Tombs & Treasures (Infocom 1991)

When professor Imes goes on an expedition to some Mayan ruins, not everything goes according to plan. In fact, of the seven men that went with him only the tour guide returned alive. What's more, according to the notes and artefacts found it seems that the professor has accidentally unleashed a group of demons that was sealed in the ruins by the ancient Mayans. Since its summer vacation and you are a friend of his daughter, the two of you, along with the tour guide decide to go back to the ruins and attempt to solve the mystery.

Tombs and Treasures is a nice break from the usual platform and shooter games found on the NES. While it might at first look like a Role Playing Game, the closest thing to describing it would be a graphical version of a text adventure. You still have all your verbs like Look, Take, Put, Use, Move, Push, Pull, Smash, Join, Wash, Wait, Fight, Change and Go but instead of having to type them, you just select the appropriate action from a command menu. The outside areas look like your average Top Down RPG as you wander from location to location. You don't do anything on this map except find your next location and the area that the game takes place in is also relatively small. Step inside a building though and the view switches to a first person adventure style interface.

This is where you'll spend most of the game collecting clues, solving puzzles and fighting creatures. Unlike a Role Playing Game, each building you enter only have one or two creatures to fight and it's usually either a case of you kill them or they kill you. Solving puzzles gives you more experience levels resulting in more health but wander into the wrong place before your ready for it and you'll usually die. Although you have health it's filled up completely after each battle so you don't have to worry about healing items or resting. Combat is also usually resolved by just pressing the attack button. There is some strategy involved as some creatures are weak against certain items but throughout the whole game you'll only fight with one sword.

The puzzles in the game can be quite fiendish at times and taking careful notes is highly recommended. You can do things wrong and do stupid things which can result in you being unable to complete the game. You can save your position at any time via a 32 digit password but this thing is huge and cumbersome to write down. Fortunately if you die, you can just press continue to go on from just before you died and don't have to input the password. Turning off the power means you have to input the password next time though. A good idea is the password confirm where you can type in the password to let the game confirm you have in fact written down the right thing. Trust me; this can save you a lot of frustration if you accidentally wrote down a wrong digit.

The graphics in the game is good but nothing really special. The outside map is filled with pyramids, tombs and ruins to explore while the interior graphics is small but detailed. You get lots of items along the way and some of them can be combined to form new items. The demons you encounter don't really look that scary and all the rooms are just static pictures with no animations. There are lots to do though as things can be moved around to expose secret doors and all kind of keys and gems has to be found. Having three characters, which you can switch between also makes for a few interesting puzzles. The game also has a few nice twists although conversations with other characters are a bit limited.

The sounds in the game are nothing special, with only a few background tunes. There are a few eerie songs but overall I think more could have been done to enhance the spooky nature of the game. A few more sound effects would also have been nice. The controls take a while to get used to as you have to scroll through hordes of icons. After a while though you get used to it and search each room like a pro. Combing items is easy and most action can be performed with a single command.

Adventure fans should really get a kick out of Tombs and Traps although more traditional RPG fans will probably be a bit disappointed by its length. If you would like to try a game where the emphasis is on puzzle solving and exploration, not combat then give Tombs and Traps a try. It's got a good storyline, some nice puzzles and will keep you guessing for quite a while to unravel all its secrets. It can also be a highly frustrating experience so if you don't have the brainpower or patience for this game it will all end in tears.

[8]

Wurm: Journey To The Center Of The Earth (Asmik 1991)

In the year 1999 some destructive Earth tremors and volcanoes cause havoc with the planet's surface prompting scientists to attempt learning the origin behind these forces. Vehicles are built to explore the depths of the planet but four of these never return. Now it's up to you to find these lost explorers and try to find out what caused their disappearance as well as what is causing the tremors.

WURM combines quite a few genres in a attempt to bring something new to the NES and a huge quest stands between you and the secrets of the center of the Earth. Traveling around in your VZR (the WURM) you have to fight against the inhabitants of the underworld in a variety of viewpoints. Not only do you have side scrolling and top town shooting sections but also a first person view boss battles and platform style adventure sections. All these are backed up by some entertaining cut-scenes that further the interesting storyline.

Your VZR have quite a few tricks it can employ to thwart the enemies and your crew is also on standby to offer some advice. With the ability to use tank, hover and aerial modes,  your VZR is well equipped for the missions ahead as long as you keep a eye on your shield and fuel levels. Shields recharge over time but fuel has to be collected by killing certain enemies. Enemies come at you thick and fast and only split second reflexes will save you. Enemies also have the annoying ability to constantly respawn so be on your guard at all times. The boss sections are unique because you take them on in a first person view battle. You can only scroll the screen left and right but you can move your target cursor all over the screen to take out their minions and focus on their weak spots. You also get the chance to talk to your crew to best determine how to kill the boss which is quite an interesting touch.

The platform sections put you on control of Moby, the female captain of the VZR. Although these levels are generally short they can be pretty tough and it's a good thing that you have a gun to take out enemies. You bullets are finite though so unless you want to kick your way across a level it's best to conserve them. You'll have to search for clues and keys to progress as well as find the missing members of the previous teams.
The graphics in the game are quite good especially considering how many different gaming styles are on offer. The platform sections feature large characters and some pretty detailed locations. The boss battles are also quite nice with huge creatures and cool effects. The shooting sections are nothing special and look pretty much like any other but still has some unique enemies and levels while the WURM is a unique and versatile craft. With twenty levels spread across five acts it's a good thing the game has a password feature and infinite continues.

The audio in the game isn't bad but there is nothing to make it outstanding or especially good. The tunes remain in the background and you'll be hard pressed to remember any of them once you've stopped playing. Sound effects are also basically nonexistent. The controls take some getting used to and there is a definite learning curve involved mastering them. The collision detection can be a bit shaky at times which can make things frustrating as well.

Although WURM is a unique and entertaining game it could also have been a bit better in some areas. The constantly onslaught of enemies are challenging but at times you can hardly dodge them. Some of the platform sections also get a bit tedious as you have to search maze like areas for the exit or clues. The ability to talk to crew members during a boss battle is a nice touch but their dialogue is limited and the soon repeat themselves.

While it's not quite a classic game it can still entertain and it's good to see companies try something new. It has some original touches that makes it worthwhile but some persistence (as well as patience) is required if you want to get the most out of it.

[7]

Dragon Warrior 2 (Chunsoft 1990)

After saving the world at the end of Dragon Warrior the hero and the princess left and started their own kingdom. Peace reigned and everyone was happy. The happy couple had three children who each got their own lands to rule. Under their fair and just rulership the land enjoyed peace for 100 years before trouble started again. This time an evil sorcerer called Hargon attacked Moonbrooke Castle in his plans to use the dark gods for world domination. Fortunately a lone solder escaped the carnage to warn the king of Midenhall. Unfortunately the king is far too old for questing but luckily his heir is on hand to save the world.

 

What this all boils down to is pretty much saving the world by finding five artefacts and killing the bad guy. Fortunately Dragon Warrior 2 has some minor improvements that will make the game more fun to play for fans of the first part as well as please newcomers. It's still not up to Final Fantasy standards but at least Enix bothers to translate their games, something Square wasn't very interested in during their early days. The bad news is that the graphics remain pretty much the same as the original with only a few improvements here and there. Seeing as the first game already had dated graphics this does not make for a very visually impressive game. The gameworld is many times larger than the original though so the game packs a far greater challenge.

The biggest change from the first game is the addition of party members. You can now have two other members in your party to help you in your quest. Of course, this means that you'll no longer fight single enemies but can be attacked by large groups of monsters. Although your main character is a warrior and cannot use any magic, his companions can and the game packs a few new spells to make life easier for you. The interface has also been cleaned up a bit and while remaining pretty much the same as in part one most of the more tedious aspects has been improved. You no longer have to use a command to use stairs for example. You also no longer have to worry about torches as all the caves and dungeons are well lit. You can still only save at certain spots but now almost every town and castle has a save spot so you don't have to backtrack vast distances to save your game. If you're really lucky you can also lay your hand on a potion that enables you to save anywhere. This can only be used once and the potions are very hard to come by so don't rely on them.

Buying and selling is still a bit annoying as you have to buy or sell items one by one but at least the shopkeeper will tell you if an item you want to buy can be used by a character. This saves a lot of buying useless equipment hassles. Just to add a little bit of spice to the game you can now also play some lottery mini-game if you find the tickets. Winning can reward you with some very neat prizes although it's not very easy. There are also lots more puzzles and quest than there was in part one although things can still get pretty tedious at times.

The sounds in the game are still very annoying and after a few hours of play can seriously get on your nerves. A bit more variety would have helped a lot. Not all the tunes are bad but you hear them so much that they really start to grate. Sound effects are still pretty much non-existent  Controls are the same as the previous game and it still felt very stiff to me. The cleaner interface made for less cumbersome actions but it's still not perfect. You do get to travel around in a boat due to the larger gameworld but the hordes of random encounters can sap your fun very rapidly.

The game has a decent enough storyline but the formulaic gameplay doesn't make for a very compelling experience. Most of the time finding the items is a bit tedious due to the amount of random encounters and some of the clues can also be very obscure. I played the game for more than twenty hours to acquire all the crests and items, but then couldn't find the final bosses hidden castle. My only clue was that it's hidden somewhere peaceful. Having to fight every second step also sucks the fun right out of the game.

If you enjoyed the first game and can put up the dated look then Dragon Warrior still has a lot to offer. The gameplay is much better than the first part and there are quite a few parts in the game where you have to puzzle things out. You also get to visit some familiar locations and the dialogue is still sometimes entertaining. Having allies also makes for tougher battles and there are now loads more creature types to battle. Overall, the game packs enough improvements to make it worthwhile for fans of the genre. 

[8]

D-Force (Asmik 1991)

One of those oil rich dictators from the Middle East has finally gotten too big for his shoes and declared war on the world for some misguided reason. Not only does he have droves of high-tech planes, tanks and weapon sites at his disposal but through the help of his biologists also managed to bring back some mean dinosaurs to further boost his forces. The UN's defence budget must be running a bit low since they decide to send in only one Apache helicopter. Your job of course is to pilot it and save the world.

Despite the rather elaborate storyline Dimension Force is a rather simple game. In fact the only place you'll learn the plot is in the manual since the game itself contains no intro, cut-scenes or even ending. I'm sure those people unfortunate enough to not have the manual was wondering why they were shooting down jets on one stage and dinosaurs on the next. If you've ever played a game of this type in the arcades you should know exactly what to expect. You have to pilot your small helicopter through six levels teeming with enemies wreaking as much destruction as you can along the way. Foes attack in swarms and there's no shortage of bullets heading your way which considering the fact that it only takes one hit to destroy you makes for a few hair-raising experiences.

Ultimately though Dimension Force is one of the easiest games in the genre thanks to the three skill levels and the ability to have up to nine lives to start with. Furthermore you continue where you were shot down with full fire-power and even when you are game over have unlimited continues which place you back at the start of the stage without taking away your power-ups. This means with a little perseverance anyone should be able to finish this one.

Looking at the graphics D-Force is decidedly average with the usual ocean, forest and desert type backgrounds. Apart from a few freaky dino's the enemy designs isn't anything special either. Despite the basic graphics the screen can get rather cluttered at times making those small, indestructible enemy missiles a real nuisance. One of D-Force's main (well only actually) gimmicks is the ability to alter your height on some levels. You simply tap one of your shoulder buttons and the view zooms down so you can shoot enemies on the ground or dodge obstacles. An interesting idea but the levels are rather short and the graphics get a little blocky up close. This feature is also one of the reasons I suspect there's no two-player mode.

The audio is a bit of a mixed bag with sound effects being about as feeble as can be. Apart from the tame sound your guns make, a few explosions and the sound of a power-up being picked up you'll hear nothing else. The music isn't that bad and some of the tunes (especially the song on the final stage) actually sound nice but overall I have to say they don't really fit the game. These tunes are a strange choice for a fast paced shooter that's for sure.

Besides the main game there is also a "Shooting" and "Technical" mode but these are basically the same levels from the game split up into "zooming" and "non-zooming" sections. Trying to put up a high score is nice but since the game has no battery backup also pretty pointless. In the end only the lack of other good shooters makes D-Force worth playing and even so it won't keep you busy for long.

[6]

Battle Pinball J (Banpresto 1995)

Pinball games usually fall into two categories, those that aim to be as realistic as possible and those that try something new with the concept. Battle Pinball definitely falls into the second category which is a good thing since those games that tried to be realistic usually fail due to the limitations of the SNES hardware. The first thing you’ll notice about Battle Pinball is that it is unfortunately in Japanese but as long as you can live with some Japanese text in the intro that’s not a problem. From the looks of things evil aliens have invaded and it’s up to the robots to save the day. Other than that the rest of the game features no unreadable Japanese text so western gamers should have no problem playing it.

The reason for this lack of text is the fact that the game unfortunately seem to have no options but since it would have been hard to navigate due to the language barrier I won't’ complain too much about it. What are on offer are four very big and unique pinball tables each with its own cool theme. Your goal on each table is to battle the enemies roaming around the screen using your pinball as a weapon. Hitting certain targets or holes results in special attacks and overall the effect looks very cool. Each table is about three screens high but each screen is like a table on its own with flippers and goals. That means there’s no annoying scrolling and instead you shoot certain ramps or targets to propel your ball to the next screen. Each stage is packed with cool details and the themes are very unique too. One table is laid out like a city with buildings that can be destroyed and aliens lurking on a sport field. Other tables feature stuff like space and underwater locations. You can also access some bonus stages if you’re skilled enough and while these don’t look that impressive they do make a nice break from the main game.

 

Although Battle Pinball is one of the most interesting and entertaining pinball games I've played on the SNES it’s also one of the hardest and it takes a lot of skill and luck before you’ll start putting up high scores. That also makes it a bigger pity that the game has no battery backup to save those high scores. My only other gripe is that the ball can sometimes go through your flippers when the action gets too frantic but since this actually helps at times I guess it balances out. I can’t really comment much on the audio since most of the tunes are pretty forgettable and there isn't that much in the way of sound effects either. The controls are pretty much the same as any other SNES pinball game I've played before and all the features like nudging the table is present.

As it is Battle Pinball is definitely one of the better pinball games out on SNES and it’s a pity that it never saw a western release. As long as you can put up with the Japanese intro and high challenge then this should provide you with a few hours of entertainment.

[8]

Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse (Konami 1990)

Gamers familiar with the Castlevania legacy will know that it was the vampire hunter Simon Belmond that defeated the evil Count Dracula. Their paths crossed once again when Simon found out that he was cursed and had to go on another quest to destroy Dracula's body parts. Castlevania 3 goes back a lot further though and takes place 100 years before Simon's birth. 

Count Dracula is at full power and terrorizing the country with his army of darkness. This time it's Simon's forefather, Trevor Belmond who has to save humanity. He'll need all the help he can get though and during his adventure he will meet up with other characters to help him in his quest. Ghost Pirate Grant DaNasty, fellow hunter and mystic warlord Sypha and even Dracula's forgotten son, Allucard are willing to lend a hand once you find them. It's still going to be a long hard journey but history has shown who the victor will be.

Excellent as Castlevania 2 was the nonlinear, sprawling levels wasn't everyone's cup of tea. Konami has realized this and made some adjustments but didn't abandon the idea altogether. Now there are a total of 17 possible levels but you won't be playing through each and every one of them. Instead you'll have to make a choice between two levels every so often and this choice will determine what hazards you'll meet up ahead and which ally will join up with you. This gives the game some replay value while still keeping the levels engrossing.

In terms of gameplay Castlevania 3 is very similar to the first game. Levels are filled with tricks and traps while the enemies come at you thick and fast. You also have a strict time limit and only three lives at your disposal. There are passwords and continues when you die but you'll start from the beginning of the stage so don't think you can abuse them like in Castlevania 2. Even the restart points for when you lose a life is few and far between and it's frustrating to die during a boss fight and then having to replay halve the stage just to get back to where you were. The difficulty has definitely been upped since the previous game so once again it's a game of skill and reflexes.

The graphics in Castlevania 3 is pretty damn good and besides the varied and imaginative stages there are also loads of creepy critters to bash around with your trusty whip. While the first half of the game covers your journey to the castle through swamps, woods and even a sunken city once you reach Dracula's abode things become very familiar. Owners of the first game will play through it with a smile of nostalgia on their face. As far as the music is concerned I probably don't even have to mention that Konami has once again crafted one of the best soundtracks on the NES.

Great as the game is if you disliked the previous titles then this probably won't sway your opinion. Controls take some getting used to and the difficulty alone will give people gray hairs. The three new characters add some cool new touches to the series and bring a little variety to the platform formula. If you are a fan of the Castlevania series then this is obviously essential for your collection but even if you've never had the urge to grab a whip and go slay some vampires Mr. Belmond might just convince you otherwise.

[9]

Castlevania II: Simon's Quest (1987)

After beating the evil Count Dracula back in Catlevania, the last thing Simon Belmond wanted to do is yet another quest. Unfortunately for him he finds that he has been cursed by Dracula and has to destroy the Counts five remaining body parts if he wants to be free. With only the words of a friendly spirit, Simon must now travel across the vast Transylvanian countryside, visiting towns and gathering items for his quest. Along the way you'll chat to locals, stock up on vampire slaying goodies and raise your levels. Each part of the Count you recover also gives you some new powers and if you're lucky you might just survive long enough for the final showdown.

Castlevania was an excellent game and it's no surprise that Konami decided to do a sequel. What is surprising is that they chose to make quite a few changes to the format and Castlevania II now plays much more like a role playing game than a platform title. The majority of the game is still that platform jumping ghoul slaying action that made the original such a hit but this time around instead of stages you have one big area to travel around and play through. This can be quite daunting and some areas also cannot be accesses without first solving some puzzles and getting the correct items. Towns are dotted along the way with churches to heal you and shops to stock up on garlic and holy water. You can also chat to the villagers for some handy clues, although some of them seem to like leading you down false paths. The English translation also appears to be quite dodgy which can make puzzle solving almost impossible at times.

The graphics hasn't improved that much over the original but some interesting new ideas has been incorporated. The most noticeable is that since large parts of the game takes place in the countryside and swamps you now have a day/night cycle to contend with. During daylight you can visit the towns and talk to villagers but during the night the monsters are out in full force and are even more powerful. The cycles are quite fast and it's sometimes annoying to wait around towns for morning before you can be healed or buy items. It also means that Simon never sleeps during his epic quest, a part of his cures perhaps? There are loads of locations but the main areas to look out for are the mansions where the body parts are stored. I found myself stuck way too often for my liking just because I couldn't find a location or couldn't unravel a cryptic clue.

 

The game is much easier than the original and even new players should have no problem getting into it. You can continue as much as you like and you even restart from the same spot that you died. The only penalty is that you lose all the hearts and experience you've collected but this is hardly a problem. The game also has passwords if you choose not to continue so the emphasis has switched from challenging arcade reflexes to more cerebral challenges. If you like the original though you'll still have fun with this one but if you like your platform games as a straightforward test of your reflexes you might want to reconsider.

The music is the usual excellent stuff from Konami and lives up to the great legacy of the original. The same spooky tunes and haunting melodies are present and there are quite a few memorable tracks. Sound effects are nothing special but in light of the excellent music this can be overlooked. The controls are exactly the same as the original with the same problems that the original had. You still get knocked backwards when touched by enemies so plummeting down bottomless pits is still a regular occurrence. The fact that you can continue eases the burden considerable though. Controls can occasionally still feel a bit stiff especially while jumping but if you are a fan of Castlevania you should be used to it by now.

With the new gameplay elements Castlevania can at times get a bit boring most noticeable when you stroll around not able to find the next path. The basic gameplay isn't that difficult but some of the more obscure puzzles will have you stumped. The gameplay at times feels a lot like Metroid and thus suffers from the same problems that such nonlinear gameplay emphasizes. If you're up to a huge quest though then give Castlevania II a try by all means just don't expect to breeze through it on your reflexes alone. Gripping gameplay and cool elements makes it a classic despite some of its more annoying features.

[8]