Doraemon is an action game based on the popular children’s cartoon of the same name. As the eponymous blue robot cat, the player must rescue each of his friends who have been kidnapped. Much like Hudson’s earlier title Challenger, each stage plays differently from the others. In the first stage, Doraemon must explore a large top-view overworld. There are open manholes and “dokodemo Doors” that lead to various places and to side-scrolling areas. The goal is to find the proper path through the stage and to rescue Nobita. The second stage is a side-scrolling shooting stage, where Doraemon must make his way through three areas in order to rescue Suneo and Gian. The third and final stage is an underwater maze where Doraemon must collect various items and get help from his other friends in order to rescue Shizuka. There are numerous items to be found throughout the game that will increase Doraemon’s abilities, including increasing his maximum health (which can be refilled be collecting his favorite food Dorapan) and enhancing his offensive capabilities.
