Fatal Run (Atari 7800 review)

Developer: Sculptured Software
Publisher: Atari Corporation
Released: 1990

Fatal Run is a vehicular combat game that was also released on the Atari 2600 (1990).

+ Combat is reminiscent of RoadBlasters (1987, Arcade) but with added rear weapons, and the password option is terrific.

+ Shops offer a robust selection of upgrades, repairs and weapons that provide a multitude of ways to tackle each stage.

+ Between stage cut-scenes have neat parallax scrolling, and keeping civilians alive to earn currency is an addicting hook.

- Gameplay is repetitive and the driving is mundane, as there's long stretches where you're waiting for foes to appear.

- If the HUD didn't display your speed, you'd likely have no idea if you're currently running a Basic or Turbo engine.

- Slippery physics make careful manoeuvring between lanes an unnatural task, almost like you're skating on ice.

- Roadside scenery is barren and there's some weird scaling issues where cars and hazards float above the track!

Commando (Atari 7800 review)

Developer: Sculptured Software
Publisher: Atari Corporation
Released: 1989

Commando is a vertically scrolling run 'n' gun game that was originally released in the Arcade in 1985.

+ Includes difficulty options to tailor the game to your skill level, and the stages are well designed with fair checkpoints. 

+ Diagonal shots are easier to hit compared to the NES port (1986), and the Machine Gun is a great inclusion for auto-fire.

+ Fun bosses as the limited space and swarms of enemies resemble the claustrophobia of Robotron: 2084 (1986, Atari 7800).

+ POKEY sound is a gigantic step up from most other 7800 games and the SFX add sufficient weight to the frenetic combat.

- While a two-player mode is present it doesn't allow you to battle simultaneously, as the action is turn-based only.

- Scrolling is choppier than the NES version and there's heavy slowdown when fighting large groups (e.g. during boss battles).

- Missing the cut-scenes between missions and the underground bunkers are incredibly cryptic to locate.

WWF WrestleMania: The Arcade Game (Sega 32X review)

Developer: Sculptured Software, The Black Team
Publisher: Acclaim Entertainment
Released: 1995

WWF WrestleMania: The Arcade Game is a wrestling title that was also ported to the Sega Genesis in 1995.

+ Beat-em-up gameplay is atypical for the genre, but seamlessly blends grappling with slapstick attacks and projectiles.

+ Large roster of wrestlers are available, each with extensive move sets that are executed via simple button commands.

+ Handicap bouts are great fun, and two players can battle against each other, or cooperatively against the CPU.

+ Features more frames of animation compared to the Genesis version and the voice clips are much higher in quality.

- However, the action only runs at 30FPS (half the Genesis port) and the overall upgrades from the 16-bit version are minimal.

- While there are difficulty options, the CPU is brutally aggressive which doesn't help with easing new players in.

- Needed additional solo modes, and it's a shame the Royal Rumble is exclusive to the WWF Championship finale.

WWF WrestleMania: The Arcade Game (Sega Mega Drive / Genesis review)

Developer: Sculptured Software, The Black Team
Publisher: Acclaim Entertainment
Released: 1995

WWF WrestleMania: The Arcade Game is a wrestling title that was also ported to the Sega 32X and SNES in 1995.

+ Beat-em-up gameplay is atypical for the genre, but seamlessly blends grappling with slapstick attacks and projectiles.

+ Larger roster than the SNES port and wrestlers have extensive move sets that are executed via simple button commands.

+ Handicap bouts are great fun, and two players can battle against each other, or cooperatively against the CPU.

+ Combo metre is a key inclusion, as you can quickly turn the tide by doing massive damage in a short burst.

+ Motion capture animation is impressive and unlike the 30FPS Sega 32X version, this runs at double the frame-rate.

- While there are difficulty options, the CPU is brutally aggressive which doesn't help with easing new players in.

- Missing most of Jerry Lawler's commentary and there's noticeable slowdown when four wrestlers are on screen.

Dark Chambers (Atari 7800 review)

Developer: Sculptured Software
Publisher: Atari Corporation
Released: 1988

Dark Chambers is a dungeon crawler that was originally released as Dandy (1983, Atari 8-bit).

+ Well designed mazes, with optional secret areas to explore that house items to replenish health or increase your point total.

+ Unlike Gauntlet (1985, Arcade), you have the ability to gain power-ups and the constantly depleting life bar is absent.

+ Caters well to expert players, as higher difficulties alter enemy positions and introduce tougher opponents earlier than usual.

+ Controls are solid and you always feel you can deftly escape any situation with your diagonal fire and screen clearing bombs.

+ Two-player co-op mode is great and there's some canny ways to earn points, such as destroying items you already possess.

- In Standard and Advanced modes, enemies can be overbearing bullet sponges until you get the opportunity to power-up.

- Lack of in-game music takes away from the overall atmosphere, and the walking animation is rather awkward looking.

Ninja (Amstrad CPC review)

Developer: Icon Design

Publisher: Entertainment USA

Released: 1987

 

Ninja is a multi-screen action game that was released on various 8 and 16-bit home computers.

 

Your mission is to travel through the Palace of Death, collect the seven idols and return to the opening screen. The door to the seventh idol only opens when you have the first six and their locations vary on each play-through, which enhances replayability. By pressing anywhere on the d-pad while holding fire your ninja can execute attacks such as punches and flying kicks. When you start the game, you're equipped with a Samurai sword, but you can pick up spinning death-stars and throwing daggers along the way (up to three of any combination at once). Being familiar with the other ports of Ninja, I was immediately struck by the weird frame-rate issues, as your ninja moves way too fast when not engaged in combat, and then slows down rapidly when an enemy appears. During combat, the collision detection is spotty to say the least, and your sprite pretty much needs to be overlapping your opponent to even register a hit; this makes it pot-luck as to whether you make contact or take damage, and there's no consistency to the outcome. I also didn't like how throwing all three death-stars rarely results in your opponent's life-bar being completely drained (unlike other 8-bit ports), meaning using the hit-and-miss close range attacks is unavoidable. To top it off, the death-stars and daggers sometimes appear at the very edge of the screen, making them impossible to collect due to your character exiting to the next scene! All of these technical issues result in a game that's much harder than the other 8-bit computer ports, for all the wrong reasons. There's also no music during gameplay so the action has little atmosphere compared to the Atari 8-bit version. The only real competent part of the game is the decent looking sprite animation.

 

Ninja on the Amstrad CPC is full of programming errors and the fact that it doesn't always follow the original source material is weak. Playing this port will give you the wrong impression of the game so do yourself a massive favour and stick to the superior Atari 8-bit version (developed by Sculptured Software instead).

 

 

 

Random trivia: An Arcade version of the game was released in 1987 under the title Ninja Mission.

Super Star Wars (SNES review)

Developer: Sculptured Software, LucasArts
Publisher: JVC
Released: 1992

Super Star Wars is an action-platformer that's based on the original 1977 movie.

You play as Luke Skywalker and your mission is to destroy the Death Star once and for all. There's 14 stages that mostly feature run 'n' gun gameplay and as you defeat enemies they drop hearts that top-up your life metre. The controls are responsive but weirdly you can't shoot while moving. Right from the start the difficulty is sky high with tons of respawning enemies that attack from the ground and sky. Afterwards there's an interesting Mode-7 driving stage where you have to destroy 12 Jawas and keep topping up your jet fuel. Once again the challenge is punishing as enemies throw projectiles non-stop which is infuriating. You then have to scale a Skycrawler by jumping up platforms; the controls are stiff and unforgiving with one slight misstep causing you to fall down to the very bottom! As you enter the Skycrawler get ready for some of the most horrific platforming you'll ever experience; not only is it tough to line up your jumps and be precise, if you fall down you'll be transported to a checkpoint three minutes back! Later on Chewbacca and Han Solo become playable characters and they add a bit of strategy with their unique abilities and weapons. The awesome last stage resembles Starfox (1993, SNES) and you need to destroy 20 TIE Fighters and 20 Laser Towers. For a while this takes place in third-person mode but eventually it shifts to first-person as you race down the Trench before finally destroying Darth Vader's TIE and firing your proton torpedo. The game has some huge bosses that are fun to fight and there's also some nicely animated cut-scenes between stages.

Super Star Wars has amazing presentation, excellent level design and tons of variety. While these sound like the ingredients for a classic game the difficulty is very uneven and the controls have a few quirks which unfortunately put a dampener on a game that had more potential than it realised.

Random trivia: A PC version of the game was in the works but it was ultimately cancelled. An unfinished ROM file has since been leaked onto the Internet.

WWF WrestleMania: Steel Cage Challenge (NES review)

Developer: Sculptured Software
Publisher: LJN
Released: 1992

WWF WrestleMania: Steel Cage Challenge was the third officially licensed wrestling game on the NES.  

There are ten famous wrestlers you can choose from and the line-up consists of Hulk Hogan, The Mountie, Irwin R. Schyster, Roddy Piper, Sid Justice, Bret Hart, Macho Man, Ted DiBiase, Jake Roberts and The Undertaker. Each has an impressive rendition of their entrance music and they're even introduced by Howard Finkel beforehand! You can play one-on-one against the computer or battle it out with two players competitively. There's also a 2 player tag team mode where you work together to wrestle the computer. A strength indicator at the top of the screen shows how much life each wrestler has left; when your opponents bar has been decreased enough you'll want to press Down and B when they're on the ground to attempt a pin. If you're playing in a Steel Cage match you can also win by climbing up the cage before your opponent reaches his feet. Attacks include slams, head butts and flying elbows, and pressing A and B together allows you to run or bounce off the ropes so you can perform flying clotheslines and shoulder butts. However, the moves list is small and no character specific stats or special moves are available. As a result each wrestler is exactly the same and with little strategy involved each match ends up with mindless and continuous button mashing. You can climb out of the ring but weirdly you're only able to return through the left and right sides. The A.I. is dumb and many times during cage matches they'll run straight into the steel and knock themselves out! The camera movement is jerky and the poor sprite animation makes the action look like a stop-motion slideshow.

In reality, WWF WrestleMania: Steel Cage Challenge is a simple brawler that's been disguised as a wrestling game. It has little depth and the action is so flawed and repetitive that it's impossible to play for too long without developing carpal tunnel syndrome!

Random trivia: The game was also released on the Sega Master System and Game Gear. A few wrestlers were removed from these versions and replaced with Ric Flair, Papa Shango, Shawn Michaels and Tatanka.

Dirt Trax FX (SNES review)

Developer: Sculptured Software
Publisher: Acclaim Entertainment
Released: 1995

Dirt Trax FX is a motocross game that uses the Super FX-GSU-1 chip to render 3D polygon graphics.

There are five Grand Prix circuits with five courses each and while some layouts can be confusing they're generally well thought out. They start off as simple loops but eventually challenge you with maze-like tracks and hairpin turns. You gain points depending on your finishing position with the final winner being decided by who has the most. Before each race the contestants ride out from the tunnel and it looks awesome! The control scheme works great and I love how easy it is to hand-break turn by using the shoulder buttons. There's many ramps and if you press Down you can get some serious air and speed boosts. 50cc is insultingly easy but it plays well and gives you a chance to get accustomed to the bike physics. Playing in 125cc and 250cc increases the number of laps per track from a manageable 2-5 up to a whopping 15! It's at this point that the game starts to fall apart as there's too many laps and boredom starts to set in. Your top speed also increases and the action moves too quickly for the game engine. The races end up a hectic mess due to frame-rate dips and imprecise controls that have you manically trying to steer your bike. You can input a cheat to get 500cc but I don't need to explain how out-of-hand things get! There's also a mode called Red Tag which is a game of tag where you need to collide with the CPU rider and then avoid them for three long, boring minutes. While lacking texture detail the graphics are excellent for the time. The repetitive, upbeat music is odd and would be better suited to a quirky platformer.

Dirt Trax FX is an enjoyable game in 50cc and while it isn't challenging it does show that the Super FX chip can handle a good racer. However, it's too ambitious for its own good and completely falls on its face when you advance to higher difficulties.

Random trivia: This wasn't the only Super FX game that Sculptured Software developed. They also coded a port of the first-person shooter Doom to the SNES using the revised Super FX-GSU-2 chip which had a higher clock speed.

Doom (SNES review)

Developer: Sculptured Software
Publisher: Williams Entertainment
Released: 1995

Doom is a first-person shooter and one of only three released games to use the Super FX-GSU-2 enhancement chip.

It features 22 levels, more than the 32X version (17) but less than the Atari Jaguar and 3DO ports (24 each). The object in most levels to locate coloured keys to open locked doors and eventually reach the exit. The shoulder buttons on the controller are put to great use as they're mapped to strafing left and right instead of holding down a face button. However, it's immediately clear that even with the extra power of the Super FX chip the console can't quite handle the fast paced action. Due to performance issues the gameplay takes place in a small window and a black border covers the rest of the screen. The frame-rate is horrible and trying to turn your character around can be extremely laggy and unresponsive. At times Imps can shoot fireballs faster than you're able to dodge and it results in many cheap hits. Parts of the game are also too dark; for example, in one part of Level 3 the lack of lighting makes it difficult to backtrack to the main area. In the end I had to keep firing my shotgun while it acted as a torch! The graphics are heavily pixelated and it's tricky to spot enemies up ahead as they blur into the background. There's a lack of textures on the floors and ceilings but to be honest it doesn't affect gameplay. The most puzzling aspect of this port is that there's no level select feature and no way to save your progress. The 22 levels amount to a lengthy campaign and you're left with no choice but to beat them all in one sitting. Unlike some other home console ports the music here is fantastic, especially the punchy drum sounds.

Doom on the Super Nintendo is a great technical achievement considering the consoles' 16-bit architecture but ultimately you'll be short-changing yourself if this is the only version you play. In my opinion you should only revisit this port if you're a hardcore fan of the franchise or just curious about the origins of first-person shooters.

Random trivia: Sculptured Software developed this port in secret and only requested permission to release it from id Software once it was fully complete.

NHL Stanley Cup (SNES review)

Developer: Sculptured Software
Publisher: Nintendo
Released: 1993

NHL Stanley Cup is an ice hockey game featuring all 26 teams that appeared in the league at the time.

There's a few modes on offer including Exhibition, Best of Seven and Season Play which is battery saved so you can continue your progress at any time. Things get off to a great start with the fancy Mode 7 graphics and rotating camera which spins around before settling in at center ice while you wait for the puck to drop. When you're on offense the game plays well; it's easy to pass the puck to your chosen teammate and the action feels fast and fluid. It's exhilarating passing to an open man and charging down the ice as the camera follows behind before you launch a shot on goal! Things take a turn for the worse when you play defense though as the camera spins around 180° in an extremely disorientating manner. It follows the person with the puck and it's difficult to select a defender due to the sprite scaling which occurs when people are further down the ice. The game isn't very intelligent about choosing the best player as most of the time you'll end up selecting someone behind the CPU opponent. When you do have the right guy selected the choppy framerate and ever-changing camera angles make it pot-luck as to whether you put in a shoulder barge or simply walk straight past the attacker. It's a real shame as there are some great ideas here. There's an instant replay feature which includes 20 seconds of action and a sports anchor even appears at the end of each period to give you a rundown of how the match has gone so far - this adds a nice TV broadcast feel but unfortunately the players are just numbers (no names) so stat tracking is pretty pointless.

Perhaps if there was an option for the camera to stay on one side of the ice for the entire game this could have been a really fun experience. As it stands though most of the gameplay features just aren't implemented very well and NHL Stanley Cup is only really worth a look if you're interested in Mode 7 games.

Random trivia: If you're a fan of Mode 7 check out another title by Sculptured Software called NCAA Basketball (1992, SNES) as it features similar gameplay mechanics to this one.

Los Angeles SWAT (Atari 8-bit review)

Developer: Sculptured Software
Publisher: Mastertronic
Released: 1986

Los Angeles SWAT is a slow-paced vertical scrolling shoot-em-up that's set in the year 1999.

Terrorists have taken over the west-side of L.A. and it's your job clear the streets and rescue the hostages being held at the end of each level. This won't be an easy task as you'll face rooftop snipers, roadblocks and grenade-throwing thugs who can overwhelm you in numbers. You have three squad members (that act as lives) although you can only control one of them at a time. If a thug gets too close to you he will repeatedly bash you over the head with his bat until you disappear into the ground! Occasionally an innocent civilian will walk down the street and if you accidentally shoot them you'll lose points.

As you work your way up the screen you'll eventually reach a 4-way junction where the gang leader is holding a hostage - he'll quickly move from side-to-side but if you manage to shoot him the hostage will be released and you'll move on to the next level.

The game appears to have infinite levels as I've never seen an ending screen. You just keep mowing down bad guys until you run out of lives. Los Angeles SWAT doesn't have much variety and can get somewhat repetitive, but I find myself occasionally booting the game up for a quick 15 minute blast. Yet another great Atari 8-bit game on the Mastertronic label!

Random trivia: 1986 was a very good year for the Sculptured Software / Mastertronic partnership. Alongside Los Angeles SWAT, they also released games such as Kikstart and Ninja which were very well received critically and commercially.

Ninja (C64 review)

Developer: Sculptured Software
Publisher: Mastertronic
Released: 1986

I've already covered the Atari 8-bit version of Ninja here, and in my opinion it's the superior version when pitted against the C64 game.

Your mission in Ninja is to work your way through the Palace of Death, collect the seven idols and return to the opening screen in one piece. A range of thugs and evil ninjas await you in every screen but luckily you have a large move-set available to you including punches, jump kicks, sword slashes and spinning death stars. The main problem with the C64 version is that it's far too easy! There are very few evil ninjas scattered across the rooms (they're the most powerful enemies in the game) so you'll only be facing weak thugs who can quickly be dispatched with a jump kick or by throwing three spinning death stars. As you advance nearer the top floor of the Atari version you'll normally be greeted by an increasing amount of evil ninjas (sometimes 2-3 at once) who can kill you with one hit. Rarely did I see any in the C64 game so there was very little challenge in getting all seven idols. The music in this version is slightly distorted and not as pleasant to listen to compared to the Atari 8-bit version. The loading times between each screen seem to be a little bit longer too, although I admit I haven't actually sat down and timed it.

Despite its flaws, Ninja is still a great game. It has beautiful graphics, controls well, and is perfect for a quick gaming session.

Random trivia: The C64 version of the game has a bug which means you can walk through walls by ducking next to them! Check out the full thread on the Lemon 64 forums here.

Ninja (Atari 8-bit review)

Developer: Sculptured Software
Publisher: Mastertronic
Released: 1986

Your mission in Ninja is to travel through the Palace of Death, collect the seven idols and return back to the opening screen.

This won't be an easy task though as the Palace is swarming with thugs and evil ninjas! The controls work surprisingly well given the large move-set that is available to you - by pressing anywhere on the d-pad while holding fire your ninja can execute attacks such as punches, flying kicks, and sword slashes. When you start the game, you are automatically equipped with a Samurai sword, but you can pick up spinning death-stars and throwing daggers along the way (up to three of any combination at once). Idols are randomly scattered around and each one will refill your health meter. Once you've collected the sixth idol you can then enter Akuma's Chamber which is located on the top floor. This holds the seventh idol but it's guarded by a swarm of enemies, although only two are active at one time. Grab this idol and head back to the start to complete the game. The music in the Atari version is much better than the C64 version in my opinion. The oriental theme that plays throughout the game fits perfectly with the lush, varied visuals. There's not much in the way of sound effects but the atmosphere is still fantastic. The only real downside to Ninja is that once you've mastered the game it becomes incredibly easy to complete it in around five minutes. However, the seven idols are randomly scattered around the Palace each time you play which helps to increase replayability. It's also a lot of fun kicking thugs in the face until they disappear, leaving only their clothing on the ground...what on earth happens to their bodies?!

Overall, this is one of the best Atari 8-bit games you'll find, and it's perfect for a quick gaming session.

Random trivia: The screenshots on the back of the Ninja cassette show a room that didn't actually make it into the game! Click on picture 5 on the Atarimania website and look in the bottom-right.