Action 52 (Rating: 5/10)
Well, the NES version of Action 52 was pure crap. Every single game in that compilation cartridge was dumb, made no sense, and was extremely rushed and played awfully. Surprisingly, I am pleased to find that that's not the case with this Sega Genesis version. There are still LOTS of flaws, but it's at least significantly better than the NES cart. Now, in order to see how good it all is, I must comment on every game it has to offer.
Bonkers: It's actually a very unique take on Breakout, with the ball having to be the same color as the bricks to destroy them.
Darksyne: It's a take on Asteroids in which you must destroy all opposing machines to move on. The walls are somewhat
frustrating to avoid, though.
Dyno Tennis: A 2-player tennis game. It's only worth playing for amusement factor.
Ooze: No relation to Sega's Ooze, this platformer, while it controls better than on NES, suffers from rather poor level design.
Star Ball: One of my favorites, Star Ball is a great pinball variation in which the ball must collect all green spheres to move on. The physics for the flippers could be better, though.
Sidewinder: A very basic shooting game with Mode-7-esc graphics. Fun, but I'm not sure how long it'll hold your attention.
Daytona: Think a Genesis version of Pole Position or Rad Racer. It's great if you like those racing games.
15 Puzzle: A sliding puzzle where you must line up the numbers correctly. Yawn.
Sketch: A drawing tool. Why is this here? We have Microsoft Paint, don't we?
Star Duel: A bad Asteroids-style game that pits 2 players against each other. There's no variety, leaving you guys just shooting at each other rapidly.
Haunted Hill: Plays like Ooze, but is much better due to superior level design, although the enemy layout could use a bit of help.
Alfredo: You play as a chef trying to catch food. It's as good as it sounds..............It's sadistic.
Cheetahmen: Apparently the highlight game, Cheetahmen also has bad and difficult-to-pass design. In fact, the NES version's better.
Skirmish: A 2-player strategy game....I have no idea how this one works.
Depth Charge: Resembles an Intellivision classic, this game is both easy and frustrating: You simply bomb ships from below, but ships close to you can strike you easily. Fun if you bypass that.
Minds Eye: A Mindsweeper clone, except the numbers give you slightly false info. It's still fine to play.
Alien Attack: Extremely easy, since you could keep walking and shooting right. That is, until an alien pops out at you out of nowhere.
Billy Bob: It's a shootout game, but it isn't totally fair, since 2 enemies on-screen at the same time would bring you trouble.
Sharks: It reminds me of Jaws for the NES, where you kill sharks underwater by shooting them, but it's a little bit slow-paced.
Knockout: Another 2-player game that won't work well at all. This time, it's a boxing game with one punching move and the ability to jump....It certainly is no Street Fighter.
Intruder: A maze game with robots you shoot. It's nice, but the walls are too sensitive. One pixel touching the wall and you're done for.
Echo: A Genesis version of Simon. Next...
Freeway: A clone of an old classic, Freeway is somewhat like Frogger, except you just go and run across the road, fetching objects. It wouldn't hurt to have a Genesis version of this oldie.
Mousetrap: A Pac-Man-ish game that has you play as a mouse, who must avoid cats and collect all of the cheese. It looks like it could be better, but it's actually an addicting game.
Ninja: Run right to win. Next...
Slalom: A very boring skiing game. All you do is dodge trees. Nothing else.
Dauntless: An airplane fighter in the style of Gradius, but things get eye-rolling when an enemy from behind comes to kill you.
Force One: A very neat arcade shooter that's molded in the likes of games such as Galaga or 1943, except the goal is to survive rather than destroy every single enemy.
Spidey: It's a spider version of Mousetrap where you collect flies. That's all there is to say.
Appleseed: You just go catch apples. Booooorriiingg.
Skater: You just dodge roadkill, beach balls, etc. Nothing too special. It's as boring as Slalom.
Sunday Drive: You dodge traffic. Just as amusing as Skater...
Star Evil: Yay! Another space shooter! Too bad there should have been some more enemies to kill.
Air Command: It's an airplane shooter, but enemies appear less often than in Star Evil.
Shootout: Almost exactly like the title says it is, but it feels dull for some reason...
Bombs Away: Run right to win....Again. Next...
Speed Boat: A boat version of Sunday Driver. T_T
Dedant: A shooter in which you're an ant killing other ants. Too bad they don't show up so soon.
G Fighter: Star Evil at a different angle. That's all I may as well say.
Man At Arms: Features the same issue as in the other shooters in this collection - Not a lot of enemies come to play.
Norman: This time, enemies do somewhat come. And even though you're a tank, even soldiers can kill when touching them. Still kinda...decent I guess.
Armor Battle: It's like Star Duel, but with the graphics and gameplay taken from Norman. Still no variety in levels, though.
Magic Bean: Jack and the Beanstalk collides with Sunday Drive here. It's terrible.
Apache: Think a fast-paced version of Namco's arcade classic Xevious.
Paratrooper: It's somewhat like Mousetrap, but with you being able to shoot things. The pace is also more balanced.
Sky Avenger: Yet another game that's extremely easy/badly put together.
Sharpshooter: This could've been a version of Shootout, but nope. Instead, it's much worse.
Meteor: An extremely easy space shooter, since you could hold down the button instead of mash it to shoot rapidly.
Black Hole: What is it with these games and the fact that the enemies are to lazy to go on-screen?
The Boss: The controls are a little too stiff for the game to be enjoyable to the max.
1st Game: PONG? What's Pong doing in here? Oh well. I can't critique this classic game. It's a great 2-player game for generations to come.
Challenge: It's not an original game, but a challenge mode, combining the hardest levels of all the games.
Sooooooo overall, you've got a great variety here, but there's a good majority of the games that are not really that good. In fact, they would suck as much as how the NES Action 52 games were. But there were some good ones as well, like Freeway, Pong, Mousetrap, Paratrooper, and Star Ball. Echo may be a version of Simon, but Simon's still a great memory game. It's nice to know not all of these were clunkers. But even then, the collection would be fun to play just for how laughable it's all botched together. Plus, the retail price was $200. Now you can get it for a lot less than that, I suppose.
Bonkers: It's actually a very unique take on Breakout, with the ball having to be the same color as the bricks to destroy them.
Darksyne: It's a take on Asteroids in which you must destroy all opposing machines to move on. The walls are somewhat
frustrating to avoid, though.
Dyno Tennis: A 2-player tennis game. It's only worth playing for amusement factor.
Ooze: No relation to Sega's Ooze, this platformer, while it controls better than on NES, suffers from rather poor level design.
Star Ball: One of my favorites, Star Ball is a great pinball variation in which the ball must collect all green spheres to move on. The physics for the flippers could be better, though.
Sidewinder: A very basic shooting game with Mode-7-esc graphics. Fun, but I'm not sure how long it'll hold your attention.
Daytona: Think a Genesis version of Pole Position or Rad Racer. It's great if you like those racing games.
15 Puzzle: A sliding puzzle where you must line up the numbers correctly. Yawn.
Sketch: A drawing tool. Why is this here? We have Microsoft Paint, don't we?
Star Duel: A bad Asteroids-style game that pits 2 players against each other. There's no variety, leaving you guys just shooting at each other rapidly.
Haunted Hill: Plays like Ooze, but is much better due to superior level design, although the enemy layout could use a bit of help.
Alfredo: You play as a chef trying to catch food. It's as good as it sounds..............It's sadistic.
Cheetahmen: Apparently the highlight game, Cheetahmen also has bad and difficult-to-pass design. In fact, the NES version's better.
Skirmish: A 2-player strategy game....I have no idea how this one works.
Depth Charge: Resembles an Intellivision classic, this game is both easy and frustrating: You simply bomb ships from below, but ships close to you can strike you easily. Fun if you bypass that.
Minds Eye: A Mindsweeper clone, except the numbers give you slightly false info. It's still fine to play.
Alien Attack: Extremely easy, since you could keep walking and shooting right. That is, until an alien pops out at you out of nowhere.
Billy Bob: It's a shootout game, but it isn't totally fair, since 2 enemies on-screen at the same time would bring you trouble.
Sharks: It reminds me of Jaws for the NES, where you kill sharks underwater by shooting them, but it's a little bit slow-paced.
Knockout: Another 2-player game that won't work well at all. This time, it's a boxing game with one punching move and the ability to jump....It certainly is no Street Fighter.
Intruder: A maze game with robots you shoot. It's nice, but the walls are too sensitive. One pixel touching the wall and you're done for.
Echo: A Genesis version of Simon. Next...
Freeway: A clone of an old classic, Freeway is somewhat like Frogger, except you just go and run across the road, fetching objects. It wouldn't hurt to have a Genesis version of this oldie.
Mousetrap: A Pac-Man-ish game that has you play as a mouse, who must avoid cats and collect all of the cheese. It looks like it could be better, but it's actually an addicting game.
Ninja: Run right to win. Next...
Slalom: A very boring skiing game. All you do is dodge trees. Nothing else.
Dauntless: An airplane fighter in the style of Gradius, but things get eye-rolling when an enemy from behind comes to kill you.
Force One: A very neat arcade shooter that's molded in the likes of games such as Galaga or 1943, except the goal is to survive rather than destroy every single enemy.
Spidey: It's a spider version of Mousetrap where you collect flies. That's all there is to say.
Appleseed: You just go catch apples. Booooorriiingg.
Skater: You just dodge roadkill, beach balls, etc. Nothing too special. It's as boring as Slalom.
Sunday Drive: You dodge traffic. Just as amusing as Skater...
Star Evil: Yay! Another space shooter! Too bad there should have been some more enemies to kill.
Air Command: It's an airplane shooter, but enemies appear less often than in Star Evil.
Shootout: Almost exactly like the title says it is, but it feels dull for some reason...
Bombs Away: Run right to win....Again. Next...
Speed Boat: A boat version of Sunday Driver. T_T
Dedant: A shooter in which you're an ant killing other ants. Too bad they don't show up so soon.
G Fighter: Star Evil at a different angle. That's all I may as well say.
Man At Arms: Features the same issue as in the other shooters in this collection - Not a lot of enemies come to play.
Norman: This time, enemies do somewhat come. And even though you're a tank, even soldiers can kill when touching them. Still kinda...decent I guess.
Armor Battle: It's like Star Duel, but with the graphics and gameplay taken from Norman. Still no variety in levels, though.
Magic Bean: Jack and the Beanstalk collides with Sunday Drive here. It's terrible.
Apache: Think a fast-paced version of Namco's arcade classic Xevious.
Paratrooper: It's somewhat like Mousetrap, but with you being able to shoot things. The pace is also more balanced.
Sky Avenger: Yet another game that's extremely easy/badly put together.
Sharpshooter: This could've been a version of Shootout, but nope. Instead, it's much worse.
Meteor: An extremely easy space shooter, since you could hold down the button instead of mash it to shoot rapidly.
Black Hole: What is it with these games and the fact that the enemies are to lazy to go on-screen?
The Boss: The controls are a little too stiff for the game to be enjoyable to the max.
1st Game: PONG? What's Pong doing in here? Oh well. I can't critique this classic game. It's a great 2-player game for generations to come.
Challenge: It's not an original game, but a challenge mode, combining the hardest levels of all the games.
Sooooooo overall, you've got a great variety here, but there's a good majority of the games that are not really that good. In fact, they would suck as much as how the NES Action 52 games were. But there were some good ones as well, like Freeway, Pong, Mousetrap, Paratrooper, and Star Ball. Echo may be a version of Simon, but Simon's still a great memory game. It's nice to know not all of these were clunkers. But even then, the collection would be fun to play just for how laughable it's all botched together. Plus, the retail price was $200. Now you can get it for a lot less than that, I suppose.
Back to the Future: Part 3 (Rating: 1/10)
In Back to the Future 3 (otherwise known as PART 3 or III), you play as the Doc riding on a horse. I assume it's the Wild West or something like that. You must dodge everything in your path and behind your path. If that doesn't sound hard, then I'll tell you how hard the game would be.
IT IS A VIDEO GAME VERSION OF COMPLETE INSANITY AND FRUSTRATION!!!!
There would always be something that you won't know would be in your path. For example, who would have expected a gunman shooting at you behind your horse? Or how about those flying objects and upcoming cliffs?
It would be pure luck to memorize everything that happens. Too bad everybody will never have that kind of luck playing this game.
If you get a Game Over (Trust me. You will always see this screen), you will see a still image of Clara falling to her death and then you will see her tombstone. That is just mocking us. You would know that the tombstone represents a death of a loved one, but here, it represents the fact that you will never be able to get past the first level. It seriously just teases you.
Overall, STAY THE HECK AWAY FROM THIS GAME. IT IS ANGER IN A VIDEO GAME AS ITS FINEST!!!!!
IT IS A VIDEO GAME VERSION OF COMPLETE INSANITY AND FRUSTRATION!!!!
There would always be something that you won't know would be in your path. For example, who would have expected a gunman shooting at you behind your horse? Or how about those flying objects and upcoming cliffs?
It would be pure luck to memorize everything that happens. Too bad everybody will never have that kind of luck playing this game.
If you get a Game Over (Trust me. You will always see this screen), you will see a still image of Clara falling to her death and then you will see her tombstone. That is just mocking us. You would know that the tombstone represents a death of a loved one, but here, it represents the fact that you will never be able to get past the first level. It seriously just teases you.
Overall, STAY THE HECK AWAY FROM THIS GAME. IT IS ANGER IN A VIDEO GAME AS ITS FINEST!!!!!
Batman Forever (Rating: 7/10)
Right off the bat, I must tell you now. I am not really a huge fan of Batman. Never watched any movies or the shows. However, I played a couple of the NES games.
Batman Forever was based off of a movie, but the game is actually fairly good. Unfortunately, there are flaws.
As soon as you start playing the game, you'll realize that it is kind of a rebuilt Mortal Kombat. It has the same control scheme and the game is even made by Acclaim. It you like Mortal Kombat games, then this might be good news for you. Although it shares the controls with Mortal Kombat, there are, of course, new additions, such as the grappling hook and the Batarang. The grappling hook might take some getting used to.
What has me dock a star off this review is that the challenge feels cheap at times. There is a way or two how more than half your health will drain from an enemy using their attack (Not the standard fighting moves). Everything else is great.
If you are playing with a 3-button controller, you must press B and C (at the same time) + Up to shoot up. If you press all buttons at the same time, you just jump. And as for jumping down a hole, you must press C + Down. If you're using a 6-button controller, then you just need to use the Y button for the grappling hook instead of B and C. At least it isn't as terrible how the Super Nintendo version had it (Select + Up...Down + R)
The graphics are really amazing for a Genesis game. Digitizing the actors...just like Mortal Kombat. The backgrounds are also dark and stylish. To think that Batman Forever would've actually made itself at home on the Sega 32x.
The sound effects are also pretty cool, although you'd hear smacks and punches most of the time. And sometimes, you might not understand what the voice is saying when you collect a riddle (We could blame Genesis hardware for that, maybe).
The most frustrating aspect of this game is the fact that there isn't a save feature. Now, there are video games in which you don't even need to save your game. But here, it's pretty lengthy. Plus, the game gets kinda hard at times.
What's really awesome about this game is how you can play with another player in a co-op mode (Co-op Mortal Kombat, eh?). However, that might make the game kinda harder.
There's also a Training mode. This mode has you beat up enemies until you die. Just keep progressing through difficulty levels, beating up punks. You can play as any character you want here. Even all the enemies (Pick the guy with the flamethrower) and Two-Face. This could just be a Genesis game itself, considering how some popular Genesis games don't have this mode. You can also play with a friend HERE, which is where things get really fun.
Also in Training Mode, you can battle your friend. This is where it's just Mortal Kombat: Batman Edition all the way!
Overall, this is one kind of Batman game you should try out.
Batman Forever was based off of a movie, but the game is actually fairly good. Unfortunately, there are flaws.
As soon as you start playing the game, you'll realize that it is kind of a rebuilt Mortal Kombat. It has the same control scheme and the game is even made by Acclaim. It you like Mortal Kombat games, then this might be good news for you. Although it shares the controls with Mortal Kombat, there are, of course, new additions, such as the grappling hook and the Batarang. The grappling hook might take some getting used to.
What has me dock a star off this review is that the challenge feels cheap at times. There is a way or two how more than half your health will drain from an enemy using their attack (Not the standard fighting moves). Everything else is great.
If you are playing with a 3-button controller, you must press B and C (at the same time) + Up to shoot up. If you press all buttons at the same time, you just jump. And as for jumping down a hole, you must press C + Down. If you're using a 6-button controller, then you just need to use the Y button for the grappling hook instead of B and C. At least it isn't as terrible how the Super Nintendo version had it (Select + Up...Down + R)
The graphics are really amazing for a Genesis game. Digitizing the actors...just like Mortal Kombat. The backgrounds are also dark and stylish. To think that Batman Forever would've actually made itself at home on the Sega 32x.
The sound effects are also pretty cool, although you'd hear smacks and punches most of the time. And sometimes, you might not understand what the voice is saying when you collect a riddle (We could blame Genesis hardware for that, maybe).
The most frustrating aspect of this game is the fact that there isn't a save feature. Now, there are video games in which you don't even need to save your game. But here, it's pretty lengthy. Plus, the game gets kinda hard at times.
What's really awesome about this game is how you can play with another player in a co-op mode (Co-op Mortal Kombat, eh?). However, that might make the game kinda harder.
There's also a Training mode. This mode has you beat up enemies until you die. Just keep progressing through difficulty levels, beating up punks. You can play as any character you want here. Even all the enemies (Pick the guy with the flamethrower) and Two-Face. This could just be a Genesis game itself, considering how some popular Genesis games don't have this mode. You can also play with a friend HERE, which is where things get really fun.
Also in Training Mode, you can battle your friend. This is where it's just Mortal Kombat: Batman Edition all the way!
Overall, this is one kind of Batman game you should try out.
Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine (Rating: 8/10)
DRMBM is actually a puzzle game rather than your average platformer. It's actually based off of the Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog show and it is probably the only game to be.
The main game is connecting 3 of the same color. It's Puyo Puyo but with an American Sonic theme. There's a VS mode, a Training mode (Which is like playing solo in Tetris), and a Story mode that pits you against Dr. Robotnik's half-baked robots.
The Game Over screen is pretty funny. During the countdown time for you to continue, Dr. Robotnik dances and taunts during the whole countdown. At the near end of it, he laughs evilly.
The puzzling gameplay is pretty addicting, and it is still a fun game to this day.
The main game is connecting 3 of the same color. It's Puyo Puyo but with an American Sonic theme. There's a VS mode, a Training mode (Which is like playing solo in Tetris), and a Story mode that pits you against Dr. Robotnik's half-baked robots.
The Game Over screen is pretty funny. During the countdown time for you to continue, Dr. Robotnik dances and taunts during the whole countdown. At the near end of it, he laughs evilly.
The puzzling gameplay is pretty addicting, and it is still a fun game to this day.
Frogger (Rating: 9/10)
What a very surprising release. You would think that Frogger would go under a transition with updated graphics and sounds as it heads to the 16-Bit Sega Genesis. But NOPE! It's that exact same arcade classic that you may have grown up with playing at the arcades! From my knowledge, no other game on the Sega Genesis has ever been a direct port of an 80s game (Other than Action 52's version of Pong, but that's an unlicensed game).
While it is a direct port to the Genesis, the traffic-dodging gameplay, the retrospective graphics, and the catchy tunes still hold up today. It's hard to dislike the game, considering the gameplay is just as addicting as when it was an arcade machine, even though this version was released in the late 90s (As late as 1998, in fact).
If you didn't like the Super Nintendo because it didn't have the nostalgia or charming aspects that you expected, then come on down to here, where you get the real deal. Better yet, if you like the classic Frogger at all, you need to buy this.
While it is a direct port to the Genesis, the traffic-dodging gameplay, the retrospective graphics, and the catchy tunes still hold up today. It's hard to dislike the game, considering the gameplay is just as addicting as when it was an arcade machine, even though this version was released in the late 90s (As late as 1998, in fact).
If you didn't like the Super Nintendo because it didn't have the nostalgia or charming aspects that you expected, then come on down to here, where you get the real deal. Better yet, if you like the classic Frogger at all, you need to buy this.
Gain Ground (Rating: 8/10)
Gain Ground is no doubt an arcade game. Everything, from the stats to the game screen tells you it is.
The goal is to kill all the enemies scattered in the level by shooting at them. The game also contains real-time strategy elements, so beware of the arrows aimed at you.
So...yeah. All you do is move around and shoot.
There isn't really anything much to say about this game, but it's really addicting and I think you should buy it if you're a die-hard arcade fan.
The goal is to kill all the enemies scattered in the level by shooting at them. The game also contains real-time strategy elements, so beware of the arrows aimed at you.
So...yeah. All you do is move around and shoot.
There isn't really anything much to say about this game, but it's really addicting and I think you should buy it if you're a die-hard arcade fan.
Golden Axe (Rating: 9/10)
Golden Axe is a hack 'n slash game originally released in arcades. The Genesis port has two more levels than the original, and some more features.
Throughout the eight stages, you just beat up anybody in your way, as well as some bosses. You choose from 3 characters: A muscular warrior, a viking (Or gnome?), and a female fighter. Each character has their own kind of magic you can activate once pressing A, though that will use up all the pot you have collected from the thieves. Some bosses are easy, others may be hard. Heck, the second Death Adder (Known as Death Bringer) uses magic once he hits you, and that is saying something due to the fact that no enemy uses magic.
What I find odd is that the Death Adder boss counted as a separate stage, rather than entering the castle and the boss being in the same level like in the arcade version. And what just plain bothers me is how Sega recolored the viking/gnome's axe silver in this version, whereas the arcade version's axe is actually GOLD, like how the title is supposed to describe it.
Along with the Normal mode is a Beginner mode and a Duel mode.
The Beginner mode only lets you play through the first 3 levels. I guess that's fair for newer players.
The Duel mode plays like a fighting game since you have to beat up a certain enemy(ies) to move on. You start with so much HP, but if you lose all of it, you can't advance. There are no credits/continues in this mode.
There are a few options that you can change for the regular game. You can have 5 hit points instead of 3, and you can, of course, change the control settings.
Overall, this is a neat hack 'n slash that has been a Sega arcade hit for a while.
Throughout the eight stages, you just beat up anybody in your way, as well as some bosses. You choose from 3 characters: A muscular warrior, a viking (Or gnome?), and a female fighter. Each character has their own kind of magic you can activate once pressing A, though that will use up all the pot you have collected from the thieves. Some bosses are easy, others may be hard. Heck, the second Death Adder (Known as Death Bringer) uses magic once he hits you, and that is saying something due to the fact that no enemy uses magic.
What I find odd is that the Death Adder boss counted as a separate stage, rather than entering the castle and the boss being in the same level like in the arcade version. And what just plain bothers me is how Sega recolored the viking/gnome's axe silver in this version, whereas the arcade version's axe is actually GOLD, like how the title is supposed to describe it.
Along with the Normal mode is a Beginner mode and a Duel mode.
The Beginner mode only lets you play through the first 3 levels. I guess that's fair for newer players.
The Duel mode plays like a fighting game since you have to beat up a certain enemy(ies) to move on. You start with so much HP, but if you lose all of it, you can't advance. There are no credits/continues in this mode.
There are a few options that you can change for the regular game. You can have 5 hit points instead of 3, and you can, of course, change the control settings.
Overall, this is a neat hack 'n slash that has been a Sega arcade hit for a while.
Home Alone (Rating: 9/10)
If you loved the movie, you would probably love the game..well, at least this version of the game.
There are two gameplay modes: Beginner and Expert. The Beginner's mode lasts 20 minutes. The burglars' plumbers truck moves a bit slow. The Wet Bandits go to houses in a certain pattern The items you collect in the houses would automatically be formed together to make weapons you can use to injure the Wet Bandits. In Expert mode, the game lasts 40 minutes, the truck moves faster, the burglars have no pattern to follow, and you form the weapons yourself.
Don't know what I'm talking about? Here, read below.
As Kevin, you start outside one of the houses with your sled. You must follow the Wet Bandits as they go to a house. Before they enter one, however, you must go inside first to set up the traps. After you're done, you really go in the house. It plays like a platform game when you're inside a house. So you go around, get some items, and then the Wet Bandits come. If you're not in the same house as them, you better chase them before they flood the house. There are 5 houses. My favorite is the Ultra-Modern House, where it has a futuristic theme. The houses would probably have their own traps (Spiders, robots, etc). So you must give the Wet Bandits enough pain to fill up the Pain meter so they can get out of the house.
Now all that action is what makes the game awesome. You form weapons and set traps in a platformer in which you must hurt the burglars to kick them out!
The music and sounds are as good as any great 16-bit game.
The graphics are also very neat and they fit in with the game greatly.
Overall, SEGA represented Home Alone in the best way possible in a video game.
There are two gameplay modes: Beginner and Expert. The Beginner's mode lasts 20 minutes. The burglars' plumbers truck moves a bit slow. The Wet Bandits go to houses in a certain pattern The items you collect in the houses would automatically be formed together to make weapons you can use to injure the Wet Bandits. In Expert mode, the game lasts 40 minutes, the truck moves faster, the burglars have no pattern to follow, and you form the weapons yourself.
Don't know what I'm talking about? Here, read below.
As Kevin, you start outside one of the houses with your sled. You must follow the Wet Bandits as they go to a house. Before they enter one, however, you must go inside first to set up the traps. After you're done, you really go in the house. It plays like a platform game when you're inside a house. So you go around, get some items, and then the Wet Bandits come. If you're not in the same house as them, you better chase them before they flood the house. There are 5 houses. My favorite is the Ultra-Modern House, where it has a futuristic theme. The houses would probably have their own traps (Spiders, robots, etc). So you must give the Wet Bandits enough pain to fill up the Pain meter so they can get out of the house.
Now all that action is what makes the game awesome. You form weapons and set traps in a platformer in which you must hurt the burglars to kick them out!
The music and sounds are as good as any great 16-bit game.
The graphics are also very neat and they fit in with the game greatly.
Overall, SEGA represented Home Alone in the best way possible in a video game.
Kid Chameleon (Rating: 9/10)
Yeah, there's basically no other way to put it. Kid Chameleon is a Super Mario clone. From bashing blocks to jumping on enemies, this game has "Mario" written all over it. That's not to say the game is bad, though.
It emulates the Mario series greatly, and that can only be a good thing. There are also some very cool power-ups that are exclusive to this game, such as turning into a ninja, complete with sword. The levels also have really interesting designs.
While there isn't really anything else to say about this game, if you love Mario games, you should get this, considering there isn't an official Mario game ever released for the Genesis.
It emulates the Mario series greatly, and that can only be a good thing. There are also some very cool power-ups that are exclusive to this game, such as turning into a ninja, complete with sword. The levels also have really interesting designs.
While there isn't really anything else to say about this game, if you love Mario games, you should get this, considering there isn't an official Mario game ever released for the Genesis.
Mickey Mania (Rating: 8/10)
Mickey Mania was one of the last games Sony had created before the company went on to make the Playstation.
The first level takes you to the iconic Steamboat Willie cartoon. However, if you think that the first level is supposed to be simple, think again. There are numerous obstacles that are most likely to hurt you. If you get hit, you are only invincible for half a second. What makes the gameplay become fun is when you start collecting these spheres and then later throw them at enemies. You soon encounter ol' timey Pete, but he actually isn't the boss. Hit him 4 times and use him as a spring to bounce over a pile of crates. The REAL first boss is the machinery. You must destroy 4 gears by hitting them 5 times (3 times for the top ones) The boss, at first, plays incredibly hard, since the crates drop bombs on you. However, you don't find out til later to figure out that you can just jump to avoid getting blown up. After the boss, Mickey appears with Steamboat Willie. Then the text says "Congratulations! Mickey has rescued Steamboat Willie!" What? He was kidnapped?
The second level is, one of my favorites, The Mad Doctor. Right when you encounter a skeleton, things get hard. When the skeletons get destroyed, their bones fly up and fall down, but you actually had to avoid colliding with them. There are several portions of this level. After the first part, the second part contains rope swinging over lava. The third has you ride a runaway mine cart, but you must jump over the incoming spike balls. If things can't get any harder for you, you're lucky to know that the fourth portion lets you take a break as you run through a spiral staircase killing bats and jumping over barrels (Donkey Kong inspiration). It's easier than the previous parts...and it looks better than them, too, as that part is presented in fake 3D. There's also this part where you must perform chemistry. The downside here is that if you push it to the stool without the 3 layers you have to put in, the only decision is to kill yourself. The Mad Doctor doesn't seem like a very hard boss until you attack. If hit, he throws full flasks all over the place.
The third level is Moose Hunters. If you don't follow Pluto on this one, you're dead. Countless tree branches and boulders would fall on you. Moose would also gallop towards you at certain times. After beating the first part, things get easier, yet awkward. You now have to run away from a moose in a beautifully stupid fake 3D level.
The Lonesome Ghosts is your fourth level. Going up certain staircases would make them turn into a ramp. There are tilting platforms that you must tilt in the right direction to go on. The second part is annoying. You have to balance on a barrel while the house is being flooded. As you make your way towards left, the third barrel would sink, but if you get closer to the left, the water stops. That's the annoying part: The water. If you jump in, you lose your life automatically basically.
Mickey and the Beanstalk is graphically colorful. There's not a lot of hard stuff in here. Although I must admit the dragonflies are annoying. When you get to the first huge enemy, you'd think it'd be a boss since boss music is playing, but no. You must hop on a ladybug. The ladybug speeds away from the "boss" extremely. Once you reach the giant's house, there's a plate with Jello on it. You have to push it towards the wall, but you probably won't know it at first, since it's a big object to push.
Now...the Prince and the Pauper....it's the hardest and final level of the game. You swing, you kill, all that stuff. Unfortunately, I can't explain anymore since you must find about this on your own. Good luck.
Overall, if you are a die-hard fan of platform games, Mickey Mouse, or you just want a major challenge, go ahead and buy this game.
The first level takes you to the iconic Steamboat Willie cartoon. However, if you think that the first level is supposed to be simple, think again. There are numerous obstacles that are most likely to hurt you. If you get hit, you are only invincible for half a second. What makes the gameplay become fun is when you start collecting these spheres and then later throw them at enemies. You soon encounter ol' timey Pete, but he actually isn't the boss. Hit him 4 times and use him as a spring to bounce over a pile of crates. The REAL first boss is the machinery. You must destroy 4 gears by hitting them 5 times (3 times for the top ones) The boss, at first, plays incredibly hard, since the crates drop bombs on you. However, you don't find out til later to figure out that you can just jump to avoid getting blown up. After the boss, Mickey appears with Steamboat Willie. Then the text says "Congratulations! Mickey has rescued Steamboat Willie!" What? He was kidnapped?
The second level is, one of my favorites, The Mad Doctor. Right when you encounter a skeleton, things get hard. When the skeletons get destroyed, their bones fly up and fall down, but you actually had to avoid colliding with them. There are several portions of this level. After the first part, the second part contains rope swinging over lava. The third has you ride a runaway mine cart, but you must jump over the incoming spike balls. If things can't get any harder for you, you're lucky to know that the fourth portion lets you take a break as you run through a spiral staircase killing bats and jumping over barrels (Donkey Kong inspiration). It's easier than the previous parts...and it looks better than them, too, as that part is presented in fake 3D. There's also this part where you must perform chemistry. The downside here is that if you push it to the stool without the 3 layers you have to put in, the only decision is to kill yourself. The Mad Doctor doesn't seem like a very hard boss until you attack. If hit, he throws full flasks all over the place.
The third level is Moose Hunters. If you don't follow Pluto on this one, you're dead. Countless tree branches and boulders would fall on you. Moose would also gallop towards you at certain times. After beating the first part, things get easier, yet awkward. You now have to run away from a moose in a beautifully stupid fake 3D level.
The Lonesome Ghosts is your fourth level. Going up certain staircases would make them turn into a ramp. There are tilting platforms that you must tilt in the right direction to go on. The second part is annoying. You have to balance on a barrel while the house is being flooded. As you make your way towards left, the third barrel would sink, but if you get closer to the left, the water stops. That's the annoying part: The water. If you jump in, you lose your life automatically basically.
Mickey and the Beanstalk is graphically colorful. There's not a lot of hard stuff in here. Although I must admit the dragonflies are annoying. When you get to the first huge enemy, you'd think it'd be a boss since boss music is playing, but no. You must hop on a ladybug. The ladybug speeds away from the "boss" extremely. Once you reach the giant's house, there's a plate with Jello on it. You have to push it towards the wall, but you probably won't know it at first, since it's a big object to push.
Now...the Prince and the Pauper....it's the hardest and final level of the game. You swing, you kill, all that stuff. Unfortunately, I can't explain anymore since you must find about this on your own. Good luck.
Overall, if you are a die-hard fan of platform games, Mickey Mouse, or you just want a major challenge, go ahead and buy this game.
Pac-Man 2: The New Adventures (Rating: 8/10)
Pac-Man is a really awesome arcade game. It's so addicting! You just eat dots while roaming around in a maze while avoiding ghosts. And then you could use a special dot in which the ghosts become edible. This, my friends, was timeless action the Namco loves going back to over and over again. Not in 1994, though, in which they release Pac-Man 2. Look at that cover art...I don't think this is maze game. I have a theory as to why this "interactive cartoon" has the Pac-Man 2 name. There was a Pac-Man cartoon show in the 80s. I can only assume this is a sequel to that. Since a new Pac-Man show is being made and set for next year, why not review Namco's attempt at doing something like that in a video game?
Pac-Man 2: The New Adventures has you help Pac-Man on his journey. That's right. YOU'RE a part of his ventures. Anyway, the game is composed of various objectives Pac-Man has to accomplish. He roams around all kinds of places such as a farm, a warehouse, a mountain, and much more. The trick here is that the player has to be pretty observant and aware of what's going on around the scenery.
The player uses a slingshot to shoot at stuff to get Pac-Man to notice them (You can also convince Pac-Man to look in a certain direction). It's like a shooting gallery crossed with an adventure game. However, since this is classified as an "interactive cartoon", there were definitely some bizarre reactions to what you shoot. For example, if you shoot a guy at a Hot Dog stand, he squirts ketchup onto Pac-Man in anger. Sometimes, the slingshot could be used to help Pac-Man find ways to progress (EX: A rope for him to climb, or shooting away a rock on a hill so Pac-Man doesn't trip over it). Or you can even shoot Pac-Man himself when he's about to meet his fate, so he could jump away (or you could just shoot him to anger him).
The slingshot could also be used for slinging Power Pellets in case of any ghosts lurking around. However, here's one major flaw with that - The only place I recall where you get Power Pellets is Pac-Man's house. And you only get to use 3 before running out. If Pac-Man needs a Power Pellet and ghosts are scaring him, this will go on for a LONG time before the ghosts finally fly away.
What really influences the game other than the slingshot is Pac-Man's mood. This is interestingly an important part of the game, because how he acts toward some things rely on his behavior. Some instances require him to be angry or happy, and some cause him to change his mood to such things.
The formula overall is very, VERY unique and makes the game really interesting. Namco did a great job with the making of this game. Unfortunately, there are two problems: The lack of places to get Power Pellets AND the lack of an actual save feature. Yeah....you have to use passwords, so you better write em down..
But other than those problems, the game is great.
As for the game being an interactive cartoon, it really nails that. The game has a great sense of humor (EX: In the park, Pac-Man trips on rock, and slips on a skateboard, causing that skateboard to fly up in the air and land straight onto his head - There's also a billboard in the city that shows an anime person holding a hamburger. Pac-Man smiles as a laughable reaction to the billboard). Many things you shoot with the slingshot can cause a gut-buster.
Actually, it seems like if you don't want to play through the main game, you could just have Pac-Man wander off and create your own little cartoon venture. Go ahead. Have Pac-Man brawl with a cat that stole his hot dog. Have a farmer's haystack fall flat onto him. Do whatever.
If you're not interested in the actual game, Pac-Man 2 still has some value for you. If you go to the city's arcade, you'll find a fully playable Pac-Man arcade cabinet & an exclusive unlockable game titled Pac-Jr. Or, if you want to avoid the game altogether, and go straight into the original Pac-Man or Pac. Jr, you can enter these passwords:
Pac-Man: PCMNORG
Pac-Jr: PCJRDPW
Pac-Man is that timeless classic we all know and love. Eat the dots, avoid ghosts, you know....all good stuff. Considering Pac-Man 2's price right now for a used copy, you could just buy this game right now just for the classic Pac-Man alone.
Fortunately for you arcade Pac lovers out there, there's a new exclusive game (Pac-Jr). Granted, it's based on Ms. Pac-Man, as the mazes' colors and design show that they are, but the mazes are different enough to where it's a new Pac-Man game. Definitely a fun game to play as well.
All in all, Pac-Man 2 is a should-have. If you're a cartoon fanatic, you should pick this up right away. If you are looking for an unexpected challenge, the game certainly has that. If you are a Pac-Man fan, and wish for arcade-style action, Pac-Man 2 still offers the arcade classic and Pac-Jr to satisfy your needs. There's something for everyone here!
Pac-Man 2: The New Adventures has you help Pac-Man on his journey. That's right. YOU'RE a part of his ventures. Anyway, the game is composed of various objectives Pac-Man has to accomplish. He roams around all kinds of places such as a farm, a warehouse, a mountain, and much more. The trick here is that the player has to be pretty observant and aware of what's going on around the scenery.
The player uses a slingshot to shoot at stuff to get Pac-Man to notice them (You can also convince Pac-Man to look in a certain direction). It's like a shooting gallery crossed with an adventure game. However, since this is classified as an "interactive cartoon", there were definitely some bizarre reactions to what you shoot. For example, if you shoot a guy at a Hot Dog stand, he squirts ketchup onto Pac-Man in anger. Sometimes, the slingshot could be used to help Pac-Man find ways to progress (EX: A rope for him to climb, or shooting away a rock on a hill so Pac-Man doesn't trip over it). Or you can even shoot Pac-Man himself when he's about to meet his fate, so he could jump away (or you could just shoot him to anger him).
The slingshot could also be used for slinging Power Pellets in case of any ghosts lurking around. However, here's one major flaw with that - The only place I recall where you get Power Pellets is Pac-Man's house. And you only get to use 3 before running out. If Pac-Man needs a Power Pellet and ghosts are scaring him, this will go on for a LONG time before the ghosts finally fly away.
What really influences the game other than the slingshot is Pac-Man's mood. This is interestingly an important part of the game, because how he acts toward some things rely on his behavior. Some instances require him to be angry or happy, and some cause him to change his mood to such things.
The formula overall is very, VERY unique and makes the game really interesting. Namco did a great job with the making of this game. Unfortunately, there are two problems: The lack of places to get Power Pellets AND the lack of an actual save feature. Yeah....you have to use passwords, so you better write em down..
But other than those problems, the game is great.
As for the game being an interactive cartoon, it really nails that. The game has a great sense of humor (EX: In the park, Pac-Man trips on rock, and slips on a skateboard, causing that skateboard to fly up in the air and land straight onto his head - There's also a billboard in the city that shows an anime person holding a hamburger. Pac-Man smiles as a laughable reaction to the billboard). Many things you shoot with the slingshot can cause a gut-buster.
Actually, it seems like if you don't want to play through the main game, you could just have Pac-Man wander off and create your own little cartoon venture. Go ahead. Have Pac-Man brawl with a cat that stole his hot dog. Have a farmer's haystack fall flat onto him. Do whatever.
If you're not interested in the actual game, Pac-Man 2 still has some value for you. If you go to the city's arcade, you'll find a fully playable Pac-Man arcade cabinet & an exclusive unlockable game titled Pac-Jr. Or, if you want to avoid the game altogether, and go straight into the original Pac-Man or Pac. Jr, you can enter these passwords:
Pac-Man: PCMNORG
Pac-Jr: PCJRDPW
Pac-Man is that timeless classic we all know and love. Eat the dots, avoid ghosts, you know....all good stuff. Considering Pac-Man 2's price right now for a used copy, you could just buy this game right now just for the classic Pac-Man alone.
Fortunately for you arcade Pac lovers out there, there's a new exclusive game (Pac-Jr). Granted, it's based on Ms. Pac-Man, as the mazes' colors and design show that they are, but the mazes are different enough to where it's a new Pac-Man game. Definitely a fun game to play as well.
All in all, Pac-Man 2 is a should-have. If you're a cartoon fanatic, you should pick this up right away. If you are looking for an unexpected challenge, the game certainly has that. If you are a Pac-Man fan, and wish for arcade-style action, Pac-Man 2 still offers the arcade classic and Pac-Jr to satisfy your needs. There's something for everyone here!
Sonic 3D Blast (Rating: 9/10)
Sonic 3D Blast is a radical departure from the other classic Sonics. It takes gameplay from the Flicky arcade/Genesis game, and throws Sonic action and great fake 3D into the blender!
There are so many zones in this game that you probably wouldn't have time to finish the game. The bad part about that is that there's no saving or loading, BUT the closest thing to that is the level select. The level select, while it can be accessed by a button code, can also be accessed by cartridge tilting. It's secretive, yeah, but it's the closet thing to a save feature. That's what makes this version superior over the Saturn game: Easy level select access.
The Special Stages, while presented in even better fake 3D, are very easy. You have to cross a huge bridge over lava or the Earth, collecting rings and dodging spike bombs. You can probably finish one with over 300 or 200 rings.
The main gameplay is about saving Flickies after you kill the Badniks. Then you must toss 'em into a giant ring that lets you go to the next part of the level.
Shields are still present. There's the regular shield, the fire shield, and a golden one that lets you use the Homing Attack, a new addition to Sonic games since Sonic Adventure, in which that game and so on lets you use it as a normal attack.
Overall, I could have given this 4 stars if I hadn't known about how cartridge tilting accesses the level select. That really helped calm myself. The Flicky/Sonic style action has made a unique twist on the series.
There are so many zones in this game that you probably wouldn't have time to finish the game. The bad part about that is that there's no saving or loading, BUT the closest thing to that is the level select. The level select, while it can be accessed by a button code, can also be accessed by cartridge tilting. It's secretive, yeah, but it's the closet thing to a save feature. That's what makes this version superior over the Saturn game: Easy level select access.
The Special Stages, while presented in even better fake 3D, are very easy. You have to cross a huge bridge over lava or the Earth, collecting rings and dodging spike bombs. You can probably finish one with over 300 or 200 rings.
The main gameplay is about saving Flickies after you kill the Badniks. Then you must toss 'em into a giant ring that lets you go to the next part of the level.
Shields are still present. There's the regular shield, the fire shield, and a golden one that lets you use the Homing Attack, a new addition to Sonic games since Sonic Adventure, in which that game and so on lets you use it as a normal attack.
Overall, I could have given this 4 stars if I hadn't known about how cartridge tilting accesses the level select. That really helped calm myself. The Flicky/Sonic style action has made a unique twist on the series.
Sonic & Knuckles (Rating: 10/10)
If you liked Sonic 3, you're in luck. Sonic and Knuckles has a great majority of what Sonic 3 had, except now it brings you all new zones.
What's even better is that you can combine Sonic 3 and Sonic and Knuckles together to make one huge and wonderful Sonic game that doubles the length of the regular Sonic 3 using Sonic and Knuckles's levels!
So yeah. Besides the combining with Sonic 3, Sonic and Knuckles is the second part of that game, but it is just as good!
But even if these reviews aren't helping you out, you should know that Sonics 1 & 2 are separate releases, but guess what? Sonic 3 and Sonic and Knuckles are TOGETHER within the same price tag! And that price is just as high as any Genesis Sonic game! So it has to be worth it anyway!
What's even better is that you can combine Sonic 3 and Sonic and Knuckles together to make one huge and wonderful Sonic game that doubles the length of the regular Sonic 3 using Sonic and Knuckles's levels!
So yeah. Besides the combining with Sonic 3, Sonic and Knuckles is the second part of that game, but it is just as good!
But even if these reviews aren't helping you out, you should know that Sonics 1 & 2 are separate releases, but guess what? Sonic 3 and Sonic and Knuckles are TOGETHER within the same price tag! And that price is just as high as any Genesis Sonic game! So it has to be worth it anyway!
Sonic Spinball (Rating: 6/10)
As the first actual spin-off of the Sonic titles, Sonic Spinball certainly tries to go above and beyond with the pinball genre. After all, we have seen Sonic bounce around in pinball-ish areas in the Casino Night Zone, right? It seems like some of that action was the reason why Sonic Spinball came to be.
The gameplay is pretty neat. Sonic plays a role of a ball and you gotta bounce him around into areas to progress and complete tasks. You can even influence Sonic's movement a little bit. Of course, there's also ring-collecting and badnik-bashing on the way. There are 4 pretty big pinball tables; each with their own gimmicks. You also have to collect the Chaos Emeralds that can be found within the tables.
Honestly, it isn't really as compelling as it may sound. While it can be fun, it's not easy being able to get Sonic/the ball to go where you want him to. After all, this is still pinball. There will be a lot of bouncing Sonic around before actually reaching your destination, making it seem like a chore at times.
The gameplay is pretty neat. Sonic plays a role of a ball and you gotta bounce him around into areas to progress and complete tasks. You can even influence Sonic's movement a little bit. Of course, there's also ring-collecting and badnik-bashing on the way. There are 4 pretty big pinball tables; each with their own gimmicks. You also have to collect the Chaos Emeralds that can be found within the tables.
Honestly, it isn't really as compelling as it may sound. While it can be fun, it's not easy being able to get Sonic/the ball to go where you want him to. After all, this is still pinball. There will be a lot of bouncing Sonic around before actually reaching your destination, making it seem like a chore at times.
Sonic the Hedgehog (Rating: 10/10)
Sonic has hit a major speed bump the past half-decade, but before that half-decade, he was on fire! Starting in 1991, the blue blur's first outing was one of his best. As Sonic, you go through 6 zones in high-speed action while tracking down a fat evildoer named Dr. Robotnik! The controls were pretty simple: You use a D-pad and a button to play. The graphics were full of 16-bit awesomism. The sounds and music were top-notch. The main challenge in the game, however, is not the difficulty in the zones as you progress through them, but instead, they are the Special Stages, in which you must finish an act with over 50 rings to access them. Then, in the Special Stages, you must guide yourself carefully to the Chaos Emeralds.
Sonic's first hit was a blast. If you like Sonic games, especially the retro Sonics, give this a shot if you haven't played this one before.
Sonic's first hit was a blast. If you like Sonic games, especially the retro Sonics, give this a shot if you haven't played this one before.
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (Rating: 10/10)
When the original Sonic sped onto shelves, it boosted popularity of the Sega Genesis, and for good reason: It was clearly one to show off the system's capabilities, as well as being freakishly fun. Oh, and let's not forget the speed you were rewarded with after some platforming. Sonic 2 here offers that same fun......Except there are even more elements in this game that just make it all the more better!
The levels are more creative and colorful, and some are just incredibly unique (Gamblin' at the Casino Night Zone, anyone?). The levels contrast from each other in even more ways than they do in Sonic 1, such as the casino's slots and pinball stuff, Chemical Plant's rising "pink water", Aquatic Ruin's underwater and on-land layers, etc. So, with all of these things going on, being added onto the traditional and already-fun Sonic gameplay, it makes for an overall AWESOME experience.
One major inclusion is Tails. As Sonic's sidekick, Tails....um...Well, he never really catches up. BUT, he CAN be controlled with a second controller. As such, he can help defeat bosses without risking the loss of Rings (Y'know - They are to Sonic as coins are to Mario), and he can also help Sonic collect Rings in the Special Stages for collecting one of the 7 Chaos Emeralds...You are so much better off with a friend there. Trust me.
However, Tails being controlled by another player isn't the highlight for 2-Player goodness. That highlight is the game's Versus mode. Sonic and Tails compete in 3 zones and the Special Stages! Rather than just simply racing through, though, the game tallies up who finishes the level first, and how many Rings or item boxes they hit, as well as their overall score. So if you just ran through a level, the other player has time to build up his/her score to Win instead of you!
Overall, this is one heck of a Sonic game. Whatever you do, do not miss out on it.
The levels are more creative and colorful, and some are just incredibly unique (Gamblin' at the Casino Night Zone, anyone?). The levels contrast from each other in even more ways than they do in Sonic 1, such as the casino's slots and pinball stuff, Chemical Plant's rising "pink water", Aquatic Ruin's underwater and on-land layers, etc. So, with all of these things going on, being added onto the traditional and already-fun Sonic gameplay, it makes for an overall AWESOME experience.
One major inclusion is Tails. As Sonic's sidekick, Tails....um...Well, he never really catches up. BUT, he CAN be controlled with a second controller. As such, he can help defeat bosses without risking the loss of Rings (Y'know - They are to Sonic as coins are to Mario), and he can also help Sonic collect Rings in the Special Stages for collecting one of the 7 Chaos Emeralds...You are so much better off with a friend there. Trust me.
However, Tails being controlled by another player isn't the highlight for 2-Player goodness. That highlight is the game's Versus mode. Sonic and Tails compete in 3 zones and the Special Stages! Rather than just simply racing through, though, the game tallies up who finishes the level first, and how many Rings or item boxes they hit, as well as their overall score. So if you just ran through a level, the other player has time to build up his/her score to Win instead of you!
Overall, this is one heck of a Sonic game. Whatever you do, do not miss out on it.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (Rating: 10/10)
Sonic 1 was awesome, Sonic 2 was awesomer, and Sonic 3 blew the Genesis over the roof! For the first time, you get to save/load your game from 6 different save files to choose from, also letting you choose your character (You can choose characters in Sonic 2, but that was in the Options menu). Sonic 3 improves upon the previous games' graphics and gameplay, introduced us to different kinds of shields and amazingly detailed zones and characters. The music is good, too. Speaking of which, Micheal Jackson helped compose the music (However, he wasn't credited)!
T2: The Arcade Game (Rating: 9/10)
T2: The Arcade Game was based off of the Terminator 2 movie. In the arcades, it was played with video game guns. The home ports for the Super Nintendo and the Genesis are compatible with the Super Scope and the Sega Menacer game guns. However, you may also use the controllers, but the result of that is moving a cursor around shooting things. It isn't a bad way to play, though.
The game tries to follow the movie's storyline by telling it in between certain levels. After waiting for the first part of the story to end, you will end up shooting everything in sight! There are robots coming from both sides of the screen, and enemy planes flying in the sky. Kill them all!! That sums up the whole game pretty much, but the awesome action would obviously keep you playing.
One downside I must point out is that the level where you have to protect John Konner is too difficult. There are several robots and planes attacking the pickup truck. However, there is a way I know to beat this level: Only bomb the planes. Don't concentrate on the robots. And bomb them RIGHT AWAY! Having another player help out would be nice, I guess.
Thankfully, there's a 2-Player mode that adds to the game's replay value. As both of you Terminators get your controllers prepared, you'll be ready for the greatness of shooting mindlessly.
The game tries to follow the movie's storyline by telling it in between certain levels. After waiting for the first part of the story to end, you will end up shooting everything in sight! There are robots coming from both sides of the screen, and enemy planes flying in the sky. Kill them all!! That sums up the whole game pretty much, but the awesome action would obviously keep you playing.
One downside I must point out is that the level where you have to protect John Konner is too difficult. There are several robots and planes attacking the pickup truck. However, there is a way I know to beat this level: Only bomb the planes. Don't concentrate on the robots. And bomb them RIGHT AWAY! Having another player help out would be nice, I guess.
Thankfully, there's a 2-Player mode that adds to the game's replay value. As both of you Terminators get your controllers prepared, you'll be ready for the greatness of shooting mindlessly.
Toy Story (Rating: 8/10)
Toy Story was an awesome movie. However, is it an awesome cash-in? Actually, the game's pretty good. As Woody, you go through 18 levels that relate to the movie and follow its storyline.
Since this version of the game was released after the SNES game, there are some differences that were put in the game.
Some of these are:
-New level
-Bonus game
-Level differences
The graphics are some of the best on the Genesis. Especially considering its limited color palliate.
The sounds and music aren't as great as the Super Nintendo had them turn out, also considering the limits, but they are still sounding pretty well on the hardware.
The gameplay is also pretty good, but it's always varied, although it's mostly a platform game.
However, the game is hard. Harder than the Super Nintendo game. The reason why and how is because of the new additions to some levels. The Claw has this annoying wire that hits you when you touch it. Really Inside the Claw Machine is an entirely different and more confusing maze. Nightmare Buzz moves slowly. And the list goes on. Things are still easier after beating it once, though.
The storyline is horribly written in the game. For example: "I'm so mad that I can't see where I'm going!" However, you'd just skip the storyline cutscenes anyway. What? We've all done it.
But overall, this is a good game for the Genesis library that you should probably own. Unless if you have a more superior version of the game, or at least, what you think is superior.
Since this version of the game was released after the SNES game, there are some differences that were put in the game.
Some of these are:
-New level
-Bonus game
-Level differences
The graphics are some of the best on the Genesis. Especially considering its limited color palliate.
The sounds and music aren't as great as the Super Nintendo had them turn out, also considering the limits, but they are still sounding pretty well on the hardware.
The gameplay is also pretty good, but it's always varied, although it's mostly a platform game.
However, the game is hard. Harder than the Super Nintendo game. The reason why and how is because of the new additions to some levels. The Claw has this annoying wire that hits you when you touch it. Really Inside the Claw Machine is an entirely different and more confusing maze. Nightmare Buzz moves slowly. And the list goes on. Things are still easier after beating it once, though.
The storyline is horribly written in the game. For example: "I'm so mad that I can't see where I'm going!" However, you'd just skip the storyline cutscenes anyway. What? We've all done it.
But overall, this is a good game for the Genesis library that you should probably own. Unless if you have a more superior version of the game, or at least, what you think is superior.
Vectorman (Rating: 9/10)
It's the mid-90s. Nintendo and Sega were competing head-to-head against each other by battling using their main game consoles and games, including the Super Nintendo and the Sega Genesis. Nintendo tried to use the Virtual Boy to help, but that failed. They were even competing with the handheld section of the industry with the Game Boy and the Game Gear! As the wait for the 64-bit era was coming very close, game companies now wanted to enhance their graphics by pre-rendering them. Sega's entry rivaled Nintendo's Donkey Kong Country. It doesn't look like it, but that entry is Vectorman.
Vectorman is nothing like Donkey Kong Country at all, but the two things they have in common are their superior graphics and their late release dates.
The gameplay is awesome. You get to shoot in all directions, double jump, and get different weapons. Vectorman can also shapeshift when you collect a certain item. In a water level, he swims farther up, which is pretty helpful since he doesn't swim. There are some levels that change the gameplay a bit. The second level, for example, is an on-rails boss battle that shows off more fancy-looking fake-3D graphics.
The bosses are pretty difficult, but once you get the pattern down, you can defeat them. After you defeat them, Vectorman does this pose where he kinda copies Mario with the peace sign, but he uses both his hands this time. He also acts like this kinda "WHOO! That was awesome!" kinda thing.
The sounds define the action genre. Shooting sounds, explosion sounds, and catchy background music.
Overall, this is a really great game that is a must-have for Genesis fans.
Vectorman is nothing like Donkey Kong Country at all, but the two things they have in common are their superior graphics and their late release dates.
The gameplay is awesome. You get to shoot in all directions, double jump, and get different weapons. Vectorman can also shapeshift when you collect a certain item. In a water level, he swims farther up, which is pretty helpful since he doesn't swim. There are some levels that change the gameplay a bit. The second level, for example, is an on-rails boss battle that shows off more fancy-looking fake-3D graphics.
The bosses are pretty difficult, but once you get the pattern down, you can defeat them. After you defeat them, Vectorman does this pose where he kinda copies Mario with the peace sign, but he uses both his hands this time. He also acts like this kinda "WHOO! That was awesome!" kinda thing.
The sounds define the action genre. Shooting sounds, explosion sounds, and catchy background music.
Overall, this is a really great game that is a must-have for Genesis fans.
Vectorman 2 (Rating: 9/10)
After playing terrific Genesis game, Vectorman, you would wonder what the sequel has to offer.
Well, the sequel is actually a continuation of the first game. Nonetheless, since it plays like the first game, it is just as great and fun as it.
The gameplay is awesome. You get to shoot in all directions, double jump, and get different weapons. Vectorman can also shapeshift when you collect a certain item. In a water level, he swims farther up, which is pretty helpful since he doesn't swim. There are some levels that change the gameplay a bit.
The bosses are pretty difficult, but once you get the pattern down, you can defeat them a little easily.
The sounds define the action genre. Shooting sounds, explosion sounds, and catchy background music.
Overall, this is a really great game Genesis fans should go ahead and buy.
Well, the sequel is actually a continuation of the first game. Nonetheless, since it plays like the first game, it is just as great and fun as it.
The gameplay is awesome. You get to shoot in all directions, double jump, and get different weapons. Vectorman can also shapeshift when you collect a certain item. In a water level, he swims farther up, which is pretty helpful since he doesn't swim. There are some levels that change the gameplay a bit.
The bosses are pretty difficult, but once you get the pattern down, you can defeat them a little easily.
The sounds define the action genre. Shooting sounds, explosion sounds, and catchy background music.
Overall, this is a really great game Genesis fans should go ahead and buy.
Virtua Fighter 2 (Rating: 7/10)
It was the year 1996. The Nintendo 64 and the Sega Saturn were making its way, whereas the Playstation is already snatching up some customers. The Super Nintendo's and the Genesis's appeals were coming to an end, as people were now concentrating on the newer systems. And now, Sega ends its line of first-party games for the Genesis with...Virtua Fighter 2? And not as a Sega 32x game? I don't know about their decisions, either, but Virtua Fighter 2 is one of those games that appear on both a new and old system (It's also for the Saturn).
The series is supposed to be 3D, with the exception of this game, which is..of course, 2D. That isn't a bad thing, though. After all, we all have loved the Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat series, right? Well, I wouldn't say the result is bad. The only real problem I have with it is that it is too short (It is made up of 8 stages and a bonus stage at the end). And that is a minor complaint.
The 2D fighting is actually pretty responsive and fast. Granted, you can't walk fast, but by fast, I mean the time limit is only 30 seconds (Good if you have more HP than the opponent), and the attacks can drain a fighter's health as much as, well, any other move in a fighting game (See Mortal Kombat uppercuts, punches, and kicks). You can also knock your opponent out of the ring, which automatically earns you a KO. It's pretty satisfying stuff.
Even though you may already have a great fighting game, this game is still one to enjoy.
The series is supposed to be 3D, with the exception of this game, which is..of course, 2D. That isn't a bad thing, though. After all, we all have loved the Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat series, right? Well, I wouldn't say the result is bad. The only real problem I have with it is that it is too short (It is made up of 8 stages and a bonus stage at the end). And that is a minor complaint.
The 2D fighting is actually pretty responsive and fast. Granted, you can't walk fast, but by fast, I mean the time limit is only 30 seconds (Good if you have more HP than the opponent), and the attacks can drain a fighter's health as much as, well, any other move in a fighting game (See Mortal Kombat uppercuts, punches, and kicks). You can also knock your opponent out of the ring, which automatically earns you a KO. It's pretty satisfying stuff.
Even though you may already have a great fighting game, this game is still one to enjoy.