Developer: Capcom Publisher: Capcom Release: 07/11/93 Genre: Action
I should have learned to never doubt Capcom when it came to their Disney output. After Rescue Rangers, DuckTales, and Aladdin they proved they were the kings of licensed titles at the time. But all of those properties already had an element of adventure they could draw from. Goof Troop? The comedy show about the dimwit and his son? What could you do with that? Make a Zelda inspired adventure of course. While that isn’t entirely accurate it is pretty close. Goof Troop is far better than anyone reasonably expected.
With its room by room structure and focus on use of tools it would be easy to assume Goof Troop is a Capcom take on Zelda. However it actually has more in common with Pirate Ship Higemaru, one of their very first games. This little known arcade title featured much of the same barrel tossing and puzzle solving and is probably the inspiration for Goof Troop. That being said it can’t be denied that this bears a strong resemblance to Zelda which is a good thing. While a bit simple it is pretty fun while it lasts.
Both Goofy and Max have little means to protect themselves. There is little distinction between the two: Goofy is stronger and dispatches enemies in one hit. Max is faster but needs two hits to kill enemies. The only ability they have is to pick up and throw objects, of which there are plenty lying around. As this is a pirate island you will find stacks of barrels everywhere, mostly to hit switches. You can catch almost any object in midair to throw back, which is mainly for boss battles.
The core of the game is puzzle solving. In each of the game’s five levels you find various items needed to progress. This never reaches the level of Zelda; you can only carry two simultaneously. Generally if you come across an item you will need it shortly. The list is small with the hook shot and keys being the most common. The game does a lot with a little however. In most cases the solution to a given quandary is obvious, it comes down to execution. There is a clear sense of progression as the levels become longer and the puzzles more elaborate. Make no mistake, this is a simple game clearly for a younger audience. Yet it is still enjoyable for more experienced gamers.
Goof Troop is extremely fun in single player but absolutely excels in coop mode. Here both players can only carry one item. This restriction forces communication and cooperation to solve puzzles and progress. You can pass items back and forth as necessary, with certain ones like the bell seeing much greater use. Alone you can ignore it, but coordinating its use with two people is a valid tactic. Coop is implemented so well I wouldn’t be surprised if the game were designed around it. I just wish the game were longer to take advantage of it.
Aside from its length Goof Troop suffers from very low difficulty. There is very little combat and most enemies are easily avoidable. That is not the game’s focus, the puzzles are. The puzzles are the standard block pushing fare you’ve seen before. They can be clever at times but nothing that you haven’t seen before. The only real challenge comes in the boss battles which can actually be tricky. While I did find the game easy surprisingly death can come quickly from the unlikeliest sources. It is easy to walk into a pit or get hit by a block accidentally which is why the game literally throws extra lives around so recklessly. I would have loved an extra level or two as the complexity and level length were starting to build toward the end. While short this is an enjoyable ride to the end.
In Closing
To be honest Goof Troop turned out better than I expected. This was a weird genre to explore in a Disney game yet Capcom did an excellent job blending the two. If the game were longer and the puzzles more creative it could have been really special. It is a little dull playing solo but truly comes alive with a friend.
