Play Kumano Putaru Online

Kumano Putaru came out for the Game Boy in 1990, published by I'Max. It arrived during a period when developers were figuring out how to build substantial adventures on the small screen, and this game is one of those early attempts. You won't find many people talking about it now, but it has a specific, quiet place in the library.

You control a young boy named Putaru, exploring a world screen by screen. Your main goal is to rescue a kidnapped princess by navigating through a series of dungeons and the overworld. The game uses a top-down perspective, and your primary actions involve walking into enemies to bump them away, which serves as your basic attack. You also collect special items that grant new abilities, like a feather for jumping over pits. The pacing is deliberate, and the difficulty can be unforgiving, often requiring careful movement to avoid losing a life. Playing it feels like slowly mapping out a forgotten, sometimes stubborn, puzzle.