1994 · Givro · Adventure · Life simulation

Wonder Project J

Nintendo exclusive

In this simulation/role-playing game, you must use the robotic pixie Tinker to educate a robot boy named Pino. You can move Tinker around, examining objects and collecting them in an adventure-like fashion. Pino will automatically follow you to the direction you are facing, but will continue walking until you stop him. He will also pick objects and make his own "experiments" with them.

Also known as: Wonder Project J: Kikai no Shounen Pino · Wonder Project J: Mechanical Boy Pino
Released: 9 December 1994
Platforms: SNES
Genres: Adventure Life simulation Role-playing Simulation
Developers: Givro
Publishers: Enix
Modes: Single-player
Perspective: Side view
Themes: Science fiction
Country: Japan
Languages: Japanese
Copies sold: 1.3 million
Composers: Akihiko Mori

About

Wonder Project J is a 1994 life simulation video game developed by Almanic Corporation and published by Enix for the Super Famicom. In the game, the player cares for a boy Gijin (robot) created by Dr. Geppetto named Pino. : Search for Eden.

3 million copies in Japan, making it one of the best-selling Super Famicom games. A sequel, Wonder Project J2, was released in 1996 for the Nintendo 64.

›Story

There was once a great scientist and inventor named Gepetto, who lived on an island farm together with his creations, his robotic helper, the pixie Tinker, and his pet animals. His greatest creation was an artificial boy named Pino. No, he was not carved from wood, but looked just like a real boy - only he could turn his head 360 degrees. But Gepetto was arrested for an unknown reason.

The boy Pino looks like a real boy, but he was completed just a few moments ago, and he knows absolutely nothing. All he can do is wander aimlessly, poking objects and turning his head. It is up to you, the player, to make Pino a real man!

Keywords

life simulation
steampunk
ai programming
snes mouse support
japan only
fan translation - english
fan translation - portuguese

Media

The articlegameplay, story, development, reception

Gameplay

Wonder Project J is a life simulation game in which the player raises a Pinocchio-like boy named Pino, who displays a very large amount of animations to make him appear more human. The game uses Pino's fairy companion Tinker as a point and click interface like an adventure game, with the main objective being to educate Pino to make him more human. This can be accomplished by scolding him when he does something wrong and praising him when he does something right.

The player collects a variety of items during the adventure. Some are used to train the parameters of his character (strength, kindness, etc.), some are consumables which instantly adjust his character parameters (pudding increases his trust, batteries increase his health, etc.), while others are used to teach him certain behaviours (sowing seeds, fighting with a sword, etc.).

Development

: Search for Eden, in conjunction with Mint and Omnibus Promotion. Takashi Yoneda served as the project's director, as well as designer and writer. Hiroki Fujimoto also served as producer. Yoneda recalled on his personal website that he had a hard time understanding the concept of communicating with a character via a point and click interface, however he succeeded in realizing the game due to cooperation with anime director Umanosuke Iida.

Yoneda said he used both Sekai Meisaku Gekijō and works from Toei Animation as models for world building. Yoneda has since regarded the title as "the most thoughtful and deep work" for him. Japanese animator Toshihiro Kawamoto also worked as an artist for the game and illustrated the cover art.

Reception

In April 1995, Famitsu's "Reader Cross Review" section gave Wonder Project J a 7 out of 10. The game was a commercial hit, with sales of 1.3 million units in Japan alone. Hardcore Gamer gave the title a positive retrospective outlook. In 2011, 1UP.com's Bob Mackey listed it among the "Six Must-Play Super Nintendo Imports".