Quarterback Attack with Mike Ditka (3DO review)

Developer: Digital Pictures
Publisher: Digital Pictures
Released: 1995

Quarterback Attack with Mike Ditka is a Full Motion Video (FMV) American Football game.

+ Huge amount of plays available and you can even call pre-set audibles depending on the defense's formation.

+ Selected play remains visible at the line of scrimmage, which is a handy reminder of where your receivers will be located.

+ During passing plays, you can switch between camera angles of each receiver (with no loading) to see if they're open.

- While the absence of defense is in-line with the game's title, you only see the final play of opponent's offensive drives.

- Likewise, Special Teams requires no input and you're completely at the mercy of a randomised FMV clip for field goals.

- Running plays are a complete crapshoot as to whether you gain yardage, and success is more luck over skill.

- FMV footage is rather limited, so you'll likely tire of seeing the same clips repeated in quick succession.

Foes of Ali (3DO review)

Developer: Gray Matter
Publisher: EA Sports
Released: 1995

Foes of Ali is a boxing game that's exclusive to the 3DO console.

+ Features an impressive amount of customisation options to tailor the rules to your preferred style.

+ Allows you to choose between 20 camera angles, with the first-person option blurring your vision as you take damage.

- However, some of the angles are unusable, particularly the bizarre option to move the camera to a ceiling view!

- Most fights end up in non-stop button mashing, as it's often hard to tell who (if anyone) is actually connecting with punches.

- Severe clipping issues, as hooks to the body often do no damage despite your fist travelling through your opponent's body!

- SFX when you land a punch are unsatisfying, and the atmosphere is lacking due to the absence of a commentary team.

- Little rhyme-or-reason as to when a foe gets knocked down, despite them getting punched repeatedly with no energy.

Crash 'N Burn (3DO review)

Developer: Crystal Dynamics
Publisher: Crystal Dynamics
Released: 1993

Crash 'N Burn is a vehicular combat / racing game that was a launch title for the 3DO console.

+ Decent course design and there's even a free-floating track that wouldn't look out of place in the F-Zero series.

+ Like Road Rash (1991, Sega Genesis), there's a huge amount of upgrades available to tailor your strategy for each race.

+ Ability to choose how long to stay in the pit-stop for repairs / reload is brilliant, as the race position map remains visible.

+ Some excellent graphical texture work / explosion effects, while the frame-rate and draw distance are respectable.

+ Tournament mode is lengthy and the game automatically saves your progress, weapons and earned cash.

- It would have been nice to see opponent's energy metres, as standard offensive weapons seem to do little damage.

- No multiplayer mode, and the screen flashing when enemies crash into your vehicle or use a Flash Laser is excessive.

Starblade (3DO review)

Developer: HighTech Lab. Japan
Publisher: Panasonic
Released: 1994

Starblade is a rail shooter that was originally released in the Arcade (1991) and later ported to the Sega CD (1994).

+ Scenically, the battle territories are breathtaking and the trench runs / meteor showers are clearly inspired by Star Wars.

+ Better quality FMV than the Sega CD and you respawn at the same point here instead of being taken back to a checkpoint.

+ Mixes wide-open spaces with claustrophobic areas, and the boss battles take the form of huge, intimidating structures.

+ Distance indicator on the right-hand-side is a great motivator to keep you playing until you finally reach the destination.

- At times, taking damage seems unavoidable due to the sheer amount of incoming projectiles being thrown towards you.

- Game is extremely short (with no replay value) and unlike the Sega CD version there's no difficulty options.

- Includes a mode that adds texture mapped polygons, but the result is a lower frame-rate and jerkier cursor movements.

AutoBahn Tokio (3DO review)

Developer: Sanai Enterprise, Sanyei Shobou
Publisher: Panasonic
Released: 1995

AutoBahn Tokio is a racing game that was released exclusively in Japan.

+ Interesting and scenically diverse course design, and your fastest times are automatically saved.

- Anaemic content, and the Championship mode only counts single races rather than performance across all three courses.

- Frame-rate is shockingly low and borders on unplayable, while the poor draw distance results in lots of pop-in.

- Almost impossible to drive with precision due to severe under/over-steer caused by the single-digit frame-rate.

- Drift mechanic is unreliable, so you'll find yourself bumping into walls and brute forcing your way to the finish line.

- Some cars are pointlessly slow, and opponents drive too fast (and flawlessly) for you to even stand a chance of winning.

- Despite featuring five music tracks, only one will play on repeat until you change it in the Options screen of the main menu.

Strahl (3DO review)

Developer: Media Entertainment
Publisher: Panasonic
Released: 1994

Strahl is a Full Motion Video (FMV) game that was first released on the Pioneer LaserActive in 1993.

+ Allows you to select the order in which you tackle the stages, which is excellent for learning the ropes.

+ Gorgeous anime visuals and animation with some terrific fight sequences, and there's a whopping 48 different endings.

- Gameplay is very easy (with no difficulty options) and you'll likely be watching the end credits within 30 minutes.

- There's no penalty for hitting the wrong input, which defeats the object of a quick-time, reaction-based game.

- On-screen button prompts don't usually match up with the FMV, and as a result you don't always feel part of the action.

- Video footage is overexposed, which washes out some detail and makes the button commands harder to see.

- Art design is inconsistent with its varying styles, and the static cut-scenes aren't an engaging method of storytelling.

Burning Soldier (3DO review)

Developer: Genki Co., Ltd.
Publisher: Panasonic
Released: 1994

Burning Soldier is a Full Motion Video (FMV) rail shooter that was also released on Windows (1998).

+ Locales are varied and see you battling closer to ground, in the sky, and even inside claustrophobic enemy quarters.

+ Similar to Panzer Dragoon (1995, Sega Saturn), your secondary attack can lock onto several enemies at once.

+ Includes a two-player co-op mode, along with a reasonable difficulty curve that provides you with infinite continues.

+ Presentation is outstanding and there's a large amount of cut-scenes, as well as up-tempo music to raise the intensity.

- D-pad isn't quite accurate enough to reward skilled play and cheap hits can occur due to jittery reticle movement. 

- Refraining from shooting to revive your shield adds risk-reward, but the charge rate is too slow to be effective.

- In-game voiceovers are very low in the mix, which makes it hard to follow orders and become invested in the overall plot.

Slam 'N Jam '95 (3DO review)

Developer: Left Field Productions
Publisher: Crystal Dynamics
Released: 1995

Slam 'N Jam '95 is a basketball game that's exclusive to the 3DO.

+ Arcade-style gameplay is fast and enjoyable, and your season progress / individual stats for each player are saved.

+ Ability to customise a full season is excellent, and you can even choose to condense things by only playing each team once.

+ Controls are intuitive, and there's an immense amount of satisfaction to be had from running ISOs and setting screens.

+ Graphics are stunning thanks to cool scaling effects, and the players have lots of personality with their on-court reactions.

+ Enthusiastic commentary resembles NBA Jam (1993, Arcade) and the SFX do a terrific job of enhancing the atmosphere.

- Defense can be tricky, as your teammates are useless and the zoomed-in camera doesn't give you a good half-court view.

- No NBA teams or player licenses, and the CPU doesn't always intelligently use the clock at the end of a quarter.

Gex (3DO review)

Developer: Crystal Dynamics
Publisher: BMG Interactive
Released: 1995

Gex is an action-platformer that was also released on the Sega Saturn and Sony PlayStation.

+ Level design is above-average with multiple paths on offer and secret bonus areas to increase your life total.

+ Memorable moments include using portals to switch between dimensions, and a treacherous climb up a vertical structure.

+ A clever mechanic is how bug balls can either be snagged via your tongue for a power-up, or whipped to refill hit points.

+ Gameplay can be challenging at times, but the difficulty is fair and there's an abundance of health items scattered around.

+ Unlike the PlayStation and Saturn ports (which use a password system), the 3DO version saves your game to SRAM.

- Frame-rate is choppy and the camera moves in a jittery way that can be disorientating when making quick movements.

- Stage map is marred by an unintuitive interface, and having to select remotes to open levels is arduous.

Road Rash (3DO review)

Developer: Electronic Arts

Publisher: Electronic Arts

Released: 1994

 

Road Rash is a vehicular combat racing game that was later ported to the PlayStation in 1995.

 

The two modes are Thrash (quick, single races) and Big Game (career mode with five levels of progression). In the latter, you need to place third or higher in all five tracks, while earning enough cash to buy faster bikes. Avoiding being busted by the Police, or wrecking your vehicle is key, but luckily you can fight back with punches, kicks, or even special weapons such as clubs and chains! While there's only five tracks, they're expertly designed and include a mixture of congested city streets, and wide-open highways. They increase in length as you progress through levels, and some even have multiple paths which is a brilliant idea for experimentation and strategy. The racing is a pure adrenaline rush and it's thrilling to be both in-and-out of control at the same time! The sense of speed is fantastic and every time you reach the apex of a hill it's very much a rollercoaster ride where you're not quite sure what's waiting on the other side! While the draw distance isn't quite as good as Road & Track Presents: The Need for Speed (1994, 3DO), you can still clearly see what's ahead even when at top speed. The frame-rate is choppy though, and it does affect the racing somewhat due to the over-steer it creates when turning. Another minor criticism is the overuse of oil slicks and puddles as they're scattered too liberally. There's no faulting the difficulty curve or inspired combat however, and there's nothing quite like punching a fellow rider and watching them crash helplessly into an oncoming vehicle! Presentation-wise, the game is top-notch with cheesy cut-scenes and an awesome licensed soundtrack.

 

Road Rash is a faithful adaptation of the classic 16-bit franchise, and it's impressive just how well it's made the transition to 3D. The developers captured the essence of the Mega Drive trilogy without resorting to unnecessary gimmicks, and the end result is a superbly crafted game with a perfect blend of combat and racing.

 

 

 

Random trivia: The licensed soundtrack features bands such as Soundgarden and Swervedriver.

Road & Track Presents: The Need for Speed (3DO review)

Developer: EA Canada, Pioneer Productions

Publisher: Electronic Arts

Released: 1994

 

Road & Track Presents: The Need for Speed is the first title in the long-running series from Electronic Arts.

 

There's eight cars to choose from (including the Chevrolet Corvette ZR-1, Dodge Viper RT/10, Ferrari 512TR and Lamborghini Diablo VT) and you can either race against the clock or an opponent. Each race affords you four major crashes, but you must also avoid getting pulled over by the cops, as three tickets result in an arrest. A selection of three camera angles are available, as well as a cool instant replay feature. Despite the game's title, it really doesn't have much in the way of speed and it's much slower paced than a lot of other racing games. The action is solid though with weighty, yet responsive car controls, a consistent frame-rate and a fantastic draw distance. There's only three courses (each split into three sections) but they're beautifully designed and challenge your driving skills in different ways. For example, the City track is full of one-way straights where you can simply push the accelerator down. Alpine features winding, heavily populated roads that 'up' the intensity due to its tight corners and steep drops that keep your heart firmly in your mouth! The gorgeous beach-themed Coastal track is pretty much a halfway house between the two, as it dares you to burn down the straights before suddenly throwing a tight corner at you. Each one is instantly enjoyable with lengthy routes and tons of scenic shifts to keep you engaged. The CPU puts up a good fight throughout and I like that they're not immune to crashing. Graphically, the game is breathtaking and to round out the package there's plenty of car porn (specific to each vehicle) and cheesy 90's FMV cut-scenes of your smug opponent!

 

Road & Track Presents: The Need for Speed is an exceptional racing simulator and revisiting it today highlights just how well the game has aged. I do wish it had a bit more content, but its top-tier course design, smooth controls, technical prowess and stunning graphics will keep you playing for a long time.

 

 

 

Random trivia: The game was later ported to MS-DOS (1995), PlayStation (1996) and Sega Saturn (1996) with some additions such as extra courses and multiplayer.

Doom (3DO review)

Developer: Logicware
Publisher: Art Data Interactive
Released: 1995

Doom is a first-person shooter that was licensed to Logicware and ported to the 3DO in just three months.

This version consists of 24 levels and the premise is usually to locate coloured keys to open locked doors and eventually reach the exit. Due to performance issues the gameplay takes place in a smaller window rather than full screen. There are actually six different screen sizes you can choose from (two of them can only be accessed via a cheat) which is a nice idea that's not usually seen on home consoles. However, once the action starts even the smallest screen is extremely choppy with laggy controls and a seriously low frame-rate. It's downright unplayable in parts and I actually found myself worrying for my 3DO's life as it frequently had to momentarily stop gameplay while trying to render the level! Similar to the SNES version strafing is performed via the shoulder buttons; it works well in theory but there's a half-second delay between you pressing the button and your character moving. This makes aiming your shots difficult and sometimes you'll overcompensate for the delayed controls and end up off target once the game engine finally catches up. Many times your shots will inflict zero damage even though you'll be firing directly at an enemy. On other occasions it seems to take forever to kill things, especially lowly Imps who seem to be able to take an inordinate amount of damage in this version. It's incredibly frustrating and it really does feel like you're fighting with the game at every possible turn. One of the shining points of this port is the music though; here you'll find CD quality, remixed tracks and each one sounds fantastic, especially the main theme with its metal lead guitar. Your progress is also saved so you can pick up your adventure at a later date.

Doom on the 3DO has a multitude of problems that make the gameplay experience a complete chore. It runs and plays so poorly that the horrible 32X version looks like a masterpiece in comparison!

Random trivia: This port of Doom was handled by Rebecca Heineman and as mentioned above she only had three months to complete the game. Read more about her development story here.

Wolfenstein 3D (3DO review)

Developer: MacPlay
Publisher: Interplay Entertainment
Released: 1995

Wolfenstein 3D is the Granddaddy of First Person Shooters and was originally released on the PC operating system DOS in 1992.

Unlike the SNES port there's no censorship here; you'll see swastikas everywhere as well as accurate representations of Adolf Hitler on the walls. Similar to Doom, your task is to locate the exit to each level; this involves tracking down the right coloured key to gain access to particular doors. The game can get very maze-like and it's easy to get disorientated if you don't keep track of your surroundings. You can access a map but I felt it wasn't detailed enough for backtracking. There's a good range of weapons on offer including a Pistol, Chain Gun and Rocket Launcher; the latter can take out several enemies in a row but the only problem is that it sometimes hits an open door instead of the person you're firing at! The game has a lengthy campaign and the addition of a save game feature is handy, especially as it saves your weapons and ammo. The shoulder buttons on the 3DO controller are fantastic for strafing and work much better than other ports where you need to hold down a separate button and use the d-pad. My main criticism is that the game can get quite repetitive and although there are end of episode bosses there's nothing to really break up the action. Even the stealth elements from the DOS version were removed (meaning enemies always face your direction) and there's not as much strategy involved. Still, the final battle with Hitler is genuinely tense and nerve-wracking! The music (which is exclusive to the 3DO) has a cinematic feel which ramps up the intensity and the voice samples give real personality to the action.

Despite its age Wolfenstein 3D still plays remarkably well and it has tons of secrets for those who want to explore. The controls are perfect and this 3DO version is definitely one of the best ports of id Software's classic FPS.

Random trivia: Early development versions of the original Wolfenstein 3D featured more stealth mechanics such as allowing you to wear enemy outfits and dragging dead bodies. Sadly, they were removed from the final game as the developers felt they slowed down the pace too much.

Plumbers Don't Wear Ties (3DO review)

Developer: Kirin Entertainment
Publisher: Kirin Entertainment
Released: 1994

Plumbers Don't Wear Ties is an adult-themed 'choose-your-own-adventure' game that was released exclusively on the 3DO.

Despite being billed as an FMV game it only features one grainy video clip in the introduction. It's mainly a slideshow of images and you're given multiple choices to advance the plot. The story sees you playing Cupid to strangers John and Jane who are being pressured by their parents to find a partner, get married and have kids. There are a number of obstacles in your way and you have to make sure to pick the right option. Right from the start the game comes off as offensive. When John rejects his Mum's notion that he's gay she replies with: "Thank heavens!" Once each scene ends the slideshow continues for several images as the developers clearly couldn't be bothered to edit things correctly. There are some risqué scenes with the two main characters in the shower but the pictures are really odd; one minute you'll see John's foot and then be presented with an image of a cat! The funniest scene is when Jane arrives for her first day in her new job and is told that her contract has been cancelled. She says she'll do anything and it's here that you have three options, one of which is having the sleazeball boss telling Jayne to take her clothes off. She agrees and pulls out handcuffs and a whip (because everyone brings them to work on their first day!) and starts punishing him in his office! The developers even left in a blooper during the big Hollywood ending. John is supposed to say: "I've been searching for you" to Jane but accidentally says: "I've been searching for me." This results in laughter from the crew and it really breaks down the fourth wall.

Plumbers Don't Wear Ties is a truly awful, sexist game with zero redeeming features. Personally, I think it was a surreal joke by the developers and they purposely made a cheap, terrible game to get some exposure...no pun intended!

Random trivia: Even if you choose every correct answer without any fails it's still impossible to end up with a positive score. In fact, doing so will result in -170,000 points when you've completed the game!