A Goonies like Japanese action puzzler, mixing exploration and cooperative puzzles. Charming and original, for Square fans.
Your verdict
Category
RPG1 player7+
Description
Miyamoto adventure RPG in which three boys solve cooperative puzzles on a treasure island. Published by Nintendo, released in Japan in 1996. Three characters with complementary abilities solving puzzles cooperatively, island exploration, ingenious puzzles and colorful visuals. An original Shigeru Miyamoto RPG little known outside Japan.
Marvelous - Mouhitotsu no Takara-jima review
MAX
Art direction
★★★★★
"Iconic"
4/5
Music
★★★★★
"Excellent"
MAX
Story
★★★★★
"Masterful"
A Zelda-like adventure, overseen by Miyamoto: colourful settings, a luminous treasure island and all-round design compose a warm universe. The vividness of the hues and the readability of the world overflow with charm. This art direction, polished and joyful, stands as a confidential Nintendo gem.
Three schoolboys off to find treasure on an island see their outing turn into an adventure full of mysteries and traps. Charming and mischievous, the tale blends puzzles, camaraderie and childhood imagination with rare freshness. Never released in the West, this little gem from the future master of Zelda deserves to be rediscovered.
Gameplay
"Excellent"
Fun
"Pleasant"
Addictiveness
"Captivating"
Difficulty
"Balanced"
Lifespan
"Long"
Technical info
💾1,9 MB📅11/10/1996
Published by Nintendo
Marvelous - Mouhitotsu no Takara-jima (SNES) price, value & rarity
Complete: box, manual and disc/cart very clean. Lightly handled.
Q1 damagedQ6 completeQ10 new
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Collector interest
A 1996 Nintendo R&D2 Super Famicom action-adventure, Japan-exclusive, scripted by Eiji Aonuma right before Ocarina of Time. The cart is culturally important as Aonuma's scenario laboratory and prefigures several 3D Zelda mechanics. Intact boxed CIB with cardboard sleeve and illustrated Nintendo manual has become a target for knowledgeable Zelda/Aonuma collectors, and the cote climbs hard, sustained by physical scarcity and by the recognised historical value.
An underrated gem
Little known despite Miyamoto's touch, this adventure game has three boys with complementary talents team up to solve the puzzles of a treasure island, in a spirit very close to Zelda. Never officially translated, it stayed ignored outside Japan. Its clever level design and good cheer make it a prime find for explorers.
Is Marvelous - Mouhitotsu no Takara-jima still worth playing in 2026?
Never released outside Japan, Marvelous - Mouhitotsu no Takara-jima is an action puzzle directed by Eiji Aonuma at Nintendo, namely a co operative Zelda like where three children explore a treasure island to solve environmental puzzles. The title clearly signals the 2D Zelda games Aonuma would oversee later. The staging is very polished for the SFC's late life. A fan translation exists. Recommended to 2D Zelda fans and to anyone curious about Aonuma's pre Ocarina work.
