack of a US release, some NES diehards may have even been obvious of the game’s existence until the retro market boom.
Gimmick! Special Edition sees this underappreciated platformer gain a second chance at success. In addition to obligatory save states, wallpapers, and a rewind tool, it also adds a Speed Running Mode with online functionality and in-game achievements. There are a handful of extras too, including cart and manual scans. How helpful the manual scans are is debatable – there’s no English translation of either the Japanese or Scandinavian instructions. If you browse either hoping for tips on how to play, or an explanation of power-ups, you’re out of luck.
The gimmick in Gimmick is that our squishy hero can throw a physics-enabled star at enemies, which bounces around the screen before fizzling out. It takes a few seconds to charge, and can also be used as an impromptu platform to reach secret areas. It takes a while to master the mechanics, as they feel a little unpredictable initially. You’d think that the first level would be a breeze, giving time to acclimatise, but no – it’s challenging from the outset. Enemies attack in large groups and will dash towards Yumetaro to knock him off platforms. They also hyperactively bounce around, making them hard to avoid. A surprising number of enemies are often on screen, which is presumably where the extra processing power was used.
As Yumetaro can only withstand a few hits, and only three lives are granted, you’ll probably find yourself cursing upon colliding with a foe that seemingly appeared from nowhere. The bosses too make a good dozen attempts to beat, with some requiring a mixture of both luck and skill.
The visuals are pretty impressive by NES standards, opting for a mixture of bright colours and pastel hues, while the number of enemies on screen, along with the physics of Yumetaro’s star shot, are technically impressive for an 8-bit system. There’s plenty of variation during stages, with our emerald hero ushered above and below ground rather than forced to dwell in a single location. Being quite catchy in places, the music is appropriately jolly. It’s also easy to appreciate the occasional flourish within the level design, such as giant storks that can be ridden. Stop for a few seconds, and you’ll notice some fun background details too.
It isn’t a typical left-to-right platformer either, mixing things up with stages formed of multi-screen and single-screen rooms, along with sections that scroll from right to left. To gain the best possible ending, you’re going to need to find hidden objects located in secret areas, which are both tricky to discover and access. It’s worth persevering as they usually award enough bonus points for a couple of extra lives.
Normal Mode is, essentially, easy mode. It’s only here that it’s possible to create quick saves and rewind. Even with these assists, it’ll still take a while to beat, but with the rewind tool at your disposal you’ll get there eventually. Serious Mode is how it’s supposed to be played and is also how NES owners would have experienced it back in 1993. This is the only mode that bestows trophies (and presumably Xbox achievements) too. Saves and rewinds are omitted; three lives are all you get. Thankfully, there are infinite continues that set you back to the start of a level – meaning you can keep trying, learning patterns, and experimenting to find the best ways to deal with certain obstacles. As progress cannot be saved, you’ll have to plough through it in one sitting. I’d recommend allocating a few hours – or may even an entire afternoon – to at least see the ‘bad’ ending.
It did come as a surprise to discover that you’ll have to put some hard graft in to earn trophies, rather than ‘cheesing’ your way to a ‘Platinum’ by exploiting save states. A foolproof way of ensuring players get their money’s worth. The difficulty level might take you by surprise, but at least you can honestly say you bested one of the rarest NES games out there without any assistance.
This leaves us with Speed Running Mode, which helps to bolster the package. It’s well implemented, featuring online leaderboards, and it also shows best times and split times on screen while playing. Pausing doesn’t stop the timer, so be warned.
As one of the hardest NES games to track down a legitimate copy of, Gimmick is more than deserving of a re-release. In fact, it’s hard to think of an NES title that deserves it more, save perhaps for official releases of cancelled titles such as Bio Force Ape and The California Raisins: The Grape Escape. When I browsed the extras menu though, I did expect to see more than just cart and manual scans – especially seeing the physical release is set to cost £29.99. A ‘how to play’ section may have benefited newcomers in lieu of no officially translated manual.
It might be also worth bearing in mind that Mr. Gimmick is due to appear on Evercade soon as part of the Sunsoft Collection. If Blaze opts for the PAL version, you’ll have an easier time as more lives are granted than in the Japanese iteration.
More than just a curio, Gimmick: Special Edition will test your platforming skills while showcasing what the humble NES was capable of. It isn’t the most generous of packages when it comes to extras – although the Speed Running Mode is a welcome addition – but it does present this cult classic in the best possible light. A star is reborn to shine once more.
Developed by Sunsoft/City Connection and published by Bitwave, Gimmick! Special Edition is out 6th July on PS4, Switch, Xbox, and PC. A physical release is available soon on PS4 and Switch via Clear River Games.