Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Kaizō Chōjin Shubibinman 3: Ikai no Princess continues the series’ tradition of tight, responsive controls and fast-paced action. Players assume the roles of cyborg heroes Tasuke and Kyapiko as they wade through hordes of mechanical foes with their trusty energy blades. Combat feels weighty yet fluid—each swing of your blade carries satisfying impact, while the dash mechanics allow for quick evasions that keep the action dynamic.

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In addition to close-quarters combat, the game incorporates a modest arsenal of ranged attacks, from charged shots to homing projectiles. Mastering the balance between melee strikes and ranged fire is essential, especially during boss encounters where patterns shift rapidly. Between the standard platforming stages, shooter sequences inject variety by transforming the gameplay into side-scrolling shoot ’em up segments—these stages are a welcome change of pace and often test your reflexes in entirely new ways.

Cooperative play remains a highlight, allowing two players to combine their efforts and pull off tag-team maneuvers. The difficulty curve ramps up steadily, offering a fair challenge for newcomers while providing veterans with moments of genuine tension. With hidden power-ups tucked away in destructible scenery and multiple paths in certain levels, there’s also a degree of replay value for those looking to uncover every secret.

Graphics

As a Super CD game, Kaizō Chōjin Shubibinman 3 boasts beautifully rendered sprites and richly detailed backgrounds that stand out even today. The character animations are smoothly executed, giving Tasuke and Kyapiko lifelike motion as they leap, slash, and slide across futuristic landscapes. Enemy designs vary from sleek metallic constructs to bulbous robotic beasts, each animated with distinct attack patterns.

The game’s use of parallax scrolling layers adds depth to every stage, creating an immersive sense of scale—from the cramped corridors of enemy fortresses to the vastness of alien skies. Color palettes shift dramatically from level to level, ensuring each environment feels fresh: neon-lit cityscapes, molten lava caverns, and crystalline palaces all feature their own visual flair. Cutscenes are fully animated and take full advantage of the CD format’s storage capacity.

Voice acting in the cutscenes further enhances the graphical presentation, syncing well with character portraits and giving life to the princess and our cyborg heroes. Though the voice work occasionally dips into camp, it complements the game’s over-the-top sci-fi charm. Minor loading pauses between stages are smoothed over by brief animated interludes, maintaining the game’s pacing and visual engagement.

Story

Shubibinman 3 picks up with Tasuke and Kyapiko enjoying a well-earned vacation—until a distress call arrives from a princess on an alien world. True to genre form, our heroes immediately embark on an off-world rescue mission, blending classic “save the royalty” tropes with tongue-in-cheek humor. The narrative doesn’t aim for profound drama; instead, it revels in its own sci-fi melodrama and heroic archetypes.

Throughout the game, short cutscenes punctuate the action, giving glimpses of the princess’s plight and the machinations of a mysterious robotic overlord. Dialogue is straightforward but occasionally humorous, playing up the banter between Tasuke and Kyapiko. Fans of 16-bit-era animated storytelling will appreciate the effort put into each scene, even if the plot itself is fairly linear.

The story’s strength lies in how it frames each level: defeating robotic sentinels to reach the next stronghold, thwarting sub-bosses with snappy introductions, and culminating in an imposing fortress showdown. While it doesn’t reinvent the wheel, the narrative pacing keeps players invested, offering just enough plot development between stages to motivate continued play.

Overall Experience

Kaizō Chōjin Shubibinman 3: Ikai no Princess is a standout entry in the action-platformer genre, especially for its era. The blend of swordplay, ranged combat, and occasional shooter sequences keeps gameplay varied, while cooperative multiplayer enhances its replay appeal. If you’re looking for tight controls and satisfying enemy encounters, this game delivers in spades.

The audiovisual presentation remains a major selling point: detailed sprite work, vibrant backgrounds, and fully animated cutscenes with voice acting all showcase what the Super CD platform can achieve. Occasional loading times are offset by the richness of the presentation, making each stage transition feel like a mini event rather than a pause in the action.

While the story may not break new ground, it provides enough context to frame your robot-bashing excursions and keeps the momentum strong from start to finish. For collectors and fans of retro platformers, Shubibinman 3 offers a compelling package—one that combines nostalgia with robust gameplay and a polished presentation that has aged surprisingly well.

Retro Replay Score

7.1/10