Castle Top (Atari 8-bit review)

Developer: Steven MacIlwee

Publisher: DBM Software

Released: 1985

 

Castle Top is an action-platformer from the same developer as Speed Run (1988, Atari 8-bit).

 

It takes place in the year 1502 and your mission as a noble Knight is to rescue your childhood sweetheart Jessica from the clutches of Frederick, Lord of Alconbury. To do this you must climb the castle battlements, jump across platforms and avoid the projectiles and enemies that block your path. Things start off on a bad note as the first screen is extremely tough; here, you need to jump over four gaps while avoiding flaming arrows. This is easier said than done as like many Steven MacIlwee games on Atari 8-bit computers there's a distinct lack of polish. Similar to Leapster (1988) and Winter Wally (1987) the collision detection is atrocious and you can fall off ledges despite having multiple pixels in front of you. Even tapping the d-pad once to turn yourself around usually results in you falling into a pit! It's massively frustrating and you'll die repeatedly as there's only one specific pattern of arrows that will allow you to reach the other side; waiting for this can take forever but at least there's no timer! Afterwards the difficulty decreases slightly as rolling boulders enter the fray but eventually guards start to reside beneath the platform gaps and try to stab you as you jump over them. At times, I did find myself slightly enjoying the brutal challenge as beneath the technical issues there's a really fun action-platformer; it's just a real shame that the game is hampered by the developer's limited programming skills as you'll also have to contend with slowdown and freezing. The graphics are basic with a garish colour scheme and the animation is poor. There's no music to speak of and the only SFX are some terrible ambient white-noises that are supposed to resemble arrows being fired.

Castle Top is a great idea but it never really stood a chance due to insufficient programming skills from its author. In the right hands it could have been a solid action-platformer but instead most people won't be able to stomach the severe difficulty and annoying technical bugs.

 

 

 

Random trivia: The game was later republished by Alternative Software in 1987.

Monkey Magic (Atari 8-bit review)

Developer: Steven MacIlwee, Roy Lynch, Richard Skelhorn

Publisher: Micro Design

Released: 1987

 

Monkey Magic is a multi-screen action game that was developed by the same team as Leapster (1988, Atari 8-bit).

 

You play as the Monkey King who's been commanded by the powerful Buddha to collect Holy scriptures from India. To do this you have to complete two screens with differing gameplay types. First up is a static action-platformer where you must collect six peaches by jumping onto ropes, climbing ladders and avoiding enemies. It's simple in principle but what makes it challenging is the shoddy programming. Due to dodgy collision detection you'll suffer an abundance of unfair deaths just by jumping towards a rope; it's bizarre and seems like pot-luck as to whether you grab on or mysteriously die from touching it! Climbing ladders is always an adventure too as you need to be lined up just to the side rather than dead-centre. Once you've collected all the peaches you gain a Magic Cloud and the game transitions to a side-scrolling shooter where you have to defeat 18 creatures that swoop in from the right-hand-side. The problems are many with sluggish controls that make your character move at a snail's pace; you can also only have one bullet on screen and there's a lack of danger as enemies can't fire. It's utterly boring and far too easy to beat. After defeating the necessary amount of creatures the game loops and you're taken back to the action-platformer screens; however, there's never any variety in enemy / peach placement or the difficulty. The graphics are one of the better aspects as there's some great pixel shadowing, parallax scrolling and impressive walking animations where you can even see your character's hair moving in the wind! The music is also good with some nice oriental themes (including a snippet of Turning Japanese by The Vapors!) that suit the action.

 

Monkey Magic would have benefitted from more variety and a greater emphasis on polishing its gameplay quirks. Even if you give it a fair shot there's really not much to see and after a couple of minutes you'll likely pack away the tape in a drawer and forget about it.

 

 

 

Random trivia: The game was later re-published by Alternative Software, although the exact year is unknown.

To the Earth (NES review)

Developer: Cirque Verte

Publisher: Nintendo

Released: 1989

 

To the Earth is a light-gun shooter that requires use of the NES Zapper.

 

Piloting a spaceship your mission is to collect minerals from four planets and deliver an antibacterial agent to neutralise the enemy. The gameplay is unusual in that your life-bar depletes every time you miss; however, successfully hit a ship and it partially regenerates. Shooting several in a row (while at full strength) also rewards you with a Smart Bomb that destroys everything on screen. In Stage 1, the action is non-stop but highly repetitive with only a handful of enemies and projectiles. Most enemy ships move too quickly and are tough to hit so it's not worth risking your health through a missed shot unless you absolutely must. Instead you can avoid ships entirely and only focus on destroying the missiles they occasionally drop; the waiting around makes for some weak gameplay and it's not overly satisfying for a light-gun game! Stage 2 is much of the same but there's a cool part where asteroids fly into the screen and head directly for your ship while you fire at them. In Stage 3 you're expected to be a mind-reader as projectiles launch and hit your vehicle within a split second; there's just no time to react whatsoever and taking damage feels cheap. Things go from the ridiculous to the absurd in Stage 4 with an unstoppable and unavoidable barrage of missiles thrown your way; it's no fun at all as you're too outnumbered to even stand a chance. There are bosses to add some variety but there's no strategy to beating them and simply being trigger happy gets rid of them in seconds. There's only one boring music track but the graphics are mildly appealing with some nice scaling effects.

 

To the Earth feels like a tech demo that was hastily repeated across four monotonous stages and slapped onto a cartridge to meet deadlines. Some people might enjoy its unique brand of gameplay but for me it's not the kind of balls-out shooter that the Zapper does best.

 

 

 

Random trivia: This was the only NES game developed by Cirque Verte.

Leapster (Atari 8-bit review)

Developer: Steven Macilwee, Richard Skelhorn, Roy Lynch

Publisher: Alternative Software

Released: 1988

 

Leapster is an action game where you navigate four stages in an attempt to make it to school on time.

 

These stages consist of four screens and the objective in each is to collect three objects against the clock. First up is the Town and as objects appear in the house windows you must jump onto a car and then leap to collect them. To make things more difficult you also have to avoid balloons and arrows that kill you with one-hit. Unfortunately the action is tedious as there's large periods where no cars enter, yet they're your only method of reaching the objects! Also, on many occasions items either don't appear or flash for less than a second, giving you no time to obtain them. It's frustrating how little influence you have over the action and it seems like pot-luck is needed to succeed. There's also a few bugs including ones that kill you immediately upon starting the game, and another where gravity doesn't exist and you just keep floating! In the Missile Base your job is to collect three objects while climbing ladders and avoiding guards and projectiles. It plays slightly better than the first stage as it's more fast-paced and you're in complete control of the action rather than waiting around for things to happen. Climbing up ladders can be a bit problematic though (as they don't always respond to your buttons presses) and inexplicably some of the top ladders blend into the white background! Next up is the Graveyard stage where you avoid bats and zombies and try to collect small crosses by jumping between tombstones. Again, it works okay but the collision detection is off and sometimes you'll jump onto a platform and fall straight through. The final stage is inside the School and you need to avoid paper planes, arrows and springs; there's no items to collect and overall it's quite dull to play.

Leapster is an interesting concept with some unique stage settings but it's still a weak take on the action genre. The gameplay just isn't strong enough and the ill-advised first stage and careless technical bugs leave a bad taste that's hard to shake.

 

 

 

Random trivia: Steven Macilwee programmed several other Atari 8-bit games including Castle Top (1985), Monkey Magic (1987) and Winter Wally (1987).

California Run (Atari 8-bit review)

Developer: Syntax Software

Publisher: Alternative Software

Released: 1988

 

California Run is an Arcade style driving game and the only title Syntax Software developed for Atari 8-bit computers.

 

Playing as a street racer in Charlotsville your objective is to complete three stages within a strict time limit. There's three cars to choose from (Porsche, Ferrari and Corvette) that differ in terms of top speed and acceleration. The first stage sees you driving in the countryside with puddles that slow you down. After a while you'll reach a fork in the road which is similar to Outrun (1986, Arcades); here though there appears to be no difference as to which path you take as they look and play exactly the same. Stage 2 takes place in a desert with cacti littering the track and grease streaks that force your vehicle to skid. In Stage 3 you drive on the highway and have to contend with one lane being closed; however, there are some gaps where this lane becomes clear so you can risk overtaking a few drivers if you dare! Despite the promising premise the controls are truly awful as there's zero traction and it feels like you're driving on an ice rink. It's impossible to drive at top speed as opposing vehicles enter the screen far too quickly leaving you with no time to react. This makes you drive much slower than you'd like and after many failed attempts I worked out that driving at precisely 65 mp/h is the sweet spot; here the cars don't move as blisteringly fast as they do at 66 mp/h and above, and it makes the game extremely easy. I did spot a few technical issues, especially when it comes to scaling, as you'll often see cars in the distance that appear for a second and then vanish into thin air. On one occasion the game even refused to load the next area and I simply kept driving along a straight until time ran out! The graphics are dreadful with poorly designed sprites and barely any scenery along your route.

 

California Run is basically a poor-man's Outrun and it's really no more interesting than a crappy Tiger LCD handheld. The developers were clearly in over their heads and the result is a shoddy racing game with terrible controls and pathetic track design.

 

 

 

Random trivia: Alternative Software released two other games on Atari 8-bit computers in 1988; Desmond's Dungeon, and Leapster.

Rad Racer (NES review)

Developer: Square

Publisher: Nintendo

Released: 1987

 

Rad Racer is an arcade style racing game that was developed by the same people that created Final Fantasy (1990, NES).

 

There's eight stages and the objective is to finish each one within a time limit. A handy marker shows your progress and if you collide with another vehicle at full speed or hit a roadside object your car flips and precious seconds tick off the clock. The B button brakes while A accelerates, but once you reach 100 km/h you can press Up on the d-pad to activate Turbo for up to 255 km/h! The driving is smooth with tight controls that make precise movements a breeze. Despite the simplistic gameplay there are a few advanced techniques; for example, hitting another vehicle doesn't always make you crash and you can purposely collide if you feel you're about to be pushed off-road. The action moves along at a brisk pace and the track selection is varied so you never get bored; highlights include the San Francisco course that takes place under a beautiful night setting, and Seaway in Typhoon which starts off looking dreary but eventually clears to show a coastline and blue skies. Similar to Outrun (1986, Arcades) you can choose between three songs and even switch them during a race by pressing Down; they're upbeat and wouldn't sound out of place in a Mega Man game but I did find myself accidentally changing them while trying to swerve round a corner. In terms of downsides the time limits are a bit strict and the A.I. can be overly aggressive. The graphics are functional at best and it would have been nice if more scenery was littered around the tracks. There's also a '3D mode' you can toggle using the Select button but the red/green glasses aren't convincing and you'll most likely see double.

Rad Racer is a top-tier driving game on the NES with great track design, fantastic controls and intense driving action. While it's certainly not a 'looker' it's expertly crafted with the emphasis firmly on fun and I was impressed by how well it manages to hold up today.

 

 

Random trivia: In 1990, a NES sequel called Rad Racer II was released exclusively in North America.

Zaxxon's Motherbase 2000 (32X review)

Developer: CSK Research Institute Corp.

Publisher: Sega

Released: 1995

Zaxxon's Motherbase 2000 is a shoot-em-up that was also released as Motherbase (Europe) and Parasquad (Japan).

 

You play as a rebel force out to combat the Gingili invasion and destroy the central computer that's set on destruction of the Hive Confederation. It adopts an isometric viewpoint like the original Zaxxon but many of the similarities end there; for starters, you can't change altitude and there's no onus on shooting fuel pods to keep your vehicle moving. Instead the objective is to work through nine stages destroying everything in sight while jumping into enemy vehicles to use against them. It's a very cool idea as each vehicle has different weapons and stats that affect how the action plays. However, it's unfortunate that the game has some serious flaws that make this mechanic redundant. For starters, the action is zoomed in too far meaning you can't really see what lies ahead; as a result enemy ships quickly swarm on your direction giving you little time to react. Your ship also moves very slowly and your regular ship is so underpowered that you frequently have to resort to avoiding combat in favour of staying alive. If you do try to engage you can only fire a small number of bullets on screen at a time which leaves you wide open to attacks. It all makes for some unsatisfying gameplay and to top it off the difficulty is sky high with instant death traps that bring an air of cheapness to proceedings. The frame-rate isn't particularly smooth either and there's many areas that induce slowdown. The level design is lacklustre and there's nothing interesting about the environments or their construction. The polygon graphics are okay but the music is repetitive and the SFX (especially the explosions) are distorted.

 

It's debatable whether Zaxxon's Motherbase 2000 should even be considered part of the series as it strays too far away from the original's core mechanics. Everything about it feels clumsy and it's littered with so many gameplay issues that it's impossible to recommend to anyone except the most ardent Zaxxon fan.

 

 

 

Random trivia: The next game in the series wasn't released until 2012 when Zaxxon Escape was launched on iOS and Android devices.

Sonic the Hedgehog CD (Mega CD / Sega CD review)

Developer: Sonic Team

Publisher: Sega

Released: 1993

 

Sonic the Hedgehog CD is a platformer that was released in-between Sonic 2 and 3 (1992 and 1994, Mega Drive).

It features seven zones and your mission is to defeat Dr. Robotnik and rescue Princess Sally. The main addition is the ability to Time Warp by hitting Past and Future symbols; if you then build up enough speed you'll be transported and the environment is given a graphical makeover. It's a great idea but unfortunately the lengthy load times interrupt your flow too often. The new zones are uninspired with barely any new ideas. For example, Palmtree Panic is similar to Emerald Hill Zone with its blue sea and loop-de-loops, Collision Chaos is a rehash of Spring Yard Zone and Casino Night Zone with pinball bumpers, steep drops and springs, while Tidal Tempest is reminiscent of Labyrinth Zone with dull, slow-paced underwater action. There's also tons of slowdown throughout and the Spin Dash move takes too long to rev up. I did love the ability to play as Mini Sonic towards the end though and the game does save your progress after each zone. The bosses are a mixed bag; on one hand there's a cool battle that takes place inside a pinball table, as well as a race through a spike-laden level against Metal Sonic. However, there's many stinkers such as a fight against Dr. Robotnik where he can only be beaten by increasing traction on a conveyor belt until his pod explodes! The Special Stages take place in a 3D 'Mode 7' style arena where you need to avoid hazards while destroying all the UFOs before time runs out. Although the controls are sensitive the combat is fun with some impressive rotation effects. The American and Japanese soundtracks (which are completely different) are okay but don't really fit.

 

Sonic the Hedgehog CD is an underwhelming game that does little to advance the series. While it does have some innovative ideas it really lacks any memorable moments and it's hard to shake the feeling that you've seen it all before, but in a much better format.

 

 

 

Random trivia: In 2011, the game was re-released for iOS and Android smartphones.

Mighty Final Fight (NES review)

Developer: Capcom

Publisher: Capcom

Released: 1993

Mighty Final Fight is a side-scrolling beat-em-up that was released towards the end of the system's lifecycle.

Supporting 1-2 players (co-op) it tasks you with rescuing the mayor's daughter and defeating the Mad Gear Gang. There's three characters to choose from with unique abilities and attacks; Cody has a Knee Drop and Shoulder Throw, Guy has an Elbow Drop and a Back Roll Toss, while Haggar has a Piledriver and a Suplex. Each can also collect specific weapons (knives, shurikens, mallets) as well as perform cool Special Attacks once you've gained enough experience points by despatching foes. The five stages are broken down into multiple areas; they're the perfect length and the scenery changes so often that you never get bored. For example, one minute you're fighting on the streets, the next you're inside a mansion, and then end up battling in a wrestling ring! Despite being a rival brawler it seems Streets of Rage (1991, Mega Drive) was a source of inspiration as Stage 4 has an elevator scene where you can throw bad guys over the edge for a quick kill. The combat is satisfying with responsive controls, solid collision detection and tons of moves at your disposal; it doesn't resort to button mashing either as sometimes the best method is to dodge attacks and then counter. It's fun trying out different strategies and each fighter plays very differently which adds to the replay value. The enemy A.I. is intelligent and frequently reposition themselves so you're caught between their attacks; however, only two bad guys are ever on screen at a time. The graphics and animation are gorgeous with neon signs, rooftop billboards and enemy hats that fly upwards when you punch them!

 

Mighty Final Fight is a top-notch brawler and the fact that it feels and plays almost like a 16-bit game is a testament to how talented the developers at Capcom were. Everything about it is beautifully designed and I found it to be a highly entertaining adventure that keep me guessing at every turn.

 

 

 

Random trivia: In 2006, the game was re-released on a Game Boy Advance compilation entitled Capcom Classics Mini-Mix.

Virtual Bowling (Virtual Boy review)

Developer: Athena

Publisher: Athena

Released: 1995

 

Virtual Bowling is a Japan-only release and one of two simulations of the sport on the VB (the other is Nester's Funky Bowling, 1996).

 

There's three modes, the first being Standard where you bowl ten, non-competitive frames in an attempt to gain the highest possible score. The bowling mechanics are similar to traditional golf games; after setting your lane location with the d-pad a metre starts swinging and you use Button A to stop it at your desired spin strength. Another metre then appears whereby the peak represents power and the base affects accuracy. Training mode allows you to set up pins in any formation for practice but the real meat of the game is Tournament. Here you face CPU opponents in four matches; each consists of three games and the points are tallied up to decide whether you move onto the next match. This gives it a real competitive edge that was missing in Nester's Funky Bowling. The control system is intuitive and easy to get the hang of with some great pin physics. The low camera angle and first person perspective also add to the illusion of depth and there's some impressive looking scaling effects. Although the action is very entertaining bowling a strike is easy once you know the best position to stand in and how much spin to use. It still takes skill to stop the metre at the precise location but once muscle memory kicks in most matches are a breeze. There's no humorous LCD screen animations like in Nester's game but you do get a cool replay looking back from the pin-side. It's also hilarious when you bowl three strikes in a row as a giant turkey runs towards the camera, splatters on the screen and rains feathers down onto the lane! There's some excellent cut-scenes (complete with CPU trash talking!) and the music, SFX and voice samples do a nice job of bringing excitement to the action. There's no save option but passwords are available to pick up your progress at a later date.

 

Virtual Bowling might not be the deepest game but it does a fine job of simulating the sport and it's miles ahead of Nester's weak attempt. The gameplay is simple, yet addictive, and the smooth controls and fun Tournament mode make it a perfect game to dip in and out of.

 

 

 

Random trivia: By patching the game you can unlock a hidden debug menu which offers a sound test; find out more here.

Ghostbusters (NES review)

Developer: Bits Laboratory

Publisher: Activision

Released: 1988

 

Ghostbusters is an action game that's based on the 1984 film on the same name.

 

Your mission is to stop ghosts from taking over New York City and open up the Zuul building to destroy Gozer. To do this you move around the map and enter buildings that flash red; a driving sequence then occurs where you avoid swerving vehicles to reach the location of the ghosts. Using your beams you then try to capture four ghosts to earn money for power-ups which include a Super Trap (doesn't need emptying) and a Hyper Beam (higher laser streams). The driving makes up the majority of the game but you can't see very far ahead meaning you have to take it slow, otherwise you'll collide with a car and lose money. You can also run out of petrol but instead of visiting the Gas Station there's red barrels on the road for refills. There's barely any action though making it repetitive and overall it's like a poor LCD handheld game. The areas where you capture ghosts is the most interesting but they only last a few seconds before you're back to more boring driving. There's nothing engaging or even remotely challenging about either and 90% of the game is a mundane grind while you wait for the Zuul entrance to open up. When this happens you enter a building and attempt to climb stairs while avoiding ghosts; this involves continually tapping Button A which is exhausting! The collision detection is atrocious and you'll sometimes die despite being nowhere near the ghosts! If you make it to the roof you fight Gozer in a single screen shooter; again, the controls are dreadful and there's some slowdown too. If you enjoy the classic Ghostbusters theme get ready to detest it as it's the only song in the whole game!

 

Ghostbusters is poorly executed with paper-thin ideas and gameplay that will bore you to tears. It's repetitive, not to mention half-baked, and overall it does a terrible job of conveying the original film in videogame form.

 

 

 

Random trivia: A sequel called Ghostbusters II was released on the NES in 1990.

Jaws (NES review)

Developer: Westone Bit Entertainment

Publisher: LJN

Released: 1987

 

Jaws is an action game that's based on the 1975 film of the same name.

 

Your mission is to collect shells by defeating sea creatures, use them to increase your power and then defeat Jaws. Starting on the top-down map you control a boat and wander from one port to another in order to gain a Receiver which alerts you when Jaws is near. Along your route there are random RPG style battles where you'll suddenly be attacked; the action then shifts to the Side View where you're now donning scuba gear and shoot sea creatures with your weapon. When defeated they drop shells you can pick up and after a minute or so you're kicked back out to the map screen. You then try to reach the furthermost port where you can use your shells to increase your power metre. Extra shells can be gained in the Bonus screen where you drop bombs into the water to hit sea creatures. These three screens make up the majority of the gameplay so it can get repetitive as you're basically doing the same thing. When you've powered up to around Level 4 you can then hunt down Jaws and shoot it to decrease its life metre; when it's empty you reach the final Stab scene. Here you're back on the boat in a first person perspective as Jaws approaches from the distance. Once it's close enough you can fire one of your three strobes to bring it to the surface and then stab it with the front of your boat. The game is short and monotonous but it has the charm of a classic Atari 2600 shooter; the thin mechanic of simply waiting to level-up can seem dull but I found it to be an intense game of survival. It's highly addictive with solid, precise controls and there's a real sense of satisfaction when you finally kill Jaws.

  

Jaws gets a bit of a bad rap on the Internet but I found it to be a real guilty pleasure that harkens back to classic shooters of the early 1980s. While the gameplay is undoubtedly repetitive the action is enjoyable and overall it's perfect if you're looking for a quick Arcade style game to play.

 

 

 

Random trivia: Westone Bit Entertainment only developed one other 8-bit Nintendo game which was an action RPG called Mashin Hero Wataru (1990, Famicom).

Alfred Chicken (NES review)

Developer: Twilight Games

Publisher: Mindscape Inc.

Released: 1993

Alfred Chicken is an action-platformer that was also released on the Amiga, Amiga CD32 and Game Boy.

You play as Alfred who's attempting to rescue his friends and stop the evil Meka-Chickens from using them in their cloning experiments. There's five levels and the objective in each is to peck all the balloons that are scattered around. There's also diamonds and other items to collect that can earn you extra lives as well as a Can O Worms (destroys monsters by circling around you) and a Present (makes you temporarily invincible). Your main method of attack is a dive bomb which is performed by jumping and then pressing Down; when pressed alone the latter pecks balloons, the A button jumps and makes you float, while the B button is used for any weapons you collect such as bombs and bullets. Apart from hunting for balloons the gameplay involves jumping on moving platforms, bouncing off springs to reach higher ledges and swimming underwater. The level design is atrocious with mundane environments covered in children's toy blocks, or a mishmash of wood pieces held together with nails! There's nothing interesting about the puzzles either as they usually involve pushing a button in one room to activate platform blocks in another. There's also three Meka-Chicken boss battles where you hop into a Meka-Buster Ship for some shooting action! In theory it sounds awesome but every boss is the same and they all have boring, predictable patterns. The game is insultingly easy and poses little challenge; it's also far too short and can be completed in around 30 minutes. There's only one music track which sounds like an irritating TV theme-tune and it quickly gets on your nerves!

 

Alfred Chicken is a lacklustre title with tedious level design, little variety and sub-standard boss battles. In reality it's full of half-baked ideas and the fact that there's only five short levels screams of lazy game development.

 

 

Random trivia: A sequel called Super Alfred Chicken was released on the Super Nintendo in 1994.

Teleroboxer (Virtual Boy review)

Developer: Nintendo R&D1

Publisher: Nintendo

Released: 1995

 

Teleroboxer is a first-person boxing game and a launch title for the system in America and Japan.

You play as a robot called Harry and your goal is to win the Teleroboxing Tournament by defeating seven challengers (plus a hidden fighter if you go undefeated). The matches consist of five, one-minute rounds and you must deplete your opponents strength bar to zero; if it goes the distance the winner is the boxer with the most strength remaining. It uses the controller in a unique way as the L and R triggers throw punches from each side of your body. You can combine these with the d-pad to pull off a range of attacks such as Body Blows, Uppercuts and Hooks. Likewise, when used on their own both d-pads control your left and right fists for blocking or dodging shots. There's also special attacks you can use by holding button combinations until your fists start to flash. The gameplay is vaguely reminiscent of Mike Tyson's Punch Out!! (1987, NES) except fellow boxers have little personality and aren't very memorable; the only one that's slightly interesting is the fourth opponent (Picky) as it must be beaten within 50 seconds otherwise it explodes and you lose the match! The controls sound intuitive but the amount of buttons and combinations you need to memorise makes the learning curve frustratingly high. Even the first CPU opponent is no pushover and will quickly pummel you if you button mash as it's more of a simulator than an Arcade take. Defensive strategy is important as you block shots and then counter punch to soften up your opponent. Unfortunately, it's all just very dull as the gameplay is uninspired, monotonous and rigid in terms of how you need to beat each fighter. Even the music is generic but at least the first person perspective shows what the system can do from a virtual reality standpoint. The game also saves your progress and individual fight record.

 

Teleroboxer is a mediocre boxing game with convoluted controls, brutal difficulty and none of the classic Nintendo charm that made Punch Out!! so special. There's nothing else like it on the system though so if you enjoy methodical, slow-paced sports games you might get some short-lived enjoyment out of this one.

 

 

 

Random trivia: During the end credits you get to punch portraits of the development staff!

Jack Bros. (Virtual Boy review)

Developer: Atlus

Publisher: Atlus

Released: 1995

 

Jack Bros. is an action game and the first title in the Megami Tensei franchise to be released outside of Japan.

 

Your quest is to return to the World of Fairies before midnight by navigating six worlds within a strict time limit; each has several floors and to move onto the next you must collect keys using a map and then head to the exit. When you make it to the bottom floor a boss appears and once defeated you clear that world. There's three characters to choose from; Jack Frost (shoots weak snowballs but has the best rapid fire), Jack Lantern (average stats but has strong fireballs) and Jack Skelton (most powerful but only uses a knife). Interestingly the right d-pad allows you to fire independently in all directions making the setup similar to Smash TV (1990, Arcades). The R trigger uses a special attack and the number of times it can be used corresponds to how many star items you've collected. You don't have a life-bar and instead taking damage removes precious seconds from the clock; if it reaches zero you die and have to restart the entire world. The first four worlds are mildly entertaining with some solid shooting action and a slow introduction of new enemies; occasionally you'll also have to block laser beams by pushing boulders around. The final two worlds are horribly long with tons of trial and error and deadly traps that you can't see until the last second. Overall, the level design is average with little variation in the gameplay and locations but at least the three playable characters add some replayability. The bosses are awesome as instead of narrow corridors you have a huge playfield to make full use of your duel stick setup. It's fun learning their patterns as you can't just shoot wildly and a bit of strategy comes into play. The 3D effect is okay but definitely not some of the system's best as it's only really used to partially show the floor below you.

 

If you're a patient gamer who doesn't mind lots of trial and error give Jack Bros. a go. It does have some fun moments but personally I found the level design and gameplay to be too repetitious and it doesn't really do anything that couldn't be achieved just as well on a 2D console.

 

 

 

Random trivia: Prior to release the game was known as Devil Busters.