Woody Poco
Japan-exclusive action RPG with a wooden hero.
Woody Poco (うっでいぽこ) is a side-scrolling action role-playing game released only in Japan, appearing on the Family Computer and several other platforms. Its gameplay resembles that of *Mystical Ninja*. The protagonist is an old wooden figure named Poco, a hero who has coexisted peacefully with humans for a long time. His quest is to locate a fairy who can teach people to once again be friendly toward wooden dolls. Enemies include strange creatures and bothersome old men. The player attacks with Poco's fists and can steal items from stores, but doing so permanently changes his appearance to that of a thief, and hotels and pawn shops will refuse him service for the rest of the game. One hand can hold a weapon, while the other carries a passive tool, such as a lamp for dark areas. Players may buy gear, sleep at hotels, gamble, steal, and bribe non-player characters. Eating is necessary to stave off hunger, and health recharges based on food level. An in-game clock tracks day and night cycles, along with four seasons; the game's color palette shifts to reflect the time of day and season.
A review in the Japanese magazine *Biweekly Famicom Tsūshin* noted the game was a top seller for personal computers. Four reviewers praised its cute, high-quality graphics, and one highlighted the three-dimensional look as an innovative gameplay element, though the controls took some getting used to.
- Platform
- Family Computer and various other systems
- Genre
- Side-scrolling action role-playing game
- Region
- Japan-exclusive
- Protagonist
- Poco, an old wooden figure
- Notable Feature
- In-game clock with day/night cycles and four seasons
Lore & Background
The player controls an old wooden figure named Poco, a hero who has lived in harmony with humans for many years. For Poco, the journey is to find the fairy who teaches people to get back to being friendly with wooden dolls. Enemies encountered through the game are strange creatures and bothersome old men. The player attacks by using his fists at them.
Reader's Guide
Woody Poco is a Japan-exclusive video game released for the Family Computer and various other systems. It is a side-scrolling action role-playing game similar to Mystical Ninja. The player controls an old wooden figure named Poco, who must find a fairy to restore harmony between humans and wooden dolls. Gameplay includes stealing items from stores, which permanently changes the player's appearance to that of a thief and bars them from hotels and pawn shops for the remainder of the game. The player can equip one hand with a weapon and the other with a passive tool, such as a lamp for dark areas. Activities include buying gear, sleeping at hotels, gambling, stealing, and bribing non-player characters. The player needs to eat to prevent hunger, with health recharging based on food level. The game features an in-game clock with day/night cycles and four seasons, with color changes reflecting the time of day and season. In Biweekly Famicom Tsūshin, reviewers complimented the cute and quality graphics, and one reviewer noted the three-dimensional look of the graphics as innovative for gameplay, though controls took a while to get used to at first.
Did You Know?
- The player can steal items from stores, but doing so permanently changes the player's appearance to that of a thief.
- After stealing, hotels and pawn shops refuse service to the player for the remainder of the game.
- The game features an in-game clock with day/night cycles and four seasons, with color changes reflecting the time of day and season.
- A reviewer in Biweekly Famicom Tsūshin described the game as a top seller for personal computers.
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