Kakurenbo Battle: Monster Tactics

Description

Kakurenbo Battle: Monster Tactics is a Nintendo published Game Boy Color title described as a “hide-and-seek battle RPG.” The game is set around a monster-hunting tournament in the Iraldi Kingdom, where teams enter ancient dungeons and compete by defeating stronger monsters and bringing back larger “Montaku,” scanned impressions taken from defeated monsters. The battle system is the defining feature. Dungeon maps are mostly dark, and both player characters and monsters can only see a short distance in front of them, so battles play out like cautious searches rather than standard open-field tactics.

Gameplay sees one character move within a time limit, attacks from the front, side, or rear, then try to move out of sight before the enemy turn begins. Direction matters because side and rear attacks deal more damage, while clearing a room usually requires defeating the enemy leader. The monster-collection element is unusual because defeated monsters are not simply recruited like in a normal monster RPG, instead you scan defeated monsters to obtain Montaku, which act as a record and can also provide monster skills. Those skills can be equipped through a limited skill ring, forcing the player to choose a small set of useful abilities for each dungeon rather than carrying everything at once.

The game features more than 100 monsters, providing plenty of progression. Communication features work beyond the main adventure. Link-cable battles allow two players to fight with their teams, while infrared features support Montaku comparison and exchange-style play. Printer support allows for printing collected Montaku. Retrospectively, Kakurenbo Battle: Monster Tactics is a minor but distinctive Nintendo-published Tactical RPG that was notable for its originality and tone, with the dark-map battle system, monster-imprint collecting, varied enemy behaviour, and strong presentation for a small handheld tactics game.