Trip World

Trip World^[b] is a 1992 platform game developed and published by Sunsoft for the Game Boy. It was released in Japan in 1992. The game's plot centers around the bunny-like being Yakopoo and his quest to retrieve the flower of peace so that peace will return to his disarranged world. The protagonist's trademark ability is to shapeshift into different forms.

Its reception was mixed; while it was praised for its graphics and music, it was criticized for its low difficulty and short length, with many comparing it to Gimmick!. It was re-released for the Nintendo 3DS, via Virtual Console in Japan in 2011, and in Europe in 2012. A remastered version, Trip World DX, was developed by Limited Run Games and released in 2023.

Trip World is a platform game where the player controls Yakopoo^[c], a bunny-like creature that must retrieve the stolen flower of peace, called the Maita flower.^[1][2] The inhabitants of Trip World turned mad in its absence, acting as the enemies in the game.^[2][3] The player must venture through five stages, called "worlds",^[4][5] each ending with a boss (and in some stages a mini-boss halfway through), that must be defeated to progress.^[6][7] While most of the stages are linear, some have multiple paths that the player can access to reach the boss.^[1][5] The stage settings include areas such as a mountain, a jungle, the ocean and a castle.^[8] Each is called: Mount Dubious, Savage Land, Ireland, Pudding Land, and Mirror Land, respectively.^[9]: 4-9

Unlike many other platform games, most of the enemies in Trip World do not hurt the player's character on touch. Most push Yakopoo around when not angered, though will become violent if attacked. Others like bosses attack freely.^[1][6] At the start of the game, the player receives 3 lives (and four health points). Yakopoo loses a life by getting health deplenished by enemies' attacks or stage hazards, though it can be replenished by the health pickups. The game ends once they lose all lives.^[5][9]: 12

Yakopoo is able to shapeshift between different forms; each one can provide unique abilities but may change the way of attacking enemies and navigating stages. Primarily, the player can manually shapeshift Yakopoo to switch between three forms at any time.^{[10][9]: 13-14} In his first form, he can walk, jump, and attack enemies by kicking them. In the second form, Yakopoo transforms his ears into wings; he is able to glide. In the third form, Yakopoo resembles a fish, with which he can swim well and attack enemies with foam in water. Other special forms can be found by collecting special fruit power-ups for a short time, that otherwise can't be activated manually. For instance, Flower Yakopoo (stuns enemies with seeds) or Tail Yakopoo (tail attack with long range).^{[1][11][5][9]: 12–13} The player can continue the game via level select from the title screen.^[1][9]: 12

The game is set in Trip World, a peaceful world where Yakopoo lives. He is a young member of the Shabubu race of bunny-like beings.^[12] Yakopoo lives with his grandfather, an old Shabubu, on the holy mountain known as Mount Dubious, where the Maita Flower is found. The named flower is the flower of peace and is deemed to have supernatural powers. Because of this, it is usually protected by Yakopoo's grandpa, so that it won't fall in the wrong hands. However, one day mysterious shadowy creatures appear, attack Yakopoo's grandfather and steal the flower of peace.^[1] Since the Maita Flower has been removed from its place, the peace is gone and the inhabitants of Trip World get mad and don't stop quarreling with each other. In order to save his world, Yakopoo sets out to find the thieves and to return the Maita Flower.^[3][8]

Yakopoo travels through Mount Dubious, Savage Land, Ireland and Pudding Land and manages to defeat their respective bosses. Once he makes to Mirror Land, it turns out that the King of Mirror Land, a Shabubu himself, and his minions stole the flower. After Yakopoo defeats the King's minions and the King who fights Yakopoo in a robot, the Queen appears who hid with the Maita Flower during the fight. The King was actually possessed by a flower of unknown origin on his head which now disappears after his defeat. The King turns good again, Yakopoo's grandfather returns the flower to the holy mountain and the peace is back in Trip World.

Trip World was developed by Sunsoft. It was conceived by Yuichi Ueda after being influenced by Gimmick! (1992).^[13][14][15] It was released in Japan in November 27, 1992,^[16][17] and in Europe in 1993,^[2][18] while it was never released in North America.^[18] It was re-released for the Nintendo 3DS via Virtual Console in Japan on November 30, 2011,^[6][19] and in Europe on January 5, 2012.^[20][21] Due to the limited number of units released in the European territories, the cartridge and its boxed packaging copies of the original PAL version, were sold at high prices in the following years.^[1][22][23] Becoming one of the rarest games on the console, despite its re-releases having a much lower price.^[4][24]

In April 2023, Limited Run Games announced they were developing Trip World DX, a remastered version of Trip World, in collaboration with Sunsoft.^[25][26][27] It was released for Nintendo Switch on November 30, 2023,^[28][29] and for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 on February 15, 2024.^[30] A physical version for the Nintendo Switch and for PlayStation 5 was released on March 28, alongside a deluxe edition, featuring a CD soundtrack and mini magazine.^[31] A Microsoft Windows version was also announced for Steam but never released on the storefront for unknown reasons,^[30] instead being sold exclusively in limited physical quantities through Limited Run Games' official website.^[32]

Upon release, Trip World has received a mixed response from critics. The German magazine Aktueller Software Markt, stated that Trip World is "in any case a treat for action fans".^[38] Video Games, another German magazine, referred to Trip World as a "better" platform game and lauded its graphics and music. The review's author commented that Trip World is "ideally suited" for inexperienced players due to its low level of difficulty. Video Games (DE) also praised the "clear game structure", but criticized the "missing lasting appeal" for experienced players.^[39]

Retrospectively, critics had a similar sentiment about the game. Hardcore Gaming 101 praised the game's visuals stating it has some of the best visuals on the Game Boy. However, they also criticized the game for being too easy.^[1] Marcel van Duyn of Nintendo Life was impressed with the visuals as well, but found the simplicity of the gameplay and the game's length to be lacking. Van Duyn therefore recommended Gimmick! instead, citing it as a game that was somewhat similar but did everything better.^[5]

A publication Retro included the game in their "Guide to the Game Boy" article in 2016 that listed the systems "essential releases".^[44] The publication compared Trip World to Gimmick! and complimented the "high quality" graphics and sound as well as the variety of power-ups and large stages.^[44]

In contrast, a remastered version, Trip World DX, was much more warmly received. Both M! Games and Digitally Downloaded praised the addition of the "color mode" in the style of Game Boy Color, as well as its extras such as interviews, design documents and inclusion of the game's soundtracks.^[45][41] With the former describing it as "A beautifully revamped Game Boy platformer".^[45]

Yakopoo later appeared in Sunsoft's fighting game, Galaxy Fight: Universal Warriors as a mini-boss and with a more detailed look. His name is romanized "Yacopu" in this game.^[1][46] According to game's plot, he is the pet of Galaxy Fight's final boss, Rouwe. Similar to some other transforming characters from other one-on-one fighting games, Yakopoo has the ability to shapeshift himself into whoever he fights against, providing a mirror match.^[46][47]

Years later, a set of 19 Famicom Disk System development disks, previously belonging to Sunsoft, was obtained by a video game collector, DreamTR (Jason Wilson), and was later dumped. In one of the disks, it featured early graphic sprites for the player's character, Yakopoo.^[1]

• Official 3DS Virtual Console webpage (in Japanese)
• Trip World at MobyGames