11/28/2003
Being Electronic Art's first soccer game, you might expect this to be a little weak, but FIFA is the complete package. Believe it or not, this game even compares favorably to the latest FIFA games on the PS2. At least with this game you don't have to be an expert to score a goal. With its simple control scheme and straightforward gameplay, this is a game anyone can pick up and immediately enjoy. The basic control scheme includes lobs, back-heels, slide-tackles, and one-touch passes. It's possible to head the ball and perform bicycle kicks, but these don't occur very often. Passing the ball is easy, and you don't have to set up the perfect shot to score - just about any shot has a chance. And things really heat up when the ball starts bouncing around in front of the goal - anything can happen. Graphically, FIFA has small but well animated players who jump and flip in celebration when they score a goal, and the little rotating soccer ball looks terrific. The game boasts 48 teams from all over the world, and there are a surprising number of options that let you tweak your lineup and strategy. The crowd noise has its share of static, but the chants are pretty neat. But it's the fact that FIFA is fun for even casual players that proves it's a great game.1 to 4 players
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As good as the first FIFA was, this one is even better thanks to more polished visuals and better AI. Right off the bat you can see that the action is faster and smoother, and the control has been tightened up as well. FIFA '95 is still easy to play, but your supporting players act more intelligently, clearing themselves for passes and heading balls at every opportunity. There are more flashy moves, and the cleaned-up visuals make them easier to see. Realistic details include shots that curve and goalies that direct their players with hand gestures. The sound has been cleaned up as well, so the crowd has less static, and the crisp sounds of firework explosions can be heard after each goal. One very interesting aspect of the game is the use of ads on the sideline (Panasonic). This is the earliest video game I can recall that actually contains advertisements. In terms of options, EA threw in everything but the kitchen sink. There are 200 teams and eight international cups, and you can customize everything down to the victory celebrations. In terms of soccer video games, you can't ask for much more than this.
Probably running out of ideas of how to improve an already outstanding soccer game, EA decided that this edition would concentrate on realism. The players are modeled from 3D animations, and although most of the detail is lost in their small size, the players definitely look more realistic than they did in past years. The new animations look fine, but the gameplay has lost some of its arcade sensibility. The computer opponents are extremely quick and it's hard to maintain possession of the ball for more than a second. Passing is difficult, and the game definitely seems less fun and more frustrating than past editions. However, if you've mastered the other FIFAs and are hungry for a challenge, this game is for you. And soccer die-hards are sure to appreciate the 3800 players from 237 teams in 12 worldwide leagues. Personally, I think the series peaked with FIFA '95.
Fire Shark is a turbo-charged version of the arcade game 1942. This highly regarded shooter certainly delivers in terms of sheer firepower and number of enemies. Your biplane is swarmed by dozens of enemy forces from the air, ground, and sea. Fortunately, your powerful guns are up to the task, and you also have a supply of devastating bombs. The bombs take out a large area, and you can time their detonation by holding the deploy button. There are three types of weapons, and each can be powered-up to an insane degree. Fireshark is a shooter lover's shooter. The action is fast and furious with no hint of slowdown. The graphics are a little weak, especially the desert and water backgrounds, but the animation is smooth and flicker-free. Fire Shark is a little on the easy side, mainly because the power-ups bounce around the screen until you catch them. It's cool how your plane catches fire when hit, allowing you to get off a few extra shots before going down. This one's a winner.
Flashback was advertised in 1995 as a "CD-ROM game on a cartridge", and this description was not too far off. At the time, systems like the Sega CD boasted games with full-screen cinematics interspersed with the action. Flashback delivers the same kind of intermissions on a 16 megabit cart. Another breakthrough was the used of realistic character animation. Instead of "hopping" from ledge to ledge, the character would fluidly leap up, grab the ledge and pull himself up. There are several smooth character animations here, including leaps, rolls, and sneaking up on an enemy with gun drawn. And you don't "see" bullets in this game; if you shoot, and someone is in your sights, they're shot. Pretty realistic. You begin your adventure with little background information, but as you progress, occasional cinematics shed light on a compelling storyline that really draws you in. The gameplay involves shooting enemies, using objects, and opening new areas, but you'll need to be slow and deliberate in order to succeed. The sound effects and music are exceptional and add atmosphere and tension. Flashback may never impress like it once did, but it's still a solid adventure.
This version of Frogger appears to be a direct port of the arcade game, which is a good thing. It's much more fun than the horrible 3D treatment that poor Frogger was subjected to on the Playstation. This is quite addicting and features very catchy music. My only complaint is that there are no extra options or game variations. I mean, c'mon, even the Atari 2600 had a few different modes and skill levels. Oh well.
This has always been one of my favorite Genesis shooters, despite the fact that I've never been able to pronounce its freakin' name! A conventional side-scrolling space shooter, Gaiares isn’t very original but what it does, it does well. Holding down the fire button engages rapid-fire, and your ship is escorted by a round device called a "Toz". Not only does the Toz serve as a shield and an extra cannon, but you can deploy it to capture and equip enemy weapons. The "catch" is that you can't fire when deploying the Toz, leaving you temporarily vulnerable. Each weapon can be powered-up to three levels, and once fully charged, your firepower is awesome. What the graphics lack in detail they compensate for with personality and variety. The attractive layered backgrounds are constantly changing. One moment you'll be hurling through a cloudy atmosphere at break-neck speeds, and the next you'll been navigating the tight corridors of icebergs bobbing in water. Your attackers aren't particularly memorable, but like the backgrounds, they come in a wide variety. The bosses are formidable, and most resemble screen-sized humanoids. The weak spot of the first one is his crotch, which makes a heck of lot of sense if you think about it. The adrenaline-pumping soundtrack is outstanding, and anime cut-scenes are used to flesh out a background story. Gaiares is surprisingly long, and although several continues are provided, you'll probably need a cheat code to reach the end.
Often the worst games are also the most interesting. Despite its negligible play value, I have to give Galaxy Force credit for being somewhat ahead of its time. This behind-the-ship 3D space shooter resembles games like Total Eclipse (3DO) which would appear years later. Come to think of it, those games weren't any good either! Despite the Genesis' limited 3D capabilities, Galaxy Force delivers some respectable scaling of objects flying in over the horizon. The other 3D effects are achieved using more traditional means, like rotating colors on flat planet surfaces and in rectangular tunnels. Your ship shoots forward automatically and continuously, but these shots aren't readily apparent because your ship covers them up. Your gun is pretty useless for the most part, but Galaxy Force has another trick up its sleeve. Markers appear on objects you move a cursor over, and by pressing the missile button, you can unleash a swarm of guided missiles that destroy these targets instantly - very impressive. If this sounds a bit familiar, that's because it's basically the same shooting mechanism used much later by the Panzer Dragoon games (Saturn, Xbox). Galaxy Force II also makes an admirable (but unnecessary) attempt as voice syntheses, telling you to turn left or right while navigating the tunnels. With all the technology, you'd think this would be a decent game, but it's too easy and gets downright boring after only a few minutes.
Gargoyle's platform gameplay may not be exceptional, but its graphics will certainly grab your attention. Apparently this is based on a cartoon show from the 90's which I've never even heard of. You control an animated gargoyle who can slash with his claws, slam enemies, perform shoulder charges, crawl on walls, and "flap" to briefly elevate. The first stage takes place in burning castle ruins, and it's one of the best looking stages I've ever witnessed on the Genesis. The degree of detail and masterful use of color is very pleasing to the eye. The crumbling castle walls glow red amidst a pool of flames, and it looks magnificent against the deep blue night sky. Later, you'll explore a modern downtown area with a beautiful parallax-scrolling skyline. Another notable stage takes place in a moving subway train. The single uninspired level is the volcanic cavern, which seems to appear in every platform game. Your gargoyle character is extra large and detailed for a Genesis title. The Vikings you battle in the first stage aren't very distinct, but the shiny robots in later stages look terrific. I enjoyed Gargoyle's brand of wall-busting platform action, but the game really does beat that whole "flap jump" move to death. You often have to "flap and grab" your way up tall structures, and taking a single hit sends you plummeting. Gargoyles fighting action is mediocre. The throw move often doesn't register, leaving you vulnerable to counter attacks. Despite the artistic beauty of its graphics, the game's sparse soundtrack is less memorable. With the exception of some pounding drums, it sounds hokey at times. The sound effects however ring out with a clarity and crispness that you normally don't associate with the Genesis. It's no classic, but Gargoyles is rock-solid platformer with showcase graphics to boot.
Ghouls and Ghosts plays like a lighthearted medieval game with a horror movie flavor (think Army of Darkness). You control a knight battling his way through a constantly-changing landscape of graveyards, caves, mountains, and burning towns. Along the way you encounter a remarkable variety of creatures including skull-spewing plants, zombies, and puking trolls. When you take a hit, you lose your armor and have to run around in your undies until you find a new suit (or die). New weapons and armor can be found in chests. You have to be careful though, because some chests contain an evil magician who will turn you into an old man or a duck! The dark graphics and fantastic musical score really create a terrific atmosphere. Ghouls and Ghosts is excruciatingly hard, but at least you get unlimited continues, so you can play all night. And you will. 
Golden Axe is a side-scrolling medieval hack-n-slash fighter. One or two players choose between a muscular warrior, a sexy female, or dwarf character. Your eight-stage quest is filled with barbarians, lizard men, skeletons, and little elves who try to steal your supplies. With only one attack button your moves are fairly limited, but other aspects of the game make up for this. Collecting magic pots allows you to cast destructive magic spells. Some enemies ride in on the backs of creatures, and after commandeering one you can perform devastating attacks like the tail whip or fire-breath. After each game the players are rated by performance. Besides the normal arcade mode, there's a duel mode that pits one player against foes of increasing difficulty. ALthough the graphics and sound are plain by today's standards, Golden Axe is a lot of fun to play. A sequel soon followed.
I really love this game. It surpasses its predecessor in every way, although both play pretty much the same. The same three characters are back (warrior, babe, and dwarf), but the enemies are much more interesting this time around. Skeletons rise from their graves (as if from an old Ray Harryhausen film) and large demonic creatures tower overhead. The graphics are slightly refined, as are the controls. You can now aim left or right when performing throws, adding a bit more strategy. Another new feature is controlling the "strength" of your magic attack. By holding down the magic button for a certain duration, a visual meter displays the degree of carnage you're about to unleash. The medieval scenery looks great and the musical score is first-rate. Golden Axe 2 is fun enough with one player, but the two-player mode is where it really shines. Fans of the first Golden Axe should feel right at home with this one.
If you love Genesis shooters but are weary of the standard formulas, you should try Granada (or as it says on the box, "XGranadaX"). This innovative game is quite enjoyable and unlike anything else I've played. In most shooters your course is predetermined, but in Granada you move a tank freely around a large maze-like area, using a radar screen to locate your targets. Enemies include tanks, cannons, giant rolling pins, and star-shaped space ships. Once you clear a stage, a boss is unleashed, and you can tell that some thought was put into these things. The first one looks like a Tinkertoy spider and it bounces around the screen trying to squash you. The second boss only reveals its vulnerable spot when you stop shooting, and it took me a while to figure that out. The stages are interesting too, including a huge flying airplane and an elevated city. The graphic quality is just average for a Genesis game, and the sound isn't so hot either. The most unusual aspect of the game is the control scheme that requires you to hold down two buttons at a time. The 'A' button is for rapid fire, 'B' allows you to strafe and 'C' provides your power shot. You'll need to hold down A and B most of the time, and yes, it is awkward. Your power shot looks pretty dinky, but it's extremely effective on bosses. Another interesting aspect is the power-ups. I challenge anyone to find a power-up more innovative than the "deflectors", which are floating disks that allow you to shoot around corners - very cool. Despite its stupid name, Granada is a pleasant surprise that I can recommend to all shooter fans.
I always enjoy games with alluring tropical environments, so it was hard to resist Greendog. It's a side-scroller with stages set on Caribbean islands and inside mysterious Aztec-looking temples. The main character is a lanky, blonde surfer with an odd bowl haircut which resembles a straw hat. Greendog's graphics are not great but it's hard not to like the bright, tropical scenery. The platform action is fairly standard, with the usual floating logs, sinking blocks, springs, and door switches. You'll be attacked by birds, starfish, and crabs, but these creatures can be destroyed by tossing your Frisbee at them. This Frisbee "weapon" can be tossed straight forward or diagonally, but there's not a fine degree of control. It's fairly awkward, but Greendog does a lot of other things right. The background music has a relaxing, steel drum, island vibe that I found appealing. Falling in the water will not cost you a life (thankfully), and there are some fast-paced skateboarding stages to break up the platform-jumping monotony. On the downside, when a creature ends up on top of our hero, it's frustratingly hard to escape (or kill) it. Many areas feature annoying red fish that latch onto you and won't let go. The skateboard stages feature some ill-conceived "spring" traps that send you back in the stage, and the underwater stages are predictably slow. Bonus stages put our surfer on an odd, flying unicycle contraption to collect items, but it's hard to control and not particularly fun. In the end, Greendog is a good game for a hot summer day, but its numerous flaws ensured we'd never see a sequel.
Grind Stormer is such a generic and non-innovative shooter that it's hard to believe it came out in 1994. This vanilla vertical scroller looks more like a 1990 game (not that there's anything wrong with that). You just guide your ship over bland backgrounds and blow away waves of nondescript cannon fodder. What's the deal with these muddled graphics? They look like they were drawn with crayons! One thing I do like about Grind Stormer is the massive firepower you get practically from the start. Your ship is armed with a rapid-fire weapon and a limited number of bombs. In the first stage, if you collect a power-up you can pretty much weave back and forth across the screen, destroying most enemies before they can even fully enter the screen. I also like the "smart" missiles that seek out and latch onto enemies like parasites. Ironically, your insane firepower sometimes makes the game harder, because all the missiles and support cannons tend to confuse the action. Your bombs not only clear the screen, but also provide a protective shield, so use them defensively. Visually, Grind Stormer has some ugly graphical glitches and slowdown is also a problem. The music and sound effects are so lame you probably won't notice them. Shooter fans might find it worth their while, but Grind Stormer won't appeal to casual gamers.
This side-scrolling beat-em-up isn't much to look at, but fans of the genre will find it worth their while. In a heavy-handed attempt to take a stand against animal cruelty, Growl gives you the pleasure of beating up and mowing down evil hunters and poachers. It may not be the most positive message for kids, but work with me here. Growl's mediocre graphics and sound are pretty much what you'd expect from an early Genesis title. The generic scenery looks grainy and the music quality wavers between poor and fair. In fact, the title screen music earns the title of "worst video game music ever"! For the love of God man - what an unholy cacophony of noise! You can play as one of four grizzled musclemen, but they all control pretty much the same. Growl's gameplay involves punching, jumping, and kicking your way through gangs of colorful thugs, who appear up to ten at a time! Most are the typical brutes you'd expect, but what are those shapely women wearing heels and business suits doing in there?! Getting their asses kicked, apparently! You'll find a nice assortment of weapons including swords, knives, whips, pistols, machine guns, grenades, and even a rocket launcher! After stumbling upon a poacher teasing a falcon, there's nothing more satisfying that mowing down his ass with a machine gun! No animals were harmed during the course of this game, but you'd better believe a lot of people were! (It's okay though, because they were all bad!) When you run out of ammo, the whip is an effective option since it can strike enemies in the front and back of your character. When in a crowd, it's a good idea to execute your devastating flying kick that obliterates everything in the area. It costs you a bit of life, but it's well worth it. After tossing a grenade, I like how your character takes cover - it's a nice touch. It's also nice how you can knee a guy in the face who's already down. There are a surprising number of explosions in this game, often accompanied by flying charred body parts. Whatever you do, however, keep your distance from the fat dudes, because they tend to explode without warning. Yeah, Growl is definitely a silly game but it serves it purpose (just please don't ask me what that is). You're allotted three continues, and a high score displayed on the bottom of the screen gives you something to shoot for. Remember, somebody has to stand up for these innocent animals. Won't you help?
This game has achieved legendary status by Genesis shooter fans, so my primary question coming into this review was: Is Gunstar Heroes overrated? After careful consideration, intense meditation, and deep soul searching, I've come to the conclusion "no, not really". In fact, I find this game as amazing today as I did twelve years ago. Gunstar Heroes pulls out all the stops with its insane rapid-fire action, marvelously detailed graphics, hyper soundtrack, and offbeat sense of humor. This game has some of the most distinctive visuals and sound effects I've witnessed on the Genesis, and serves up one surprise after another. One or two players can blast their way through four memorable stages of regenerating baddies and imaginative bosses. The gameplay is total mayhem, but that's part of what makes it so cool. The number of enemies and explosions on the screen at any given time is remarkable, with no slow-down in sight (this game would never work on the SNES). The developer, Treasure, incorporated a lot of innovative features, so there's a lot more depth than first meets the eye. Your hero can jump-kick, throw enemies, duck, slide, perform hand-over-hand climbs (while shooting), switch weapons on the fly, and even defend. That's pretty impressive when you consider the controller has just three buttons! Before each game you're offered a choice of two control schemes: move while shooting, or stop while shooting (to aim with more precision). Four types of weapon power-ups can be combined in ten ways to produce all sorts of devastating firepower. The stages can be played in any order, and they include a grassy village of tiny people, a wild mine-cart sequence, and an epic battle on an airship that culminates with a showdown against a muscleman on the wings of a flying plane. The fourth stage is the most innovative however, playing like a surreal board game. As you roll the dice to progress, each square offers an interesting mini-stage, including some truly over-the-top bosses. Gunstar Heroes is loaded with laugh-out-loud humor, and I'll never forget the flea-sized "boss" who tossed me clear across the screen! Its cool how the life meters of bosses take the form of numeric counters - it's always satisfying to watch them count down. Despite its overall greatness, there are a few minor flaws. First, in two-player mode the players look very similar, so it's easy to confuse them in the heat of the battle. When in close proximity, you often throw your partner inadvertently. Also, your score is never displayed after the game ends, so your only real goal is to finish the game. That's okay, because there are three skill levels and it's not very long to begin with. Collectors and shooter fans should try to track down Gunstar Heroes at all costs. This game pushes your Genesis to the limit!
This archaic racer is barely playable today, but it was pretty amazing for its time. Hard Drivin' was the first arcade game with first-person, 3D polygon graphics, and it was released long before Virtua Racing took the arcades by storm. The game includes a standard race track and an elaborate "stunt" track, complete with a ramp, loop-to-loop, and banked turns. Just surviving the stunt course is a major challenge. But unlike Virtua Racing, Hard Drivin' has NOT aged well. Its framerate is agonizingly slow, and the cars look like ugly boxes. Sparse scenery includes streets signs, small buildings, and other traffic. An unnecessary instrument panel takes up a large chunk of the screen. At least the instant-replays are somewhat amusing. Hard Drivin' isn't very enjoyable, but it is interesting to see how racing games have evolved over the years.
For the love of God man! This may be the worst Genesis game of all time! Heavy Nova is so utterly revolting that it made me want to go play Bubsy! Yes, I realize that qualifies as "crazy talk", but Heavy Nova is the video game equivalent of throwing up in your mouth. I should have been tipped off by the back of the box, which describes the game as "Amazinly Exciting!" It opens with a stylish, cinematic intro depicting ominous approaching space vessels, followed by some nice close-ups of your terminator-inspired robot. At this point, I was actually getting a bit psyched up, but little did I know the degree of wretchedness I was about to inflict upon myself. Heavy Nova puts you in "control" (in theory at least) of a large robot that looks like something out of Cyborg Justice (Sega, 1993). Each stage challenges you traverse a brief, unimaginative obstacle course of lasers, falling rocks, and small droids before facing off against the obligatory mech "boss" (inexplicably referred to as a "Doll"). Your robot is one seriously uncontrollable hunk of metal. While it's possible to kick, punch, and fire your jetpack, the controls are less responsive than a cable TV customer service department. The lag time with the controls is so reprehensible that you'll swear you're playing over a 300-baud dial-up modem (vintage 1982). During boss sequences, the game attempts to be a one-on-one fighter, but don't ditch that Street Fighter 2 cartridge just yet. As the boss pounds your sorry ass into oblivion, you'll struggle in vain just to land a single blow! Heck, half of the time your robot is facing the wrong direction! Controls are especially problematic because you need to use one hand to hold your nose the whole time. Only by using the stage select feature (on the options menu) did I realize that subsequent stages are just as pointless. Even the soundtrack is offensive - it's nothing more than a disjointed series of random notes! Heavy Nova lowers the bar for all Genesis titles, making games I previously thought utterly deplorable seem perfectly respectable. From here on out, everything else gets an A.
This is probably one of the most underrated Genesis shooters of all time. At first, Hellfire looks like any other shooter, but closer examination reveals some unique play mechanics. Namely, you can change the direction that your ship shoots - on the fly. You cycle between forward, backward, sideways, and diagonal shots, and this adds a whole new dimension to the gameplay. Altering your configuration is not always necessary during the normal stages (I stick with the diagonal), but it's mandatory during the boss stages (you'll need to strike them at all angles). There are all kinds of power-ups to spice up the action, including shields, "seeker" probes, and "hellfire" blasts. The graphics are very good, but what really steals the show is the incredible MUSIC. Man, when I finally compile a tape of all my favorite video game songs, Hellfire is going be the first tune on there. I can't get it out of my head. Hellfire is quite enjoyable but notoriously challenging, often mentioned as one of the toughest shooters of all time. The six stages are incredibly long, and you'll make full use of your continues. To give yourself a fighting chance, be sure you turn on rapid-fire from the options screen.
Hit The Ice is not a serious game; it's a wacky three-on-three free-for-all that plays like NBA Jam on ice. The teams have very imaginative names like the Reds, Blue, Greens, and Yellows (I'm being facetious here). The cartoon players are big and colorful, but you can only control one of your players, which is a shame. The animation is downright choppy, and it's tough to tell what's going on when the players start bumping each other. In addition to your normal shot, you can also perform two "supershots", and you'll want to master these if you plan to compete against the computer. Like any decent hockey game, there are fights, and they always end with one guy on his back, foaming at the mouth. Funny at first, they soon get old, and don't really have much impact on the game itself. Hit The Ice had the right idea. The game certainly LOOKS fun. But the limited control and mediocre gameplay really drag it down.
This dungeon explorer was cutting edge for its time, and you still have to respect its rich graphics and sophisticated gameplay. Like Baldur's Gate or Diablo, you guide a wizard around subterranean rooms loaded with monsters, traps, and items. The Immortal's visuals are top-notch for the Genesis, but the game's centerpiece is its combat screen. When you engage in battle, both adversaries are rendered in remarkably large, detailed characters on a black backdrop. This "up-close" view was unheard of in 1991, and certainly was a major selling point for the game. These battles feature gruesome fatalities, including decapitations, exploding heads, and bodies being sliced in half (accompanied by appropriately gross sound effects). Despite its violence, somehow Immortal managed to stay under the radar and avoid controversy. The game doesn't utilize the entire screen (probably due to the CPU-intensive graphics), and the unused portion is covered by an ornate border. The controls are fairly intuitive, and there's a nice inventory system. Unlike many games of this style, the monsters thankfully "stay dead", so when you reenter a room you don't need to do battle again. While Immortal is certainly challenging, it relies far too heavily on chance and memorization. The battle system is clumsy and unresponsive, and pit traps are impossible to see coming. There are even a few "invisible" enemies to drive you mad. Never read the runes when prompted, because it immediately ends your game (it's deliberate -- not a bug). At least the manual includes a handy tutorial for the first level. The Immortal certainly is original and inventive, but it was mainly a stepping stone for far better games to come.
Reviewing video games can be tricky. Sometimes a game will seem awful at first, but improve as you progress. The Incredible Hulk is one of those games that doesn't convey a positive first impression. After playing the first stage I had already compiled a long list of glitches and design problems. But despite these, repeated plays revealed a game that requires more technique and strategy than your standard side-scroller. Your ability to transform into David Banner to access hidden areas is one of the keys to beating the game. Despite its vast potential, the game falters in terms of execution. First off, Hulk often finds himself directly on top of an enemy, making it impossible to punch or grab the foe - very frustrating. When you do make contact, your first few hits seem to have no effect, until the final blow shatters the target to pieces. Hulk can jump around to avoid projectiles in outdoor areas, but in close quarters (like sewers) you're forced to take an inordinate number of cheap hits. The first stage, set at a construction site, contains numerous manholes Hulk must crawl into. Unfortunately, trying to squeeze down these can be aggravating, especially while being fired upon. Despite these fundamental problems, there are a few bright spots. The Hulk looks great and can perform a surprising number of moves, including a ceiling throw, pile driver, and foot stomp. I love how enemies struggle in vain as Hulk applies his lethal bear hug attack. The instruction manual is awful, and doesn't even mention some of the moves. The Hulk's five stages are not particularly interesting, but they do contain plenty of secret areas to discover. Oddly enough, what's most appealing about the Incredible Hulk may be its spunky electronic music. It has that distinctive Genesis sound that took me back a good fifteen years. Summing up, the Incredible Hulk is not for the faint of heart. Its extreme difficulty, flaky controls, and lack of continues and passwords will turn off most casual gamers. Only the most dedicated players will come to appreciate everything this cart has to offer.
It's amazing how hit movies rarely translate into good video games. The Last Crusade should have been a sure thing. Many scenes from this movie beg for an arcade game: the circus train, catacombs, and especially the last scene with the three Grail challenges. But this game fails on every level. Let's start with the graphics. The characters are poorly drawn with cheesy black outlines around them. The control is horrendous; if you press jump at the end of a ledge you will always fall off. That problem is compounded by the fact that you die if you touch harmless objects like a puddle of water, a pile of bones, or a bush. In the first stage, the villains all look exactly like - you guessed it - Jerry Garcia! In the catacombs you are terrorized by cat-sized, flaming mice. The final level is not even consistent with the movie: even if you duck under the blades, you still get killed! The music is an uninspired version of the Indiana Jones theme. Adding insult to injury, the picture on the cartridge shows Indy being chased by a plane, a tank, and a German convoy, none of which appear in the game!
Attempting to combine a streetwise style with the "dunktastic" gameplay of NBA Jam, Jammit borders on self-parody. This one-on-one slamfest is played on a half court, forcing you to "clear" the ball during each change of possession. This little detail is easy to forget, and as a result you'll accidentally score more than a few points for the other team. The open-court action is pretty shabby. Despite utilizing the Genesis six-button controller, there are no effective special moves to the basket. Players tend to get "stuck" on each other when they collide, resulting in some very ugly, stilted animation. One thing Jammit does right is its shooting controls, which require one button press to jump and a second to release the ball. When in close proximity to the hoop, a dramatic close-up shows both players soaring over the rim. I love how that second press "pulls the string" and slams the ball down. Likewise if the defender is in position he can swat it away with a well-timed swipe. The meager character selection includes two black guys and - get this - a white chick! Not only does she look totally out of place, but inexplicably she can jump higher than the guys! Her mere existence should cost this game a letter grade - she looks like somebody's mom running around for Pete's sake! Jammit tries to convey "attitude" by incorporating funky music, trash talking, and urban scenery, but it all seems phony and contrived. The bass-heavy music is okay, but the repetitive voice samples ("C'mon sucker!") are lame. On a positive note, most of the nighttime backdrops are colorful and attractive, particularly the one with the sunset over the ocean. Despite its general cheesiness, Jammit can still be fun if played against a friend thanks to its satisfying slam dunks.
It would be unfair to give a high grade to such a sloppy game, but Pigskin Footbrawl is a game I wanted to like. The gameplay is more like rugby than American football, as players run, pass, and kick their way past slugging opponents. It's basically a five-on-five free-for-all. The two playing fields consist of a meadow and a coliseum, and the medieval cartoon graphics give the game a distinct personality. But although the premise of Footbrawl is great, the implementation is lacking. For one thing, you can only control a single player (can't even switch), and your guy is constantly off the screen. The field is filled with too many obstacles that are almost impossible to avoid. The animation is rough, and you have zero control during fights. I discovered that positioning your man to the endzone and waiting for a long throw is an effective (but very cheap) strategy. The voice samples ("ouch!") are repetitive and too loud. There are a few nice touches like a green troll that enters the game late to help out the losing team. Footbrawl could have used more polish, but the game can still generate some fun.
Joe Montana is a surprisingly entertaining title, especially considering it was Sega's first attempt at football on the Genesis. Montana Football actually looks very much like John Madden Football, except the players here look sharper. There are also fewer lulls in the action -- you can select plays and hike the ball much quicker. One very innovative feature is the passing system. When you choose to pass, you get a first-person "helmet view" of your receiver, and you use crosshairs to "lead" your throw. This is fun and it works surprisingly well. Unfortunately, you can only see one receiver at a time, which may be why the system was not used in subsequent games. As I was playing Joe Montana, its main flaw became obvious: bad AI. The computer is a really lousy opponent, dropping easy catches and missing tackles all over the place. There are 16 teams to choose from, but the options are very limited. Still, as a two player game, this isn't half bad.
Montana II doesn't offer much in the way of gameplay, but it does have one cool gimmick: play-by-play announcing. That might not seem like a big deal today, but in 1993 it was monumental. I can remember when my friend Keith brought this over my house and all the guys were crowded around the TV waiting to see what the announcer would say next. The commentator is pretty good actually, although he does occasionally fall behind or repeat phrases. If you do something stupid (like attempt a 90-yard field goal) he'll say "I can't believe it!" The gameplay itself is pretty average. In this edition they went back to an old-fashioned side view of the field. It works okay but going deep is a problem since your receivers run off the screen. The players are fairly small, but when the ball is passed or handed off, the camera zooms in six times closer. This is especially helpful for runners trying to find room. Although running up the middle is still very difficult, this is one of the few Genesis football games where you can actually "break away" on a run. After each quarter or score, a great looking statistic screen is presented, complete with little graphs. Montana II lacks Madden's polished look. The players are animated fine until they are hit, at which time they immediately fall flat on their stomachs or backs, and it looks pretty stupid. The controls seem to have been intentionally designed to be different from Madden, and as a result they are not very intuitive. For example, before the play the C button switches players, but the B button performs that function during the play. The B button is supposed to choose the closet player, but rarely does. Joe Montana II isn't a great game, but it's fun to look back on.
This is the first edition of a series of football games that revolutionized video game sports. It features an angled vertical view of the field, giving the game a pseudo-3D look. A nice selection of actual NFL plays are at your disposal. Many of the typical moves that we all take for granted today are here, including spin, dive, jump, and hurdle. Playing this game recently, I was surprised at just how good this is. The players look cartoonish but are easy to see, and the running and passing games are well balanced. I always liked how you can control the velocity of a pass by holding down the button - brilliant. There are only 16 teams to choose from, and the game has no fancy bells or whistles like subsequent editions. When choosing plays, you also need to choose which type of players you want, including big, hands, fast, or normal. After that, you often have to wait for half the team to run off the field, and THEN wait for the substitute players to run ONTO the field! This needlessly slows down the game. The physics aren't very realistic. Players can dive for over five yards or be knocked back just as far! Passing windows are used to view your three receivers, and while these windows do indicate how open your receiver is, they do not tell you how deep you he is, or how many defenders are in the vicinity. As a result, luck plays a major role in the passing game. The sound effects during the game are minimal, dominated by grunts and the "water faucet" crowd. It's a bit rough around the edges, but overall it was a great start for a classic series.
I first played Jungle Book over at my friend Brendan's house, way back in 1994. He had rented it for the weekend, and while he loved the Disney animation, he thought the gameplay was pretty standard. Reviewing this game so many years later, I tend to agree. Like its predecessor (Aladdin), Jungle Book features amazing, fluid character animation - state of the art for its time. Plus it has an absolutely killer soundtrack. Once you've heard the excellent, banjo-driven "Bare Necessities" in stage one, you can't get it out of your head. Jungle Book's gameplay has a treasure-hunting quality that's mostly fun. You control an Indian boy named Mowgli whose primary objective is to collect a certain number of red gems. A handy gem "count down" indicator appears on the upper right corner of the screen. Each stage provides a modest-sized chunk of jungle environment to explore, and the scenery is attractive but not remarkable. Starting off on the ground, Mowgli can swing on vines and scale branches to investigate the upper reaches of the jungle. My enthusiasm was dampened somewhat by the numerous cheap hits, partly due to enemies that blend into the scenery. I'm also not a fan of animal bosses that fire heat-seeking missiles (what's up with that?) Falling into water will cost you a life, which is always bogus in my opinion. There's no password feature, and your score is not displayed after your game ends. These issues tarnish an otherwise entertaining little platform game.
This is a decent sequel to EA's Desert Strike, but to be honest, it didn't hold my attention all the way through. Like the first game, you control a helicopter on a series of military missions. Jungle Strike covers much more territory than the first game, including Washington D.C., a jungle river, and a snow fortress. I was hardly impressed by the D.C. stage because the scenery was entirely too sparse - it looked like a big park! In addition to your helicopter, certain missions also allow you to control a motorbike, hovercraft, and Stealth bomber. Don't get too excited though - these new vehicles are tougher to control and ultimately not as much fun. Oh well, at least they break up the monotony. Jungle Strike takes a long time to complete. There are eight campaigns compared to four in the first game, and each has a long list of missions. Casual gamers might not go for this, but if you couldn't get enough of Desert Strike, this is the game for you.
Many gamers will fondly remember Jurassic Park's memorable intro screen, featuring a T-Rex roaring "Sega!" I remember my buddy Eric bringing this game over my house when it first came out. I was pretty psyched at first, but playing it dampened by enthusiasm. Based on the insanely popular movie, this platform shooter is plagued by poor collision detection, questionable stage design, unresponsive controls, and an unforgiving difficulty level. Normally a game with such glaring flaws would not rate above average, but this is Jurassic Park! Any game set on an island with rampaging dinosaurs has got to be good, despite some technical deficiencies. Actually, Jurassic Park is two games in one; you can play the role of Dr. Grant or a man-eating raptor (sweet). Jurassic Park's graphics kick ass. The digitized dinosaurs look fearsome and realistic. You can even see them breathing after they've been tranquilized. The T-Rex is never seen full-body, but he makes his presence felt by sticking his huge noggin wherever it will fit. The scenery looks nice, but the stage designs are really lacking. Often it's hard to determine where to go next, and numerous fatal falls send you all the way back to the beginning of the stage. Less-than-responsive controls allow you to squat, climb, jump, and move hand-over-hand along vines - with some difficulty. You think you nailed that simple jump, only to watch Dr. Grant slip and fall into the abyss. Still, it's exciting to revisit scenes from the movie like the jungle, power station, and visitors center. Although the environments appear slightly grainy, they are very detailed and interesting to explore. It's also fun to shoot and toss grenades at dinosaurs, and the tension is palpable as you duck into a vent to avoid oncoming raptors. The game also includes some stages not in the movie, like an innovative rafting level where you navigate a dinosaur-infested river. Although it can be frustrating to play as Dr. Grant, assuming the role of the raptor is much easier. It's also a good way to take out your aggression as you maul helpless security guards and gobble up smaller dinosaurs. Jurassic Park certainly has its share of technical issues, but still manages to be a fair video game adaptation of the film.
From the name itself, few people would guess this is a superhero fighting game. Heck, Justice League Task Force sounds more like some boring government commission! But the thing that really struck me about the game is just how incredibly mediocre it is. Having been released well after the 2D fighter boom, you would at least expect this to be as good as Eternal Champions, but it's not even close. The game combines run-of-the-mill graphics with second-rate gameplay and minimal sound. The main attraction is your ability to fight as Superman, Batman, Green Arrow, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, or the Flash. Unfortunately, Task Force was made at a time when DC Comics had made a few ill-advised changes to the look of the characters. Superman and Aquaman have long, flowing hair that makes them look more like Fabio than superheroes, and Green Arrow looks like a complete ass in that Robin Hood outfit. Also included are three villains I've never heard of: Cheetah, Desperdo, and Darkseid. The backgrounds are static, and with the exception of Batman's Gotham City, are extremely uninteresting. The gameplay is equally uninspired. The special moves aren't very special, and the collision detection is suspect at times. The sound effects are terribly muffled, and the low, rumbling background music is barely audible. If not for its famous cast of characters, Justice Task Force would have been a complete bust.
Way back in "the day", I remember my old buddies Steve and Brendan telling me about this game after they had rented it for a night. They wrote it off as a run-of-the-mill platformer, but playing it today, I would definitely give it more credit than that. Yes, Kid Chameleon (KC) borrows liberally from Mega Man (among others), but a game doesn't need to be original to be fun. If you've grown weary of 2D platform games, KC might just rekindle your enthusiasm. The game's background story is a load of incomprehensive nonsense involving a virtual reality arcade machine. Just ignore that. KC's gameplay is quite familiar as you hop across platforms, pounce on enemies, and bump blocks to reveal items and power-ups. The star of the game is a kid with a bouffant hairdo (who looks like Brendan), but he's constantly changing forms. He'll transform into the wall-climbing Iron Knight, the headfirst charging Berzerker, the axe-wielding Maniaxe, the insert-like Micromax, the laser-shooter EyeClops, the hoverboard-riding Skycutter, and the flying/drilling Cyclone. Juggernaut transforms him into a skull-firing tank! Each form has its own standard abilities and special powers that can be triggered after you've collected a certain number of diamonds. KC's graphics and audio are about average by Genesis standards, with stages depicting scenic lakes, wave-swept beaches, floating castles, volcanic caves, and jungles. The levels tend to be short but well designed, although occasionally you'll find yourself sliding into a bed of spikes (or pool of lava). One stage that's especially bizarre places KC in the jungle where he's pursued by a huge wall of spikes. Your adversaries are a motley crew that includes stone heads, crawling hands, and baby dragons. Kid Chameleon is generally easy to control, although some of the more narrow platforms can be slippery. I like how Kid adjusts his body when walking up or downhill - something you never see in a video game. What makes the game so fun is its reasonable difficulty and sheer variety. The scenery is constantly changing, and the ability to change forms provides multiple ways to complete each stage. Kid Chameleon tends to get lost in the vast sea of 16-bit platformers, but once you start playing you may find it hard to stop.
I remember my friend Tuan and I planned a big fishing trip in the early 90's, and we spent the night before playing this game for hours. King Salmon may not have great sound or graphics, but the gameplay will have you hooked! Until Sega Bass Fishing (Dreamcast) came out, this was easily the most fun fishing game I had played. The main reason is the game is so easy to play. After checking the weather, you drive your boat around a lake looking for a good spot. After choosing a strategic area, you get a closer view which provides a nice view of schools of fish in the water. By dragging your lure through the fish (trolling), you wait to get a bite. An easy-to-use menu allows you to change your lure, depth, or line. When you finally hook a fish, the fight sequence is suspenseful and exciting. The fighting screen is plain, but clearly displays what's going on. Sometimes a timely event will occur, such as your hook getting stuck on a piece of wood, or the fish making a zigzag run. You are then given three choices of how to react. Make the wrong decision and the line could snap or the fish could escape. When you finally pull in a fish, you'll see a nice picture of it on the scale. Each catch improves your ability and skill level. This game is simple but addictive! The music is awesome, and that's a good thing because it plays nonstop! If you do catch enough fish, you progress to a new lake. You can save your progress using a password feature. Don't hesitate to give King Salmon a try.
The King of the Monsters series never made a big splash on the Genesis, but its basic style of play seems to have been adopted by the latest generation of 3D monster games, notably Godzilla (GameCube) and War of the Monsters (PS2). There are four creatures to choose from, including the Godzilla-like "Geon", the rock golem "Rocky", the bug-like "Beetle-mania", and the Ultraman-inspired "Astro Guy". The first three are well designed, but Astro Guy looks like a dork in a cheap superhero costume. The graphics and animation are good for the Genesis, although you can't help but wonder how much better this might look on the Neo Geo. Unlike many fighting games of this nature, it's actually easy to tell what's going on, even when the combatants are holding or chomping on each other. The four cities are remarkably detailed, with large buildings, bridges, and markers indicating the boundaries of the battle. Smashing up the city is part of the fun. The military is a constant presence, and you can pick up these ships, tanks, and planes to hurl as weapons! Despite using only three buttons, there are a surprising number of moves and combinations you can execute. King of the Monsters has a strong wrestling influence, which has a detrimental effect on the gameplay. It's bad enough to see monsters execute suplexes, body slams, or piledrivers, but watching them "pin" their opponent for the win is almost embarrassing. Not only does it look ridiculous, but you can always escape the first two pins anyway. I hate how a monster can keep fighting after its life meter has been completely depleted. Also annoying is how the winner's health does NOT recharge between fights. The roars and other audio effects are muffled, but at least the music is decent. King of the Monsters is an interesting title - too bad it's not very fun to play.
A huge improvement over the original, King of the Monsters 2 is a much deeper game with a slew of new monsters and stages. Now there are nine creatures in all, three from the previous game and six bizarre new creations. Actually, bizarre is an understatement. Some of these things have so many appendages, eyes, and teeth sticking out all over that you can't tell the head from the tail! Claw Head is certainly nightmare inducing, but others like Aqua Slug look like a shapeless mess. Initially the graphics look about the same quality as King of the Monsters, but as you move your creature around you'll notice it rotates to keep facing his opponent, which looks terrific. The control scheme has changed a lot, mostly for the better. Now you can hold back to block Street Fighter-style, and there are special moves which also employ the standard joystick movements. Thankfully, monsters are now defeated when their life meter is drained completely, and they no longer need to be "pinned". The nine stages provide plenty of variety in terms of color, but the scenery isn't as interesting as the first game. The cities look fine but the Grand Canyon and ocean floor stages are pretty sparse. Small wandering creatures have been added to spice things up, but these tend to be annoying and rarely impact the contests. It's no classic, but King of the Monsters 2 does a good job of addressing the shortcomings of its predecessor. 
The first time I played Lakers vs. Celtics I was still living at home, and as usual, a bunch of my friends were hanging out in my oversized bedroom playing video games. My buddy Keith had brought over Lakers Vs. Celtics, and we were all very impressed with it. The game's TV-style presentation features two anchors at a desk who comment on the game via scrolling text. Actually, the black guy never says anything, but he does crack a smile periodically and it looks hilarious. During halftime, a brief highlight is shown of another game "in progress" - nice! On the court, the wood surface looks realistic, the lanky players perform their famous "signature" moves, and coaches pace the sidelines. I still recall my friend Tuan pointing out how the players actually wore the correct numbers on their jerseys! Playing Lakers Vs. Celtics just recently was an eye-opening experience. Only ten teams are available, but Michael Jordan is on the Bull's roster! In most subsequent basketball games, Jordan didn't appear due to licensing issues. Compared to modern basketball games, Lakers Vs. Celtics is slow and choppy, and it takes a while to run the length of the court. There's no turbo or crossover move, so it's nearly impossible to penetrate to the hoop. As bad as it sounds, these limitations force you to rely on well-timed passes, making the gameplay more strategic. It's surprisingly fun, and the slow-motion dunks are quite satisfying. On the downside, instead of the "star" icon used in later games, your "selected" player sports black shoes which are hard to see. Sometimes a player will score even when the ball clearly didn't pass through the hoop. The rebounding game is fairly atrocious, and it's not usual to see offensive players follow up their own missed lay-ups or dunks - several times in a row. And for goodness sake, turn OFF that blaring music that plays nonstop during the game. That leaves you with a crowd that's dead silent until you score. Lakers Vs. Celtics definitely shows its age, but if you accept its limitations it's still worthwhile.
I remember visiting a Video Game Exchange store with some friends in 1993, struggling to decide if I should purchase this game. I really liked it, but at $70 (including the light gun), I was concerned about its replay value. The clerk had the nerve to offer me a used copy for a measly $5 less. I held onto my cash, and never owned a copy of this game until fairly recently. Lethal Enforcers is good light gun title, but it's definitely repetitive. The digitized graphics and sound that were so cutting edge in 1993 are almost laughable in 2006. Due to the limited Genesis color palette, the scenery looks grainy and the voice synthesis ("eat lead!") is so scratchy that it's hard to comprehend. The game is packaged with a light blue gun controller, and while it's generally accurate, hitting the edges of the screen can be tricky. The five stages are set in varied locations including a bank, airport, Chinatown, and chemical plant. As the camera pans the scenery, thugs continuously pop out, and unless you blast them immediately, you'll take damage in the form of a bloody hole in your TV screen. Occasionally an innocent civilian or cop will leap out, and once you get that itchy trigger finger, it's hard to avoid shooting them. Certain stages feature shootouts in moving vehicles like sport cars, vans, and subway cars. I really like how snipers fall from windows, tires can be shot out, and some thugs pretend to be innocent civilians. It's too bad you can't shoot up the scenery in general. Your targets are slightly randomized, but it still feels like the same experience each time through. Lethal Enforcers' up-tempo music sounds like something from a 1970's era cop show. The worst aspect of the game is how unforgiving it is. Unless you complete a stage in a nearly flawless manner, you'll be told, "Too many mistakes - reloading same mission." As one of the few light gun games for the Genesis, Lethal Enforcers is still a good time, but only when taken in small doses.
Thunder Force 3 (TF3) was a tough act to follow, but this game holds its own. Released two years after TF3, Lightning Force has some new features that set it apart. The graphics are more detailed than the previous Thunder Force games, and you have the ability to scroll the screen up or down. Thanks to some fancy pseudo-3D graphics, and you even can see enemies approaching from the background. One negative side effect of this is that you can't always tell what you can and can't shoot. There are some nifty special effects here like enemies that splash in the water or burrow through the sand, and the explosions are noticeably improved. Sega took some chances with some really weird alien designs this time around. I mean, normally you can tell the front or back of a ship or the head and tail of an alien, but I don't know what to make of some of these bizarre creations. Some of the bosses crowd the screen too much, and some enemies are too difficult to kill. But overall, I would have to say that this is the best-looking game in the Thunder Force series, although not as playable as TF3.