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Game*Spark Global Gaming News Ganbare Goemon Daishūgō Interview https://www.gamespark.jp/article/2026/02/24/163142.html February 24, 2026 A collection with an appeal that goes beyond the cornucopia of titles included. A long-awaited collection brimming with delightful touches. A mini interview with the producer of Ganbare Goemon Daishūgō! On July 2, 2026, Konami Digital Entertainment will release Ganbare Goemon Daishūgō!—a lavish collection bringing together 13 titles from the beloved Ganbare Goemon series, including many entries that have rarely, if ever, been ported to modern platforms. Game*Spark had the opportunity to conduct an e-mail interview with the collection’s producer, Ryosaku Ueno. Ueno previously served as producer on the Gradius: Origins collection, released on July 8 last year. [sic: It was actually released on August 7, 2025] ⸻ The Core Concept is “Playability”, Experienced Firsthand by the Staff Game*Spark: What was the guiding concept in porting Ganbare Goemon Daishūgō!? Ueno: The Ganbare Goemon series hasn’t seen many ports to other hardware over the years. Some titles were available on Nintendo’s Virtual Console, but that service has since ended. As a result, there’s been no way to play these games on current hardware for quite some time. With the series’ 40th anniversary approaching, we felt that we had to do something about that, so that’s how this project began. (And perhaps also part of the motivation was that I personally wanted to play Ganbare Goemon Gaiden 2: Tenka no Zaihō, Ganbare Goemon: Yukihime Kyūshutsu Emaki, and Ganbare Goemon 2: Kiteretsu Shōgun McGuinness on modern hardware.) In preparation for this project, I went back to the original games during development and often found myself thinking, “However did I ever clear this as a kid?” To be honest, there were many moments like that. The Ryūjin Lake stage in McGuinness is a prime example. The perseverance that children have at that age is truly an amazing superpower... For this collection, we wanted to present the games in a way that would be a good fit for current players—a modern way to play Goemon”, built around features like rewind and quick save/load. The difficulty of the games and sheer volume of content made sense at the time, but expecting today’s players to tackle them in exactly the same way is another matter. After all, even people who played them at the time have grown older (myself included). Development was handled by M2, a company renowned for porting classic titles. One feature I insisted on including was a turbo mode for Gaiden 1 and Gaiden 2 (rare RPG entries in the series). It significantly improves the pacing and makes them far more playable. We’ve also added rapid-fire support, which, in fact, allowed me to complete Ganbare Goemon: Kurofune-Tō no Nazo [Note: Known as Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon on the Game Boy outside Japan] for the first time. During development, I recall we even held a “Kurofune Challenge” among the staff—yet not a single person managed to clear it. (laughs) [Note: Although it is not clear what this challenge involved, Ueno is very likely alluding to the button-mashing sections in the game, which were so notoriously difficult that Konami implemented a rapid-fire option in the Virtual Console ports.] As for emulation accuracy—particularly with the Super Famicom titles—we prioritized overall playability rather than pursuing perfect replication down to slowdown effects. The ROMs included are generally the final, bug-fixed versions, so they differ from the builds often used in speedrunning. [Note: "RTA" in Japanese.] Speedrunning is a different, yet valid experience, when played on original hardware, so we hope both approaches can coexist and be enjoyed in their respective ways. ⸻ Curating the Series’ Masterpieces in the Collection Game*Spark: Kira Kira Dōchū was a fan favorite at friends' houses back in the day for its four-player mini-games. We’re excited that you have been able to preserve four-player support in this collection. Do you have any comments or stories about implementing offline multiplayer? Ueno: For quality assurance and testing, we pulled out original cartridges, controllers, and even a Super Famicom console from storage—along with a multitap, which he hadn't seen in a while. Just at the time, development on the Super Bomberman Collection was also underway, so we alternated the use of the same Super Famicom setup between the two projects. There was a lot of nostalgia there. Game*Spark: This collection includes several titles being ported for the very first time, including Ganbare Goemon: Kira Kira Dōchū, Soreyuke! Ebisumaru Karakuri Meiro: Kieta Goemon no Nazo!!, Ganbare Goemon: Tengu-tō no Gyakushū, and Ganbare Goemon: Sekushii Dynamites Arawaru!!. How were these titles selected? Ueno: Initially, the plan was relatively simple: just include the first two Famicom titles, plus four Super Famicom entries. But as we worked through the project with M2, the scope, as usual (?), kept widening. First, Gaiden 1 and 2 were added. Then Soreyuke! Ebisumaru, the Game Boy title Ganbare Goemon: Sarawareta Ebisumaru was next, and as an example of a miniature gem, Sekushii Dynamites Arawaru!!, and so... Since we’d gone that far, it felt only natural to include Kurofune-tō no Nazo and Tengu-tō no Gyakushū as well. We wanted players to experience the breadth of the series and its evolution across eras. That thinking shaped the final lineup. However, Ganbare Goemon: Mononoke Dōchū Tobidase Nabe Bugyō!, although part of the series, was not included because it features connectivity elements with the Nintendo 64 title Goemon Mononoke Sugoroku, which was released in the same year. By the way, I personally played Gaiden 2, Yukihime, and Dynamites probably the most during development. In particular, every time a new development ROM build of Dynamites was delivered, I would complete it again from scratch until I had cleared it 100%. By the latter half, developing this collection felt less like work and more like a hobby I was doing in my spare time. (laughs) Game*Spark: The collection includes a mode in which players can read the original instruction manuals. Were there any challenges or discoveries in gathering and digitizing these materials? Ueno: Fortunately, many manuals had been preserved in relatively good condition in company storage, so the process wasn’t especially grueling. Looking back at them now, I was struck by the distinctive design sensibilities and language of the era. They’re fascinating as historical documents in their own right. Game*Spark: Finally, do you have a message for those fans who been waiting for a long time for the return of the Goemon series? Ueno: To everyone who has continued waiting for Goemon all these years: thank you very much. I created this collection as a fellow fan who wanted to experience these games again on current hardware. Games we once cleared through sheer energy and determination reveal new discoveries when revisited today. Sometimes you find yourself thinking, “Good job, past me, for being able to clear this back in the day...” (laughs) I believe newcomers to the series will enjoy it, and longtime fans may find entries they never played before. I hope you’ll savor both new encounters and rediscoveries, and enjoy the collection at your own pace. ⸻ That concludes our e-mail interview with Producer Ryosaku Ueno. While the July 2 release is still some months away, anticipation is high—not only for the impressive lineup but also for the many QOL features designed to make the experience more what you'd expect these days. The turbo mode for the RPG entries in particular promises a significant improvement in user experience. Writing as a fan as well, I can hardly wait to start playing Daishūgō Ganbare Goemon Daishūgō! is scheduled for release on PC (Steam), PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch on July 2. Interview: KAMEX; Editing: Mio