Whomp 'Em, the North American version of the Japanese game lit. "Saiyūki World 2: Evil Spirit of Heaven" (西遊記ワールド2 天上界の魔神) (1990), is a platform game released on the Nintendo Entertainment System in March 1991. It is named after Wampum.

Gameplay

Whomp 'Em is a platform game with some similarities to the Mega Man and Mario series. After completing the first stage, the player can play the other six in any order. Each of the stages revolves around elements, such as fire and water. After each stage, the player gains a new weapon, much like in the original Mega Man series, which was extremely popular at the time. Both Whomp 'Em and the prior Saiyūki World (which was an adaptation of Wonder Boy in Monster Land) are based on the Journey to the West novel.

Release

The game was released in Japan for the Famicom on December 7, 1990. The North American version of the game removed references to Journey to the West, by editing the game's sprite and graphics. The first stage music was also slightly modified and included a percussion track using the NES noise channel. The protagonist in the original was Sun Wukong, but is now a Native American, and the setting was changed to the Old West.

Reception

The North American video gaming magazine Nintendo Power gave Whomp 'Em an overall rating of 3.1 out of 5 in its May 1991 review. Allgame editor Brett Alan Weiss praised the game, describing it as "a solid platform game with crisp, clear graphics, peppy music, excellent controls, and a heroic character".