Action/Platformer
August 1987 (Micronics/Taito)
Once again we have a Micronics developed game. Once again they manage to make something that by itself really isn’t that bad. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think that the Micronics hate had more to do with not getting a free game when you were a kid. But we’ll look more into why they have such a bad reputation in another post.
The colors are different than in the arcade version, and the sound is a bit worse. But that’s about it. This game definitely looks bad graphics wise, but it is pretty true to the original so I can’t hold that against it too much.
In the mold of old school arcade games, this is simply the same basic level done over and over with increasing difficulty. Don’t get me wrong, it’s fun. But nothing about it is exactly innovative.
Yep, this is the level. Exciting isn't it? Thankfully the game makes up for it.
Sure, the layouts change and there are pallet swaps for some colors. And the enemies get smarter, can’t forget about that. But really, the game is fun. You waddle1 around shooting people. For the most part there aren’t a lot of hidden things. Find a red door, enter red door, come out with item worth points. If you take too long, like waiting for a bad guy to go away before coming out, then you’re forced out of the door. Thankfully they’re rather slow on the draw so you can shoot them quickly enough.
The hidden things that do exist aren’t that bad at all. When you get to the basement doors are invisible until someone comes out of them. Red door are always visible though.
Enemies shoot back at 1 of 2 planes. High bullets can be ducked under, and low ones can be jumped over. Which is good since you have only one way of staying alive; don’t get shot. Get to the end of the level and you drive off in a car and magically appear at the top of another building.
Fun isn’t perfect though. If you crouch you have to actively stand up. Which means that in order to walk after crouching you have to stand up and then walk. That’s a pain.
I wish this game had some method of continuing when you lose your last life. You do start at the same floor you died on if it isn’t your last life though. Again, this is true of the original so I don’t know how much I can really hold that against the game.
- Because there’s no way this can ever be considered running around. [↩]
