Kaiketsu Yanchamaru 3: Taiketsu! Zouringen
The princess has been kidnapped again, this time by a pair of menacing-looking
figures. Locked in a tower, she manages to write a plea for help on a scrap of
paper and then sends a paper airplane out of her prison. Miraculously, it
reaches her boyfriend Yanchamaru who, being the upstanding samurai that he
is, immediately sets out to save her.
Kaiketsu Yanchamaru 3 is the final sequel to Kid Niki and is a significant
departure from the first two games. Not only does the game feature full four-
way scrolling and large maps to explore, but Yanchamaru himself sports a
completely new look and numerous new abilities. His trademark spinning sword
now seems to more closely resemble a b ō, and Yanchamaru can now use it to
shoot waves of energy at foes, bounce on the end, spin in place, and even
launch off of walls and corners. Taking a cue from Mega Man, he also now has
the ability to slide through narrow spaces and underneath dangerous spikes.
Each stage contains numerous keys and locked doors. Any key will open any
door, and it is possible to complete a stage without even finding all the keys
and doors. The final door in each stage leads to the boss room. After clearing
each stage, your performance is tallied, and depending on what you did,
bonuses such as points or lives are given.
Kaiketsu Yanchamaru 3: Taiketsu! Zouringen