TAITO Famicom "classic" Takeshi's Challenge now available on Android and iOS

It can be argued that the Famicom (and its North American counterpart, the Nintendo Entertainment System) is the most important video game console in history. Several classic titles, such as Super Mario Bros., Dragon Quest, and the Legend of Zelda, were birthed on the platform. Over the past few years, we’ve seen many games from this era ported to iOS and Android, and retro fans have been clamoring for more. Japanese game maker TAITO is answering that call, but perhaps not in the way retro gamers were hoping. The “classic” title Takeshi no Chousenjou (roughly translated as Takeshi’s Challenge or Takeshi’s Battlefield) is now available for Android and iOS.

The word “classic” may be a misnomer here - the game is infamous for its difficulty, insane plot, and unconventional play style. In Takeshi no Chousenjou, players will assume the role of a Japanese businessman (or “salaried man) and direct him in his day to day activities. What makes this game so unique in the Famicom library is its sheer ridiculousness. The game starts with a scene in which the main character’s boss reprimands him for his lackluster performance in the office and presents players with the choice to either quit their job, take a vacation, or punch their supervisor. The game gets even more ludicrous after this; during their journey, players will be able to get drunk at bars, gamble at Pachinko, divorce their wife, fight members of the Yakuza, and take flying lessons. The game also takes advantage of the Famicom’s integrated microphone in the second controller, allowing players to sing along to a karaoke machine (which is actually necessary to complete the game). Eventually, the main character quits his job, divorces his wife, and hang glides to a distant land to discover buried treasure. The game is bizarre, to say the least.

So if you’ve ever wanted to experience a game where you play as a middle-aged Japanese businessman experiencing a midlife crisis on the go, Takeshi no Chousenjou may be just the thing. The game has been fully ported to both Android and iOS, complete with virtual controls and the option to use your phone’s microphone for the karaoke segment. There’s also some additional optional content here which sees the businessman visit America. The game is currently JPY¥804 (about USD$7.00). Unfortunately for Western audiences, the game is currently in Japanese only, so a translated Famicom ROM may be more your speed.

So there you go. Now you can play one of the strangest, most difficult, and unique games ever made on your smartphone.

Source(s)