A cute, demanding Taito vertical shooter with Japanese folklore mood. Short but charming, savored by arcade fans.
Your verdict
Category
Action Adventure1 player7+
Description
Action-adventure featuring shrine maiden Sayo battling evil spirits in Japanese temples and villages. Published by Taito, released in Japan in 1992. Top-down movement through traditional Japanese environments, spirit wands and Shinto powers and yokai enemies. First Kiki Kaikai on Super Famicom.
Kiki Kaikai - Nazo no Kuro Manteau review
4/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Striking"
4/5
Music
★★★★★
"Excellent"
1/5
Story
★★★★★
"Anecdotal"
Gameplay
"Excellent"
Fun
"From the very first minutes"
Addictiveness
"Engaging"
Difficulty
"Balanced"
Lifespan
"Average"
Technical info
💾0,68 MB📅31/07/1992
Published by Natsume
Kiki Kaikai - Nazo no Kuro Manteau (SNES) price, value & rarity
Complete: box, manual and disc/cart very clean. Lightly handled.
Q1 damagedQ6 completeQ10 new
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Collector interest
The first Kiki Kaikai on Super Famicom, this Taito port of the folkloric arcade classic remains a Japan-only title with a solid cult status among retro vertical-shooter fans. Shrine maiden Sayo, the Shinto aesthetic and the arcade difficulty earn it a sought-after aura that reaches well beyond a mere niche import. As the original home version, it is worth clearly more complete with SFC cardboard box and spine card intact; overseas demand for the series keeps its value steady.
An underrated gem
Blending multidirectional shooting with good-natured Japanese folklore, this adventure follows a priestess and her tanuki companion through temples and haunted villages. Rather tough and long confined to a narrow audience, it remains little known. Its colorful charm and frantic two-player co-op make it a gem for fans of friendly run-and-gun.
Is Kiki Kaikai - Nazo no Kuro Manteau still worth playing in 2026?
The SNES follow-up to Taito's Kiki Kaikai series, direct ancestor of Pocky & Rocky, this top-down action shooter mixes shooting, melee and Japanese folklore with delightful liveliness. The colourful art, brisk pace and two-player co-op make it a little gem too often forgotten. The game has aged very well thanks to direct, readable play. A discovery for anyone who loves demanding, charming arcade action.
