141. Toki
Toki is a 1989 shoot 'em up platformer arcade game, or a "run and gun", with elements of tongue-in-cheek humour combined with the action. The player takes control of an enchanted ape who must battle hordes of jungle monsters with energy balls from his mouth (described humorously as "monkey-spit" or "monkey-vomit" by some gamers). The ultimate goal is to destroy the evil wizard who cast a spell on you; therefore transforming yourself from an ape back into a human, and rescuing the kidnapped princess. The game was later ported to several video game consoles between then and 1991 during the period of the games popularity.
Toki was originally developed as an arcade game in 1989 by the (now defunct) TAD Corporation. The game was initially known as Toki throughout Europe and the Americas, however in Japan the game was known as Juju Densetsu.
Due to its popularity, within the next two years the game had been ported to a larger number of home video game consoles of the time. These included the Amiga and Atari ST published by Ocean Software, and the Nintendo Entertainment System, published by Taito. The latter version of the game was slightly altered and featured a health bar so that Toki didn't die after one hit. Ports for the ZX Spectrum & Amstrad CPC were advertised by Ocean Software, and the Spectrum version was previewed in issue 90 of Crash Magazine, however neither port materialised.
Sega would later reprogram the game into an exclusive version for the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis known as Toki: Going Ape Spit. This version lacks the non-spit power-ups, but it features additional levels and more detailed graphics.
The protagonist of the game is a muscular, loin-cloth wearing, Tarzan-esque tribesman named Toki, who up until recently lived a primitive yet contented life in the jungles of a vast and wild island in the South Seas.
This all ends tragically when the beautiful Miho, princess of Toki's tribe of jungle men, and a potential suitor to Toki, is kidnapped by the treacherous witch doctor Vookimedlo. Miho is taken to a vast golden palace at the summit of the island, which Vookimedlo has conjured up for himself to reside in. The wicked shaman then casts a spell to transform all the human inhabitants of the island into various animals and beasts, before they can defend themselves against the evil magic.
Toki himself is transformed into a Geeshergam; one of the ape-like minions of Vookimedlo; although in his primate form Toki more resembles a gorilla. Fortunately the great warrior discovers that he is still in control of his own faculties and as an unexpected side-effect of the spell cast on him, he can breathe fire and shoot forth various projectiles from his mouth.
Toki then sets off on a quest to pursue and defeat Vookimeldo, rescue princess Miho, and undo the curse which has befallen the island. However, to reach Vookimedlo's golden palace, Toki will have to travel through murky lakes, steep canyons, over frozen ice-capped mountain ranges and lava-spewing volcanoes alike. To progress in his quest and be ultimately victorious, Toki will have to battle all manner of dangerous wild animals and various mutants of Vookimedlo's creation; not to mention Vookimedlo's own abominable guardians who act as level bosses.
In some ports of the game, Toki was named "Juju", Miho was named "Wanda" and Vookimeldo was named "Dr. Stark". Also, in some ports it was not Vookimedlo who kidnaps princess Miho, but his chief henchman, the half-invisible giant known as Bashtar. In some ports Bashtar was the final boss of the game, and not Vookimedlo.
The game is a typical platformer in which the player must transverse several levels with a miniboss at the end. Despite his apparent handicap, his slowness as an ape, and the fact that almost any attack can kill him, Toki is able to spit powerful shots that will help him in defeating enemies and obstacles that try to slow down in his mission. There is a timer for each stage. Toki can make use of items such as power-ups for his spit; lucky rabbit feet which can give Toki bursts of super-human agility and jumping skill; clocks which add extra time to the countdown; fruit which can add to Toki's bonus points; keys which unclock bonus areas; a special helmet that protects him from upwards attacks (the helmet rather comically resembles an American football helmet); extra lives; and magic coins which when collected in abundance can obtain Toki an extra life.
Toki was criticised for some due to its lack of originality, and the general slow pace of the game (Toki as an ape doesn't move very fast), amongst other criticisms. However the game was generally well received and achieved a considerable following of fans.
The protagonist of Toki is a monkey that spits energy balls out at his enemies as both attack and a defense, and to remove obstascles in its way. Some fans of the game, including a gaming magazine of the time, humorously coined the phrases "monkey-spit" and "monkey-vomit" for these energy balls. This caused some concern by some, such as parents whose children wanted the game, who took the phrases literally and thought vomit or spitting were not appropriate to be included in a game which may be played by children. The phrases stuck, however, and one recent example of this was on the website games.net, which had an article entitled "The ten worst bodily expulsions in games". Toki was nominated for inclusion in this article due to the "monkey vomit", and Toki was included at number seven. The article can be seen here.
Levels are:
* Labyrinth Of Caves - The first level begins as you pursue Vookimedlo through the woods, into caverns and the underground realm of Moornah. This network of stone caves are decorarated with stone carvings and gold statues which resemble Polynesian artwork, albeit in a twisted form; Moornah is controlled by legions of Geeshergam; leaping, out-of-control, zombie-like monkeys. Watch out for their steam-powered, fire-sprewing floating vehicle known as the Gates of Moornar. You’ll be climbing up, down, and sideways on the vines which grow from the cavern walls and ceilings, and jumping from chamber to chamber. The rocks beneath your feet are not stable, either, as the caverns are rocked by tremors. You will then have to work your way up to the peak of a rocky canyon to face Boloragog.
* Lake Neptune - The second level takes you into the murky depths of a lake filled with unspeakable horrors which have, for centuries, been feeding on unfortunate ships that have wondered into it from the open ocean. Good job Toki has his snorkel and goggles to help navigate the sunken ancient temples.
* Fire Caverns - The mighty Mogulvor likes things hot, so he’s moved into an active volcano! Watch out for deadly molten lava in addition to lots of nasty enemies.
* Ice Palace - When you get through the mountain, you come out at the icy peak. This is the domain of Zarzamoth, the woolly mammoth. The floors and walls are made of ice.
* Dark Jungle - You've chased Bashtar to where thick, lush rainforest covers the valley floor. But this isn't Toki's home anymore. The island is wracked by tropical storms and lots of dangerous animals now run free here, and even some of the plants have turned against Toki.
* Golden Palace - You've now removed all the guardians of Vookimedlo's lair, and the path to Vookimedlo himself is clear. The final battle looms.
Enemies are:
* Armorel Kemin - These former tribemen have become sword-wiedling, armoured Geeshergam footsoldiers in Vookimedlo's Golden Palace. They can also shoot energy fields at you - they often do so just as they appear, or when you start a life. So you need to know where they appear.
* Bellzador - The bigger, nastier, silver-skinned cousins of the devilish Wobalin. It can also go off the screen to the left, which is annoying, so you want to shoot diagonally at it up/right, then up, then watch for the spear off screen to the left to fire.
* Blastums - Resembling tentacled piranhas with lots of teeth, these creatures are very much out of the water - they fly through the air at you. They will lie in wait in their enclaves until they see you, at which point they shoot forth horizontally at high speed. However they're killed if they run into a wall and miss you, and they only take one shot.
* Bungataras - A minimal threat enemy looking like a cross-breed between an emu and a dodo; this flightless, red-and-blue feathered bird on level five can earn you 3000 points from if you manage to shoot it and then pick up the tasty meat it drops as it dies. However, strangely the meat of the Bungataras is unaffected by gravity and rises up into the air before disappeaing into the sky, so you have to be quick.
* Catecormos - A carnivorous plant which resembles red tulip. Catecormos usually appear in pairs and can leap out of the soil to seemingly random heights. Your best bet is to run away when you see them and jump after one makes a weak jump. The first bounce is the toughest.
* Creepavore - Apparently half-animal and half-plant, these crawling multi-eyed and tentacled freaks attacks with gigantic tongues. They also fire projectiles; it loops three bullets in the air, moves in, and repeats.
* Cupper - These frisky lizard-like, red-eyed amphibian creatures live underwater and swim in an erratic figure eight pattern with the help of their fins, but their weakness is they cannot fire projectiles.
* Flying Shardu - Small, flying, carnivorous reptiles which dive from the top of the screen and, combined with other monsters, it can put you in a squeeze. Best to jump on it in those cases. There's also an even smaller version with satellites. It twirls around randomly. Kill the center one and get 100 points for the remaining satellites, which get 50 if you shoot them.
* Gabranha - Very nasty looking carnivorous piranha-like fish with red scales, blue fins, and lots of teeth, and appear on the water levels. Small ones are 100 points and take a single hit; the larger ones are worth 300 points and take two hits to die. The large ones tend to follow you around but the small ones are more numerous and gum up narrow passageways. Neptuna, the semi-boss of the second level, also belches them out, as do the Vipus creatures.
* Galartor - Perhaps the strangest and most bizarre enemy in the game, the rather surreal Galartor were created by Vookimedlo by beheading some the largest of his mutated monkeys, the Geeshergam, and doing away with the bodies. The Galartor now float around as gigantic, wild-eyed, disembodied, primate heads with brown skin, white hair and beards, and huge sharp teeth. Weird. The Galartor are annoyingly resilient, and bounce up and down off the side of the screen, then bounce toward you. It also breathes flame missiles that act like curveballs. The best strategy is to use a helmet to crush it or to jump on its head. Sadly you can't run under it as it catches up to you, and in one situation if you don't use your power up you're reduced to jumping, firing, and hoping.
* Garnidare - A strange little red-shelled crustacean which spends its time climbing vines. You can wait for the little crab-like critters to get to the top and fire if there's a vine to climb down.
* Gates of Moornah - A steam-powered, flying fortress which guards the caverns that make up the first level. It is operated by two half-fossilised Geeshergam.
* Geeshergam - Vookimedlo's most favoured henchmen, the Geeshergam are crazed, zombie-like monkeys. Although they don't fly or have wings per se, they are incredibly agile and spend more time in the air then on the ground. They somersault out at you with a springy noise, and yelp amusingly when they die. They are most easily killed in the air. In some ways they resemble the winged monkeys of The Wizard of Oz. The Geeshergam take two hits to die, and when dead give you 300 points.
* Herbamo - Tiny, red-eyed, rodent-like critters with green armour platings. These are the first enemy encountered in the game. Despite their shells they are in fact one of the weakest enemies, and can be useful as a springboard to reach higher areas.
* Ivor - A mutant cross-breed between a warthog and an anteater. Medium difficulty to kill.
* Kalgatrobe - These are the larger, green-skinned cousins of the Geeshergam. They take big swipes at passers-by, but don't actually have the ability to move. If you don't run into them, they won't have the range to kill you. More for shock value than anything else. Jumping on their heads often allow Toki to reach a power-up or a protection.
* Katyerows - Thin, mutated palm trees, which are seeded in the earth from magical spheres which fall from the sky. The trees then drop their fruit in the form of bouncing balls that will kill on contact, therefore you must shoot them or duck. The balls take two hits and give 100 points. You can also shoot the sphere that falls before it reaches the ground for 50 each time but it delays the inevitable.
* Killer Harna - The Harna are mutated flies bred for hunting and killing; they buzz around the screen in a figure eight pattern. Often useful for jumping on if you can manage to land on it, and when shot they coughs up a power-up which isn't always useful but can be nice.
* Mortoise - Despite living underwater, these mutated turtles have shells apparently composed of molten rock and lava. The Mortoise can also transform into a ball of sharp spikes. It has a circular path until it rises to the surface quickly, straight up.
* Pengafin - A curious and cowardly red-skinned penguin-like creature, with blonde hair, which quickly attempts to flee from you on sight. They are the only monsters in the game which don't really pose a threat. The trick is to shoot them before they escape, though, because they can leave pretty useful power-ups when killed. It has been suggested that these creatures were included in the game for comedy effect.
* Raktura - A looping, fire-breathing, blue-feathered bird of prey that flies down in a flaming swoop and fires a swaft of three projectiles. They live in the interior of the volcano. Very dangerous.
* Shartoesi - These creatures resemble flying, tailed trilobites; they fly back and forth, getting a bit lower each time as they wrap off the screen and back on. The Shartoesi appear to have some kind of counter-magic ability. They are a nuisance as they can steal power-ups and items from you, but they are also useful as they drop magic coins which when collected in numbers can give Toki an extra life.
* Shoshanu - These mutated aquatic eels go in the four angular directions. They can nip you from behind if you don't expect.
* Thorpedo - Bright-coloured birds of prey, they are however quite small.
* Timagon - A medium-sized, fire-breathing lizard with bug-eyes that pops out of a green-and-red shell that can also be a nuisance, since the shells take hits. The Timagon also roughly seems to know where you are, and your best bet is to run/jump/fire away at it, preferably with power-ups.
* Vipus - These pale, multi-eyed octopus-like creatures breathe out smaller enemies, the Gabranha fish.
* Webstamite - A red spider-like creature that hovers in the air, shoots red projectiles, and explodes again on death. The more you hit it, the faster it will go. It has several arcs it sprays bullets in so try to keep a distance from it, or jump and shoot at it just after it releases.
* Wobalin - Small, winged, blue-and-white devilish imps which carry spears, appear above you and throw their weapons downward, screaming with delight as thwey do. It takes three hits to kill these creatures. Their bigger and nastier cousins are the Bellzador.
Bosses are:
* Boloragog - Once a fellow tribesman of Toki, the towering, imposing and heavily pierced Boloragog apprenticed himself to the evil Vookimeldo and is fairly trained in the ways of black magic. He is able to conjure up waves of up to five Geeshergam. However once these are out of the way Boloragog proves little challenge as he himself has little health (three life bars.) Boloragog embodies the element of earth.
* Neptuna - This gigantic, armoured, scaly aquatic mer-man acts as a semi-boss in level two, and appears to be a twisted form of the Roman god Neptune. He belches out Gabrahna; red fish with large snapping jaws. The player needs to direct the projectiles around his shield. Neptune is an embodiment of the element of water.
* Rambacha - This chubby, white-skinned cyclops is the true boss of level two. He resembles the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man, with a gigantic singluar eyeball that is almost as big as its entire body. Rambacha has the ability to shoot forth eyeballs, each of which can be deadly in their own right. Rambacha awaits you when you surface from Lake Neptune, and must be defeated to complete the second level.
* Mogulvar - Mogulvar is a truly disgusting abomination, resembling a mish-mash of gigantic internal organs. Mogulvar lives in extreme conditions and currently resides in the volcano. For comedy effect, Mogulvar throws his projectiles which form the words "B-U-R-P". Mogulvar is an embodiment of the element of fire.
* Zorzamoth - The icy summit of the island is the domain of this woolly mammoth-like monster, frozen for millions of years in green ice, but now resurrected to guard Vookimeldo's golden palace. His half-fossilised, blood-red, tusks can be dislodged and thrown at you, so timing is essential. Zorzamoth is an embodiment of the element of ice.
* Bashtar - Bashtar is second only to Vookimedlo himself, to whom he acts as a lieutenant, or chief henchman. Bashtar is a giant of a man and the brawn of the bunch. Bashtar still likes to meddle with his master's magic and casts invisibility spells on himself; however Bashtar isn't too adept in magic and whilst the rest of him may indeed be invisibile his feet, fists and beating heart can still often be seen. Bashtar is an embodiment of the element of air and wind.
* Vookimedlo - Toki's arch-nemesis will appear in the form of a robed old man, but will soon reveal his form to be a monstrous, dragon-like skeletal monster with his black heart exposed. Vookimedlo is an embodiment of the element of black magic.
