Transformers: Mystery of Convoy (戦え! 超ロボット生命体トランスフォーマー コンボイの謎(ナゾ)) is a 1986 video game developed by ISCO and published by Takara in Japan for the Famicom. It is based on the Transformers toyline. The game was made available on the Wii's Virtual Console service on June 10, 2008. The game stars Autobot protagonist Ultra Magnus. The titular Mystery is the identity of Optimus Prime's (known as "Convoy" in Japan, and misspelled as "Comvoy" in the game) killer, as the 1986 film did not see a Japanese release for another four years. Thus, Optimus Prime's death was not adequately explained to the Japanese audience; this game was intended to capitalize on that gap.

Gameplay

The player controls Ultra Magnus, who must shoot his way through 10 horizontally and vertically scrolling levels consisting of various Decepticon enemies, with a boss fight at the end of each level. He can transform into a car carrier, which makes it easier for him to avoid enemy attacks, drive through narrow entrances and shoot enemies that are flying above him. Along the way, he can also pick up various power-ups which can give him wider ranging firepower or even the ability to fly. There are two Warp Zones within the game; they can be found by rescuing Bumblebee from the Decepticons. The bosses for each level consist of mostly large Decepticon symbols in different color palettes. The only Deceptions Ultra Magnus actually fights are Megatron, who for unexplained reasons is the penultimate boss, and Trypticon (known in Japan as Dinosaurer), the final boss. Another playable character in the game is Rodimus Prime, who can be unlocked by collecting the letters that spell Rodimus. One is hidden, sequentially, in levels 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, and 9. However, though his vehicle mode has its own graphics, his robot-mode sprite is Ultra Magnus in Rodimus's palette.

Other media

Anime

In collaboration with the 30th anniversary of Transfomers - as well as the 35th anniversary of Choro-Q - a flash anime adaptation of the game, produced by DLE, titled Q Transformers: Return of the Mystery of Convoy (キュートランスフォーマー 帰ってきたコンボイの謎), began airing in Japan on January 6, 2015. The opening theme is "physical" by Oldcodex. A second season titled Q Transformers: Saranaru Ninkimono e no Michi (キュートランスフォーマー さらなる人気者への道) premiered in Japan on July 6, 2015. The ending themes of the second season are "Destiny ~ 400 Man-nen Mae Kara Itoshi teru" (~DESTINY～400万年前から愛してる～) by Yoshimasa Hosoya and "SHOCK ~ Kono Omoi wa Hikari no Yōni ~" (SHOCK～この想いは光のように～) by Kaito Ishikawa.

Smartphone app

The studio DLE also produced a smartphone app, titled Q Transformers: Return of the Mystery of Convoy (キュートランスフォーマー 帰ってきたコンボイの謎), which was released for iOS and Android devices in August 2014. This was a remake of the original game using Q Transformers Optimus Prime and Bumblebee as playable characters instead of Ultra Magnus and Rodimus Prime. Like the original, it is quite difficult but serves as an endless runner game instead of the platformer style of the original. This was a Japanese app store exclusive, but the servers have been shut down since its release.

Reception

Transformers: Mystery of Convoy is known for its high difficulty level and poor stage design, resulting in a largely negative reception both at release and retrospectively. 1UP.com called it the "perfect example of a shameless tie-in." They criticized the game for its high level of difficulty, the game's implementation of the transforming ability and how the ninth stage loops infinitely unless a specific pattern is followed.