Getsu Fūma Den (月風魔伝? lit. "The Legend of Getsu Fūma") is a side-scrolling action-adventure game for the Family Computer by Konami, released in 1987, and was available exclusively in Japan. While Getsu Fūma Den didn't have a sequel for many years, it has been referenced in many subsequent Konami titles throughout the years, until 34 years later, when Konami announced a sequel for it called Getsu Fūma Den: Undying Moon.
Plot[]
In the first year of the Demon Age (魔暦元年, Mareki Gan-nen), the demon lord Ryūkotsuki (龍骨鬼) escaped from hell and plotted to conquer the surface world ruled by the three Getsu brothers (月氏三兄弟, Getsu-shi San Kyōdai). The Getsu brothers fought against Ryūkotsuki, each wielding one of the three spiritual Pulse Blades (波動剣, Hadōken) that have been passed within the clan for generations. However, the brothers were ultimately defeated by the demon and only Fūma (風魔), the youngest of the three, survived. Vowing to avenge his slain brothers, Fūma ventures into Kyōki-tō (狂鬼島, Mad Demon Island) to recover the three stolen Pulse Blades and summon the spirits of his brothers to defeat Ryūkotsuki.
Gameplay[]
The game is structurally similar to Castlevania II: Simon's Quest and The Goonies II, the player controls Fūma, whose goal is to locate the three Pulse Blades that have been stolen from his clan in order to gain access to Ryūkotsuki's lair. Each of the Pulse Blades have been hidden away in the three neighboring islands surrounding Kyōki-tō, which are Kigan-tō (鬼願島, "Ogre Head Island"), Gokumon-tō (獄門島, "Prison Gate Island") and Mitsukubi-tō (三首島, "Three Necks Island"). Each of these islands requires Fūma to be in possession of a different Devil Mask (鬼面符, Kimenfu).
The game starts off from an overhead view where the player guides Fūma to his next destination. When Fūma enters a gate, the game switches to a side-scrolling action scene where the player must go from one end of the area to the next while fending off enemies and avoiding pitfalls in the usual matter in order to return to the main field and proceed to the next scene. In addition to these action scenes, there are also small shrines featuring villagers who will provide hints to Fūma and shops where he can purchase new items and weapons using the money he has accumulated from defeated enemies. The player switches items by pausing the game during an action sequence and then pressing A to select a defensive item or B to change weapons. Experience points are accumulated by defeating enemies, which will fill out Fūma's sword gauge, increasing the strength of his attacks.
When the player reaches the main dungeon in each of the islands, the game switches to a pseudo-3D perspective which follows Fūma from behind. The player must proceed through a labyrinth in order to reach the boss holding one of the Pulse Swords. Each labyrinth is filled with numerous enemies who will confront Fūma, along with allies who will provide him with hints and helpful items. A candle is required to light these labyrinths, as well as a compass which shows Fūma's current direction. When the player reaches the boss's lair, the game switches back to a side-scrolling perspective before the actual confrontation.
The game uses a lives system like most action games. The player loses a life when he runs out of health or falls into a pitfall. When the player runs out of lives, he can continue from where he left off or quit and resume at a later point using a password. The player is penalized by having his money reduced by half.
Trivia[]
- Fūma appears as selectable playable in Konami Wai Wai World and Wai Wai World 2.
- In Jikkyō Power Pro Wrestling '96: Max Voltage, Fūma appears as the wrestler The Great Getsufūma (The G・月風魔).
- He also appeared as a card in Yu-Gi-Oh! as Getsu Fuhma, as did Ryukotsuki, the final boss of Getsu Fūma Den, as Ryu Kokki. The TCG has been adapted into three games based on it; Yu-Gi-Oh! GX: Duel Academy in 2005, Yu-Gi-Oh! Ultimate Masters: World Championship 2006 and Yu-Gi-Oh! GX Tag Force in 2006.
- He also appeared along with the song Go! Getsu Fuma under the genre GETSUFUMA-DEN in the 2010 arcade music game Pop'n Music 18 Sengoku Retsuden.
- Fuma is the first character from a non-Castlevania game to appear in Castlevania: Harmony of Despair.
- A female inspired character, Gesshi Hanafuuma (月士 華風魔 （げっし はなふうま） Hanafūma Gesshi?), appeared in the 2011 side-shooter Xbox 360 game Otomedius Excellent.
- Fūma appears as a boss character in the 2012 arcade Monster Retsuden ORECA BATTLE.
- Fūma appears as the image puzzle in the 2018 mobile game Pixel Puzzle Collection.
- In Pro Yakyū Spirits A, Getsu Fuma appears during in the event 2021 TS dai 1-dan (2021 TS第1弾) as part of Kessei! Pro Spirits Ouen-Dan (結成！プロスピ応援団) from April 21 to 28.
- Fūma makes cameo in Chapter 2 of the Volume 5, Famicom Wolf.
- Decapiclops and Ryukotsuki makes a cameo in Chapter 20 of Warera Hobby's Famicom Seminar.
- The game will be included in Getsu Fūma Den: Undying Moon for the persons who purchased the "early access" version.