Meikyuu Jiin Dababa (Japan)
What is Meikyuu Jiin Dababa (Japan)?
Meikyuu Jiin Dababa is a maze-action game released in 1986 for the Famicom Disk System, exclusive to Japan. It was developed by Towa Chiki, one of the early third-party studios working on Nintendo's disk-based accessory. The game fits into the wave of labyrinth-based titles that appeared on the FDS, often borrowing elements from arcade hits while adapting to the home console format.
You control a boy named Dababa who must navigate a multi-room mansion infested with ghosts. The goal is to collect all the treasures on each floor and find the exit before time runs out. Enemies patrol the corridors, and you can briefly stun them by using items like candles found along the way. The game is purely top-down, with no jumping or vertical scrolling, relying on careful movement and pattern memorization.
Today, Meikyuu Jiin Dababa is a niche curiosity worth checking out if you enjoy early FDS games and simple maze puzzles. It lacks the depth of later action-heavy titles but captures the charm of mid-eighties game design. The disk format means it features a password system (the manual is in Japanese, so you'll need to guess or look up the passwords), and the overall difficulty is moderate. It's a solid choice for anyone interested in the platform's library of unique releases.
How to Play Meikyuu Jiin Dababa (Japan) Online
Getting Started: When the game loads, you'll see a title screen with music. Press Start to begin a new game. The game is entirely in Japanese, but menus are minimal; selecting "はじめから" (Start) or "つづき" (Continue) is straightforward. If you choose Continue, you'll need a password displayed after each stage cleared.
Movement is the core of gameplay. Use the D-Pad to guide Dababa through each maze floor. Your objective is to collect every treasure piece scattered across the room while avoiding the ghosts that chase you. Touching a ghost costs a life. The A button (X key) is used to interact with doors or pick up items; the B button (S key) lets you use a held item (like a candle to temporarily stun enemies).
There's a time limit per floor, indicated by a clock at the top of the screen. If time runs out, you lose a life. Strategies involve learning enemy patterns and planning a route to grab all treasures quickly. Since this is a Japanese-only release, some trial and error may be needed to understand item effects, but the core loop is simple enough to pick up through play.
Meikyuu Jiin Dababa (Japan) Keyboard Controls
Controls
- Arrow Keys: D-Pad / Movement
- X: A button (jump / confirm)
- S: B button (run / attack / cancel)
- Enter: Start / Pause
- V: Select
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