Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Chubby Cherub (NES, 1986) is an early action-platformer developed by TOSE and published by Bandai. Originally released in Japan in 1985 as Obake no Q-tarō: WanWan Panic, it was based on a popular manga and anime series. For the North American release, the ghost protagonist Q-tarō was replaced with a diaper-wearing cherub because the original character was largely unknown outside Japan. Almost everything else was left intact, resulting in one of the NES library’s stranger localization jobs.
Rating: 4/10
Chubby Cherub consists of 12 side-scrolling stages in which you guide the titular character through suburban streets, parks and other simple environments while trying to rescue friends. Unlike a conventional platform hero, Chubby can fly for extended periods, giving the game a distinctive feel compared with many other early NES releases.
Flight is limited by a constantly draining power meter. Moving through the air consumes energy more quickly, while collecting food restores it. If the meter completely empties, you lose a life, so grabbing cakes, fruit and other snacks is essential rather than merely optional bonus hunting. It is a reasonably clever concept, forcing you to balance the convenience of flying over hazards against conserving enough energy to survive.
Unfortunately, controlling Chubby is rarely satisfying. Movement feels sluggish and imprecise, while the unusual button layout and awkward aerial momentum make avoiding hazards harder than it should be. Collision detection can also feel inconsistent, especially when trying to squeeze between enemies or collect objects while flying.
Dogs are the game’s signature enemies. They attack by barking actual projectile symbols across the screen, creating one of the more bizarre hazards found in an early NES game. Lollipops provide a limited supply of heart-shaped shots that can defeat certain dogs, but many other enemies simply have to be avoided. Bark projectiles can be particularly irritating because scrolling can make attacks difficult to anticipate, and one mistake often costs a life.
The game is surprisingly unforgiving. There are no unlimited continues, hazards frequently kill instantly, and later stages demand considerable memorization. Every few stages, a burglar sequence provides a crude variation on a boss encounter, while hidden areas add a little more depth. Entering certain smoke rings can lead to Heaven, where valuable food and bonus points are available, while falling into particular pits can send Chubby into a dark Hell area.
Those ideas show that Chubby Cherub is not completely devoid of creativity. The power-management system, Heaven and Hell areas, changing sky colors and unusual enemy behavior are ambitious touches for a game originating in 1985. The problem is that few of them translate into consistently enjoyable gameplay.
Visually, it is unmistakably an early Famicom production. Sprites are small and simple, backgrounds are sparse, and many assets repeat constantly. The bright colors and cartoon theme give it some personality, however, and the changing time-of-day palettes are a nice touch.
The audio fares considerably worse. Music is built around short, repetitive loops that become grating quickly, particularly when difficult sections force repeated attempts. Sound effects are equally primitive but at least communicate attacks and item pickups adequately.
Repetition ultimately hurts the game most. Nearly every stage revolves around the same cycle of flying, gathering food and avoiding barking dogs. There are few meaningful mechanical developments across the 12 stages, so what initially feels unusual soon becomes tedious.
Chubby Cherub is therefore more interesting as a piece of NES history than as an action game. Its bizarre localization, flying mechanic and oddball ideas make it memorable, but clumsy controls, harsh difficulty, repetitive stages and irritating enemy attacks prevent those concepts from coming together. Dedicated NES completionists may enjoy seeing one of Bandai’s earliest North American releases through to the end, but most players will find that its historical curiosity outweighs its entertainment value.
Chubby Cherub (NES, 1986) is an early action-platformer developed by TOSE and published by Bandai. Originally released in Japan in 1985 as Obake no Q-tarō: WanWan Panic, it was based on a popular manga and anime series. For the North American release, the ghost protagonist Q-tarō was replaced with a diaper-wearing cherub because the original character was largely unknown outside Japan. Almost everything else was left intact, resulting in one of the NES library’s stranger localization jobs.
Rating: 4/10
Chubby Cherub consists of 12 side-scrolling stages in which you guide the titular character through suburban streets, parks and other simple environments while trying to rescue friends. Unlike a conventional platform hero, Chubby can fly for extended periods, giving the game a distinctive feel compared with many other early NES releases.
Flight is limited by a constantly draining power meter. Moving through the air consumes energy more quickly, while collecting food restores it. If the meter completely empties, you lose a life, so grabbing cakes, fruit and other snacks is essential rather than merely optional bonus hunting. It is a reasonably clever concept, forcing you to balance the convenience of flying over hazards against conserving enough energy to survive.
Unfortunately, controlling Chubby is rarely satisfying. Movement feels sluggish and imprecise, while the unusual button layout and awkward aerial momentum make avoiding hazards harder than it should be. Collision detection can also feel inconsistent, especially when trying to squeeze between enemies or collect objects while flying.
Dogs are the game’s signature enemies. They attack by barking actual projectile symbols across the screen, creating one of the more bizarre hazards found in an early NES game. Lollipops provide a limited supply of heart-shaped shots that can defeat certain dogs, but many other enemies simply have to be avoided. Bark projectiles can be particularly irritating because scrolling can make attacks difficult to anticipate, and one mistake often costs a life.
The game is surprisingly unforgiving. There are no unlimited continues, hazards frequently kill instantly, and later stages demand considerable memorization. Every few stages, a burglar sequence provides a crude variation on a boss encounter, while hidden areas add a little more depth. Entering certain smoke rings can lead to Heaven, where valuable food and bonus points are available, while falling into particular pits can send Chubby into a dark Hell area.
Those ideas show that Chubby Cherub is not completely devoid of creativity. The power-management system, Heaven and Hell areas, changing sky colors and unusual enemy behavior are ambitious touches for a game originating in 1985. The problem is that few of them translate into consistently enjoyable gameplay.
Visually, it is unmistakably an early Famicom production. Sprites are small and simple, backgrounds are sparse, and many assets repeat constantly. The bright colors and cartoon theme give it some personality, however, and the changing time-of-day palettes are a nice touch.
The audio fares considerably worse. Music is built around short, repetitive loops that become grating quickly, particularly when difficult sections force repeated attempts. Sound effects are equally primitive but at least communicate attacks and item pickups adequately.
Repetition ultimately hurts the game most. Nearly every stage revolves around the same cycle of flying, gathering food and avoiding barking dogs. There are few meaningful mechanical developments across the 12 stages, so what initially feels unusual soon becomes tedious.
Chubby Cherub is therefore more interesting as a piece of NES history than as an action game. Its bizarre localization, flying mechanic and oddball ideas make it memorable, but clumsy controls, harsh difficulty, repetitive stages and irritating enemy attacks prevent those concepts from coming together. Dedicated NES completionists may enjoy seeing one of Bandai’s earliest North American releases through to the end, but most players will find that its historical curiosity outweighs its entertainment value.
