Air Fortress (HAL Laboratory 1989)

When the peaceful people of the planet Farmel started exploring the galaxy they were understandable a bit upset when they found eight planet destroying fortresses in the Yubbart Galaxy. Even worse these living fortresses were heading right for them and seem to have the intention of using their planet for fuel. After a direct assault fails they decide to send in their hero, Hal Bailman to infiltrate the eight fortresses and destroy their central reactors.

Air Fortress is actually two game styles in one game. First you have to make your way through the air base on your space ship blasting everything in sight and picking up bomb and energy tokens. Take one hit and you die and although you continue where you left off, if you die three times it is game over. Once you reach the airlock Hal hops off and enter on foot. The interiors of the fortresses are like mazes that you have to traverse in your search for the reactor. Once this is blown up you only have a small amount of time to locate the exit before moving on to the next fortress.

The graphics in the game is nothing special but overall it's not too shabby. The spaceship design is a bit dodgy though. The side scrolling shooter graphics is pretty average and nothing really special happens outside. Once inside things look marginally better with lots of weird enemies and strange traps. You can fly around inside the structures but every movement you make detracts from your energy. This replenishes once you stand still but if you are hit it will go down permanently. This makes it vital that you gather as much energy as possible outside. Your bombs are also limited and are needed to destroy the reactors. Without it you'll have a tough time destroying the fortress.

The sound in the game is average with nothing exceptional or annoying happening and the sound effects is likewise pretty tame. Controls are pretty responsive and the way gravity affects your actions inside the fortresses is novel. This means if you fire a shot your momentum will propel you backwards and lots of traps are designed with this in mind. You get a password when you die that will restart you at the beginning of the fortress you've died in and overall the game isn't all that hard.

My only fault with the game is that I really hate these types of maze games and as such the game wasn't all that fun to me. There is nothing wrong the game though and it has a few good ideas so if you don't mind getting lost and having to map out sectors then by all means go for it. The game has surprising depth for such a simple looking game and it looks like it can provide quite a challenge later on. If you're anything like me however the confusing maze layouts will have your more bored and confused than entertained and you might want to stick with something else. Not a bad game just not my type of adventure.

[6]

Secret of Mana (Square 1993)

What does an exiled young boy, a girl looking for her lost love and a sprite with an attitude problem have in common? Besides being the last hope for a world losing all its mana, they are also the stars of one of the greatest SNES Role Playing Games ever, Secret of Mana. Coming from the masters at Square it should come as no surprise that this is an excellent game, yet nothing can prepare you for how good it is until you've actually played it.

Few games can grab your attention right from the start and hold it until the ending credits scroll by. Secret of Mana does this effortlessly and the ending isn't even over yet before you start thinking about how badly you want a sequel. Not that the game is short by any means it took me four days of solid playing to crack this one. It's been a while since I played a game until four in the morning and had to tear myself away before sleep deprivation did me in.

The graphics in the game are what you expect from Square and everything's of extremely high quality. Every screen is packed with the maximum amount of color and the animations are a joy to behold. There are a multitude of towns, villages, castles, dungeons and other strange locations to visit and each one has been expertly designed. Your three characters are interesting and each has a full range of animations. Likewise, enemy designs are brilliant and there are some truly excellent foes you fight. I'm not even talking about the beyond cool boss characters. Square has also jammed in some impressive Mode 7 sequences and you even get to fly around on the back of a dragon on a huge Mode 7 map view of the entire world. The last boss also makes use of this special effect for a truly memorable battle.

The music in the game is just plain awesome and there are so many cool tunes playing it's not even funny. Most of the tunes are cheerful and funny but there are also some atmospheric and moody tunes for when the serious plot changes take place. Sadly the sound effects aren't all that great and sound pretty generic with no real "bang". Still there is the occasional cool effect and overall the audio of the game is way above average.

During your huge quest you find quite a few weapons and unlike other Role Playing Games you stick with the weapons you find and upgrade them instead of buying new ones. For this though you need weapon orbs and these can only be found by beating the various bosses. This means while you might start with a standard whip it will soon be upgraded to a Chain Whip and end up as a Giglas Flail. You also have weapons like swords, axes, pole arms, bows, boomerangs and gloves. All your characters can use any of the weapons although some are more proficient with a certain weapon than others. The only armor you have to worry about is Helmets, Armor and Gauntlets.

Although your main character cannot perform magic, your other two characters can cast effect and attack spells. Along the way you'll find and receive help from elementals like Gnome, Lumina, Dryad, Shade, Salamando, Luna and Undine. Each of your magic users gets three spells from each Elemental although finding and freeing them usually involves some puzzles and bosses. Since combat is real time, two of your characters are under CPU control while you control the main character. At any time though you can switch to any of the other characters to cast a spell or use an item. This makes combat very frantic and your constantly switching between characters castling spells and healing. The really cool thing is that a second player can jump in during combat and help you out. This can help quite a lot and makes for even more entertaining gameplay provided your friend knows what they are doing.

Your characters level up in the usual RPG style by defeating enemies but your weapons also level up while fighting. While at the start you might just perform a simple one hit attack by the end you can unleash some devastating combos if you power up your weapon. This means if your character has a level eight in Swords you have to hold in your attack button till it charges up all the way to level eight and then release the button to activate the attack. This is critical for boss battles and some serious cool looking combos can be performed. Of course, for the characters not under your control you can set their attack patterns (stay away, defend or move in) as well as what level they should attack at.

Although Secret of Mana is an excellent game there are sadly some niggles that detract from the overall experience. My main gripe with the game is the way that other party members tag along behind you. They have this irritating problem of getting stuck behind scenery and seeing as lots off the games dungeons feature complex mazes and loads of obstacles you can see how this might get annoying. It can also get you killed in combat if you try to run away and someone is stuck behind a pillar (again) while the enemy starts casting evil spells. Less problematic but also slightly annoying is the way you sometimes ping pong helplessly between enemies as they hack away at your health. Don't even get me started on enemies that can kill you in one hit and dungeons with no save points.

Don't let any of this put you off from playing one of the best RPGs for the system. This is the reason to own a SNES and not a Mega Drive if you are into your Role Playing Games. The plot is engrossing and there are some kick-ass puzzles and dungeons. The game is huge and there is never a lack of things to do or see while playing. Things can get a bit whimsical at times (at one point you meet Santa Claus) but overall the plot is quite serious with a nice storyline and great plot turns. The combat is cool and makes a nice break from all the turn based titles out there. 

[9]

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Konami 1989)

I for one am overjoyed that Konami got this really cool license. Considering how popular Kevin Eastman's mutant creations are the potential for a cheap cash-in by a crappy company was enormous. Nobody walking away from this title will be disappointed though. By combining solid platforming action with some fun top down adventuring sections Konami has crafted a challenging and engrossing game that you'll want to play to the end. There isn't much of an overall storyline though, the Turtles simple do what they do best, fight Shredder and his Foot-clan minions. One the first level for example you'll fight to liberate their reporter friend April from the clutches of Be-Bob and Rocksteady while later missions sees you defusing bombs underwater against the clock or searching for your rat master, Splinter.

The levels look excellent and are packed with an amazing amount of varied and detailed enemies. Mousers, ninjas and mutants are all out to stop you as you battle through towns, sewers and underground bases. You'll also face a few mean bosses from time to time to keep you on your toes.

The game  has an overhead view where the emphasis shifts more to exploration than combat. This is where you'll be travelling between each of the subsections of the six levels. The camera is far overhead giving you a big view of the surrounding area and you even get to cruise around in the Turtle van at one point. Not all of the locations you can enter is vital to complete the stage but is worth seeking out for the rewards you can find inside. Since each level is quite large, you get a nice map showing you where you are and where all the locations you can enter is. This screen is also where you switch Turtles and get advice from April or Splinter. The hordes of freaks you fight are constantly respawning when you leave the screen which can be a bit annoying but nothing too serious.

The audio is typically good Konami tunes with not one bad or annoying track in the game. Controls can take some getting used to as the Turtles are quite maneuverable and very responsive. Everything from a small hop to a full blown somersault with every motion in-between is possible. You also have full access to all four the Turtles and can switch between them at any time. This makes for some strategy since two has long range weapons (Leonardo and Donatello) and two short-range (Raphael and Michelangelo). Some are also stronger than others or have weapons better suited to the task at hand. The Turtles strengths and weapons seem a bit unbalanced though and I found myself using some Turtles much more than others. Along the way you can pick up power-ups like shurikens and boomerangs as well as the obligatory pizza for health.

The six stages on offer are quite large and become very challenging towards the end. You might think that having four Turtles makes things too easy but each Turtle only have one life and when they lose all their health is "captured" by the enemy. This leaves your remaining Turtles to finish the level where they get no life refill at the end and have to go search for the fallen Turtles on the next level as well. There is no battery backup or password but you can continue when game over albeit from the very start of the level.

While there are plenty of things that can annoy you in the game there are no serious bugs or flaws to spoil the fun. It has to be said that the game is very difficult and can be borderline unfair at times so stay away if you are easily frustrated. There is the occasional bit of flickering or slowdown when things get too hectic but this is not unusual when you see how far the NES has been pushed. The dialogue in the game can also be a bit spotty at times (hopefully they'll hire better translators next time) but nothing that detracts from the overall experience. If you are a fan of the Turtles then I can heartily recommend this entertaining and original game for your collection. 

[9]

Ninja Crusaders (NMK 1990)

The whole world is in peril again and who better to save the day than a couple of deadly ninjas. You take control of one of these deadly killing machines and have to travel through five levels of danger before taking on the final boss and restoring peace to the world.

The graphics in Ninja Crusaders are pretty basic, but still not too shabby looking although some of the colour schemes can make it a bit hard to see enemies at times. Most of your adversaries are robots and some of these also have some strange colours like pink for example. At the end of each level you get to face a large boss and some of these are quite hard until you figure out their patterns. The levels, although tough are a bit on the short side and with each level only having two sub levels the game is a little too easily completed for my taste. You have to restart the level upon dying, but biting the dust during a boss battle luckily doesn't place you back at the start of the level. Instead, it only restarts the battle which makes things a bit easier.

 Along the way you get to pick up various ninja weapons like shurikens, katana blades and bo-staffs but I found myself sticking with the shurikens for the duration of the game. Although not as powerful as the short range weapons their range gives you a better chance at eliminating enemies from afar. Interestingly enough, the weapons also enable your ninja to transform into an animal form which is something I didn't even know about until I read the manual. You have no health bar and one shot is all it takes to kill you so it's fortunate that the controls are responsive enough.

The sound in the game is pretty good and for once there are some sound effects that you can actually hear. It's just a pity that some of the enemy's sounds like squeaking mice when they die. Platform games like these are always fun to play, but there's nothing about Ninja Crusaders that really sets it apart from the rest. It's a fun game and you'll enjoy it but if you have a choice I'd say go for something like Shadow of the Ninja. If it was a little bit longer and introduced a bit more variety it could have been better but as it is the game remains largely average. 

[6]

Moon Crystal (Hect 1992)

Moon Crystal is one of those games that just comes out of nowhere and blows away most of the other titles in its class. Coming from relatively unknown software house, Hect,  it's a platform game with a difference. You'll immediately notice that a lot of attention has gone into giving Moon Crystal a good storyline. Obviously tired of the myriad of save the princess kill the dragon clones floating about Hect has gone for a different approach.

 In a land where monsters and the undead walk the Earth during full moon a you boy named Rick sees his family kidnapped by an evil professor named Count Crimson. The reason is that Rick's father has in his possession a Moon Crystal that has even more of the power that the full moon emits. With it the Count plans to raise an undead army of monsters to serve him. For this purpose he has built a large machine, but need Rick's father, who is a scientist to complete it. With his mother working as a slave in the crystal mines and his father in the clutches of the evil Count, there is only one glimmer of hope for Rick. A strange girl helps him out with information about what to do next. Only near the end of the game do you realize the Counts real motives and who the strange girl really is.

The graphics in Moon Crystal isn't the most impressive I've seen on the NES, but they are pretty detailed, varied and feature some great cut-scenes. These are shown after each boss you beat and further the story. The levels themselves are the usual forests and caves, but also feature some inventive ones like a pirate ship and a castle that could have come straight out of Castlevania. Your character only has a knife to defend himself with, but with the power-ups scattered about the levels you can improve its power as well as learn a nifty double jump that gives you more jumping power. You also need to search the levels for health harts to give you more of a chance against the bosses.

The sound in the game is surprisingly good doesn't grate on your nerves like many other titles. There's even a few sound effects, but as usual these are often no better than white noise. It's the storyline and the urge to see what direction the plot is going to turn next that gives the game the much needed gameplay boost. With frequent cut-scenes and plot revelations this is one game that you'll want to finish. The levels aren't especially large, but the game is by no means easy. Another interesting twist is that you're character has momentum and thus isn't as maneuverable as other platform stars. While this is more realistic, it does cause some frustrating moments when you plummet down holes or miss jumps because you're character didn't respond to your input. Those who have played Prince of Persia will know what to expect and everyone else will learn to live with it. Another sour point is the fact that when you die you're set back quite a bit in the level and although as I've said levels aren't that big it still sucks to die when battling a boss and then having to redo almost the entire level. Still after some practice most average gamers should be able to complete this one.

So there you have it. Out of nowhere you have a classic title and for once it's not from the usual companies like Konami, Capcom or Square. Not the most original of games, but it goes to show how much a good story can help a game. Other companies should take note. 

[8]

Life Force (Konami 1988)

Life Force is another fine example of the space shooter genre brought to you courtesy of Konami. This game is very close to the classic Gradius and follows exactly the same concept. You fly around blasting the crap out of everything in sight while collecting tokens. Every token you collect represent an upgrade. Pick up one and you have the option of increasing your speed, two gives you missiles, three a new gun etc. Of course, once you use the tokens you'll need to get the required number again before you can upgrade again. So if you push all you're tokens into upgrading your speed you might not have a strong enough weapon when you reach the boss. This brings a bit of brainwork to the genre.

The graphics in Life Force are outstanding. Bullets fly all over the place, yet still remain clearly visible. This is because Konami hasn't gone overboard with the backgrounds, but instead concentrated on making everything as clear as possible. Swarms of enemy ships swarm at you from all directions and you have seconds in which to react, or die. Even the levels themselves provide hazards, often shaping and reforming, causing you to fly all over the place dodging and weaving through obstacles. The viewpoints is that of a side scrolling shooter on the first stage which then switches to a top down shooter on the second. This pattern continues throughout the game. At the end of each level you face off against a boss baddie and some of these are very cool (not to mention disgusting). What about a floating brain where you have to shoot the eyeball to kill it or a huge skull that shoots its eyes out at you?

The music is also very good and adds to the overall hectic atmosphere of the game. The sound effects are minimal, but do the job. The gameplay is hardcore shooting all the way. Take your finger off the fire button for one second and you die. You're going to need all the luck, skill and reflexes you have to get through this one. This might put some people off, but the hardcore shooter fans will relish the challenge. The feeling of satisfaction you get from finishing this game is huge and the challenge factor is high. If you think you're good enough give it a try, if not use the cheat code printed in the manual and try anyway!

[9]

Kid Icarus (Nintendo 1987)

In Kid Icarus, you take control of the angel Pit who has to save to goddess of light. It would appear that her evil sister Medusa has taken over Angel Land. Armed with only a bow, you have to make your way up from the underworld where you have been imprisoned, over the surface, through the clouds and finally onto Angel Land for the final showdown. Kid Icarus (together with Metroid) was one of the first games to use the then "new" password system and this made for a much longer quest through larger levels.

The game is pretty old so don't expect great graphics, but it does have lots of enemy sprites and enough variety to keep you interested. Some levels have you making your way upwards through platforms, while other features the more traditional left to right scrolling. You also get to fly in a side scrolling shooter like level in one part and each boss stage is set up like a maze where you have to explore lots of rooms to reach the boss. As I've said the game is pretty long, not to mention tough and you won't be completing it in a hurry. There is a large variety of enemies out to stop you not to mention traps and natural hazards like falling off platforms.

Controls are responsive enough and your character can shoot upwards as well as crouch. There are some doors scattered about that lead to shops where you can buy health and maps. The former which is essential, seeing as your health does not get replenished after each level. Kid Icarus also feature some bizarre elements like being turned into an eggplant by certain enemies which means you can't attack until you've found a hospital to restore you. The sound in the game is pretty average and far from the best that the NES has to offer but I guess it is not surprising for such an early title. Kid Icarus does offer enough variety and innovation to make it worth the effort though and the tough levels will test your skills. It is in my opinion one of the better games of the era.

[8]