Hyper Somen Longplay (MSX Game)
1Hyper Somen Longplay (MSX Game) -
Hyper Somen is a very obscure Konami game released in 1989 for the MSX.
The title is reminiscent of Nintendo's Game & Watch series, featuring simple yet challenging gameplay. Players control a character seated at the center of the screen, tasked with eating rice bowls as they slide down ramps from the left and right. The goal is to prevent the bowls from reaching the ground. Occasionally, a ball replaces a rice bowl, and if the character accidentally eats it, he chokes briefly, which counts as a miss. Players are allowed only three misses for every 100 rice bowls successfully consumed, creating an intense, high-pressure gameplay loop.
I managed to complete the first loop successfully but succumbed in the second loop after finishing about two-thirds of the stage. The game is undeniably bizarre, with its quirky premise, but it’s also frustratingly difficult. Unfortunately, Hyper Somen feels much harder and less playable than classic Game & Watch titles, which, while challenging, usually maintained a better balance between difficulty and enjoyment. While I generally enjoy tough games, this one veers so far into frustration that I was content with completing just the first loop.
#retrogamingloft #hypersomen #msx