In the age of action games, Nintendo told a folk tale — and made Koji Kondo score it like a poem.
Shin Onigashima was developed by Nintendo R&D4 in collaboration with Pax Softnica under Shigeru Miyamoto's supervision, released in two parts for the Famicom Disk System in September 1987. Its subject is Japan's oldest folk stories — a retelling of the Momotaro legend with an unexpected twist — at a time when the dominant expectation of a Nintendo game was action, combat, or sport. Koji Kondo scored it not with the driving rhythms of Super Mario Bros. but with something quieter, shaped to match the pacing of a story being told aloud. The two-part disk format was both a technical constraint and a natural chapter break, giving the narrative room to breathe. It has never received an official English translation, remaining Japan-only even after its addition to the Nintendo Switch Online library. In an era when most studios competed on speed and challenge, Nintendo chose to measure something else entirely.
— inspired by Shigeru Miyamoto
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.
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 Famicom Mukashibanashi: Shin Onigashima copies regularly.
What hardware do I need to play a Famicom Disk System game?
An FDS game requires three components: a Famicom console, the RAM Adapter (which plugs into the cartridge slot), and the Disk Drive unit (connected to the RAM Adapter). The drive requires its own power supply (six C-cell batteries or an AC adapter). Without both the RAM Adapter and disk drive, FDS disks cannot be played. The Famicom Disk System was sold exclusively in Japan and was never released elsewhere.
Are Famicom Disk System disks and drives still reliable after 35+ years?
Disk reliability varies — the magnetic media can degrade over time. More commonly, the rubber drive belt inside the FDS disk unit degrades with age, causing read errors even on undamaged disks. Belt replacement is the most common and important FDS maintenance repair. If you plan to use FDS games, have the drive belt inspected before use. A working drive with a fresh belt can read original disks reliably.
How does saving work on Famicom Disk System games?
FDS games save directly back to the floppy disk itself — there is no internal battery backup. Data is written to the disk after the save command is given, so the disk can be overwritten. To protect original game data, cover the write-enable notch with tape to make the disk read-only. Many collectors keep one play copy and one archival copy for important titles. Never power off the Famicom during a disk write operation.
Before You Buy
Things worth knowing before you buy Famicom Mukashibanashi: Shin Onigashima
A short checklist for buying a used Famicom Disk System disk 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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Inspect the disk and its shell
Disk System media is fragile — the magnetic disk can wear, and saves are written back onto the disk itself.
Ask whether it was tested and reads reliably; look for cracks or a warped shell in photos.
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Make sure it fits your console
This is Japanese Famicom Disk System media and requires a Famicom with a working Disk System drive.
Play it on a matching Japanese console or a region-free system, and confirm the listing states the region.
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Mind the drive belt on the console side
Disk System drives commonly need a replacement belt to read reliably — this is a console matter, not the disk.
If reading is unreliable, the console's belt is the usual culprit, not the game.
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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.
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