The legendary cult game is released today! The limited special package version of "Rampant Tengu & ZOMBIE NATION" is opened and played! Revenge of 31 years ago with convenient features!

On October 28, 2021, the legendary cult game "Rorenbo Tengu" will return under the title "Rorenbo Tengu & ZOMBIE NATION" for those in the know!

Rorenbo Tengu" is a side-scrolling shooter released on December 14, 1990 for the Famicom (NES) by Meldac. It was developed by Live Planning, and Norio Nakagata, known for "Genpei Tengu Den," was involved as director and sound composer.

The year was 1990, seven years after the release of the Famicom (NES), one year before the release of the handheld Game Boy and one month before the release of the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) on November 21, 1990. In addition, ambitious games that pushed the hardware to its limits, such as "Dr. Mario" and "Dragon Quest IV: The Leaders," were being released one after another on the Famicom. In this environment, "Rampaging Tengu" was a title that stood apart from these major titles and radiated a different kind of appeal.

In January 1991, "ZOMBIE NATION" was released on the NES (U.S. version of the Famicom) with a new main character (the "Tengu"), a "fallen warrior's head," and other changes to the story. At this time, the "St. Petersburg Times" (a daily newspaper in Florida, U.S.A., which has won the Pulitzer Prize eight times in the past. The St. Petersburg Times (now known as the Tampa Bay Times) named it one of the 10 best video games of 1992.

The entertainment website Mashable, which was also named one of the 25 best blogs of 2009 by Time magazine, rated it the second weirdest video game of all time in 2013. So this is a title that boasts a cult following not only in Japan but also abroad.

In this article, we begin by opening the limited special package edition (Rampaging Tengu box) and reviewing its luxurious contents, followed by an introduction to the new features added to the ported version. We will then present a brief play report for those readers who are new to "Rampaging Tengu & ZOMBIE NATION".

Opening of the limited special package!

The package is about 22.5 cm wide, 18 cm long, and 3 cm high. On the top side, there is a notation that reads "exai 'tengu'" for "tengu" only. This was the catch copy at that time.

The back side is all gold! The license is written on the back. Now, let's open the seal.

When you open the seal, you will find a lot of contents.

Clockwise from the top left: Another jacket sheet that can be changed for the "Mu-Nen" edition, a download code for "Ranrenbo Tengu Prototype," a recreation of the version developed at the time, the game software itself, a soundtrack CD with new songs and new arrangements by Norio Nakagata A collection of artwork and interviews with the developers.

Let's take a look at them one by one.

Another jacket sheet can be made into a "regrettable" Nintendo Switch soft case that has been shot down. The reverse side is also slightly different from the game software package sheet, making it a fun and playful item.

Next up is a soundtrack CD featuring new songs & new arrangements by Norio Nakagata, whose background music has been highly acclaimed since the time of the game, and many game music fans are likely to be gobsmacked by this. It's a great way to reminisce about the days when you played the game while listening to the music.

A collection of artwork and developer interviews. It is in the form of a 37-page booklet.

In addition to the valuable artwork of the time, the interview was conducted by Shinichi Yanamoto, a writer who has written many books about the game. The book contains rich and secret birth stories.

Now, the game is launched!

From here, we will introduce the main game and the new features added to the ported version.

When you start the game, you can choose between "Rampaging Tengu" and "ZOMBIE NATION".

If you choose "Extras," you will be able to see the package design of the time, the instruction manual, and other valuable materials.

The in-game menu allows you to switch between two modes: "Pete Tengu Mode" (Zombie Mode in "ZOMBIE NATION") and "Exciting Mode" (Samurai Mode in "ZOMBIE NATION"). In the former, you can use the "Rewind," "Quick Save," and "Quick Load" functions that were added to the ported version. When you clear the game, a mode that allows you to play with hidden commands of the time seems to be released.

In the latter, you can play the game as it was in the original without any new features, and you can also challenge achievements.

When you start the game, the story is explained. The game is quite aggressive, even in this day and age when a wide variety of software is released by both major companies and indies.

There are four different stages to choose from, and you can start from anywhere.

The game is about controlling a tengu mask and wreaking havoc in the city. You can attack enemies (eyeballs and "spit"!?), and of course, you can also hit buildings. ), destroying buildings will cause people shouting "Help" to fall down, and if you touch a certain number of people, you can increase your power.

The game is characterized by its unique inertia, large ship, and surprisingly dense barrage, making it extremely challenging. The game also features a large number of objects that can inflict heavy damage with a single blow, making it extremely difficult to complete the entire game.

What I would like to recommend is the "rewind" function available in "Petengu Mode" (zombie mode). As the name suggests, you can rewind the game to any point.

The "Quick Save" and "Quick Load" functions are also appreciated. You can save before a boss battle or just before a difficult zone.

There is also a continuous fire setting that allows you to keep attacking with a long press of a button.

As mentioned above, this is a very difficult game. It is very difficult to clear the game as it is, but you can see a silver lining if you use these convenient functions. We hope that those of you who piled up countless piles of tengu masks in the mainland U.S. when the NES version was first released will give it a try!

Incidentally, "Ranrenbo Tengu Prototype," which is a reproduction of the development ROM version, has different detailed text, inertia, sound effects, etc., from the production version.

So, here is a report on opening and playing the limited special package version of "Ranrenbo Tengu & ZOMBIE NATION". How about enjoying this game not only as a collector's item but also in terms of gameplay with new features, reminiscing about the past 30 years, or even thinking about what games like this used to be like?

(Text by Oshio)

Product Information

Rampaging Tengu & ZOMBIE NATION

Now on sale

Price: Limited edition (Rampaging Tengu Box) 5,980 yen (tax included), download version 1,200 yen (tax included)

Players: 1 player

Platform: Nintendo Switch / Steam

Developer/Released by: City Connection

CERO: A (for all ages)

*The limited edition (Violent Tengu Box) is sold exclusively at Claris Shop and Ebiten. There is no standard package version of the game software only.

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Licensed by TOKUMA JAPAN COMMUNICATIONS CO.

Developed and Published by 2021 CITY CONNECTION CO.