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Before the rise of modern digital board games like Mario Party, Hudson Soft established a franchise that would become a cultural phenomenon in Japan. Released in 1991, Super Momotaro Dentetsu II (also known by its alternative title Super Momotarou Dentetsu II) is a quintessential entry in the long-running series that combines the strategy of business management with the chaotic energy of a tabletop board game. While many international gamers are only recently discovering the series through retro collections, this specific title is often cited as the foundation for what made the franchise a household name. It offers a perfect blend of competitive tension, geographic exploration, and high-stakes luck that remains engaging decades after its initial launch.
Unlike traditional RPGs that follow a linear narrative, the "story" of Super Momotaro Dentetsu II is driven by corporate ambition. The game is loosely themed around the Japanese folklore of Momotaro (the Peach Boy), but instead of embarking on a quest to defeat demons with a sword, Momotaro and his companions are now CEOs of rival railway companies.
The setting is a colorful and highly detailed map of Japan. Players travel across the entire archipelago, from the snowy regions of Hokkaido to the sunny shores of Kyushu. The map is populated with real-world cities and landmarks, turning the game into a semi-educational journey through Japanese geography. Every stop on the line represents a city where players can invest in local industries, such as ramen shops, baseball stadiums, or electronics factories, each reflecting the real-world specialties of those locations.
The core gameplay of Super Momotaro Dentetsu II revolves around a digital board game format where the objective is to amass the most wealth over a set number of years. Each turn represents one month, and players roll dice to navigate the interconnected railway lines of Japan.
The primary mechanic involves racing to a randomly selected target city. The first player to arrive receives a significant cash bonus from the "God of Luck." However, the real strategy lies in purchasing properties. Landing on a blue space grants money, while red spaces result in financial loss. When landing on a city, players can buy businesses that pay out dividends every March.
The game's most famous—and notorious—feature is the introduction of the "God of Misfortune" (Bonbi). The last player to reach the target city is cursed by this spirit, who follows them and causes havoc by stealing money or selling off properties. In this sequel, the stakes were heightened with the debut of "King Bonbi," a monstrous transformation that can bankrupt even the wealthiest player in a matter of turns. This mechanic ensures that the standings are constantly shifting, making for a volatile and exciting competitive environment.
This game was released on several platforms, including the PC Engine, the Game Boy, and the Super Famicom.
Super Momotaro Dentetsu II is widely considered the breakthrough title for the series. It refined the card system, balanced the property mechanics, and introduced the high-stakes risk of King Bonbi, which became a staple of every subsequent entry. The game’s success helped Hudson Soft solidify the "business board game" genre in the Japanese market.
Even though the game was never officially localized for Western audiences during the 16-bit era, its legacy was preserved through its inclusion in the TurboGrafx-16 Mini in 2020. This allowed a new generation of players worldwide to experience the charm and frustration of the Momotetsu formula. The series continues to thrive today, with modern sequels frequently topping the sales charts, proving that the gameplay loop established in 1991 is truly timeless.