Know Thy Enemy – Pacoonba

A wild Pacoonba draws near! Enter command?

Pacoonbas are the first enemy you encounter in the very first stage of Chuhou Joutai. They might remind you of the slime-like enemies from early RPGs, except we gave them legs so they can walk. We designed this enemy to be a weak and common enemy that could easily be defeated in one hit.

Pacoonbas are native to Kozan, and can even be tamed and kept as pets, just like the common household dog or cat. However, their relationship to humans can be hostile if not tamed. In fact, SPASDOT even trains them to carry out duties such as taking down their enemies.

Design

I got the inspiration for this enemy while playing the Japan-exclusive GBA game Mr. Driller Ace: The Wonderful Pacteria. I was hooked onto the game, and they come from a Tamagotchi-like simulator where you’d raise one. But I needed to give them something to move around in. Instead of them hopping around, I decided to give them legs, partly resembling a Goomba. And it stuck ever since.

What they do

Most Pacoonba fire danmaku from the violet spots on their faces. Red Pacoonba must charge before shooting, and blue Pacoonba can just shoot all they want without charging. They don’t even charge toward their victims, all they just do is walk straight, minding their own business.