Journey to the West World
Released by Jaleco in 1988, this side-scrolling action game is based on Journey to the West, though its overseas NES version was reimagined as an Indian-themed adventure titled Whomp 'Em.
Saiyūki World is a side-scrolling action platformer developed by Jaleco in 1988 for the Nintendo Family Computer. Set against the backdrop of Journey to the West, players control Sun Wukong, wielding his staff to fight through various stages. A sequel, Saiyūki World 2: The Demon God of the Heavenly Realm, was released in Japan in December 1990 and launched in North America on the NES in March 1991 under the title Whomp 'Em. In the localization of the latter, the protagonist Wukong was replaced by a Native American youth named Soaring Eagle, making it one of the few video games to feature a Native American protagonist. The game's structure was influenced by the Mega Man series: after an introductory level, players can freely choose from six stages, each with a distinct elemental theme (fire, water, ice, forest, etc.). Upon defeating the boss at the end of a stage, the player obtains a corresponding magical treasure, eventually leading to the final challenge. While the Japanese protagonist Wukong wields the Ruyi Jingu Bang, the overseas version changes the weapon to a spear that strikes the ground ("Whomp" being an onomatopoeia). The game is regarded as one of Jaleco's most solid platform action titles of the late NES era in terms of pixel art, level design, and music; however, due to the vast differences between the Japanese and overseas versions, it remained excluded from the history of Journey to the West themed games for many years.