Genre(s) Run and gun Series Transformers Mode Single-player video game | Initial release date 5 December 1986 Developer Takara Publishers Takara, Tomy | |
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Designer(s) Hiroshi Okamoto (programmer) Platforms Nintendo Entertainment System, Wii Similar Transformers games, Shoot 'em up games | ||
The Transformers: Mystery of Convoy (戦え! 超ロボット生命体トランスフォーマー コンボイの謎(ナゾ), Tatakae! Chō Robotto Seimeitai Toransufōmā: Konboi no Nazo, lit. "Fight! Super Robot Life-Form Transformers: Mystery of Convoy") is a 1986 Famicom video game developed by ISCO and published by Takara exclusively in Japan. It is based on the popular toyline Transformers. The game was made available on the Virtual Console on June 10, 2008.
Contents
The game stars Autobot protagonist Ultra Magnus. The titular Mystery is the identity of Optimus Prime's (referred to in the title as "Convoy") killer, as the 1986 film did not see a Japanese release for another four years. Thus, Optimus Prime's death was not adequately explained to the Japanese audience; this game was intended to capitalize on that gap.
Although the game title is The Transformers: Mystery of Convoy, "Convoy" is misspelled as "Comvoy" on both the game box and the cartridge (see above).
It was also highly requested by many people to be featured in a DVD Special episode of the hit Japanese television show GameCenter CX (known outside Japan as Retro Game Master), which was seriously accepted by the show's staff. Tele Tele TV Magazine ran a contest in their December 1986 issue to win an exclusive limited edition silver-plated cart of the game. Only 50 were made and given to the first of those 50 who sent in a postcard with their name, address and favorite Transformer. The only change to the game itself was an extra ® Registration to Takara 1987 over of the 1986 one.
Plot
Ironically, The Transformers: The Movie was initially released only in the Western market. The movie details the final epic battle between Optimus Prime and Megatron, during which Optimus sustained fatal injuries. As a result, he passes the Autobot Matrix of Leadership on to Ultra Magnus before passing away. The third season of the animated series picked up where the movie left off, and was aired in both the United States and Japan (where it was retitled Transformers 2010). However, since the movie was not yet released in Japan, the Japanese audience was left to wonder about the fate of Optimus Prime. This is the premise of the game, in which Ultra Magnus goes on a solo mission through various Decepticon strongholds to find out exactly what happened to Optimus.
Gameplay
The player controls Ultra Magnus, who must shoot his way through 10 horizontally and vertically scrolling levels consisting of various Decepticon enemies, with a boss fight at the end of each level. He can transform into a car carrier, which makes it easier for him to avoid enemy attacks, drive through narrow entrances and shoot enemies that are flying above him. Along the way, he can also pick up various power-ups which can give him wider ranging firepower or even the ability to fly. There are two Warp Zones within the game; they can be found by rescuing Bumblebee from the Decepticons.
The bosses for each level consist of mostly large Decepticon symbols, along with Megatron and Trypticon (known in Japan as Dinosaurer).
Another playable character in the game is Rodimus Prime, who can be unlocked by collecting the letters that spell Rodimus. One is hidden, sequentially, in levels 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, and 9. However, though his vehicle mode has its own graphics, his robot-mode sprite is Ultra Magnus in Rodimus's palette.
Anime
In collaboration with the 30th anniversary of Transfomers, as well as the 35th anniversary of Choro-Q, a flash anime adaptation of the game, produced by DLE, titled Q Transformers: Return of the Mystery of Convoy (キュートランスフォーマー 帰ってきたコンボイの謎, Kyū Toransufōmā Kaettekita Konboi no Nazo), began airing in Japan on January 6, 2015. The opening theme is "physical" by Oldcodex. A second season titled Q Transformer: Saranaru Ninkimono e no Michi (キュートランスフォーマー さらなる人気者への道) premiered in Japan on July 6, 2015. The ending themes of the second season are "Destiny ~ 400 Man-nen Mae Kara Itoshi teru" (~DESTINY～400万年前から愛してる～) by Yoshimasa Hosoya and "SHOCK ~ Kono Omoi wa Hikari no Yōni ~" (SHOCK～この想いは光のように～) by Kaito Ishikawa.
Smartphone app
The studio DLE also produced a smartphone app, titled Q Transformers: Return of the Mystery of Convoy (キュートランスフォーマー 帰ってきたコンボイの謎, Kyū Toransufōmā Kaettekita Konboi no Nazo), which was released for iOS and Android devices in August 2014. This was a remake of the original game using Q Transformers Optimus Prime and Bumblebee as playable characters instead of Ultra Magnus and Rodimus Prime. Like the original, it is quite difficult but serves as an endless runner game instead of the platformer style of the original. This was a Japanese app store exclusive, but the servers have been shut down since its release.
Reception
In a retrospective, 1UP.com called it the "perfect example of a shameless tie-in." They criticized the game for its high level of difficulty, the game's implementation of the transforming ability and how the ninth stage loops infinitely unless a specific pattern is followed.