Takeshi no Chousenjou (famously known as Takeshi’s Challenge) is a notorious 1986 action-adventure game for the Famicom, designed by Japanese comedian and filmmaker Takeshi Kitano. Built around the premise of a disgruntled salaryman trying to find a hidden treasure on a remote island, the game is infamous for its intentional hostility toward the player. While it pioneered early open-world concepts by allowing you to attack pedestrians and make choices, its real legacy lies in its absurd, cryptic puzzles that require illogical and frustrating actions to progress.
How to play
The overarching objective is to successfully navigate city life, quit your job, and gather the resources to find the treasure. The game uses standard NES controls (D-pad to move, A to jump, B to attack or interact, mapped to arrow keys and Z/X in the browser). Because the original Famicom featured a microphone on the second controllerโused here for mandatory tasks like singing karaokeโplaying it today can be exceptionally challenging and requires specific workarounds.
Tips
- Preparation is mandatory: Before you can even leave for the island, you must successfully quit your job, divorce your wife, and pass a karaoke minigame. Skipping these steps will guarantee a dead end later.
- The treasure map: To read the blank treasure map, you must select the sunshine option and leave the game completely untouched for exactly five minutes.
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