4/17/2001
I'm from Baltimore, and Cal Ripken is revered in these parts. But I don't think Cal had much input into this game. Simply put, Cal Ripken Jr. Baseball is unsurpassed in terms of sheer mediocrity. It came out about the same time as Sportstalk Baseball, and frankly, there's no comparison. While it isn't particularly bad in any way, it doesn't have much to offer either. There are no major league teams or players (except Cal, of course), and you only get three fictitious stadiums. The graphics are dull, and all the players look the same (generic white guys - like Cal!). The pitching controls are simplistic (fast, slow, curve), and the exceedingly large outfield area allows too many balls to be hit into the gaps. It's hard to field the ball with your tiny players, and you'll need to use the dive button to snag anything that's not hit directly to you. Close plays result in a close-up "action window" - a nice touch, but if you blink you'll miss it! As far as the sound effects go, an umpire calls strikes, balls, and outs, but he has a bad case of bronchitis. At least after you hit a homerun you get to hear the "Bad News Bears" theme - I like that. The league mode provides a password to save your spot, and the homerun derby mode is unusual in that it scores points for hits other than home runs. Overall, Cal Ripken baseball is a fair but unremarkable baseball game.1 or 2 players
Check for Cal Ripken Jr. Baseball on Ebay
You can't help but love this game. This is the kind of quality title that put Genesis over the top in the early 90s. The beautiful graphics, animation, and music are pure Disney. You control Mickey Mouse trying to rescue Minnie in this fun platform action adventure. Mickey can pounce on enemies or throw apples at them. The highly imaginative stages range from an enchanted forest to a huge toy room. Each offers its own unique challenges, and there are surprises around every corner. While Castle of Illusion is perfect for kids, it's also challenging enough to keep adults interested. It may be a bit short compared to modern games, but considering there is no save option (only continues) that's probably for the best.
Castlevania was an insanely popular line of side-scrollers for the NES and SNES. After what seemed like an eternity, it finally arrived on the Genesis in the form of Castlevania Bloodlines. The game plays much like Super Nintendo's Castlevania IV, where you battle creatures of the night armed with a whip and other weapons. So how does this compare to its SNES counterpart? It's not quite as good, but still worth playing. The graphics aren't as detailed or colorful as the SNES version, but they still rate better than average on the Genesis. I found the controls to be a bit tricky when navigating the stairs, but other than that, this is pure platform heaven. I love the bosses, especially the wolf who shatters the windows with his howl.
Whenever I think about this game, that old Chaka Khan song invariably starts playing in my head ("Chakan Khan let me rock 'ya, let me rock 'ya Chaka Khan, let me rock 'ya that's all I wanna do.") Why are you looking at me like that? Anyway, Chakan is a dark platformer that's far too difficult and unforgiving for its own good. You assume the role of a skeletal figure with a large black hat. This "forever man" is doomed to an eternal existence unless he can defeat the world's supernatural evils. Chakan is armed with two swords and can employ a variety of power-ups including invisibility, invincibility, high jumping, and enemy slow-down. Unfortunately, the game is saddled with the most convoluted power-up system ever conceived. It involves mixing potions on a separate "Alchemy" screen, and I never fully understood it. Chakan's graphics exude a gloomy occult flavor, with surreal environments, hideous creatures, and a murky musical score. I like the premise, but the pieces just don't quite come together very well. Chakan's movements are stiff. He ambles around slowly and can't jump very far. This is problematic when you take into account all of the high-altitude platform jumping with zero room for error. There are no checkpoints either - if you die, you restart the stage. Adding insult to injury, you're constantly pestered by small, regenerating birds and bugs. While they're not hard to kill, Chakan's stiff controls make it hard to wield your swords with any degree of precision. The larger enemies look scary enough, but they're so poorly animated that they might as well be statues. It's especially lame how they just blink as you slash away at them. Chakan is not ideal for the casual player. Its difficulty is through the roof, and even the so-called "easy" mode is frustrating. I felt like I was in my own little personal hell playing Chakan. Only hardcore gamers who enjoy pain should attempt this one.
This game is a trip! You control a pot-bellied, cartoon caveman who attacks by bumping his big belly into whatever prehistoric creature gets in his way. Chuck Rock has some hilarious animations, beginning with a caveman rock band on the title screen. The control is very responsive. You can easily bump, kick, pick up things, and throw rocks. You face many dinosaur adversaries (including some large bosses), but some of them actually help you on your quest. For example, a pteridactal might give you a lift over a canyon. The cartoonish graphics are not spectacular, but they are clean, colorful, and have a personality of their own. 
Everybody knows that college basketball is the best sport of them all, and this was the first college basketball video game for the Genesis. Electronic Arts basically took their NBA Live engine and changed the teams, courts, and some of the rules. There are 32 college teams, along with a few all-time greats, and the gameplay is fast and furious like the NBA Live series. For maximum mayhem, I'd advise you to turn down the fouls and go nuts. The crowd sounds like static, and the menu interface is slow and clunky, but at least you can take your team through a whole season and try to move them up the rankings. One cool feature is the ability to make the crowd wave their arms behind the basket during foul shots to distract the shooter. For some reason, players doing lay-ups appear to be holding their nose, and after performing a dunk, players point with their fingers to rub it in. Sometimes you can shatter the backboard, leaving the basket looking like a saggy condom. Actually, that's consistent with the porno music that plays during the option screens. The triplet blonde cheerleaders on the sideline don't have much school spirit - they never cheer! And be sure to check out the imaginative fans holding up letters to spell "T-E-A-M". This is a college basketball game that's as fun to laugh at as it is to play.
Although their Joe Montana line of NFL games couldn't compete with Madden, Sega came back strong with a nice College Football game in 1994. This time, Sega dropped the side view in favor of the Madden style, 3D vertical field view. The game still has a unique look however, because the players are smaller and look more realistic than Madden. As with the Joe Montana games, the action zooms in close when the ball is passed or handed off, which really works well. You have 32 of the best college teams to choose from, and it's fun to take one through a regular season and try to attain the #1 ranking. There are a slew of game options and a wealth of statistics. This is one of the only games to take advantage of Sega's 6 button controller, but I wish they had incorporated a catch button. The game has a few other issues too. The play-by-play announcer from the Montana games is back, but he's mediocre, and it can be downright comical it hear him exclaim "he could go all the way!" as the runner gets stopped for two yards. Even more annoying is his use of the word "zip", as in "Florida State 7, Alabama zip". The playing field is so wide that sometimes you can't see all of your receivers. And while the player animation is good in general, after each play they stand around like soldiers, which looks really stupid. It's interesting to note that hitting the B button after any play causes your player to raise his helmet in triumph -- even if he screwed up during the play. Trust me, once you discover this "feature", you will be doing it constantly, and laughing out loud. Despite the silliness, this is a very good football game.
In the late 80's Tetris was "the game", and every reputable game console (or computer system) had to have a version. Not wanting to miss out on the puzzle-game frenzy, Sega introduced Columns, a Tetris clone with its own twist. Columns of three gems descend from the top of the screen and you need to line up three or more of the same color to make them disappear. You can't turn the stack sideways, but you can rotate the order of the gems. It sounds simple, but once you get going, quick and strategic thinking is required. Unpredictable chain reactions inject excitement into the game. Columns won me over in a big way. Unlike Nintendo's cartoonish incarnations of Tetris, Columns has an Egyptian theme. There isn't much to see graphics-wise, but the soft, soothing organ music makes the game feel like a religious experience. There are plenty of options including a nice two-player simultaneous mode. The controls are a little TOO responsive, making the columns tricky to line up precisely. But the relaxing, addictive quality of this game cannot be denied.
Talk about deja-vu! This little-known title plays almost exactly like Rally Chase, a Neo Geo game I reviewed just a few weeks back. Combat Cars is an arcade-style overhead racer, though the "combat" aspect leaves much to be desired. Steering is hard because you can't see much of the track ahead and the courses tend to twist and turn every which way. Most tracks have very narrow stretches, forcing you to constantly adjust your direction to avoid the walls. Memorizing the tracks is really the key. But my main beef is how only two of the eight cars have respectable weapons (shotgun and missiles). Most others just drop stuff behind them, like smoke, oil, and mines - weak! One car's so-called "weapon" is a freakin' turbo boost! C'mon now! Maybe windshield wipers should be considered weapons too! After each race, you are given the opportunity to upgrade your vehicle at the shop. The bikini-clad babe on the shop screen looks pretty hot except for those blood-red eyes - is she a zombie or something? Combat Car's graphics are not very exciting. The tracks are set at a beach, a harbor, and snowy mountains, but the static scenery lacks detail. A split-screen two-player mode is included, but its graphics look distorted, and there are no computer racers. The one (and only) thing I truly love about the game is the music. The pulsating, high-energy dance beats are just terrific, and I would surely include them on my video game mix tape, if only I had one. When all is said and done, Combat Cars is worth a spin but that's about it.
Comix Zone is an extremely original and visually impressive game which immerses you in a comic book world. It's probably one of the coolest games I've ever seen on the Genesis. The idea behind it is that the comic's author has magically switched places with the book's villain. Your hero moves from frame to frame and page to page as a large hand draws new villains for you to fight. The remarkable graphics are nearly comic book quality, with bubbles of dialog that appear every so often. Gameplay involves fighting monsters, picking up objects, and opening new areas. The game also features some kick-ass music and multiple pathways. The biggest problem with Comix Zone is its lack of continues. One misstep off a ledge and it's game over, no matter how well you've done up to that point. Still, I think this is a highly underrated game.
One of my favorite Genesis side-scrollers, Cool Spot has aged extremely well. I remember my old buddy Steve bringing this over my house in 1993, and all my friends just loved it. Cool Spot stars the "red dot" with sunglasses who was formerly the 7-Up mascot. Despite being essentially an interactive soft drink commercial, this game is irresistibly fun. Each stage challenges you to collect suspended red dots while avoiding or shooting marine creatures and bugs. Spot walks slowly but can leap a great distance, and I love his ability to shoot bubbles rapid-fire in all directions. The action gets pretty hectic at times but there's never any sign of slowdown. The first stage places you on a sunny beach, where you'll contend with sand dunes, beach chairs, and crabs. The bright, colorful graphics and outstanding reggae music effectively put you in the mindset of being at the beach on a hot summer day - it's great! The second stage takes place on a dock where you climb ropes and wooden planks Donkey Kong Junior-style. The next few stages take place in less-inspired indoor environments, but they do contain interesting toys like miniature versions of the robot from Lost in Space (the old 1960's television program). Fun bonus stages take place inside a green bottle of 7-Up, where you bounce around on (and in) bubbles trying to collect as many red dots as you can. With tight controls, stylish visuals, and a kick-ass soundtrack, Cool Spot should win over just about any Genesis fan.
Remember back when rock music was cool? Motley Crue was so big in the early 90s that they even had their own video game! This attractive pinball game has a rock and roll theme and some of the heaviest music the Genesis can crank out. Three Motley Crue songs are included: Dr. Feelgood, Livewire, and Home Sweet Home. These are fair renditions, but don't expect too much from the Genesis audio. Flashy graphics and head-banging music help make this game strangely addicting. The large ball moves smoothly and realistically, and the table has several stacked areas, each with its own set of flippers. Centipedes, statues, and walking skulls provide moving targets. Make your way to the top of the table and you progress to the next level, which causes the table and music to change. There's more variety here than your average pinball game, and the difficulty is just right. Unfortunately, the Motley Crue songs are limited to the later levels, and you'll have to endure some pretty generic rock tunes before you get that far.
Sega had some good ideas for this one, but Cyborg Justice just didn't come together very well. This is a fighting game where you create your own robot warrior using a variety of body parts and weapons, and take him through the single-player mode or go head-to-head against a friend's creation. It sounds interesting, but Cyborg Justice just isn't any fun. The moves are frustratingly hard to execute, and you'll get pummeled if you try to do anything fancy. That's too bad because some of the moves, like pulling off your opponent's arms, are pretty cool. And even if you do manage to pull off a sophisticated attack, the damage it deals is minimal. It's also tough to tell what's going on during the heat of battle because the robots all look the same and easily get bunched up. And the bouts go on for way too long. Add in a lousy audio track and terribly boring backgrounds, and the game starts looking like the train wreck it is.
Despite its intriguing premise, Dashin' Desperadoes doesn't live up to its potential. Played on a side-scrolling split-screen, two players (or one against the computer) race towards the right, attempting to be the first to reach the babe at the end. It certainly sounds like fun, and the graphics and music are better than average. Detailed stages feature scenic backdrops, multiple pathways, animals to hop on, trampolines, and even skateboards to ride. You can make life more difficult for your opponent by tossing bombs or "rolling" into him. It's quite competitive, and knowing the course layouts gives you a huge advantage. Stage themes run the gamut from lush jungles, to icy glaciers, to barren Western locales. The high quality soundtrack is impressive for the Genesis, including banjo music for the Western stages and steel drum music for the tropical areas. The incomprehensible voice synthesis, on the other hand, has got to go! Dashin' Desperadoes' early stages are a blast. Because they contain minimal obstacles, you can move through them at a breakneck pace. Unfortunately, as the stages become more complex, the fun factor drops precipitously. Once you have to start dealing with moving platforms, spike pits, pools of lava, and switches to open doors, it just becomes a big headache. Worse yet, the computer opponent is notoriously cheap, often magically appearing right behind you in the heat of a contest. If only Dashin' Desperadoes had embraced its simplicity instead of betraying it, this could have been a winner.
Like Pat Riley Basketball that came before it, David Robinson's Supreme Court doesn't feature any real teams or players. You would think that at the very least David Robinson would be playable, but no, he's only here to give color commentary at halftime and the end of the game! So why in the heck is he shown dunking on the cover? Anyway, while this game isn't great, it did lay the groundwork for the excellent NBA Live games that would be released later for the Genesis. The players are small but realistically detailed, and the court is viewed diagonally. Unfortunately, your view changes when you cross the mid court line, which is disorienting. The action is fast and the dunks look great, but jump shots and passes have little or no arc to them. The controls are fine for the most part, but making three point or foul shots is ridiculously hard. Blocking is nearly impossible on defense, but stealing is effective. The audio isn't bad; you can hear sneakers squeak, and the background music is kind of funky. It's not great, but Supreme Court was definitely a step in the right direction.
I love the old magazine ad for this game. It depicts a white box with an official-looking notice: "Contrary to published reports, Death Duel has been banned only in certain European countries; however, it is still legal in all 50 states as of the date of this notice. Any reports indicating otherwise are unfounded." That's pure marketing hype for you. Yes, there's a certain degree of blood and dismemberment, but these are pixilated monsters for Pete's sake. Still, the box does state, "Not suggested for children under 13." Actually, I found this odd first-person shooter to be a nice change of pace. Using a cursor to aim, you engage in one-on-one shootouts against a series of nine creatures, including a dragon, giant insect, and cybernetic troll. These things are impressively large - the "largest 16-bit characters EVER" according to the box. Each has its own distinct attack patterns and weak spots. During battle, your opponent remains a fixed distance away, but moves sideways - sometimes behind partially destructible walls. Armed with three weapons, you can spray bullets with your machine gun, launch missiles, and lob grenades. The limb-blasting, missile-dodging action can get pretty intense at times. My biggest gripe is that your opponent sometimes moves so far to the right or left that you can't even reach them - what's that all about? It's always interesting to see what the next stage has in store, but you'll always have to defeat the cyborgs in order. Between stages there's a fun shooting gallery stage, and you can purchase weapons from an eccentric merchant with a pet monkey. This is where the game exhibits some offbeat humor, including a sign that reads, "Please touch my monkey". Outfitting yourself with the right weapons is critical to defeating your next foe, and this requires some trial and error to discover what's effective. Your ammo is limited, and the last thing you want is to run out on the battlefield. This is a good game, but the poor instructions don't adequately explain the meters and basic gameplay, which is frustrating. Once you figure everything out however, Death Duel is a lot of fun.
In this offbeat platform game, you control a mummy with a head in his chest and a skull on his shoulders. Now there's something you don't see everyday! The game has a distinctive cartoonish horror theme, but some of the characters and bosses simply defy description. The gameplay is more typical. You jump from platform to platform while punching and jumping on enemies. The goal is to reach the end of the stage, although it's not always obvious where that is. You can pick up powerups, which become accessible on a separate screen thanks to the painfully awkward user interface. You also have the power to throw your head, which is a lot of fun since you can take out several enemies at once. Wierd music fits the game well. On the negative side, the stages are pretty generic and unexciting. There is an interesting bonus stage, but you really don't have much control in it. Decap Attack tries to be different, but it's just another mediocre platform game.
Here's an exciting action/strategy game that was clearly inspired by the Gulf War. You pilot a helicopter in a series of missions in a desert environment, viewing the action from a three-quarter overhead perspective. From large building complexes to tiny soldiers, the graphics are realistic and well detailed. The excellent control system makes it easy to control the helicopter. The A, B, and C buttons are assigned hellfire missiles (powerful), hydra missiles (medium), and machine guns, respectively. The Start button brings up your current status, a map, and your current objectives (no need to have the manual on hand). Desert Strike is fun to play and requires quick thinking as well as strategy. If you go in just trying to blow everything up, you'll use up all of your ammo and wind up a sitting duck. As you take out specific targets, additional fuel and ammo become available. There is a wide variety of missions including destroying targets, rescuing prisoners, capturing an ambassador, stopping an oil spill, and taking out SCUD launchers. Passwords allow you to save your progress after completing each mission. The difficulty ramps very gradually. Desert Strike is a very original and well-designed game.
Nobody knows basketball like Dick Vitale, but this basketball game is a disaster. Awesome Baby attempts to use a 3D rotating court (like NCAA College Basketball on the SNES) but the Genesis just isn't powerful enough to handle it. The frame rate is slow, the animation is incredibly choppy, and the action feels like it's happening in slow motion. Just trying to keep track of the blinking ball is nearly impossible. The players don't look bad, and the background features a dimly lit stadium of fans. The six-button controller is supported, but as you can imagine, it's not very responsive. The background music is more suitable for a porno flick, and Vitale's commentary is surprisingly sparse. And here's the kicker: there are NO real college teams, just a bunch of states!! That hurts. Awesome Baby is one of the worst sports games I've seen on the Genesis. "It's Awful, Baby!!!"
Double Dragon 3 (Flying Edge 1992) D-
The Double Dragon series was a huge hit on the NES, so you'd expect the Genesis edition to be a slam-dunk, right? Hell no! Not only does Double Dragon 3 (DD3) pale in comparison to Streets of Rage, but it's not even as fun as the NES games! As with all Double Dragon titles, this side-scrolling brawler lets one or two players punch and kick their way through stage after stage of generic thugs, this time in locations from around the world. DD3's gameplay is a hapless mess, and there's minimal technique as you plow through a steady stream on oncoming foes that all look exactly the same. The Cupid-inspired Roman archers of the Italy stage look especially idiotic. Half the time enemies don't even flinch when attacked, making you wonder if you even made contact! The punching and kicking action would be totally bland if not the ability to "buy" power-ups and special moves. Among these are the ability to perform hurricane kicks (yeah that's original), or become a homosexual giant (just what I always wanted!). The only attack I truly enjoyed was the ability to stomp on a guy's head when he's down on the ground. If only it inflicted some amount of damage! The character graphics look blurry and indistinct, and the backgrounds are remarkably lame. The opening downtown stage looks cheesy as all hell, and subsequent locations provide precious little in the way of eye candy. In the Japan and Italy stages, large trees and columns in the foreground partially block your view of the action. The first stage does feature a catchy theme song, but the subsequent Asian-inspired tunes got on my nerves. DD3 is a mercifully short romp, and since you get a ton of continues, the challenge is minimal. Even the most devout Double Dragon fans will find themselves nodding off after a few minutes of this garbage.
This is one of those games that didn't attract much attention when it was released, but if you get your friends playing it, they'll be at it all night. This Tetris-like game is a spin-off from the Sonic the Hedgehog series of games, in which Dr. Robotnik was the main villain. It plays like this: pairs of beans descend down the screen, and you can rotate each pair and position where they fall. If you get four beans of the same color adjacent to each other, they explode, and the result can lead to some nifty chain reactions. This game is pure fun. The concept is so easy to grasp that anyone can pick up a controller and start playing, but when the action heats up only careful strategy will prevail. Three modes include a scenario mode and a head-to-head challenge. There's even a little tutorial to get you started. The music is excellent too. Bean Machine is the kind of game that appeals to everyone.
Here's one a lot of you might remember. The cover of the game has a photo of an Arnold look-alike with face paint and a big gun. Dynamite Duke is a "behind-the-back" shooter, similar to Nam 1975 (Neo Geo) or Cabal (NES). You move your gunner side to side across the bottom of the screen as soldiers, tanks, and helicopters shoot incredibly large, slow-moving projectiles in your direction. Your weapons are mostly semi-automatic, so you can mow down groups of bad guys at a time, giving you a nice warm feeling inside. One odd thing about Duke is that there's a huge hole in the middle of his body that lets you see through him. Duke, that's never going to heal if you don't stop picking at it! Dynamite Duke may not have the most detailed graphics in the world, but I'll give it props for having some HUGE sprites. I also like how you can blow up much of the scenery, revealing weapons and power-ups. While most of your time is spent dodging missiles and spraying bullets, the end-of-stage bosses provide the opportunity for some hand-to-hand action. By far, the bosses are the most difficult aspect of the game. You'll routinely roll through a whole stage without breaking a sweat, and then blow through all three continues on one boss. In close combat, Duke's punches look pretty cool, but his kicks look pathetic! If you like short, action-packed arcade games, Dynamite Duke is a fair way to pass the time.
I'm supposed to be enjoying this game. That's what I've been told. I'm trying, but man, Dynamite Headdy is hard for me to wrap my mind around. I had no clue what the hell was even going on in the initial "wild chase" stage. I thought I might be controlling Headdy, but seemed to have little or no bearing on events. Then I was forced to participate in several "practice" rounds designed to get me acquainted with the controls. Enough already! Upon beginning the game in earnest, I discovered it was not unlike most platformers - just weirder. The stages take place on a theater stage loaded with colorful sets, puppets, and marionettes. It's almost carnival-like, and some of the bosses are downright freaky. Needless to say, I didn't find this style very appealing. The main character, Headdy, is a puppet with the ability to fling his head at enemies. It's not the first time we've seen this gimmick - Decap Attack and others used it years before - but Dynamite Headdy takes the concept a step further. You can change you head often during a stage, which dramatically modifies your abilities. For example, the Spike Head lets you climb walls, Vacuum Head lets you suck in objects, Super Head speeds you up, and Empty Head makes you invincible. It's interesting to experiment, and the game is good about providing heads appropriate for the current situation. A secondary character is "Beau", a flying face that points out the weak spots on each boss. He's useful, because this game is seriously boss-heavy. A bonus stage challenges you to knock basketballs into nets, and while it sounds like fun, I actually hated it and wanted to make it stop. Overall, Dynamite Headdy is well programmed, with rich graphics, elaborate sound effects, and pinpoint controls. There's no slowdown, even when the action get crazy (which is often). Genesis fans looking for something substantial will appreciate Dynamite Headdy, but I suspect most will scratch their heads in bewilderment as they reach for the Sonic cartridge.
ESPN Baseball Tonight makes a terrific first impression. The players look plain, but the animation is absolutely stunning, particularly the pitcher delivery and the way the ball comes off the bat. The designers tried create the look of an ESPN telecast, but the results are mixed. There are bits of commentary by Dan Patrick and Chris Berman, but most of the time the game is strangely silent - even the fans get very quiet. Your view is always from behind the catcher, which is often not an ideal angle. The camera might pan from side-to-side, but it never zooms in on the fielders. When the ball is hit to the outfield, you have to control fielders in the far distance, and it's hard to judge the ball. The pitching is impressive, but the fielders are pretty stiff, and it's hard to react to balls hit down the line. Despite these problems, ESPN Baseball is still playable. It has all the major league teams and players, but is sorely lacking the stadiums, which is a big deal in my book. In the end, ESPN Baseball Tonight only amounts to another long fly ball.
Earnest Evans wants to Indiana Jones, but he's not even Pitfall Harry. This game has all the necessary elements of an exciting adventure: Caves, traps, idols, skeletons, and porcupines, but the gameplay is lacking. The action consists mostly of platform jumping and using your chain (not a whip!) to dispose of monsters. The Earnest character is huge and funky-looking. He moves more fluidly than most game characters because his body is composed of a series of individual sprites. Somebody programmed sprite rotation into this game, and it's used to good effect. Earnest will automatically crouch in tight quarters, and roll when sliding. Unfortunately, trying to get him OUT of those positions is hard to do, especially when a huge worm is chomping at him. The collision detection is terrible, and you'll often find yourself stuck partially in walls or floors. Most of the monsters here are pretty generic, but I was definitely impressed by those giant skeletons - very intimidating. Unfortunately, many monsters appear with little warning, and some can kill you almost instantly. The bosses are surprisingly dull and uninteresting. The music is standard Genesis fare, meaning it's pretty much interchangeable with any other action title on the system. Earnest Evans provides several continues, which mercifully allow you to pick up right where you died. The game has its share of innovations, but the unresponsive control really spoils the fun.
At a time when platform games appeared to be running out of ideas, Earthworm Jim came along and reinvigorated the genre with its unique gameplay, artistic flair, and wicked sense of humor. Jim is practically an institution to some Genesis fans, but gamers new to the series may be discouraged by the game's excessive difficulty. Clearly, Earthworm Jim was programmed by experts for experts. Its superb animation, crisp control, and amazing audio pushes the system's capabilities. The lead character is a comical worm in a muscle-bound suit who can whip his head at enemies. Jim is also armed with a rapid-fire gun that can be powered up. Set on various bizarre planets, the graphics are among the best ever seen on the Genesis. The colorful platforms appear painted on the screen, and the way they twist and turn convey a true sense of depth. The first few stages are generic in nature, but you'll eventually trek through more interesting areas like glass tubes under the sea and the intestines of a huge creature. One of the last stages is truly original - it takes place in almost complete darkness! The character animation is silky smooth and genuinely funny, and the ability to "launch a cow" is indicative of the game's offbeat humor. What really makes this game fun however is its rapid-fire shooting action. You can't actually see the bullets (a novel concept for 1994) but it's quite satisfying to blast attacking psychotic birds and dogs. The platform jumping is less fun but not excessively difficult. The bosses are interesting but some are far too difficult. The very first boss (which is really a sub-boss) is outrageously hard. But Earthworm Jim is more than platform jumping and shooting. In fact, the variety of challenges in this game are remarkable. In one stage you must guide an oblivious pup to safety, and another puts you in a bungee-jumping contest with a huge ball of snot. There are even 3D stages where you race through a space tube while avoiding asteroids. But where's the password feature? Having to start each game from the first stage is a travesty! The audio is a collection of eclectic tunes that perfectly match the game's unconventional tone, and the sound effects are top notch. Earthworm Jim is certainly one of a kind, though casual gamers may find it somewhat frustrating.
Although less celebrated than the original, Earthworm Jim 2 (EJ2) is far less frustrating and caters to the casual gamer. Like its predecessor, the stages are wacky and irreverent, set on a series of surreal planets. Expanding on the great platform-shooting action set forth by the first game, EJ2 introduces five new weapons and the innovative new "snot swing" move. There's some truly imaginative stuff here; I can only surmise that mind-altering drugs played a key role in the Earthworm 2 brainstorming sessions. In one carnival-style stage, Jim inflates his head with helium, allowing him to float through the stage, and it's absolutely hilarious. There's a "puppy-tossing" mini-game which sounds sick, but is undeniably fun. Each stage seems to introduce a novel new gameplay mechanic, like "Lorenzo's Soil" where you traverse an underground maze by blasting through its soil. There's even a side-scrolling shooter stage where you glide over beautiful islands and shimmering blue water. A password feature and "easy" difficulty setting keep the level of frustration to a minimum. Earthworm Jim 2's graphics are absolutely brilliant, and the audio is no less impressive. Clever sound effects include old ladies who accuse you of being "fresh" as they fall into your lap. After viewing the humorous ending, I finally realized EJ2 has a distinct Monty Python influence. So if you tried the first Earthworm Jim but couldn't overcome its insane difficulty, give this quality sequel a go.
This video game was critically acclaimed in 1992, and hailed as the first of a new breed of video games which would eschew violence in favor of constructive, thought-provoking gameplay (Ha!). Ecco is more puzzle game than arcade game, with spectacular water effects and a brilliantly colorful undersea world. Your dolphin's movement is silky smooth, and at first, swimming around in the open sea and jumping out of the water is fun in of itself. The goal of each stage is not immediately apparent, but you'll find hints by "talking" to other sea creatures you run encounter. You'll open passages, save other dolphins, avoid deadly predators like sharks, and eventually destroy an "ancient evil" in the grand finale. Your 25-stage journey will take you through past worlds, including the lost city of Atlantis. It's fun to see what each new level has in store. The difficulty level is perfect - it provides plenty of challenge but little in the way of frustration, and a password is provided at the end of each stage. In addition to the gorgeous graphics, the music is also amazing. The ominous but relaxing undersea tones are very appropriate. Action-oriented gamers may find Ecco a bit tedious, but this is a very satisfying game.
Your favorite dolphin is back with a whole new collection of puzzles, so if you liked the first Ecco, it goes without saying that you'll love this one. In this edition you'll rescue baby Orcas, teleport to distant lands, and even morph into other sea creatures. The gameplay is more complex this time around, resulting in tougher and more complicated puzzles. There's a new pseudo-3D obstacle course stage in which you swim through rings, but it didn't do much for me. Like the first Ecco, the graphics and sound are top notch. The music is more funky this time around, and it will grow on you. With over 40 levels of head-scratching puzzle fun, Tides of Time is a solid sequel.
Wow, another nice shooter for the Genesis! Elemental Master doesn't make a great first impression, but ultimately it proves itself worthy. You control a warrior walking up the screen who can shoot rapidly either forward or backward (but not both at once). Since you're walking on the ground, you'll need to navigate around rocks and pits, and the scenery looks pitiful. The grainy, blocky landscape looks like something from an ugly old computer game (Ultima comes to mind), but at least the monsters are an interesting bunch. You'll face giant bats, skeleton warriors, crabs, centaurs, wizards, and floating eyeballs. The variety of adversaries is remarkable - there's always something new on the horizon. The bosses, which include a lava man, serpent, and giant porcupine, look good and aren't excessively difficult. Power-ups are exposed by shooting treasure chests. You can choose the order of the first four stages, and each rewards you with a new "elemental" shooting power. I found the diagonal-shooting "fire" weapon to be the best of the bunch. Not only can you switch these weapons on the fly, but holding down the fire button powers up a single devastating burst. There are eight stages in all. Elemental Master is not a well-known Genesis shooter, but it's definitely worth investigating.
This was meant to be Sega's answer to Street Fighter 2 (SF2), and at least on paper, Eternal Champions looks impressive. The nine fighters are plucked from every period of history, from a primitive caveman to a futuristic cyborg. There's a green creature from Atlantis, a gangster-era gumshoe, a modern-day vampire, a bounty hunter, a spell-casting warlock, an acrobat, and a sexy assassin. It's a nice selection, but some of these characters look pretty dorky. Xavier the warlock is a pencil-necked geek, Larcen the gumshoe looks like an investment banker, and the bounty hunter Blade has the physique of an overweight weatherman. Each fighter's moves are listed in the 64-page manual, most of which involve "charging up" or hitting button combinations. Eternal Champion's graphics are splashed with color, but everything looks grainy and indistinct. While it mimics Mortal Kombat's storyline and SF2's graphic style, Eternal Champions lacks the balance, technique, responsiveness, and fluid action that made those fighters famous. Most of the more elaborate special moves inflict minor damage, making them not worth the effort. Try to get cute and your button-mashing friends will beat you to a pulp! Certain stages are interesting enough (Atlantis and the New England village), but others are surprisingly dull (the giant fans and neon sign come to mind). The audio is better than average, with crackling fire effects and clear voice synthesis. But without a doubt the highlight of the game is its over-the-top fatalities. I've seen losers get riddled with bullets in a drive-by shooting, pulled underwater by a sea monster, tossed into a giant fan, disintegrated by a robot, and burned at the stake. Best played with the six-button controller, Eternal Champions was also designed for use with Sega's infamous "Activator" accessory. Have you tried this thing? As a motion-sensing ring that was supposed to usher in a new era of "virtual reality", it's a complete farce. Instead of dishing out punishment by mimicking real martial arts moves, you'll find yourself hopping on one leg and waving your arms like some drunk failing an alcohol test on the side of a road! Eternal Champions is really thin in terms of options and playing modes. Once you begin a one-player game, there's no way to quit out of it! Upon losing, the match just restarts! And why isn't there a skill level setting? The CPU is awfully tough, blocking just about everything you can dish out! Eternal Champions may interest hardcore fighting fans for a while, but it's replay value is far from Eternal.
Evander Holyfield is easily the best and most realistic of the 16-bit boxing titles. The fighters, ring, and crowd look sharp, and a fine bikini-clad babe introduces each round. The boxers are viewed waist-up from the side, providing a close vantage point. Considering all the punch combinations you can throw, the three-button control scheme is well-designed. Unfortunately, like so many boxing games, the controls seem less-the-responsive as your boxer lags behind your commands. Then again, conserving your energy (as opposed to button mashing) is a key part of the strategy. The attractive graphics include realistic details like face cuts and flying sweat. In addition to the one or two-player exhibition mode, you can create your own boxer and work your way up to the championship in the Career mode. Real Deal is definitely one game that sports fans won't want to miss.
Here's a competent but uninteresting platformer that feels more than a little like an X-Men rip-off. Set in a post-apocalyptic world, the Ex-Mutants are humans endowed with super powers who must fend off an army of evil mutants. A lot of these mutants look a lot like Ewoks to me. Ex-Mutants doesn't have anything new to offer the side-scrolling genre, but that doesn't make it a bad game. You can play as the axe-wielding Ackroyd or the sexy Shannon. As you traverse caves, jungles, and laboratories, you'll follow the standard conventions with regards to collecting items, leaping between platforms, beating up thugs, and dodging traps. You can kick some ass, and I like how enemies explode into tasty chunks. Nifty voice samples are sometimes used ("You're goin' down!") to punctuate your beat-downs. Adding some variety are mine cart and "log ride" stages. Our heroes are equipped with a normal and a projectile attack. Ex-Mutant's controls are crisp and responsive, but the graphics are only average, and the music is dull. The default difficulty level is tough, but you can adjust this on the options screen. At least the game is forgiving, allowing you to pick up right where you left off after losing a life or using a continue. If only there were a password system so you wouldn't always have to start from stage one! Ex-Mutants won't set your world on fire, but if you're looking for a decent platformer, you could do much worse.