Review scoopings 3/5 · May 9, 2026
First PS1 Ganbare Goemon Bogged Down By Poor Gameplay Choices And Collision Masks
Preliminary: Hmm based on what I read this was quite the disappointment, but the intro video awas neat and giving Crash Bandicoot vibes and the video demo before the menu of the gameplay is quite literally the PS1 version of the classic Ganbare Goemon adventuring. I have nostalgia for it after stumbling upon it only through a Konami game that …
Preliminary: Hmm based on what I read this was quite the disappointment, but the intro video awas neat and giving Crash Bandicoot vibes and the video demo before the menu of the gameplay is quite literally the PS1 version of the classic Ganbare Goemon adventuring. I have nostalgia for it after stumbling upon it only through a Konami game that incldued many of its lead characters. But I also see this incldues the mecha combat and isn't a huge improvement from the classic SNES, plus teh general consensus that it's a disappointment, so we shall see.
Wait I can't hit innocent villagers and make them/others mad?! Blasphemy!
Early Game
Loving the music and Look. The colors are great, the nice little touchces like the light in this forest area are nice, and I like the Exp aspect so far. I see why it could be seen as just an SNES game on PS1, but it feels elevated and nice.
Something about the dialog and plot in this reminds me of Tomba, and I have felt that way with other Ganbare Goemon games.
Not in love with this log riding part. The blue waves are annoying to look at. And the usual Ganbare Goemon desire to mix mutliple gameplays is already starting and I'm not sure if I'd wanna push through the whole game. I like teh top down action adventure parts the most, and the platforming parts are pretty good (tho meh to the infinitely spawning enemies).
Ok this switch is driving me nuts. I watched a plythrough online and I'm glad I'm not the only one who had a hard time with it. It brought to light some of the issues with collision masks and controls. Which is a bit embarrassing considering this is a PS1 game and I'm fresh off the SNES. You'd think I'd be impressed with its precise controls 
I think my biggest beef with teh collision masks is the platforms. My entire body/sprite will eb above the paltform and sometimes it'll still not count as a high enough jump >.<
The 2nd boss took wayyyy too many hits, I am definitely burning out in this game despite the mostly good music and my attachment to the series.
Well as pretty as the blue waves and Impact/mecha segment was (finally a truly PS1 part of the game), I never got into the Impact/mecha aspects of the series and this was slogging down what was already feeling slogged. Unlike most people, I didn't mind the item retrieval/return multiple times to same spots part of the game that reminded me of a Zelda, but the collision masks, tedium, slow gameplay, and overall meh feeling of it finally wore me down. Too bad cuz some of the Look was great, the Sound was almost always great, the series has grown on me over these years, the leveling system could have been more interesting if it hadn't taken two bosses before getting one level, and the variety of characters had lots of potential.
Look: 8/10
Sound: 8.5/10
Play: 7/10 Parts of it, I loved, but really, this is what bogged it down.
Feel: 7.5/10
Attachment: 7/10
Overall: 7.6/10