Hello again, I am back with the next instalment of Retro Revival, the series where I discuss classic games that have been given a second chance at life. In this series I cover HD remasters, emulated ports and compilations either in part or as a whole. This week we return to the NEOGEO library, with Blue’s Journey, a platformer developed by Alpha Denshi (ADK) in 1991. The game is available on modern platforms via the ACA NEOGEO series by Hamster Corporation.
Disclaimer: the games discussed in this feature have been my own purchases, so all thoughts and opinions contained within are my own. There has been no sponsorship of content in this feature, with links to the games where available.
So with the introductions out of the way, let’s get started. I will be discussing the general gameplay experience, then provide my personal thoughts on the release.
About the game
Blue’s Journey is set in the world of Raguy, a lush planet where nature is in harmony with those who live within it. However, the land was invaded by the Daruma Family, who destroyed their own world through industrialisation and pollution. This alien force has also polluted Raguy, leading to the environment becoming heavily toxic. Due to the heavy pollution, the princess of Raguy has become very sick, leading to one person standing up against the Daruma Family.
A boy named Blue, who has the ability to use magic to change his size and interact with nature, sets out on a quest to save the princess and stop the Daruma Family. Aid Blue in his quest to rid his home of pollution, bring down the disgusting invaders and restore the princess back to good health. This adventure is a platformer, taking place across the planet of Raguy, where the player controls the hero Blue with a second player controlling Shadow Blue.
The action of the adventure takes place across different areas of the planet, with six different areas that make up the playable stages. However, players won’t see all of the areas, as there are branching paths to reach the final area. The player will play through the first area of the game, then players be select the area they want to explore next. There are two branch options for players to select for stages 2 and 3, which changes up the game with each playthrough.
During each of the stages, the player will need to travel to the end goal, avoiding the hazards and traps of the area. The stages will have pitfalls and environmental dangers, like water and fire, which the player will need to jump over. The player will be able to use the jump to cross gaps, but if they need a little more distance, they can use their power to shrink. When Blue is in shrink mode, Players can cover bigger jumps, but they are more vulnerable.
When players are in small mode, they are unable to protect themselves, as the attack can only be used when the player is regular size. The standard attack is the leaf drop, which can be used to stun enemies for a limited time. Enemies that are stunned can be picked up and thrown, taking out other foes that make they make contact with. It is also possible to jump onto some enemies, stunning them and sending them across ground when jumping again.
The player can pick up items during the course of the game, including weapon power-ups that make the Leaf stronger. There are also alternate weapon pick ups, switching the leaf with a bomb and boomerang. Alternate weapons will defeat enemies outright, taking them down with great efficiency. Players can also pick up a special Bamboo Shoot weapon, which will make Blue grow huge and make him invincible for a limited time, running through enemies.
Alongside the weapons and invincibility, there will be additional items, which are all related to plants. The most important are the flowers, which are the currency of Raguy, which are added to Blue’s total when they are picked up. Then there are the recovery items, which will restore lost health, as well as special cocoon items, that will provide the player with an extra life. if the player dies, all items will be reset to zero, losing everything.
As the player makes their way through the adventure, they will encounter houses, where blue can enter and talk to their residents. When in the houses the player will be asked questions, which will have an effect on the adventure. These include getting assistance across water, getting clues and there is even a warp that can send the player deeper into the game. It is also possible for players to encounter Blue’s Rival, who will challenge them to a battle.
There will also be shops that can appear in the stages, which are operated by the shopkeeper Shul. She will offer a variety of items for Blue to purchase with collected flowers, lasting for as long as the current life of the player. The items that can be purchased include spike shoes for more traction, boots that allow for better swimming in water sections and health potions. The most important is the Safe, which will prevent item loss for one death.
Death is an ever present possibility throughout the game, with the enemies and traps that appear. From the start of the game, players have only two hits before death, with limited opportunity to increase the strength of the character. If the player does die, they will be sent back to the most recently reached checkpoint, which are very frequent as there are some very difficult segments. When all lives are lost the player must use a credit to continue.
At the end of the stage, the player will find the bell tree which must be jumped on to clear the round. Depending on where the player lands, there will be bonus points that are provided, alongside a bonus if the roulette above it lands on a crown. The player will then be given additional bonus points based on the performance of the player. Once the stage is cleared, the player will directly move onto the next round of the zone.
The last round of each zone has a boss battle, with a gate that needs to be opened before the player gets to battle them. Each of the boss battles have the player in an arena with the boss, where the battles have unique attack patterns and gimmicks. If the player can beat the boss, they will be given the chance of playing a lottery for 10 flowers, with the opportunity to get great rewards, including an extra hit point for the remainder of the game.
With this being an ACA NEOGEO release, there are the usual extra game modes, with Caravan and High Score mode where players compete for the best score. Players can also select between Japanese and International releases, with the domestic version using the original name of Raguy. There is also full dipswitch access, letting players adjust the settings to change the game, as well as a digital manual and CRT filter options.
Personal Thoughts
I enjoy Blue’s Journey, having played it as a kid during the time my dad had an original NEOGEO AES system. The color and vibrancy of the game is on par with the best platformers of the time, like Sonic the Hedgehog and Super Mario World. There is this feeling of being a small guy in a huge world, which is caused by the scale of the world shown in the backgrounds. This works well thematically as Blue and the natives of Raguy have insect elements to them.
Over the years, I have come and gone from the game, having played through it solo and with a companion. There are also different endings that the player can get, based on hidden conditions which added more replay value alongside the branching paths. For an early game in the NEOGEO library, there is a surprising amount of depth to it, which does make it worth coming back to whenever that itch to play it hits.
This is one of the rare titles isn’t straight up action, like Magician Lord or Top-Hunter, but it still has enough action to it to keep players engaged. It has that pick up and play quality, making it approachable to all players. But it does have some difficulty spikes, with challenging platforming and boss battles, as well as the limited health in each life. This is unfortunately made worse by the luck based lottery at the end of zones, which is the only way to gain extra hit points.
Over the years, the game has received mixed reviews for the original releases, as well as the re-releases that have come out. There were complaints about repetitive music, short length and the limitations of the visuals. I feel this is due to it being released during a period that was saturated with platformers, with most reviews comparing the game to other major releases. This is the biggest thing that sadly holds the game back, as it is constantly compared to others.
Blue’s Journey isn’t a perfect game. There are flaws in the general experience, but that is likely due to how early it is in the life of the NEOGEO. Being released within the first year of the system, ADK were still working out the kinks, with Blue’s Journey as the fourth game developed (third game released). Like many other NEOGEO games, the original AES and MVS carts are expensive, so I would like to see an affordable AES+ release in the future.
If you have enjoyed this feature, then take a look at the other content available and see what catches your eye. There are reviews, sometimes news and features that cover a variety of games. There is the lost gems series, special Gaming Oddities and more coming in the future. So stick around for a while and check out the other content.
Link to Nintendo Switch Version (HERE)
Link to PlayStation version (HERE)
Link to Xbox version (HERE)
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