Doshin the Giant

Overview

Doshin the Giant is a Nintendo-published god game which was originally released in Japan for the failed Nintendo 64 add-on, the 64DD. Although that version of the game would come to spawn a sequel for the same platform, the first installment is the more familiar of the two in the series, as a GameCube port was released for European and Japanese markets in 2002. The game never reached North American shores in any form outside of importation, although Doshin's two forms do nonetheless appear as trophies in Super Smash Bros. Melee. While the game is one of Nintendo's less successful ventures, it maintains a cult following thanks to its stylized visuals, calm vibe, and simple mechanics.

Gameplay

Doshin the Giant takes place in a tropical region and places the player in the shoes of the titular Doshin, its local god, as it takes care of the islands' scattered tribes. The islanders predominantly convey their needs through speech bubbles and are capable of asking for things such as additional wood and elevation manipulation of the terrain. Additionally, there are disasters that periodically appear on the islands that require prompt attention in order to ensure optimal survival for the villagers. Should Doshin do a good enough job at taking care of the islanders, they may shower the god with love and allow him to grow, as well as build monuments. Although the game itself is open-ended and lacks a distinct time frame for when things have to be done, the building of the monuments is the main overall objective in Doshin the Giant. Furthermore, Doshin can transplant people from different tribes into new areas that then sprout up additional civilizations. It should also be noted that the game is played one day at a time, with each day lasting approximately half an hour. Doshin ends each day by going to sleep and reverts to his smallest size at the start of a new day.

Doshin, however, has an alternate, more malevolent form that can be called upon at any time with the touch of a button: Jashin. Jashin operates similarly to Doshin, although he can move faster and jump much higher. His most distinct feature, however, is his destructiveness, as he can shoot fireballs from his hands and wreck havoc to the villagers should the player choose to do so. This results in the villagers sending out hateful vibes to him; if he acquires enough hate, he grows in size much like his peaceful counterpart does.

Expansion

Doshin also had an expansion for the Nintendo 64DD. It's one of the rarer titles for the defunct system because it came out after the system was cancelled.