Janken Disk Shiro

Overview

Janken Disk-jou (loosely translated to "Rock-Paper-Scissors Disk Castle") is a comedic-fantasy block-pushing puzzle game released by Tokuma Shoten Intermedia Inc. for the Family Computer Disk System (only via Disk Writer kiosks) in Japan on December 22, 1992.

The sixth and final installment of the Famimaga Disk series, Janken Disk-jou combines standard block-pushing puzzle games (such as the Sokoban series) with the traditional game of rock-paper-scissors (or "janken"). Players control system mascot Disk-kun in the top-down perspective as he progresses through each stage by pushing blocks to clear a path (with certain blocks able to eliminate other blocks, based on the rules of rock-paper-scissors).

The game features a story reminiscent of fantasy RPGs at the time, with an overworld system similar to those games. Set in a world of Disk-kuns, players control a yellow Disk-kun as he traverses the titular Janken Disk-jou to defeat a great demon.

Janken Disk-jou has the distinction of being the very last game ever released for the Family Computer Disk System.

Gameplay

In each room there are three variants of hand-shaped blocks between the hero and the exit: each one either making the "scissors" gesture, the "rock" gesture or the "paper" gesture. Pushing a block adjacent to another of a different type causes whichever was the inferior (e.g. with paper and rock, rock is the inferior) to vanish. In addition, each block has a "strength" which is signified by its color: green is level 1, yellow is level 2 and red is level 3. If a green block is pushed next to an inferior red block, the red block will instead become yellow instead of vanishing (and then green with a subsequent superior block, and then will vanish after a third).

Gameplay revolves around finding the right blocks to push together to clear a way to the exit. Not every block needs to be eliminated: just those that are direct obstacles between the player and the end of the stage.

The game adopts a familiar veneer of the typical 8-bit fantasy RPG: The player starts in a small town in which they can talk to NPCs and purchase power-ups, they can visit the King in his castle to begin their quest and they can visit the dungeons in which the puzzles are found (after receiving permission from the King).