SpyHunter (Tapwave Zodiac review)

Developer: Fathammer
Publisher: Midway Games
Released: 2003

SpyHunter is a vehicular-combat game and the sequel to the 1983 Arcade title of the same name.

Like the original game, a range of offensive (e.g. guns, missiles) and defensive (e.g. smoke screens) weapons are at your disposal. Arcade mode tasks you with reaching the destination point before time expires. The camera is positioned high above your vehicle and the off-shoot is not being able to see very far into the distance; enemies appear with little warning and spotting upcoming turns with enough distance to prepare is always stressful. While the frame-rate performs decently during straights that aren't overly populated, the game engine freaks out whenever you need to make 90° turns and the action becomes utter chaos until it stabilises. When things are working in a respectable fashion the gameplay is mildly enjoyable (if not a little repetitive) and weaving in-and-out of traffic while blasting bad guys is fun. The ability to use both offensive and defensive weapons is a neat touch and the scenic locales help to keep you somewhat immersed. Missile Mode consists of seven missions where you must complete multiple objectives before time expires. Compared to Arcade, the camera angle is lower which makes it easier to see what's ahead; the problem it introduces though is a further decrease in the frame-rate and trying to make subtle movements is nigh-on impossible as your vehicle constantly over-steers. Your guns also appear to be less accurate and instead wildly spraying bullets is the order of the day. The missions are nowhere near as fun as the console versions (2001-02, GameCube, PS2, Xbox) and instead of diverse tasks to slalom between gates or catching air to gain a certain distance you're instead challenged to banal errands such as destroying cargo boats.

SpyHunter lacks the playfulness and personality of its console big brother and the uninspired, mundane missions make for some lacklustre gameplay. Those with an affection for the series might find some enjoyment here in short bursts, but others are likely to grow tired of its inexcusable frame-rate issues rather swiftly.

Random trivia: SpyHunter was also released on the Game Boy Advance in 2002.

Hydro Thunder (N64 review)

Developer: Eurocom
Publisher: Midway Games
Released: 2000

Hydro Thunder is a boat racing game that was first released in the Arcades in 1999.

It consists of a 1 player Tournament mode, as well as Multiplayer (1-4 players). The former consists of Easy, Medium and Hard competitions that contain three courses each. The objective is to finish courses within a certain position (in order to unlock bonus courses and extra boats), and collecting Boost icons is crucial to succeeding. Gameplay wise, it's reminiscent of Excite Truck (2006, Nintendo Wii) due to its exotic course design, boost jumps and the fact that you always feel close to being out of control! Each boat is responsive, and I like how many vehicles are included to cater towards different play styles. While there isn't really a focus on enemy combat, it's endlessly satisfying to send an opponent flying by crashing into them while boosting! The water physics are great and although they're not as realistic as Wave Race 64 (1996, N64), they still provide some brilliant push and pull against your vehicle. The Easy mode is a breeze, but Medium forces you to replay each course to find all the shortcuts and eventually qualify; it can be annoying to continually restart the same track but it does encourage you to perfect every trick in the book to shave off previous seconds; when you do successfully pull off a boost start, use all of the shortcuts, boost jump to grab extra turbo and finish ahead of the necessary opponents it's an absolute rush and a very rewarding experience. The course design is top-notch too with varied scenery (e.g. the Nile Adventure track features breakaway sections that create chaos!), but I do wish there were more tracks on offer. The multiplayer mode offers a worthwhile distraction, but you can't race alongside A.I. opponents and the tracks can only be raced one at a time (e.g. no tournaments).

Hydro Thunder doesn't have enough content to satisfy you for more than a couple of days, but it's still a fantastic game that's definitely worth a look if you enjoy tough Arcade racers. The stunning track design is the main highlight here and the fact that it's complimented by excellent controls makes this a must-play.

Random trivia: The game was also a launch title for the Sega Dreamcast in 1999.

Paperboy 64 (N64 review)

Developer: High Voltage Software
Publisher: Midway Games
Released: 1998

Paperboy 64 is an updated version of the Arcade classic that was originally released in 1985.

The objective is to deliver newspapers to the correct houses against the clock. There's 100 interactive obstacles, three difficulty settings (Easy Street, Middle Road, Hard Way) as well as over 45 routes which are gradually unlocked by racking up subscribers. Their houses are signposted with green arrows and there's also a map to help. Each round is short and if you miss a subscriber on Easy Street you have to navigate the whole loop again as you can't turn around. It's a mild annoyance but once you move onto Middle Road the training wheels come off and you can suddenly move around in full 3D. This makes the gameplay more interesting and it's surprising that this wasn't the default. Freestyle bike tricks can now be performed but they seem tacked on and serve no real purpose. The main frustration is the camera as it automatically adjusts itself while you're riding but rarely sits exactly behind you; this can sometimes cause issues with lining up shots as you can't always see the best angle and end up missing a house completely. There's a mixture of locations from the original games (i.e. Suburbia and gothic themes) as well as fresh ideas such as deserts, parks and zoos; none of them stand out and are mostly half-baked. There are a few dull boss battles which involve hitting objects with newspapers (i.e. electricity bolt machines) to stop the enemy. The areas are very confined which makes it tricky to control your character and the dodgy camera certainly doesn't help matters. The game also has little personality with generic music, little texture detail, clipping issues and a poor draw distance.

Paperboy 64 certainly isn't the worst game in the world but it does nothing to enhance the franchise and the new locations are uninspiring. While youngsters might find it mildly amusing there's little here to keep anyone's interest peaked for long and it can really only be recommended to die-hard fans of the series.

Random trivia: The source code shows that many bizarre newspaper headlines were originally planned for the game; find out more here.