The Goonies II

This is not only an excellent continuation of a movie series but also an excellent game on its own merits. Unfortunately, this game was largely overlooked by video gamers of the time, lost in the rush of such classics as the "Zelda," "Super Mario," "Metroid," "Mega Man," and "Castlevania" games. In a crowded market, there was simply no room for it, which is quite a shame.

The first "Goonies" game was released only to the arcade and had largely incoherent gameplay. It was not the best movie adaptation ever, to say the least. However, Konami took some of the basic concepts from the first game and adapted them to the 8-bit Nintendo system to create this masterpiece.

You control Mikey, the young hero played by Sean Astin in the movie, as you go to rescue all 6 Goonies, plus a mermaid named Annie, that have been captured by the Fratellis, the villains from the film. This is what I love most about the game: it's a perfect blend of side-scrolling action elements (like "Super Mario") crossed with quest and exploration elements (like "Zelda" or "Metroid") as you try to hunt down where each of the Goonies are, collecting items and unlocking hidden doorways that will help you in your search. In a masterstroke of design, there's even a "front" world and "back" world to each area you explore, which means there's as twice as much area to search through.

Admittedly, some people just didn't like this game. Some found the "kiddie" elements made the game too easy; others felt frustrated with the quest elements, feeling that they were too hard. For me, this game had exactly the perfect learning curve. It was difficult enough to consume hours of my young life over the summer of '88, yet it's one of the few games I've ever beaten without having 30 free lives and another player by my side.

The music in this game is perfect. At the start of the game, of course, you hear an 8-bit version of Cyndi Lauper's classic "Good Enough," the theme from the Goonies movie. As you move into each successive area, though, the music is creepy and/or evocative of the area you're in. I wish I could credit the composer of this magical score; sadly, this was back in the day when video-game music composition was given short shrift (thankfully, that trend is reversing).

This is also one of the few games to have a really nice, long ending. Even a game with mind-blowing "cinema scenes" like "Tomb Raider" totally cheats with a nondescript ending. But "Goonies II," like "Super Mario 2" and a handful of others, remembers to have a nice payoff.

In conclusion, I found this game very satisfying, and if Richard Donner ever gets his proposed "Goonies" movie sequel off of the ground, I hope that he makes a nod somewhere in the script to this game, the only "Goonies" sequel we've had for many years.

If you have an 8-bit Nintendo (and if you don't, shame on you!), and especially if you're a fan of the '80s, this game is worth picking up on eBay or at a garage sale or Goodwill store near you. Every time I pop the game into my system, it's 1988 all over again.

The idea was this. Take a brilliant film that is like a bedtime story caught on film and make a sequel to it. Except this sequel isn't a movie...it's a video game follow up to a movie.

Odd.

It almost works though. After "The Goonies" scored 61.4 million in 1985 a follow up is made in 1987 on the classic, 8-bit Nintendo Entertainment System. It has a stranger plot involving mermaids, rescuing the other "goonies" and the Fratilly's breaking out of prison. While this isn't exactly Hollywood material, it's not really anything at all.

Goonies 2 is a side scrolling game which offers lots of adventurous action, strange puzzles and even some hints of RPG action. The concept is simple. Find boys, unlock some mermaids prison cage, get the Fratilly's BACK in jail, don't die. It's more difficult then it sounds.

With mind bending puzzles that have you warping from one part of the game to another it can really engulf you into the gameplay. While at the same time confusing the hell out of the player.

The game is just another side scroller with adventure elements and a movie license. But from the cheesy Sidney Lopper music from the film, to the excellent shots of the Fratilly brothers and even just the concept of the game itself brings back that old Goonies fun.

The controls are just like every NES game made after the amazing Super Mario Brothers. And with all the twists and turns this game takes it's got above average as replay goes with side scrollers. Not to mention the puzzles and thrown in RPG elements that also add fire to this games spark. But what happens when side scroller meets RPG/Puzzle elements? Like I said, it's an odd game. But it's still enjoyable.

Some Final Words:

Graphics: Nothing special. Some nice "cut scenes" and freaky enviorments in RPG type screens. But just NES graphics. Grade: B-

Sound: Sidney Lopper's song from the film helps a lot. Very creepy music...like the movie! But a whole new musical score has been done for this sequel-to-movie video game. Yes! Grade: A-

Play Control: NES=no innovation. Grade: C

Gameplay: Somewhat repetitive yet mindless and fun. Saved by puzzles at times. Grade: B

Replay: Sure. I keep mentioning it. But the RPGS and puzzles make it better. The twists make it above average...and maybe even beyond. Grade: B+

OVERALL: Interesting idea. Odd game. Odd is fun in this case. What else do you expect from a game based on a movie called THE GOONIES?

Overall Grade: B-

Spent a lot of time as a kid in the 80s playing this game. Way different from the first game as it's more of a Metroidvania type game. Really, it was metroidvania before symphony of the night. If you are into great nes games, this one is a must.

Based very loosely off the 1985 film "The Goonies", this game is among the most unique titles offered by the NES. It managed to help define a genre back in the day-- the side-scrolling free-form adventure. This game has no defined "stages" and no "bosses", as expected from the traditional side-scrolling formula, but rather allows you to go anywhere and see anything-- provided, that is, you have found the tools necessary to reach that area. It is very reminiscent of Nintendo's "Metroid" series in that regard. Later effort "Castlevania: Symphony of the Night", also by Konami, would bring this genre to its current level of perfection. I am surprised that such an original style of game, that is, this kind of adventure, is not more frequently imitated. But in any event, I suppose it is best to enjoy what we have in "Goonies II"-- if you can find it.

This game had lots of elements to it and made for a rather good side scrolling adventure game with quest elements added as well. You also had computer game like stages where you had to look for stuff in these rooms to find your friends and equipment to help you get to other areas of the strange world. The game has you as the lead Goonie going in this strange world to find your other buddies, plus a mermaid which in the end seems like a strange inclusion, but what the heck it is a video game. The areas have good variety to them as I remember a fire based area, an ice one and an underwater one too. The game was not all that difficult as far as maneuvering the side scrolling levels, however, sometimes finding stuff in the rooms was a bit annoying for a kid anyways. While this one is not the classic other Nintendo games were it was still a lot of fun to play, I liked how they had quest type things to do along with the typical Mario like levels. Certainly better than other movie games made like the super horrible "Total Recall" video game.