The cartoon you raced home for, now waiting inside the machine.
In the spring of 1988, a fourth-grader named Wataru was pulled into the world of Sōkaisan every week on the television, riding his mecha Ryūjinmaru toward the seven rainbows. By August, Hudson had pressed that very adventure onto a HuCard — the anime was still airing, only halfway through its run, when children could suddenly take the controls themselves. You play Wataru on foot to gather coins and buy gear, then become Ryūjinmaru to fight; the jumps are stiff and the traps are cruel, but that was never quite the point. The point was that the show didn't end at the credits anymore.
About this game
Majin Eiyūden Wataru is a action role-playing game for the PC Engine, from Hudson Soft. Part of Enjoy Game Japan Museum's record of Japanese originals.
Tricks & Tales
The game launched on August 30, 1988 — while the anime was still on the air (the TV series ran April 1988 to March 1989), letting fans relive the story before it had even finished telling itself. Each stage is built in two halves: a 'Symbol Area' where you walk as Wataru to gather money and shop, and a 'Battle Area' where you pilot the mecha Ryūjinmaru through a maze toward the boss — two characters, two feels, on one card. It was developed not by Hudson's in-house teams but by Advance Communication Company, with Hudson handling publishing — a common arrangement for the era's licensed anime tie-ins.
Collector's Guide
Region & Compatibility
The PC Engine (Japan) and TurboGrafx-16 (North America) share the same physical HuCard slot shape but are not compatible with each other's software. NEC deliberately reversed the data bus wiring between the two regions: data pin D0 on the PC Engine corresponds to D7 on the TurboGrafx-16, and so on through all eight lines. Beyond the hardware wiring difference, most North American HuCards contain region-checking code that detects a Japanese console and immediately crashes. Converters that electrically flip the data bus do exist and allow cross-region play. CD-ROM² discs themselves carry no region protection and play freely on both systems—however, the System Cards required to boot CD software are region-locked in the same way as HuCards, so a Japanese System Card cannot be used in a TurboGrafx-16 and vice versa.
Maintenance Tips
HuCard contacts are the most common maintenance point on the PC Engine and TurboGrafx-16. The card's edge connector oxidizes over decades of storage, causing failure-to-read and graphical glitches. Cleaning with 90%+ isopropyl alcohol on a cotton swab—gently wiping the gold contacts on the card itself—resolves most contact issues; stubborn oxidation responds to dedicated contact cleaners such as DeoxIT. Never blow into the card slot with your mouth, as moisture accelerates the very corrosion you are trying to remove. On systems equipped with the CD-ROM² or Super CD-ROM² add-on, the optical drive is subject to the same age-related laser and sled degradation seen in any CD system of that era; the laser assembly uses a KSS-220a-type unit on the Super CD-ROM² and replacement parts remain available.
Going deeper
Explore the machine this game ran on, and what to check before you buy or care for one:
What to Watch Out For
Before buying, these are the points worth knowing — from someone who handles original Japanese Majin Eiyūden Wataru copies regularly.
Is this game in English? Will I understand it?
It is a Japan-only HuCard with Japanese on-screen text. Most of the play is straightforward side-scrolling action, but the shop menus and story are in Japanese. No official English release exists.
Do I need to know the anime to enjoy it?
No. It plays as a standalone action-platformer. That said, it's an anime tie-in faithful to the 1988 series, so fans of the show get the most out of it.
Is it an easy game?
No — it's known for being tough, with many enemy attacks, instant-death traps, and a demanding final boss. Buy it for the affection, not for a relaxing ride.
Before You Buy
Things worth knowing before you buy Majin Eiyūden Wataru
A short checklist for buying used PC Engine software wisely — useful with any seller, anywhere.
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Choose a seller who tests it before shipping
A copy that has actually been powered on and checked is a known quantity. An untested one is a gamble you only settle after it arrives.
Look for a seller who states it was function-tested and says what they confirmed. A serious seller can tell you exactly what was checked.
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Make sure it fits your console
Japanese PC Engine HuCards and CDs are not compatible with the North American TurboGrafx-16 — the formats differ. Use a Japanese PC Engine system.
Play it on a matching Japanese console or a region-free system, and confirm the listing states the region.
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HuCard or CD-ROM² — know which you're buying
PC Engine games come on HuCard chips or on CD-ROM². CD titles also require the right CD system and a working System Card.
Confirm the format in the listing, and for CDs check the disc surface and that saves are supported.
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Check that the contacts are clean
Dirty edge contacts are the most common cause of startup and sound trouble in cartridges of this age.
Choose a seller who cleans the contacts before shipping. A note that it was tested and cleaned means the basics were handled.
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Read the seller's reviews and return policy
A 100% positive record across thousands of sales is close to a guarantee — packing, communication and problem-solving all work for everyone. A return policy protects you if something is off.
Read the feedback and confirm a clear return window before you buy.
The last step before buying anywhere is knowing what it's worth.
See what it's selling for on eBay →Unexpected Discoveries
Games you weren't looking for — but might be glad you found.
Rooms this game lives in
Wander deeper — explore the themed rooms where Majin Eiyūden Wataru sits alongside its kin.
Memories from around the world
This is a young museum, and this page is still waiting for its first voices. The memories people send reach Taisei personally, and the ones that move him find a home here over time — always with the writer's blessing. Yours could be the very first for this game.
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