Line #94 VideoGame/WonderProjectJ


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7	[[quoteright:251:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/2364711_snes_wonderprojectj_jp.png]]
8	''Wonder Project J: Mechanical Boy Pino'' (released in 1994 for the Platform/SuperFamicom) is a [[PointAndClickGame point-and-click]] {{raising sim}} utilizing 2D art, a strong Creator/OsamuTezuka-inspired aesthetic, plus a bit of Creator/StudioGhibli thrown in for good measure. Neither this game nor its sequel were [[NoExportForYou officially released outside of Japan]], but both have been [[FanTranslation fan-translated]] into English.
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10	Stop us if you've heard this one: This is the story of an eccentric craftsman who built himself a boy. The boy's 'conscience' would [[{{WesternAnimation/Pinocchio}} follow him around and help out when needed]], and together they would embark on a great adventure when the boy's creator-father is taken away. But then the boy starts [[DerailedFairyTale kicking your dog, eating plates of food whole, and worshiping gardening tools]]. And suddenly you're completely overwhelmed, and nearly broke from repair costs, since the little deviant can't help but jump into the wishing well for no explicit purpose...
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12	Developed by former Technos staff who were also responsible for ''VideoGame/EVOSearchForEden'', ''Wonder Project J'' has you controlling a fairylike robot, Tinker, to look after another young robot (known as a Gijin) and teach him what it means to be human. In order to raise the mechanical boy to be more human-like, you need to improve his stats. Similarly to the ''VideoGame/PrincessMaker'' games, different actions will raise some stats while lowering others; for example, kicking a football is great for leg power, but lowers intelligence. You have to be sure to tell Pino if he's doing the right thing or not by either praising or scolding him. If extreme action is necessary, Tinker is armed with a ''correctional'' device. [[HilariouslyAbusiveChildhood Which happens to be hammer shaped]]. And to think this was never localized!
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14	A sequel, ''Wonder Project [=J2=]'', was released in 1996 for the Platform/Nintendo64. Set 15 years after the original, this game has the player raising a girl robot named Josette this time around.
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16	!!Tropes:
17	* AIIsACrapshoot: Geppetto made a mistake in concentrating on #4646's intelligence first, rather than teaching him love. The result was [[spoiler:Messala, a Ginjin driven entirely by a pursuit of power]].
18	* ArtificialStupidity: Justified by the young boy you're in charge of raising. He's rambunctious, irascible and [[SniffSniffNom prone to eating everything]], including the very expensive items you buy to tutor him with (''Goddamit, he ate the encylopedia again!'')
19	* AttackItsWeakPoint: Giryuu's weak spot is its head. However, as players can't control battles, one must rely on Pino's own cleverness to figure this out.
20	* BadassCape: Pino wears a billowing red cloak tied around his neck. [[spoiler:Symbolically, Messala also wears a cloak as part of his uniform]].
21	** Gardy enters the coloseium wearing a cape, which he [[TheCoatsAreoff tosses over his shoulders]] when the fight begins.
22	* BeardOfBarbarism: If Pino does beat Jeane in the colosseum, then a [[EyepatchOfPower one-eyed]] and bearded swordfighter named Gardy will face Pino -- and he's even ''tougher''.
23	%%* BeardOfEvil: The Prime Minister of Corlo, Messala.
24	* BirthDeathJuxtaposition: See "Golden Ending".
25	* BoomerangBigot: {{Exploited\|Trope}} by [[spoiler:Messala to turn the subjects of Corlo against his fellow Ginjin]]. In actuality, his goal was to rile up the Ginji preparatory to [[spoiler:a worldwide Ginji rebellion]].
26	* ButThouMust: Inverted - All of Messala's plans hinge on Pino completing his objectives. Lose in the Colosseum, and Messala enjoys the rare experience of egg on his face.
27	* ClapYourHandsIfYouBelieve: With no time left to extract Circuit J, Messala [[spoiler: zaps Pino and leaves. Pino, his circuits dying]], is encouraged to stay awake by the voices of the friends he made over the course of the game. This lends Pino enough energy to [[spoiler:activate Circuit J and kill Messala]].
28	* ChekhovsSkill: The [[spoiler:very first task]] Pino is instructed to perform, to Messala's later surprise.
29	-->'''Messala:''' Have your circuits finally fried?
30	%%* ColorCodedForYourConvenience: Pino's parameters.
31	* ContinuingIsPainful: A permanent {{Game Over}} is rare, but repairing Pino is costly and can result in a Game Over by bankruptcy. If Pino's health or energy dips below zero, it costs 3000 bucks to revive him. Add to that the annual cost of Pino's sleep, and Tinker can wind up ''deep'' in the red if you're not careful.
32	* CuttingOffTheBranches: Pokko is a returning character in ''Wonder Project [=J2=]'', implying that the Golden Ending and [[spoiler:Pino's death]] is the true canon.
33	* DisappearedDad: Geppetto inexplicably vanished not long after Pino was 'born.' Apparently, Geppetto's research has [[DistressedDude not gone unnoticed by the government...]]
34	* DoomedHometown: Gijin #46 has nothing but bad luck. He starts out getting harassed, then shows up later on when humans raid the Gijin village. [[spoiler:#46 is killed when humans raid the settlement and wreck everything in sight.]]
35	* DynamicEntry: During Pino's rescue of Mimi, Messala corners him in a cell and proceeds to gloat. Luckily, Lynx (who had been tangling with guards at the castle case), is ready with a SmokeOut.
36	-->"This is why I hate working with amateurs!"
37	* AnEntrepreneurIsYou: No such thing as a free lunch, even for robots. To pay for Pino's education and maintenance, you can make some extra money by farming or singing at your local Ginjin bar. Unfortunately, the bar is later shut down by the government as part of Messala's crackdown.
38	* EvilChancellor: Messala is working overtime to turn the King and his daughter against the Ginjin population.
39	%%* EvilLaugh: Messala.
40	* EvilCounterpart: Messala serves as this to Pino as he's also a [[spoiler: Gijin named Model #4646]] created by Gepetto and had circuits installed inside both of them.; Pino with the Circuit J which emphasizees on his humanity qualities while Messala has the Circuit X which focus on his dominance for power as he's plotting to turn the Gijins against the humans and build a kingdom from all of them which will also function as the superweapon.
41	* EvilOverlooker: Messala on the Super Famicom box art.
42	* EvilTowerOfOminousness: Corlo's Castle looms over the poor sections of the island.
43	* ExpositionFairy: Tinkey, a fairy that you control directly. In effect, an [[ThemedCursor anthropomorphic mouse-pointer]].
44	* ExpressiveHair: Pino's hair sticks out like Stu Pickles' when startled.
45	* ExtremeOmnivore: You might not think it, but apparently a soccer ball is delicious, and Pino knows it. Laugh as you will, but that's a $2,000 ball lodged in his mouth. This would be a good time to have Tinker whack Pino on the head with the mallet (If Tinker is slow on the draw, that item is gone for good).
46	* FauxAffablyEvil: Messala is impeccably polite and never loses his cool, even when he's placed under arrest. [[spoiler:Tiffany unwisely accepts his offer to "come along quietly", and Messala finds himself with a new hostage]].
47	-->'''King:''' Bah! You're a traitor to your country and yet you still stand there '''trying to be eloquent!'''
48	* GirlInTheTower: The spire of Corlo Castle (where the Princess' room is) is completely inaccessible by foot, requiring a hover-bus to reach it. Pino will have to find other means...
49	* GoldenEnding: A rare instance of the perfect ending actually being ''[[EarnYourBadEnding sadder]]'' than the other endings. [[spoiler: Pino doesn't recover from his wounds, and Tiffany marries a lord from the neighboring kingdom. However, Pino is reincarnated as her infant son]].
50	* GottaCatchEmAll: All that's left to complete Pino is to fill his 7 heart circuits and awaken Circuit J.
51	* GuideDangIt: Geppetto wasn't kidding when he said to always check your stats. Otherwise, players will be floundering trying to figure out how to boost Pino's more obscure attributes, such luck or confidence.
52	* HighDiveEscape: Lynx and Pino elude Messala in the prison by leaping from a ledge. Rob and Ber catch them with their plane.
53	* HintSystem: Ginjin #46 hangs out in the robot shantytown. He dispenses advice to Tinker if you ever find yourself stumped.
54	* HyperactiveMetabolism: If Pino gets upset, feeding him [[TrademarkFavoriteFood pudding]] will restore his mood, while special batteries will restore his HP and mental energy.
55	* IOweYouMyLife: Gijin #4630, aka Giryuu, has devoted itself to Messala ever since he rescued it from the scrap heap.
56	* InelegantBlubbering: Pino crying over [[spoiler:Ginjin #46]]'s body.
57	* ItHasBeenAnHonor: King Corlo, when it seems like all is lost. As Messala trains his gunsights on the Island, His Majesty intones, "Corlo, may you live forever."
58	%%* JustLikeRobinHood: The Lynx gang.
59	* KarlMarxHatesYourGuts: There's only one shop in the game, and the prices can get prohibitive. You can sell some of the duplicate items you find on your quest, but the resale price is cut in half.
60	%%* {{Ladette}}: Jeane.
61	%%* LeanAndMean: Prime Minister Messala.
62	%%* MoralityChip: Circuit J.
63	* NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast: Messala is the Shakesperean name for a supporter of Brutus' murder of Theatre/JuliusCaesar. It is also the name of ''Literature/BenHur'''s main antagonist.
64	* NewGamePlus: Upon completing Act 10, the game rewinds to Act 2, this time with Geppetto grading your progress. Pino gets better grades if he completes all his task without sleeping too much.
65	* NintendoHard: The boss battles, particularly the duel with Gardy, require that Pino's stats and health are totally maxed out. And even then, there's an element of luck involved.
66	* NoEndorHolocaust: Messala's crippled airship misses hitting Corlo Castle by just a hair, smashing into the island outskirts instead. No word on whether anybody is killed in the giant explosion.
67	* NoOneCouldHaveSurvivedThat: [[spoiler:Messala]] returns as a minor villain in ''Wonder Project J2'', reduced to a disembodied robot head.
68	* NoIndoorVoice: This is what Pino sounds like when his Sensitivity rating is low. "GIMMIE A JOB!!!"
69	* PermanentlyMissableContent: If you let Pino gobble up Geppetto's cat. The same goes for the hen (though you don't incur a penalty if this happens).
70	* ThePlan / TurnedAgainstTheirMasters: Once the human-Ginji civil war is underway, Messala plans to use to a giant version of Geppetto's amplifier to send out a signal to all Ginjin, [[spoiler:changing their parameters to all-Red and driving them into a killer frenzy]].
71	* ThePowerOfLove: Circuit J, which Messela neither fully understood nor [[DidntSeeThatComing saw coming]]. When it finally activates, [[spoiler:a pinkish WaveMotionGun erupts from Pino's body and engulfs Messala's airship]].
72	* PrecisionFStrike: Pino arriving on Messala's doorstep. "Messala... '''''WHAT THE HELL DO YOU WANT FROM ME?!'''''"
73	%%* PrincessesPreferPink: Princess Tiffany.
74	* PsychoPrototype: [[spoiler:Messala was Geppetto's original attempt]] to build a Ginjin who looks exactly like a human. His initializer is a giant replica of the version found in Geppetto's lab.
75	* PunnyName: Doro and Bou. This is Anglicized in the translation as "Rob" and "Ber".
76	* RidiculouslyHumanRobots: Geppetto's various models of Ginjin. The majority of Corlo's Ginjin are clunky robots who vaguely resemble human beings.
77	* RoboticReveal: Pino is so lifelike, the only way to convince people that he's a Gijin is to [[ExorcistHead rotate his head]]. ([[spoiler:This is deceptively important, as teaching Pino to spin his head is essential during the last mission]].)
78	* SequelHook: The best ending depicts the birth of Pokko, [[spoiler:who is Pino reincarnated]]. He appears in ''Wonder Project [=J2=]''.
79	* ShonenHair: Pino is actually referred to as the "boy with messy hair" by Messala's cohorts.
80	* ShoutOut: The whole thing heavily channels the Carlo Collodi classic of ''[[Literature/TheAdventuresOfPinocchio Pinocchio]]'', with the boy's default name being Pino and his creator called Dr Geppetto (though the player can [[HelloInsertNameHere rename Pino]] should he/she wish).
81	** Pino sometimes yelling "[[Franchise/{{Godzilla}} GOJIRA]]!" when kicking an object.
82	*** Speaking of which, the Ginji dragon lurking in the mine is named Giryuu. This is similar to Kiryu, better known to the west as [[Film/GodzillaAgainstMechagodzilla Mecha Godzilla]].
83	* TerribleTrio: The Wildcat Gang, consisting of Lynx and her flunkies Doro and Bou.
84	* TrapIsTheOnlyOption: Messala's invitation for Pino to meet him at the castle; [[VillainsNeverLie no tricks]], he says. Tinker thinks it's a bad idea, but Pino (displaying newfound maturity) isn't about to run away.
85	* TrialAndErrorGameplay: Late in the game, there are moments where you need to "unteach" various actions by scolding the poor Pino for doing something previously taught as correct. For example, whereas an early task requires he master throwing a ball, later on he needs to unlearn this otherwise he'll [[spoiler:throw it at a policeman]] with disastrous results.
86	* UnhandThemVillain: Tiffany, still under the impression that Messala answers to orders, demands to be let go. Messala replies that he'll be happy to -- [[BaitAndSwitchComment once they're airborne]].
87	* WeCanRuleTogether: Messala, at a loose end, offers Pino a chance to rule alongside him in the upcoming [[spoiler:Ginji revolution]] (To which Pino retorts with a BigNever).
88	* WhenAllYouHaveIsAHammer: [[spoiler:Who knew a kickball could be so deadly?]] Pino hurls one at Messala's head before the villain can traipse off with Tiffany.
89	* XanatosGambit: Messala is very difficult to thwart, with numerous contingency plans filed away in case of any setback. He also has a number of bribed guards and [[spoiler:a weaponized airship]] on stand-by.
90	* YouAreNumberSix: Each of the Gijin are designated by their number. In the prologue, Dr. Geppetto has just finished his latest creation, Gijin #4649 -- otherwise known as Pino. [[spoiler:Messela eventually reveals himself as Geppetto's original model, #4646]].

Context VideoGame / WonderProjectJ