![U.F.O. Kamen Yakisoban - Kettler no Kuroi Inbou [Model SHVC-Y9] screenshot](images/game/62566_2.png "U.F.O. Kamen Yakisoban - Kettler no Kuroi Inbou [Model SHVC-Y9]")
U.F.O. 仮面ヤキソバン ケトラーの黒い陰謀 © 1994 Denz
(U.F.O. Kamen Yakisoban - Kettler no Kuroi Inbou)
U.F.O. Kamen Yakisoban: Kettler no Kuroi Inbou is a quintessential example of 1990s Japanese "advergame" culture. Based on the popular Nissin U.F.O. Yakisoba instant noodle brand, this side-scrolling beat-'em-up stars the titular hero, Yakisoban, on a quest to save Princess Mayumi from the villainous Ketora. The game is celebrated for its surreal, food-themed humor, where the hero battles bizarre enemies using "sauce spray" attacks and transforms into a ball to navigate stages. It is as much a bizarre artifact of corporate marketing as it is a functional, albeit quirky, action game.
GAME ID: SHVC-Y9
Released on October 14, 1994 in Japan at a retail price of 5,980 JPY. The game was published/developed by Den'z, a company that specialized in this specific type of high-concept, brand-centric software during the mid-90s.
Promotional Origins: The game’s release history is unique in the Super Famicom library. The initial run was created specifically as a promotional giveaway by the Nissin noodle company, rather than for standard retail sale. A second, standard retail version was released later to satisfy public demand.
Gameplay Mechanics: The "sauce attack"—triggered by holding the punch button—functions as a chargeable ranged weapon, a departure from the strictly melee-focused combat of most beat-'em-ups of the era. The ability to find food-based power-ups (like the invincibility-granting monocycle) emphasizes the game's absurdity.
The "Advergame" Aesthetic: The game leans heavily into the absurdity of its source material. Bosses like the Okonomiyaki oven and enemies wearing kettle helmets serve to reinforce the product branding while keeping the gameplay loop varied and tongue-in-cheek.
Cultural Context: Yakisoban was a significant pop-culture icon in Japan throughout the mid-90s, appearing in various commercials. This game effectively functioned as a playable extension of that long-running advertising campaign, making it a holy grail for collectors of promotional software.