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Video Game / Kabuki Quantum Fighter

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A Platform Game for the Nintendo Entertainment System developed by Human Entertainment, released in Japan (as Jigoku Gokuraku Maru) in 1990, in the U.S. in 1991 and in Europe in 1992.

It is the year 2056 and the Earth's main defense computer has been assaulted by a virus. This mysterious virus could very well destroy the world as we, in 2056, know it. Enter Colonel Scott O'Connor who volunteers to stop this menace by turning himself into raw binary code and entering the computer to chase down this virus. Inside the computer O'Connor takes the form of his persona, a kabuki actor, and battles hordes of foes with his hair.

Despite this bizarre premise Kabuki Quantum Fighter is a rather normal platform game for its time. Tough and very specific jumps must be made and enemies, some of which are annoyingly mobile, seek to stop our wig wearing hero. Its one stand out difference was O'Connor's ability to grab onto hooks that inexplicably float in midair and flip off them onto ledges or other hooks. O'Connor could also climb up ladders and across certain ceilings. For combat the Colonel has a variety of projectile weapons in his arsenal that would be unlocked as stages were beaten. These weapons ate up a power bar and as such O'Connor's main defense remains his huge flowing wig. It was a simple formula and the game would move from being rather easy to being very finicky about the jumps the Colonel must make. The bosses are oddly the easiest part of the game due to their easy to learn attack patterns and the player's ability to restore O'Connor's health using the power bar. Ultimately, Kabuki Quantum Fighter would not spawn a series of games and join the other more well known platformers such as Mega Man. It is and will remain a weird little NES game.


Tropes used in Kabuki Quantum Fighter:

  • Cast from Hit Points: In boss battles, the player can convert his life meter to his energy meter, and vice versa.
  • Inconveniently-Placed Conveyor Belt: Conveyor belts make an appearance in some of the stages and serve no in-universe purpose.
  • It Can Think: The alien virus that infected Hyperion is clearly sentient, as it realizes the Earthlings are trying to activate Hyperion's self-destruct device, and it blocks their attempt, plus it's mentioned in the epilogue that the virus was planning to use the probe as a tool to conquer the universe.
  • Kabuki Theatre: The main premise is to hack a nuclear computer system to avoid an incoming nuclear war in a Cyberpunk future. To do it, a military has to get into the system with a device and get an avatar inside it, which takes the form of a Kabuki performer who also attacks with his hair.
  • Kill All Humans: The alien virus is planning to use Hyperion to destroy the planet Earth and all of its inhabitants, before returning to its goal of terrorizing and conquering the universe.
  • Spike Balls of Doom: Spiky balls acts as a common hazard in the game. A few stay in place while others move back and forth.
  • Take Over the World: The alien virus is stated in the epilogue to have intended to use Hyperion as a tool to terrorize and conquer the universe.

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