Spanky's Quest
{{More citations needed|date=December 2013}}
{{Short description|1991 video game}}
{{Infobox video game
| title = Spanky's Quest
| image = Game Boy Spanky's Quest cover art.jpg
| developer = Natsume
| publisher = {{vgrelease new|JP/NA|Natsume}}{{vgrelease new|EU|Taito (GB)}}
| programmer = Toshiyasu Miyabe (GB)
Satoshi Yoshikawa, Kenji Furuya (SNES)
| artist = Tomoko Okamoto (GB)
| composer = Hiroyuki Iwatsuki (GB)
Kiyohiro Sada (SNES)
| platforms = Game Boy
Super Nintendo Entertainment System
| released = Game Boy{{vgrelease|JP|26 April 1991|NA|July 1992{{cite web|url=https://www.nintendo.com/consumer/downloads/dmg_games.pdf|title=Game Boy (original) Games|publisher=Nintendo|access-date=2020-08-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304111407/https://www.nintendo.com/consumer/downloads/dmg_games.pdf|archive-date=2016-03-04|url-status=live}}|EU|1992}} SNES{{vgrelease|JP|27 December 1991|NA|July 1992{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendo.com:80/consumer/gameslist/manuals/snes_games.pdf|title=Super NES Games|publisher=Nintendo|access-date=2020-08-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080920223937/http://www.nintendo.com/consumer/gameslist/manuals/snes_games.pdf|archive-date=2008-09-20|url-status=live}}|EU|1992}}
| genre = Puzzle-platform
| modes = Single-player
| caption = North American Game Boy Cover Art
}}
Spanky's Quest is a 1991 puzzle-platform game developed and published by Natsume for the Game Boy and Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES). Known in Japan as Monkey Reflections: The Adventures of Mr. Jiro{{Efn|Japanese language: 反省ザルジローくんの大冒険, Hepburn romanization: Hansei Zaru: Jirō-kun no Daibouken|group=lower-alpha}} on the SNES and Lucky Monkey{{Efn|Japanese language: ラッキーモンキー, Hepburn romanization: Rakkī Monkī|group=lower-alpha}} on the Game Boy, the player controls the monkey Spanky as they try to escape a tower created by the witch Morticia. Players are tasked with clearing rooms by using the help of a magic ball to progress. Depending on the console version, the way the player clears rooms changes.
Spanky's Quest has received mixed reception from critics. In 2021, the SNES version of the game was added to the Nintendo Classics service.
Gameplay
{{multiple image
|align = left
|direction = vertical
|image1 = GB Spanky's Quest (Rakkī Monkī).png
|image2 = SNES Spanky's Quest (Hansei Zaru - Jirō-kun no Daibōken).png
|caption2 = Top: Game Boy version screenshot.
Bottom: SNES version screenshot.
}}
Spanky attacks by throwing a small purple bubble. He can then bounce the bubble on his head. Every time he bounces the bubble, the bubble grows and changes color. The bubble can then be popped, depending upon the bubble's size and color, different types of sports balls will fly out of the bubble destroying enemies touched by the balls. For example, a purple bubble will release a baseball and the largest orange bubble will release several basketballs. If an enemy is touched by a bubble, he will simply be stunned and unable to move for a moment.
There are a total of five worlds with ten levels each. After clearing each world's ten levels, the player must face a main boss. After defeating all five bosses, the player fights the witch herself. In the SNES version, levels are cleared when the required number of keys unlocks a door; in the GB version, levels are cleared when all the enemies have been destroyed. The enemies in the game are generally different types of fruits, with the notable exception of the witch.
Plot
{{More plot|date=August 2020}}
The SNES game has a storyline in which Spanky is trapped in a tower by an evil witch named Morticia. Spanky has to defeat Morticia and find his way out of the tower. Along the way, Spanky has to deal with Morticia's minions (which are shaped like an apple, pineapple, watermelon, peach, and grapes respectively).
Development and release
{{Expand section|date=August 2020}}
The Super NES game is known for its very upbeat jazz soundtrack by Kiyohiro Sada.https://www.facebook.com/kyohei.Sada/posts/331795056931257 {{User-generated source|certain=yes|date=March 2022}}
The Game Boy title is somewhat similar to the SNES version but differs quite a bit.{{cite web |title=Spanky's Quest |date=14 February 2016 |url=http://superadventuresingaming.blogspot.com/2016/02/spankys-quest-snes.html |publisher=Super Adventures In Gaming |accessdate=January 18, 2020}}
The SNES version is a tie-in game between Taro Murasaki, a Japanese monkey showman, and his monkey, Jiro.
In May 2021, the Super Nintendo version of the game was re-released on the Nintendo Switch via the Nintendo Classics service.{{Cite web |last=Bryant |first=Paul |date=19 May 2021 |title=Caveman Ninja, Magical Drop2, Spanky's Quest, more join free Nintendo Switch Online library |url=https://gaming-age.com/2021/05/caveman-ninja-magical-drop2-spankys-quest-more-join-free-nintendo-switch-online-library/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220812063756/https://gaming-age.com/2021/05/caveman-ninja-magical-drop2-spankys-quest-more-join-free-nintendo-switch-online-library/ |archive-date=12 August 2022 |access-date=2 March 2023 |website=Gaming Age}}
Other media
Spanky, the main player character, makes a cameo as the red corner in the Famitsu Comic '92 Barcelona Olympic.{{Cite web |last=Ryan |date=2021-07-29 |title='92 Barcelona Olympics - Translated Famitsu Comic |url=https://metroiddatabase.com/barcelona-olympics-translated/#&gid=psgal_11623_1&pid=5 |access-date=2025-03-30 |website=Metroid Database |language=en-US}}
Reception
{{Video game reviews
|na=true
|GB=true
|SNES=true
|EGM_SNES=6.5/10{{cite magazine|last1=Harris|first1=Steve|last2=Semrad|first2=Ed|last3=Alessi|first3=Martin|last4=Williams|first4=Ken|url=https://archive.org/stream/Electronic_Gaming_Monthly_034#page/n23/mode/1up|title=Review Crew - Super NES - Spanky's Quest|magazine=Electronic Gaming Monthly|issue=34|publisher=Sendai Publishing|date=June 1992|page=24}}
|NP_SNES=3.025/5{{cite magazine|last1=Sinfield|first1=George|last2=Noel|first2=Rob|title=Now Playing - Spanky's Quest (Super NES)|magazine=Nintendo Power|issue=37|publisher=Nintendo of America|date=June 1992|page=105}}
12.1/20{{cite magazine|last1=Sinfield|first1=George|last2=Noel|first2=Rob|title=Now Playing - Spanky's Quest (Super NES)|magazine=Nintendo Power|issue=38|publisher=Nintendo of America|date=July 1992|pages=104–105}}
|rev1=Aktueller Software Markt
|rev1_GB=6/12{{cite magazine|last=Matthia|first=Mark|url=https://www.kultboy.com/index.php?site=t&id=6471|title=Game • Boy • Corner: Wilde Früchtchen - Spanky's Quest|magazine=Aktueller Software Markt|issue=66|publisher=Tronic Verlag|date=August 1992|page=146|lang=de}}
|rev1_SNES=9/12{{cite magazine|last=Matthia|first=Mark|url=https://archive.org/stream/Aktueller_Software_Markt_-_Ausgabe_1992.11#page/n150/mode/1up|title=Konsolen: Spanky's Quest (Super NES)|magazine=Aktueller Software Markt|issue=69|publisher=Tronic Verlag|date=November 1992|page=149|lang=de}}
|rev2=Joypad
|rev2_GB=79%{{cite magazine|last=Prézeau|first=Olivier|url=http://download.abandonware.org/magazines/Joypad/joypad_numero014/Joypad%20014%20-%20Page%20157%20%281992-11%29.jpg|title=Game Boy: Tu Veux Ma Baballe? - Spanky's Quest|magazine=Joypad|issue=14|publisher=Yellow Media|date=November 1992|page=157|lang=fr}}
|rev3=Joystick
|rev3_GB=79%{{cite magazine|last=Karali|first=Olivier|url=http://download.abandonware.org/magazines/Joystick/joystick_numero032/page%20147.jpg|title=Console News - Game Boy: Spanky's Quest|magazine=Joystick|issue=32|publisher=Sipress|date=November 1992|page=147|lang=fr}}
|rev4=N-Force
|rev4_GB=65%{{cite magazine|last1=Rowley|first1=Carl|last2=Roberts|first2=Nick|url=https://archive.org/stream/N-Force_No_5_1992-11_Europress_Impact_GB#page/n73/mode/1up|title=Reviewed! - Game Boy: Spanky's Quest|magazine=N-Force|issue=5|publisher=Europress Impact|date=November 1992|page=74}}
|rev4_SNES=75%{{cite magazine|last1=Roberts|first1=Nick|last2=Rowley|first2=Carl|url=https://archive.org/stream/N-Force_No_5_1992-11_Europress_Impact_GB#page/n71/mode/2up|title=Reviewed! - SNES: Spanky's Quest|magazine=N-Force|issue=5|publisher=Europress Impact|date=November 1992|pages=72–73}}
|rev5=Play Time
|rev5_GB=45%{{cite magazine|last=Menne|first=Oliver|url=https://retrocdn.net/index.php?title=File%3APlayTime_DE_1992-07.pdf&page=84|title=Marios Magic: Spanky's Quest (Game Boy)|magazine=Play Time|issue=14|publisher=CT Computec Verlag GmbH & Co. KG|date=July 1992|page=84|lang=de}}
|rev6=Player One
|rev6_SNES=88%{{cite magazine|last=Scamps|first=Olivier|url=https://www.abandonware-magazines.org/affiche_mag.php?mag=32&num=1891&album=oui|title=Tests De Jeux: Super Nintendo – Spanky's Quest|magazine=Player One|issue=32|publisher=Média Système Édition|date=June–July 1993|pages=81–82|lang=fr}}
|rev7=Power Play
|rev7_GB=44%{{cite magazine|last=Forster|first=Winfried|url=https://www.kultboy.com/index.php?site=t&id=8469|title=Videospiele / Tests: Lucky Monkey (Game Boy)|magazine=Power Play|issue=41|publisher=Future-Verlag|date=August 1991|page=128|lang=de}}
|rev8=Super Pro
|rev8_SNES=44%{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/stream/super-pro-01#page/31/mode/2up|title=A-Z of Import Games - Spanky's Quest|magazine=Super Pro|issue=1|publisher=Paragon Publishing|date=December 1992|pages=96–97}}
|rev9=Total!
|rev9_SNES=3- (C-){{cite magazine|last=Hoogh|first=Eva|url=https://total.bee-ware.ch/tests/snes/snes_spankysquest.jpg|title=Test - SNES: Spanky's Quest|magazine=Total!|issue=3|publisher=X-Plain-Verlag|date=August 1993|page=32|lang=de}}
|rev10=Video Games
|rev10_GB=72%{{cite magazine|last=Barysch|first=Jan|url=https://www.kultboy.com/index.php?site=t&id=11197|title=Test: Kopfball - Spanky's Quest (Game Boy)|magazine=Video Games|issue=8|publisher=Future plc|date=July 1992|page=83|lang=de}}
|rev10_SNES=60%{{cite magazine|last=Knauf|first=Andreas|url=https://www.kultboy.com/index.php?site=t&id=11099|title=Test: Ronny's Plopshow - Monkey Giro (Super Famicom)|magazine=Video Games|issue=6|publisher=Future-Verlag|date=February 1992|page=90|lang=de}}
70%{{cite magazine|last=Neumayer|first=Manfred|url=https://www.kultboy.com/index.php?site=t&id=18764|title=Rom Check - Super Nintendo: Fruchtsalat - Spanky's|magazine=Video Games|issue=21|publisher=Future-Verlag|date=August 1993|page=81|lang=de}}
|GR_GB=58%{{cite web|url=https://www.gamerankings.com/gameboy/585906-spankys-quest/index.html|title=Spanky's Quest for Game Boy|work=GameRankings|publisher=CBS Interactive|date=2019|access-date=2020-08-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191209012746/https://www.gamerankings.com/gameboy/585906-spankys-quest/index.html|archive-date=2019-12-09|url-status=live}}
|GR_SNES=62.75%{{cite web|url=https://www.gamerankings.com/snes/588677-spankys-quest/index.html|title=Spanky's Quest for Super Nintendo|work=GameRankings|publisher=CBS Interactive|date=2019|access-date=2020-08-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191209012332/https://www.gamerankings.com/snes/588677-spankys-quest/index.html|archive-date=2019-12-09|url-status=live}}
}}
Spanky's Quest received mixed reviews from critics.
Notes
{{notelist}}
References
{{reflist|group=lower-alpha}}
External links
- [https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/gameboy/585906-spankys-quest Spanky's Quest] at GameFAQs
- [https://www.giantbomb.com/spankys-quest/3030-5944/ Spanky's Quest] at Giant Bomb
- [https://www.mobygames.com/game/spankys-quest_ Spanky's Quest (Game Boy)] at MobyGames
- [https://www.mobygames.com/game/spankys-quest Spanky's Quest (SNES)] at MobyGames
{{Portal bar|1990s|Japan|Video games}}
Category:Nintendo Classics games
Category:Single-player video games
Category:Super Nintendo Entertainment System games
Category:Video games about primates
Category:Video games about witchcraft
Category:Video games developed in Japan