"Popple Mail (PC Version)" 30th Anniversary Story Summary: A Bounty Hunter's Journey... Turns Out to be a Great Adventure to Save the World!? [Falcom 40th Anniversary Special]

On March 9, 2021, Nihon Falcom celebrated its 40th anniversary. In commemoration of this, Dengeki Online will develop a project article about Nihon Falcom.

And today, December 20th, in commemoration of the 30th anniversary of "Popple Mail (PC version)" released in 1991, we have a game playback article. I will deliver.

Popple Mail (PC version) Release date: December 20, 1991 Model: PC-8801mkIISR/88VA Media: Floppy disk Genre: A RPG Price: ¥8,700 (3% tax included)

[Remarks] ・Also released on PC (PC-9801), SFC, PC Engine Super CD-ROM2, Mega CD ・PC Engine Super CD-ROM2 version was released by NEC Home Electronics, Mega CD version was released by Sega・PC-8801mkIISR version and PC-9801 version are available for download at Project EGG (PC)

What is Popple Mail (PC version)?

This is a side-view A-RPG where the tomboy Meiru adventures with the magician Tat and the monster Gau. At first, the purpose is to catch the bounty material, but from the middle, it will change to an epic scale adventure to defeat the resurrected genie.

　There were many patterns where the problem child Blacky caused troubles wherever he went, and Meiru and the others cleaned up the mess.

　Here, the story playback part that was published in "Nihon Falcom 30th Anniversary Official Commemorative Book Falcom Chronicle" (published by KADOKAWA) is reprinted.

　We will look back on the slapstick adventure that the bounty hunter Meiru has followed.

"Popple Mail (PC version)" system check

Action

　There are three basic actions: move, jump, and attack. Mail is a close-combat type that deals damage by ramming, Tat is a long-range combat type that shoots magic bullets, and Gau is a medium-range combat type that attacks with breath and tail. In addition, jumping power is high in the order of gow > mail > tat.

■Shop

　Equipment and recovery items can be purchased with gold. The product lineup changes depending on the character that enters the store.

"Popple Mail (PC version)" Game Playback

PROLOGUE

　The bounty hunter Mail was chasing his prey today as well. Then, Nutcracker, the bounty of 500,000 gold, appears. I thought it would be a great opportunity, but it was easily escaped, and I was at a loss while thinking about closing the bounty hunter.

　At that time, when I stopped by the bar in the fortress, the owner told me about the bounty material of 2 million gold. After receiving unexpected information, Meiru sets off on a journey to catch materials in order to make one last flower bloom.

01 Encounter with Blacky

　When you enter the elf forest to search for materials, you will be stopped by Blacky on a tree. It's fine that she escaped from the monster, but it seems she can't get down, so she wants the villagers to come. Even though it was the first time Meiru had met Blacky, he preached a harsh sermon.

02 Asking for help at the elf village

　Talking to the soldiers at the elf village, he told them about Blacky who had no choice but to climb down from the top of the tree. According to the villagers, Blacky seems to be a troublemaker in the village. In addition, since there is a shop here, buy armor with the money you have and strengthen your defense.

03 Meet Namo at the exit of the village

　Tell the soldier about Blacky and head for the exit where you will meet Namo. Namo seems to have been attacked by a group of marionette robbers in his village, and it seems he came all the way here to catch him. When he learns that Meiru is a bounty hunter and has been chasing a gang of thieves before, he asks for his cooperation.

04 Request from the man in the red cloak

　At the exit of the elf forest, the man in the red cloak is in trouble because of the monster. Strangely enough, his purpose is the same as Meiru's, and he's searching to convince his master (Material), who has recently gone crazy. This man in the red cloak is Tut, who later becomes his companion.

05 Battle with Wood Pecker Pliers

　The monster Tat is having trouble defeating is Wood Pecker Pliers, which stands in the way of the forest exit. Scatter multiple bombs while jumping to move from place to place. This will be her first boss fight, but if she sticks to it, she won't get hit by bombs, so it's easy for Meiru to fight.

06 Rescue the trapped Namo

　As you climb up the tower of the large tree, Namo is calling for help in the prison. It seems that he has been trapped by the marionette robbers' minions. If you get the prison key from a monster called Mijukumono ahead of you and rescue Namo, he will guide you to his village as a reward.

07 The Wood Golem running through the Golem Tower

　Going through the tower of large trees to the Golem Tower, the boss Wood Golem appears. The punches that he unleashes by extending and retracting his arms are powerful, but if you go behind him, you can almost incapacitate him. Since there are an infinite number of body spares, you can't defeat it unless you destroy the head that runs around after breaking the body.

08 Appearance of the sought-after bounty material

　The boasted wood golem was defeated, and the material unintentionally appeared in turmoil. He was one step ahead of Tutt, but it is said that he was imprisoned for preaching to his teacher. With the target bounty in front of him, Meiru tries to catch him, but he manages to escape just in the nick of time.

09 Tut, an apprentice magician, joins the group

　Tatt is imprisoned in the Golem Tower because he failed to persuade his master. If you rescue him from prison, he will join you on your journey to find the material. Perhaps because he is an apprentice magician, Tat can only use fire magic, but it is very reassuring because he can defeat enemies from afar.

10 Follow Material to the Ancient Cave

　According to Tut's information, Material headed for the Ancient Cave. Inside, it seems to be a rather dangerous place filled with monsters led by Material. Also, there is information that he witnessed Blacky laughing as he headed for the ancient cave, so I have a bad feeling about it.

11 Material ambush in the weather vane

Immediately after entering the weather vane in the ancient cave, you meet Material who ambushes you with an army of monsters. Just when you think it's going to be a battle, the material is suddenly taken away with lightning. Here, you can catch a glimpse of the suspicious existence that manipulates the material behind the scenes.

12 Reunited with the troublesome man Blacky

　Proceeding further into the cave, you will meet Blacky, whom you helped in the elf forest. In order to remove the rocks that are in the way, Blacky tries to destroy them with homemade bombs, but things just get worse. In order to rescue Blacky who is trapped in the crumbling rocks, they search for something to remove the rocks.

13 Rescue Blacky with a pickaxe

　Obtain Blacky's bomb in the Elven Forest, break the wall in the ancient cave with the bomb, and obtain a pickaxe. After that, I returned to where the trapped Blacky was and removed the rock.

14 Rescue the monsters that fell into the hole

　Follow Blacky to the cave of fossils. After a while, you'll hear a voice calling for help from the bottom of the hole. You can rescue the monsters by getting a ladder and setting it on the place where you heard the voice again. If you go to Monster Village after this, you will receive an apple as a reward.

15 Material captured by a monster

　Material is captured deep inside the monster's nest. After disappearing in an ancient cave, Material seems to have been punished by a certain person, and it seems that a monster helped him there. However, it is said that his plan to use the cave-dwelling Goluades was found out and he was trapped by the monster.

16 Goluades, the lord of the cave, wakes up

　Just when I thought the monsters were making a fuss, it was Blacky's fault again. The sound of the bomb's explosion awakens the monster Goluades. Gau, a monster, gives the material to Meiru if he defeats Goluades, and presents an exchange condition that he can become his subordinate.

17 Confrontation with the Thunder Dragon

　When I was about to head to Goluades's lair, I came across the Thunder Dragon. The Thunder Dragon seems to be Goluades' minion and won't let Meiru go ahead. In the battle here, damage is done with long-range attacks such as boomerangs while riding on a foothold that moves up and down.

18 Defeat Goluades, the monster's nemesis

　Defeat the Thunder Dragon and head to Goluades's lair. Goluades does not descend from the top of the cliff, and in addition to attacking with falling rocks that make use of its huge body and breath from its mouth, a small dragon charges at the bottom. Again, like the Thunder Dragon battle, boomerangs and magic are effective.

19 The monster Gau becomes a companion

　When Goluades is defeated, Gau will accompany Meiru and the others as promised. Meiru takes the pickaxe from Blacky, captures the material, and takes it out. Meiru, who has had a lot of trouble in the past, handles materials quite roughly.

20 Go to the dwarven mines aiming for the treasure of the demon

　When I returned to the fort to get the prize money, it was a disastrous scene as if I had been attacked. Material says that he is the work of the genie he unsealed. Knowing that he won't get the prize money, Meiru switches his purpose to aiming for the demon's treasure, leaving the materials behind and heading to the Dwarf Mine to gather information.

21 Meet the craftsman Jacob in the depths of the mine

　In the depths of the mine, there is the craftsman Jacob. He is Blackie's best friend and calls him a good guy. Unlike other dwarves, he is a bit eccentric, including the fact that he shaves his beard, and Meiru feels a strange rotten edge. Information about the Seal of the Demon God cannot be obtained here.

22 The People's Liberation Army blocks Meiru's path

After talking with Jacob, go back the way you came and you will find a mine being dug up, leading to the People's Liberation Army's hideout. I tried to pass through the hideout, but the soldiers at the gate told me that it was closed, so I had to clear the gate. According to the miner, the leader of the People's Liberation Army wants a craft.

23 People's Liberation Army Chief Erik's Trap

　Jacob gave me a handicraft, and when I talked to the gatekeeper of the hideout, the chief Erik appeared and let me through easily. However, this is a trap for Eric to capture the three. The materials rescued by the knights made the three of them into raiders of the fort, so Meiru and the others were the bounty heads.

24 The dwarven village is attacked by someone

　Meiru and his friends, who escaped from the trap, are chasing Eric, and they meet Jacob and Blacky on the way. Jacob guides Meiru to a dwarf village, but the village has been burned down and the sacred silver, a dwarf treasure, has been stolen. Jacob is furious that it is the work of the People's Liberation Army.

25 Mithril Golem Born from Magic

　Erik is finally cornered in the ancient temple, but Eric creates a Mithril Golem using the magic of the handicraft he gave as a bribe. Mithril golems have a very hard surface and can only be damaged when their faces are exposed. Crushing from a jump is especially dangerous.

26 Appearance of the leader of the monster corps, Zeimer

　Following Erik again, Zeimer, who is the master of Erik and the ruler of this island, appears to deal with Meiru and the others. He'll go straight into a fight, but for a big mouth you can beat him without much resistance. However, this was a clever trap by Zeimer.

27 Ruduru who is knowledgeable about the Demon God

　In search of information on the sealing of the Demon God, head to the upper floors of the ancient temple where Elder Ruduru is. Then again, Blackie appears. Seeing Meiru stranded against an invisible wall, he tries to solve the situation with a bomb. I was surrounded by golems for security during this commotion, but I was able to meet the target elder.

28 Rudur is kidnapped by Zeimer

　The barrier is lifted and Rudur guides us to a sacred place. So when he started talking about the sealing of the devil, Zeimer, who should have been defeated, appeared. He pretended to be killed and hid behind Meiru's shadow. Rudol is kidnapped, and he fails to hear about the seal.

29 Erik's final moments after being betrayed by Tzeimer

　Meil catches up with Tzeimer, but Eric appears from behind with soldiers. However, Zeimer betrays Eric and the others and sets a trap to sink Meiru into the sea of ​​fire. Eric saves Meiru and the soldiers with the little mana left in his handiwork, and throws himself away.

30 Erik sacrificed himself for his funeral

　Even though he was an enemy, he was indebted for helping him in the final situation, and Meiru challenged Zeimer as revenge for Erik. Zeimer is difficult to get close to, as it extends and retracts the skull from its two right hands. While dodging skulls, it steadily deals damage with boomerangs.

31 Battle with Zeimer, who has gained the power of the genie

Zeimer jumps into the sea of ​​fire and releases the power given by the genie Geistrace. The core at the center of his body is his weak point, and he attacks by separating his hands and slashing them, or by dropping fireballs. Since you can't get close to it in the sea of ​​fire, aim accurately at the core with boomerangs and magic from the scaffolding.

32 Climb to the iceberg in search of 4 crystal balls

　Succeeded in defeating Zeimer and rescuing Rudur from captivity. According to him, the genie was sealed on an ice-covered island by four crystal balls. However, since the seal has already been broken, the crystal ball must be obtained and the genie must be contained again.

33 Suspected as a suspicious person and caught by a penguin

　The group triumphantly arrived at the iceberg, but suddenly the penguin, the gatekeeper, suspected them and imprisoned them. Then, for some reason, Blacky appears in the same prison. He seems to have come all this way to get the treasure of the pirate ship, and when he talks about the crystal ball, he annoys Meiru by saying that if he gets it, he will sell it at a high price.

34 The penguin emperor releases Meiru and the others

　When you talk to the guard of the prison, the emperor who knows the legend about the crystal ball appears and lets Meiru and the others out of the prison. According to the emperor, the crystal ball is the symbol of this country and is important for maintaining harmony. Since it was stolen by demon god's minions, the emperor went to retrieve it by himself.

35 Blackie in ice blocks your path

　Even though the emperor told me not to go outside, I'm still here to get the crystal ball. I can't go As you go along the iceberg, Blacky is stuck in ice and blocking the way. In order to melt the ice, I decided to return to get hot water and tea from the dwarves.

36 Material and Nutcracker

　On the way up Mt. Rip, we found Material, who had escaped from the fort, and Nutcracker, the leader of the marionette bandits, hanging out. Meiru was enthusiastic about getting two bounties, but this time Meiru is frozen by Nutcracker's minions.

37 Blacky's way of giving back

　Blacky hid and waited, thinking that Mail would defeat Material and Nutcracker. Since there is nothing to help him melt the frozen mail, he resorts to forceful methods such as hitting the wall. For the time being, I was saved, but Meiru seemed to be quite angry.

38 Defeat Rip and get the crystal ball

　At the top, you will encounter Rip, who is dividing the mountain by order of the monster Dokken. When she heard about the emperor, she said that her older sister Rapp had taken her with her, telling her to "cheat" her. The ball that Lip is riding on is the crystal ball he was looking for, and after the conversation, he enters into battle with Lip.

39 Board the shipwreck and defeat the rap

Over Rip Mountain to the shipwreck. Rapp awaits here, riding a crystal ball like his sister Rip. The emperor says that he has dealt with it, and attacks Meiru to do the same. Rapp's attacks are stronger than Rip's, and if you defeat him, you'll get a second crystal ball.

40 Fighting the monster Dokken

　In the crystal temple, there is Dokken who has the third crystal ball. Dokken, who commands Rip and Rapp, was the emperor Rapp said he had dealt with. The emperor, whose true identity has been exposed, releases the power given to him by the demon god and transforms into a strange monster to crush Meiru and the others.

41 Heading to Alcazar Castle, the Demon God's Castle

After obtaining the third crystal ball, Meiru and the others prayed that the Demon God had not yet fully revived, and took the final crystal ball. Head to Alcazar Castle to find it. Meiru's purpose is the treasure of the demon god, and he doesn't know that it leads to saving the world.

42 Revived demons appear one after another

　At Alcazar Castle, key items such as keys, crystal balls, and jewels are placed in the front barrier, treasure room, and underground labyrinth. A boss with will appear. All of them are quite tough just because they are demon gods, and it is difficult to defeat them unless you choose a character that is compatible with them.

43 Jacob who participated in Material's ambitions

　There are Jacob and Blacky in the Jewel Palace. Jacob was told by Material that he would take back the stolen silver, and unknowingly made the body parts of the genie. As a result, Jacob has helped Material's ambitions, and the advent of the Demon God is imminent.

44 Fierce battle with nemesis Nutcracker

　Proceed further and catch up with Material and Nutcracker. This is where Meiru comes to terms with the nutcracker he's had so much trouble with. A Nutcracker in combat is riding a robot that must be destroyed before it can deal damage.

45 The demon revives with the magical power of the material

　The group rushes forward after defeating Nut Cracker. However, it seems that it was a little late, and by the time they arrived, Material had already used all of their magical powers to bring down the Demon God. Jacob and Blacky, who came later, took over the material saying it would be dangerous to leave it unattended.

46 Solve the puzzle and put the 4 crystal balls

　The 4 crystal balls you got must be put in the pedestals of each room to weaken the power of the demon. Each room has a block that moves when pushed, and you have to use it to reach the pedestal. The arrangement is different for each room, and it is a test of puzzle sense.

47 Warp from the altar to the final battle with the genie

　After putting all the crystal balls in place and sealing them, the three of them warp from the altar and enter the castle where the legendary genie resides. Mail's condition remains the same, but the inside of the castle has an eerie atmosphere that is different from before. From here on, only three consecutive battles with the legendary genie remain, and there is no going back.

48 The battle with the genie Berclift

　The first genie to appear is Berclift in the form of a dragon. This demon god's opponent says that Gau will take over, and Meiru and Tat go ahead. Berclift shoots multiple fireballs while flying over a sea of ​​fire, and if you get close, it will breathe and attack.

49 The God of Death Desalodius descends

　Desalodius appears in front of the two who are worried about Gau as they move forward. Tutt will be fighting here. The enemy floats above and drops a pillar of fire, and when it comes directly below, it lowers its altitude and shoots fireballs. It is only possible to target weak points in the abdomen when the altitude is lowered.

50 The final decisive battle for the fate of the world

　In the end, Meiru was left alone and went to the demon god Geistrace alone. There is only an existence that stands at the top of the demon god, and it is incomparably stronger than the previous bosses. As the attack hits, the floor will be destroyed one after another, so make good use of the moving foothold to attack with boomerangs and daggers.

ENDING

　After a fierce battle, Meiru finally defeated the demon. However, the demon god's treasure was nowhere to be found, and all that was left was the wreckage of the Geistwraith. Material's prize money doesn't even matter anymore, but he is overjoyed when Tat persuades Material, who has changed his mind, to hand over his hidden property.

　Meiru and his friends are known throughout the country, and are celebrated as heroes who saved the world from the penguins, dwarves, monsters, and the elves of their hometown. It was a journey that started with the goal of winning money, but in the end, the smiles on the faces of the three people who saved the world and accomplished great deeds did not stop.

You can also play "Popple Mail (PC version)"! "What is Project EGG?"

Play nostalgic games on Windows!　The game software released for PC-9801, PC-8801, X68000, MSX, etc., is distributed on a paid membership basis.

Check out the SFC version of Popple Mail!