History VideoGame / PocketZaurus

''Pocket Zaurus'' (ポケットザウルス 十王剣の謎, ''pokettozaurusu juuouken no nazo'', literally "Mystery of the Ten Kings' Swords") is a 1987 video game for the [[UsefulNotes/NintendoEntertainmentSystem Nintendo Family Computer]] (AKA Nintendo Entertainment System) developed by [[Creator/BandaiNamcoEntertainment Bandai Co. Ltd.]] (now Bandai Namco).

This game is based on Bandai's Pocketzaurus line of stationery product toys that are in the shape of dinosaurs, which is created by Shinji Hashimoto, who worked at Bandai at the time this game was made, and also [[AuthorAvatar whom Hashimoto Zaurus in the game is based]]. Some of these toys appear as enemies in one of the stages of the game. The Pocketzaurus toy line was released in France as ''Diplodos'', along with a short-lived {{Animesque}} series made in 1988 in conjunction with Bandai and [[Creator/SabanEntertainment Saban International Paris]] on the French television network, France 3. Wiki/{{Wikipedia}} has an article on the ''Diplodos'' animated series [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diplodos here]].

You play as Hashimoto, a nerdy guy who [[BalefulPolymorph is turned into a dinosaur-like creature]] by the Emperor of Space and Time, Salamander. In order to undo this curse, Hashimoto, now known as Hashimoto Zaurus, must travel through time, from the prehistoric era to the 50th century AD, in order to gather the swords of the Ten Kings and use them against Salamander.

* BalefulPolymorph: Poor Hashimoto was turned into a dinosaur-like creature by Salamander. Unlike other victims, Hashimoto was able to retain his personality and sense of self, which allow him to embark on his journey.

* BossBanter: Some of the bosses talk to you as you are fighting them. Most notably, the Tutankam fight has the three sarcophagi arguing with each other over whether to squee over Hashimoto's BalefulPolymorph situation or just focus on attacking him already.

* EverythingIsBetterWithDinosaurs: Hashimoto is transformed into a dinosaur creature by the BigBad. The first stage in the game has dinosaur enemies. The Future City stage has robotic dinosaur enemies that are based on the Pocketzaurus toys.

* {{Prehistoria}}: Dinosaur Island (100 million BC): Has [[EverythingsBetterWithDinosaurs dinosaur enemies]], [[ThreateningShark sharks]], and a colossal [[NeverSmileAtACrocodile crocodile named Megazaurus]].

* UnwinnableByMistake: In the final boss fight against Salamander, there is one sword you ''must'' save for last. If you pick this sword up accidentally, you cannot place it in its proper location, and the game will not let you drop a sword you are carrying, nor will it allow you to pick up another sword. This results in an unwinnable situation where dying is the only way out.

* BigBad: Salamander, the Emperor of Space and Time

* VideoGameSettings: Being a game with TimeTravel as its focus, there are widely varied environments.
** {{Prehistoria}}: Dinosaur Island (100 million BC): Has [[EverythingsBetterWithDinosaurs dinosaur enemies]], [[ThreateningShark sharks]], and a colossal [[NeverSmileAtACrocodile crocodile named Megazaurus]].
** TheLostWoods / BigBoosHaunt: Enchanted Land (1700 AD): The first section has various {{Youkai}} creatures as enemies, while the second section has [[UsefulNotes/AllHallowsEve Halloween-inspired]] enemies found in Western mythology, such as Jack O'lanterns and [[DemBones a skeleton miniboss]].
** ShiftingSandLand: [[AncientEgypt Egypt (2600 BC)]]: Lots of pyramids as background elements and a maze inside a sphinx. [[UsefulNotes/{{Tutankhamun}} King Tut]] appears as this stage's boss.
** TheFuture: Future City (5000 AD): Enemies found here are [[ProductPlacement all from the Pocketzaurus toy line]]. One enemy that is a stapler toy even fires staples at you as projectiles.
** TheTimeOfMyths: The Age of the Gods (10000BC): Ancient Greek-style ruins with unicorns, spear-throwing imps, and [[OurDragonsAreDifferent dragons]].
** FinalBossNewDimension: You encounter the BigBad in front of his own castle.

** TheTimeOfMyths: The Age of the Gods (10000BC): Ancient Greek-style ruins with unicorns, spear-throwing imps, and [[InstantAwesomeJustAddDragons dragons]].

** TheLostWoods / BigBoosHaunt: Enchanted Land (1700 AD): The first section has various {{Youkai}} creatures as enemies, while the second section has [[AllHallowsEve Halloween-inspired]] enemies found in Western mythology, such as Jack O'lanterns and [[DemBones a skeleton miniboss]].

'''Pocket Zaurus''' (ポケットザウルス 十王剣の謎, ''pokettozaurusu juuouken no nazo'', literally "Mystery of the Ten Kings' Swords") is a 1987 video game for the [[UsefulNotes/NintendoEntertainmentSystem Nintendo Family Computer]] (AKA Nintendo Entertainment System) developed by [[Creator/BandaiNamcoEntertainment Bandai Co. Ltd.]] (now Bandai Namco).

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** FinalBossNewDimension: You encounter the BigBad in front of his own castle.

* EverythingIsBetterWithDinosaurs: Hashimoto is transformed into a dinosaur creature by the BigBad. The first stage in the game has dinosaur enemies.

* NeverSmileAtACrocodile: Mega Zaurus, a colossal crocodile who serves as the midboss of The Land of Dinosaurs stage and whose weak point, his smoke-shooting nostril, is vulnerable only to the Time Capsule's Bomb attack.

This game is based on Bandai's Pocketzaurus line of stationery product toys that are in the shape of dinosaurs, which is created by Shinji Hashimoto, who worked at Bandai at the time this game was made, and also [[AuthorAvatar whom Hashimoto Zaurus in the game is based]]. Some of these toys appear as enemies in one of the stages of the game. The Pocketzaurus toy line was released in France as ''Diplodos'', along with a short-lived {{Animesque}} series made in 1988 in conjunction with Bandai and [[Creator/SabanEntertainment Saban International Paris]] on the French television network, France 3. Wiki/Wikipedia has an article on the ''Diplodos'' animated series [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diplodos here]].

This game is based on Bandai's Pocketzaurus line of stationery product toys that are in the shape of dinosaurs, which is created by Shinji Hashimoto, who worked at Bandai at the time this game was made, and also [[AuthorAvatar whom Hashimoto Zaurus in the game is based]]. Some of these toys appear as enemies in one of the stages of the game. The Pocketzaurus toy line was released in France as ''Diplodos'', along with a short-lived {{Animesque}} series made in 1988 in conjunction with Bandai and [[Creator/SabanEntertainment Saban International Paris]] on the French television network, France 3. TheOtherWiki has an article on the ''Diplodos'' animated series [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diplodos here]].

* ProductPlacement: Some of the quiz questions pertain to properties handled by Bandai, whether they be toys or other video games. One quiz question asks you what [[Franchise/DragonBall Master Roshi's favorite thing is]] [[note]]Bandai distributes ''Dragon Ball'' toys worldwide[[/note]] and another references ''Family Trainer'', another one of their Famicom games. Getting the latter quiz question right even shamelessly plugs the game, telling you to go out and buy it now!

This game is based on Bandai's ''Pocketzaurus'' line of stationery product toys that are in the shape of dinosaurs, which is created by Shinji Hashimoto, who worked at Bandai at the time this game was made. Some of these toys appear as enemies in one of the stages of the game.

* ProductPlacement: Some of the quiz questions pertain to properties handled by Bandai, whether they be toys or other video games. One quiz question asks you what [[Franchise/DragonBall Master Roshi's favorite thing is]][[note]]Bandai distributes ''Dragon Ball'' toys worldwide[[/note]] and another references ''Family Trainer'', another one of their Famicom games. Getting the latter quiz question right even shamelessly plugs the game, telling you to go out and buy it now!

** {{Prehistoria}}: The Land of Dinosaurs (100 million BC): Has [[EverythingsBetterWithDinosaurs dinosaur enemies]], [[ThreateningShark sharks]], and a colossal [[NeverSmileAtACrocodile crocodile named Megazaurus]].

* ProductPlacement: Some of the quiz questions pertain to properties handled by Bandai, whether they be toys or other video games. One quiz question asks you what [[Franchise/DragonBall Master Roshi's favorite thing is]][[note]]Bandai distributes ''Dragon Ball'' toys worldwide]] and another references ''Family Trainer'', another one of their Famicom games. Getting the latter quiz question right even shamelessly plugs the game, telling you to go out and buy it now!

** ShiftingSandLand: [[AncientEgypt Egypt (2600 BC)]]: Lots of pyramids as background elements and a maze inside a sphinx. [[UsefulNotes/{Tutankhamun}} King Tut]] appears as this stage's boss.
** TheFuture: Future City (5000 AD): Enemies found here are [ProductPlacement all from the Pocketzaurus toy line]]. One enemy that is a stapler toy even fires staples at you as projectiles.

** ShiftingSandLand: [[AncientEgypt Egypt (2600 BC)]]: Lots of pyramids as background elements and a maze inside a sphinx. [[UsefulNotes/Tutankhamun King Tut]] appears as this stage's boss.

* {{Squick}}: In the Future City stage, after the Time Capsule section, you will encounter a town area with a Cafe in it. Entering the Cafe will trigger a cutscene in which a Drakkura serves you a cup of coffee, which completely restores your health. As you are drinking the coffee, the Drakkura will comment that the coffee is made with beans that are his "????". Later on in the town, you trigger a pop quiz that has the chance to ask you this question:
---> What is the "???" mentioned in the Drakkura coffee shop?
---> [B] Poop [A] Punch[[note]]The correct answer is [B].[[/note]]

* CoolShip: The Time Capsule, which Hashimoto uses to travel through time.

* MacGuffin: The [[MacGuffinTitle titular]] Swords of the Ten Kings.

* AllThereInTheManual: The game never explains why Salamander attacked Hashimoto in the first place. In the game manual, it is explained that Hashimoto is a historian who happened upon a book titled ''The Legend of Salamander'', which had some missing pages for some reason. He poured his time and resources into researching this book until one day, Salamander attacked him and turned him into a dinosaur.

* TimeTravel: You travel to different eras in order to find the swords of the Ten Kings.

The gameplay of ''Pocket Zaurus'' consist of platforming sections, with Hashimoto Zaurus (called "Pocket Zaurus" in the game, PZ for short), facing off against enemies using boomerangs as his primary means of attack. In some sections, Hashimoto can pilot his time-traveling ship, the Time Capsule, in a side-scrolling shooting format. Occasionally, the game will ask the player some quiz questions, which include game-related knowledge, history, science, and more. These quiz questions award the player bonus points.