About this game
Famicom Mukashibanashi: Shin Onigashima (1987) is a text-based adventure game that re-tells the Japanese folk tale of Momotaro — the boy born from a peach — with an original twist: players follow Donbe and Hikari, a boy and girl pair, as they discover they are the children of the Demon King Onigashima. Supervised by Shigeru Miyamoto and scored by Koji Kondo, it was released in two Disk Card parts. It has never been officially translated to English. It represents a side of Nintendo that rarely reached outside Japan: the studio telling its own culture's stories, in its own language, for a domestic audience.
Key Features
Text-based point-and-click adventure: players navigate menus and make decisions that advance the story. Full Japanese folk tale narrative arc — multiple classic stories (Momotaro, Issun-boshi, Urashima Taro) are woven together. Dual-protagonist structure: Donbe (boy) and Hikari (girl) have separate but intersecting story paths. The game is split across two Disk Cards — Part 1 (Zenpen) and Part 2 (Kouhen) — requiring the player to acquire and play both for the complete story. Disk System save functionality allows the story to be resumed across sessions.
Gallery
The Story Behind
Shin Onigashima was developed by Nintendo R&D4 in collaboration with Pax Softnica, with supervision by Shigeru Miyamoto. It released in two parts across September 1987 for the Famicom Disk System. The game was entirely Japan-exclusive; the Nintendo Switch Online Japan library added it decades later (confirmed as Japan library only). It has never received an official English translation. The game is significant as an example of Nintendo's FDS-era content strategy: the Disk System's rewritable format and larger storage allowed for types of games — longer narratives, text adventures — that cartridges of the era could not easily support.
Tricks & Tales
Shin Onigashima is one of several "Famicom Mukashibanashi" (Famicom Old Tales) games Nintendo developed for the Disk System — a series intended to bring Japanese folk storytelling to the platform. Koji Kondo's score draws on traditional Japanese musical elements, giving it a distinctly different feel from his work on Mario and Zelda. The game requires both Disk Cards to complete the story — a format decision tied to the storage limitations of individual Disk Cards and the Disk System's rewrite service. As of 2024, it remained untranslated into English, making it one of the most significant Nintendo games that Western audiences have never experienced.
Collector's Guide
Region & Compatibility
Japan exclusive — no international release has been made. The game has never been officially translated into English. A working Famicom Disk System unit is required to play. The game requires two Disk Cards for the complete story: Part 1 (Zenpen, released September 4, 1987) and Part 2 (Kouhen, released September 30, 1987). Nintendo Switch Online added this to the Japan library, confirmed Japan-only. Unofficial English patches exist online.
Maintenance Tips
Shin Onigashima requires a working Famicom Disk System — the belt drive mechanism must be functional. See The Legend of Zelda entry for FDS belt maintenance details. The game spans two Disk Cards — verify both are readable before purchase or use. The Disk System's save function stores progress; test that save and load functions work before extended play sessions. Complete sets (both Disk Cards in original sleeves with insert) are increasingly rare.
Available in our shop
Hand-cleaned and tested units shipped worldwide from Toyohashi, Japan. HP direct purchase exclusive: we include a printed shop owner's note card with every order.
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