Goof Troop

Overview

Goof Troop is an action-adventure game created by Capcom, and released in 1993 for the Super Nintendo. The game is based on the children's cartoon of the same name by Disney. One of the game's key features is that two players can play cooperatively as Goofy and his son Max.

Goof Troop was designed by Shinji Mikami, who later became famous for his work on games like Resident Evil 4 and Viewtiful Joe.

Story

Goofy and Max, the game's protagonaists, are heading out to fish on an absolutely gorgeous day in Spoonerville. As the two relax along the seashore, they witness a massive pirate ship sailing towards Spoonerville, with their friends Pete and P.J. aboard. They realize that their friends are aboard against their will, and they must have been kidnapped. Goofy makes a heroic attempt to pursue the boat, but ultimately is unable to catch the pirates before they arrive on their home island.

Goofy and Max make haste to the Pirate island, and upon arrival encounter a group of pirates. Once they defeat their attackers, they learn that the pirates have mistaken their friend Pete for pirate captain Keelhaul Pete, who was swallowed by a massive whale long ago. Goofy and Max set off to save their friends from these delusional pirates.

Unfortunately for Goofy and Max, Pete and P.J. decide that they enjoy being pirate royalty. The longer that Goofy and Max take to reach them, the more Pete wants to stay captain of these pirates.

Goofy and Max, after much adventuring, find themselves at the pirate's ship. They find who they think is Pete, but when Goofy attempts to save him, he knocks him cold on accident. Upon further

investigation, Goofy and Max realize they have found the real Keelhaul Pete, who had recently been spat out by the whale! Goofy and Max venture into the pirate ship, still looking to save their friends. Keelhaul Pete appears again, hoping to put an end to their quest. Goofy and Max prove a formidable opponent, however, and once again knock him flat on his back. Goofy and Max arrive just in time to save Pete and P.J. from the jaws of a large gator, who Goofy finds suspcious, as the Gator is eating before supper time. Trapping Keelhaul Pete to make sure he causes no more trouble, Goofy and company leave the ship to finally relax and do a little fishing.

Gameplay

Goof Troop takes players through five various areas on Spoonerville Island. Players begin on a beach, followed by a village under siege, then move on to a spooky haunted castle, a mountain valley, and finally end up on a Pirate Ship where their friends Pete and PJ are being held captive.

Players have a variety of options when taking on enemies by throwing items such as barrels or pots. There are also other items with more novel uses, such as a grappling hook to grab on to far off items or a bell that will catch the enemy's attention. The grappling hook comes especially in handy for crossing obstacles. Only one player can have each item at any particular time, and players must work together to get the best use out of all the game's equipment.

The two playable characters themselves play differently from one another as well. Goofy moves slower, but is able to defeat almost every enemy with one strike. Max moves faster, but must hit most enemies two times to defeat them.

If players come into contact with an enemy or fall prey to other hazards in the game, they lose a life. Once enough lives have been lost, they must use a continue to get back in the game. Goofy and Max can pick up red diamonds for extra lives, or special white diamonds to gain an extra continue.

One of Goof Troop's main aspects are the numerous puzzles throughout each level. There are many puzzles that include kicking sliding blocks in order to press switches to open passages. Players must also search for special keys to open doors to bosses. Many of the game's items come in handy for the game's puzzles.

Items

During the course of the game, Max and Goofy will discover items that will aid them in their quest to rescue their captured friends.

Inventory Items

These are the items that the Goofs are able to pick up and add to their personal inventory to use.

Bell: By ringing this bell, the Goofs are able to lure pirates to their position for strategic attacks.

Grappling Hook Gun: One of the first items that the Goofs find. By using this, the Goofs can stun enemies, push them backward into water or pits and create rope bridges that they can walk on. When it's used to make a rope bridge, the item is expended and cannot be used again.

Key: Iron keys that are used to open up locked gates.

Golden Key: Required to open up the doors that lead to boss arenas.

Shovel: Can be used to dig up soft soil to discover health pickups and extra lives.

Candle: Used to increase the area of visibility in dark areas.

Wooden Plank: Used to rebuild wooden bridges that cannot be crossed with a grappling hook gun.

Level Items

Level items are the items that are not able to be added to inventory, but can be used to navigate the level in which they are found.

Barrels: Used as weapons to throw at enemies.

Coconuts: Used as weapons to throw at enemies.

Flower Pots: Used as weapons to throw at enemies.

Brass Pots: Used as weapons to throw at enemies.

Bombs: Used as weapons to throw at enemies. Can also be used to blow up certain walls.

Bird's Egg: Used as a weapon to throw at enemies. When broken, a small bird flies out.

Kick Blocks: Silver blocks with black stars on them. The Goofs are able to kick these in the direction that they are facing, and the don't stop until they hit something. Vital for defeating enemies and solving puzzles.

Kick Bombs: Gold blocks with lights in the top of them. When kicked, the bombs activate and the lights on top start to flash. Mostly, the lights start out green, but as their fuse runs out the lights turn yellow, then red. Two seconds after turning red, the bombs explode. Some start on yellow, or even red.

Health and Powerups

Cherries: Basic health pickups. Restore one heart to the Goofs.

Bananas: More powerful health pickups. Restore two hearts to the goofs.

Red Diamonds: Grants an extra life to the Goofs.

Green Diamonds: Grants an extra continue to the Goofs.

Enemies

The Pirates

Jolly: The basic pirates who patrol the levels. Skinny weasels in blue bandanas who charge to attack on sight.

Jack: Slightly tougher pirates to defeat. They are skinny weasels in green bandanas who throw their swords at the Goofs from a distance.

Jester: No tougher than Jolly or Jack, but have an ace in in the hole. Skinny weasels who wear red bandanas, they are able to pick up and throw objects just the same as the Goofs can. Sometimes, they catch what is thrown at them and throw it back.

Roger: Big, tough pirates. Fat dognoses who wear orange bandanas and charge to attack.

Rob: Trickier that Roger. Fat dognoses who wear purple bandanas, who are able to kick blocks and bombs the same as the Goofs can.

Rap: Very tough to defeat in tight corridors. Fat dognoses in green bandanas, who curl up into balls and roll quickly in a straight line toward the Goofs.

Ramble: Tough and dangerous. Fat dognoses in red bandanas, they are able to breathe fire in a straight line. If their fire is dodged, they are immobile and can be flanked for attack. Cannot be pushed with a grappling hook gun.

The Animals

Snakes: The first of the animals that Max and Goofy faces. Patrol back and forth, and will lunge toward the Goofs on sight.

Bees: Flying insects who buzz around in erratic patterns in an attempt to sting the Goofs.

Frogs: Very large, purple frogs who leap out of the water for a surprise attack.

Hedgehogs: Small, quick animals that rapidly move in all directions.

The Undead

Living Armor: Found only in the castle level. Living armors will not move until the Goofs walk past them. When hit, they break apart into a heap of metal. They must be hit again to be defeated.

Ghosts: They haunt one room in the castle and move at different speeds from one another. Are able to walk through walls and take one hit to defeat.

The Traps

Cannons: Mechanized cannons that fire bombs at the Goofs, and follow their directions as they move. Late in the game, there is a cannon that the Goofs are able to control.

Small Cannons: Found only on the pirate ship level. They are small, stationary cannons that fire projectiles every few seconds. Can be used to defeat enemies as well.

Spike Logs: Logs with spikes that roll back and forth.

Moving Spikes: Spiked balls that move up and down across the screen.

Rolling Cannonballs: Giant steel balls that roll on a set path along the ground.

Crushing Wall: A slow-moving wall that is only found in the castle level.

Falling Rocks: Boulders that bound in from the sides of the screen. Found only in the cave level.

Rotating Pits: Pits that change their position in the ground. Found only in the pirate ship level.

The Bosses

Jester Hole: A party of seven jesters who pop out of and duck into a series of seven different holes in the ground like a game of Whack-a-Mole. Up to 3 appear at a time to attack by throwing barrels, bombs, and spiked fruits. The bombs and barrels are able to be caught and thrown back, but the spiked fruits will hurt the Goofs if they try to catch them. After all seven jesters are defeated, the level is beaten.

Fire Bug: A large, muscular dognose who fights from the top of the screen with a torch. He attacks by throwing several torches at once, and blowing a long stream of flames that sweeps side to side. If the Goofs get too close, he will attack by rapidly swinging his torch at them. The only way to defeat him is by hitting him with barrels that are supplied to the Goofs by some of the villagers.

Red Skeleton and Blue Skeleton: Twin skeletons who fight from a platform at the top of the screen. They attack by throwing their own bones at the Goofs. The Red Skeleton throws three bones at a time, which fan out to cover a wide range. The Blue Skeleton throws two bones at a time, though his bounce off of walls and statues before they rest. Once they have taken enough damage, they use a new attack where they throw their own heads, which home in on the Goofs before returning after a few seconds. The way they are defeated is by throwing their own bones back at them.

Red Rumbler and Green Rumbler: Two giant centipedes who guard the exit to the caves. They prefer a hit and run tactic, where they will quickly dart across the narrow walkways of their arena and quickly duck into holes in the walls. Once they have gone into the walls, they will shake the screen and drop stalactites from the ceiling to attack as well. To defeat them, the Goofs must pick up the fallen stalactites and throw them at either the rumblers' heads or their tails.

Keelhaul Pete: The pirate captain who had been swallowed by a whale and spat back out again. Pete will fight the Goofs using every dirty trick in the book, from calling his own crewmates to attack for him, firing a blunderbuss that sends several shots out at once, grabbing the Goofs with his extendable hook hand and stomping on the Goofs as he jumps. His signature attack is to spin at high speeds and throw out bombs in all directions. To defeat him, the Goofs must pick up his thrown bombs and throw them back at him, before they explode.

Critical Reception

When reviewed by Electronic Gaming Monthly the game received scores of 7,8,8 and 8 adding, "...I can't stand games that have beaten enemies reappear when you enter the room again. Also, the game is just too easy! It seems strongly geared toward the younger playing audience". Mike Weigand disagreed, "...this game requires enough skill and brains to keep you busy, plus it keeps you coming back for more".