Hold on to your hats guys, its time to rev that engine, feel the horsepower, and leave your competitors to eat your dust. Glory awaits!
Screenshot taken by the author
Super Hang-On is a single-player motorcycle racing game developed and published by Sega. Originally released in the arcade in 1987 as a sequel to Hang-On, it would later be released for the following:
1987 – Amstrad CPC, Arcade, Commodore 64, and ZX Spectrum.
1989/1990 – Atari ST, Commodore Amiga, Macintosh, DOS, Sega Megadrive, and Sharp X68000.
2003 – Game Boy Advance (Sega Arcade Gallery)
2010 – Wii’s Virtual Console (2012 in North America)
2012 – Xbox Live Arcade (Sega Vintage Collection)
I chose to review the Sega Mega Drive version found on the Mega Games I (1992) package.
Gameplay
Whilst still similar to Hang-On, there is now a choice of four new tracks, based on the continents of the world. Each continent contains a different number of stages to increase difficulty (Africa = 6 stages, Asia = 10 stages etc.). A turbo button is also available should you need an extra boost. For those that are interested, the motorbike you are riding is the SGR-500(R).
Screenshot taken by the author
The Mega Drive version contains both the full Arcade Mode, and an Original Mode. In the Arcade Mode, you race against the clock. You have a limited amount of time to clear each stage. If you fail to reach the checkpoint within the allotted time, it is game over. The Original Mode is a bit more in-depth and allows you to gain sponsorship and earn money to upgrade your motorbike. Any time you crash, you damage your motorbike which affects its performance until you end the race and you mechanic can fix it. Like in real life, your bike is also subject to wear nd tear and so parts will need to be replaced anyway. You continue to compete against other racers until you have beat every opponent.
Screenshot taken by the author
How Does It Handle?
The bike is easy to control, and the game is easy to learn. However, the game can become frustrating when you crash in Arcade Mode as there is no way to make the time up again, so you may as well restart the game. I also dislike the time countdown in Arcade Mode too. In the arcade one can understand a time limit as you want games that are “quarter guzzlers”, but for gaming at home, it’s just plain annoying. Admittedly I didn’t spend that much time on this game as I’m not a racing fan, but if you are, I am sure that you will enjoy the challenge of this game.
Graphics
The graphics are clean, with brightly coloured sprites making it easy to distinguish yourself from other riders. The backgrounds and time of day change as you move through the stages of the races giving you a real sense of location and distance. At the top of the screen you have information telling you your score, speed, what course and stage you are on, and a countdown dial.
Music and SFX
Interestingly, the music only begins when you select a mode to play. You then get the option of four tracks to listen to whilst you play. The music does fit the game but is not very memorable for me.
SFX are limited to the beep of the changing lights on the starting line, the low thrum of the motorbike’s engine, and crashing. A nice little touch is that if you overtake another bike closely, you can hear their engine.
Replay Value
It is a pity there is no two-player mode for this game as racing against a friend is always fun. The Original Mode adds a lot of replay value to the game though.
Personal Memories
I have vague recollections of playing this in the arcade at Folkestone Rotunda Amusement Park when I was a pre-pubescent imp. It had the full arcade set up complete with a replica motorbike that you could sit on and use your weight to lean left or right. Being small at the time, my father would stand at the back of the bike and help me lean it, ensuring I didn’t go flying off.
I’m unsure if this is the exact one I played as a kid, but this was the sort of machine I remember form the arcades.
Did I Complete The Game?
Nope, nowhere near.
What The Critics Said:
Mean Machines: “A high quality racing game which is a must for speed freaks. Overall 86%”.[1]
Mean Machines:“This cart manages to contain all of the playability of the coin-op, coulpled with slick audio-visuals. Definitely worth getting if you enjoyed the coin-op, or if you’re after a decent Mega Drive game at a bargain price. Overall 90%.”[2]
Sega Power: “Brilliant biking coin-op conversion. Terrific sensation of speed and movement, with good graphics and smooth 3D update. Thrilling to play and lasts for ages. Overall 5/5“.[3]
Sega Power “Another coin-op classic of yesteryear. Fine, but a bit mouldy. Overall 4/5.”[4]
MegaTech:“Converted from the Sega coin-op, this is an excellent copy and has all the features of the original machine plus an extra challenge game thrown in for good measure! The graphics and sound are both excellent, and with playability to match, this is a race game that no Megadrive owner should be without. Overall 89%”.[5]
My Verdict:
“I’m not a fan of racing games but if you are, this may prove a challenge. Beautiful graphics and scenery too, and enough replay value to make it worth adding to your collection.”
Ratings:
What are your memories of Super Hang-On? I would love to hear your thoughts, and don’t for get to follow and subscribe so that you don’t miss my latest reviews! You can also find me on Instagram: @nicklovestogame.
[1] ‘Mega Drive Review – Super Hang-On’. Mean Machines. (October 1990). Issue 1:82-4.
[2] Leadbetter, R.,’Review: Mega Drive – Super Hang-On’. Mean Machines. (October 1992). Issue 1:127.
[3] Jarrett, S., ‘The Hard Line – Super Hang-On’. Sega Power. (April 1991). Issue 23:54.
[4] ‘The Hard Line – Review: Mega Drive – Super Hang-On’. Sega Power. (September 1993). Issue 46:98.
[5] ‘Game Index – Super Hang-On’. MegaTech. (May 1992). Issue 5:78.
Get ready for a swashbuckling adventure and set your wits against the cream…well the dregs, of the Caribbean. Only by solving mind-boggling puzzles and matching your witty repartee with your enemies will you win the day.
Original title screen (screenshot taken by the author)
Special Edition title screen (screenshot taken by the author)
The first in a popular franchise, The Secret of Monkey Island was developed and published by Lucasfilm Games in 1990. The Special Edition was released in 2009. It can be found on many platforms including the Amiga, MS-DOS, Atari ST, Macintosh, CDTV, FM Towns, Sega CD, OS X, Playstation 3 and Xbox 360. I chose to review the version downloaded from Steam.
Plot
This single-player point-and-click adventure game starts with Guybrush Threepwood declaring “I want to be a pirate!”. What ensues is an adventure full of humour, perilous pirate trials, the rescue of a damsel in distress and the defeat of the ghost pirate LeChuck, all set in the Caribbean. Along the way Threepwood must complete tasks to progress in his adventure, many of the tasks are peculiar and to solve them involves thinking not just outside the box, but outside of any other shape you can think of as well.
Gameplay
You control the cursor and must search the environment for people and items that you can interact with. The screen is broken into four parts:
Animation Window – Where the action happens
Sentence Line – When you cursor hovers over something you can interact with, a sentence will appear such as ‘Talk to pirate’.
Command List – Click on a command and then interact with a character or the environment. There are 12 different commands to perform which are: open, close, push, pull, walk to, pick up, talk to, give, use look at, turn on, and turn off. You can alternatively use the keyboard hot keys.
Inventory – List where you can find the items you have collected.
When talking to a character, a list of questions and conversation starters will appear at the bottom of the screen.
What’s New?
The Special Edition sees the game get a makeover with slick new graphics, improved music and sound, and vocalisation which adds to the humour of the gags. However, for the purists you are able to revert back to the original music and graphics at the click of a button. On many of the screens you can opt to hear commentary from the games creators explaining how they created the graphics and music, which I think should be incorporated into more games.
The option to use the hot keys is a bit of a God send else it would be very tiring having to use the mouse to click on the command list every time. The controls are simple and easy to use, you just have to make sure you are precise with your commands.
In the Special Edition, they have simplified the command list even more by doing away with the list completely. When hovering over a character or a bit of the environment you can interact with, an icon appears depicting the action.
Graphics
Although cartoonish, and originally in 8-bit graphics, the backgrounds and characters are very colourful and incredibly detailed with a large number of internal and external scenes. When moving around, the characters move surprisingly fast which is a relief as some point and clicks have very slow moving characters making the game drag. Oddly enough, when close-ups of characters occur, they look very life-like, which is the opposite of the Special Edition. For me, the Special Edition graphics adds more life to the environment.
The scrolling not as smooth as it could be but that tends to be standard for these sorts of point and clicks.
Original graphics (screenshot taken by the author)
Special Edition graphics (screenshot taken by the author)
Music& SFX
The main theme is incredibly distinctive and will get stuck your head very quickly. The cartoonish pirate style in-game music works well too but for the most part, there is no music in the game.
SFX are very limited to a few noises when actions are performed and there is no voice acting.
In the Special Edition, the music is now a beautifully updated full musical score as well as a lot more in-game music.
The speech is now vocalised and the SFX are more ambient (the low murmur of pirate voices in the pub, or the sea lapping against the shore, or the owls hooting in the forest). These new SFX really add to the experience.
Replay Value
All point and clicks have limited replay value as they tend to be single-player games with on difficulty setting. You may revisit it annually, but not as often as you would other genres.
SPOILER ALERT!!!
The only thing that let’s this game down, and it is only one thing, is that some of the puzzles are so convoluted that you will need to use a walkthrough to find the solutions to many of the them.
Did I Complete The Game?
I did finish the game, but there were many times that I needed assistance from walkthroughs.
What The Critics Said Of The Original Version:
Computer and Video Game Magazine – “Usually the entertainment you get from an adventure is derived solely from solving puzzles, but the hilarious characters and situations, and the movie-like presentations make playing this more like taking part in a comedy film so it’s much more enjoyable. Overall 94%”[1]
Dragon Magazine:“If you enjoy a great graphic adventure spiced with humour top-notch graphics, and a soundtrack filled with really good, original compositions, this is a must buy for you. We haven’t stopped laughing yet! 5/5”.[2]
Zero Magazine:“At last an adventure game that’s enjoyable rather than frustrating. Overall 84%”[3].
What The Critics Said Of The Special Edition:
Eurogamer.net:“Few games can stand the test of time with such confidence, and whether your interest stems from its genre-defining significance or its reputation as an unforgettable game, you won’t be disappointed by time spent on Monkey Island. Anyone who disagrees probably fights like a cow. Overall 9/10.”[4]
IGN.com: “The Secret of Monkey Island has a special place in the museum of videogames for its quick wit, its personality, and the way it surprises us at every turn. Playing this adventure will take you back to a simpler, more innocent time before games needed to bash us over the head with ultra-violence to get our attention. They definitely don’t make ’em like this anymore. The Special Edition doesn’t offer any new gameplay, so its appeal may be limited if you’ve already been initiated. But if you’ve never seen a three-headed monkey, download this now. Overall 8.7/10”.[5]
Gamespot.com: “If you’ve got opposable thumbs, a sense of humour, and a brain that you’re not afraid to use, this puzzle-filled adventure is one well worth taking. Overall 8/10.”[6]
My Verdict:
“Avast me hearties, here be a fun, classic point and click pirate game for ye. The puzzles be tough, but there be plenty of laughs for a landlubber such as yourself. Now pass me the grog!”
Rating:
What are your memories of The Secret of Monkey Island? I would love to hear your thoughts, and don’t for get to follow and subscribe so that you don’t miss my latest reviews! You can also find me on Instagram: @nicklovestogame.
[1] Glancey, P., ‘Review: PC – The Secret of Monkey Island’. Computer and Video Games Magazine. (December 1990). Issue 109:112-4.
“Red…7…28…hut, hike!!!”. American Football, that favourite of North American Sports that just doesn’t seem to translate well in the UK. The computer games did, however, and this one was no exception. Get ready for hard-hitting defensive plays and Hail Mary passes, as we delve into this offering from Electronic Arts.
Title screen (Screenshot taken by the author)
Madden ’93 is another in the line of the Madden franchise. It was developed by Blue Sky Productions for the Mega Drive and Electronic Arts for the SNES. It was published by EA Sports Network and released in 1992. I chose to review the Mega Drive version.
Gameplay
You can play either one-player, two-player head to head or co-operative modes
Like its predecessor, you have the option to play the following modes:
Pre-Season – An exhibition match with no fouls except offsides and the 45 second play clock is turned off
Regular Season – Exhibition but with all game rules in effect
New Playoffs – Begin a new tournament
Continue Playoffs – Continue with a previous tournament
Sudden Death – Normal game rules but the first to score wins the game
A new mode, All-Time Greats has been added which is a smaller 8-team tournament.
American football consists of four quarters, and you can choose how long these quarters are. Quarter lengths can be either 5, 10, and 15 minutes in length.
You then get to choose the type of stadium and field you play on. The choices are:
Open stadium with grass
Open stadium with Astroturf
Domed stadium with Astroturf
When you select open stadiums, the weather can affect the game in the guise of wind, rain and snow. In the snow and rain, players are slower and have less traction. The wind affects field goals and punts making it trickier to judge direction.
The game came with a very comprehensive manual explaining in detail the intricacies of the plays and in-depth stats on the players. Simply
What’s New?
Some of the new features include stumbling, taunting, head-butting, and one-handed catches. Although you can play in snow, wind and rain etc., they still haven’t added a random weather option, which would be a nice touch. Sadly, there is still no sign of real player names, but on a positive note, you no longer need a password as the game automatically saves your progress.
The game looks identical to its predecessor (Screenshot taken by the author)
How Does It Handle?
The gameplay has been improved since it’s predecessor. It’s tougher to dominate matches with a throwing game as defensive players intercept and block the passes a lot more. The running game is slightly better with faster runners, but I’d still recommended not bothering and sticking to a throwing game unless you are near the touchdown line.
Graphics
The graphics are pretty much the same as Madden ’92. In that, they still look very good. Not complaints here. I do like the little dances the players do when they score a touchdown.
Music & SFX
The theme song over the title screen and game set-up is an upbeat, rocky number that suits the game well. there is no in-game music though except when you score a touchdown.
SFX are quite minimalist is this game. There’ll be plenty of “First Down”’s from the referees, calls from the quarterback and grunts from the players as they tackle you. There a low murmur from the crowd through with the occasional cheers as you score a touchdown. An ambulance siren indicates your player is injured.
Replay Value
Sports games always have a lot of replay value, especially in two-player mode. The addition of the two-player co-op mode adds a little more replay value to this game
Throwing plays is still the best tactic (Screenshot taken by the author)
Did I Complete The Game?
In many modern sports games you don’t necessarily complete these sorts of games, as much as win the league and cup titles, and then move on to the next season. Completing early sports games simply means winning a tournament or league once before restarting with a different team. I have won the play-offs many times with several different teams including Chicago, Cincinnati, Buffalo and Philadelphia.
What The Critics Said:
Computer & Video Games Magazine:“Definitely the worst of the trio, and hopefully EA will learn that ’92 is virtually impossible to improve on. Overall 77%”.[1]
Gamesmaster Magazine:“John Madden ’93 is simply the most sophisticated, intriguing and complex game available on any system anywhere. If you fancy yourself as having a brain as well as a fast trigger-finger, this is the game for you. Overall 90%”[2]
Sega Power: “Can’t fault it as a football game, but the differences between this and the ’92 version aren’t that noticebale. If you haven’t got any of the John Madden games, get it. Overall 5/5”.[3]
Gamerpro:“John Madden Football ’93 is even more fun to play than Madden ’92…it’s clealy the benchmark for all other football video games. Overall 4.6/5”.[4]
Mean Machines Sega: “Not a bad game at all, but hopelessly redundant nonetheless. Go for the slightly better John Madden ’92 if you’re after a definitive American football game and give this one a miss. Overall 89%”.[5]
Awards:
Best Sports Game of the Year (All Systems) – Electronic Gaming Monthly’s Best and Worst of 1992[6]
My Verdict:
“Overall, the game is more challenging than Madden ’92, which is for the better. A step forward for the franchise.”
Rating:
What are your memories of Madden ’93? I would love to hear your thoughts, and don’t for get to follow and subscribe so that you don’t miss my latest reviews! You can also find me on Instagram: @nicklovestogame.
[1] Anglin, P., ‘Game Review: Mega Drive – John Madden ’93’. (January 1993). Computer & Video Games Magazine. (January 1993). Issue 124:90.
[2] ‘Game Review: Mega Drive – John Madden Football ’93’. Gamemaster Magazine. (January 1993). Issue 1:66-8.
[3] ‘The Hard Line – Review: Mega Drive – John Madden Football ‘93’. Sega Power. (September 1993). Issue 46:97.
[4] Weekend Warrior ‘Pro Review: Genesis – John Madden Football ‘93’. Gamerpro. (December 1992). :141-2.
[5] ‘Review – John Madden Football ‘93’. Mean Machines Sega. (December 1992). Issue 3:102-4.
[5] ‘EGM’s Best and Worst of 1992: Best Sports Game of the Year (All Game Systems) – John Madden Football ‘93‘. Electronic Gaming Monthly’s 1993 Video Game Buyer’s Guide. (1993). :16.
He may not be the sharpest flint in pre-history, but Chuck Rock has a head as hard as a granite and a belly that is deadly. So get ready to navigate jungles and swamps, battle dinosaurs, and rescue your wife before Garry Gritter has his way with her. Unga Bunga!!!
Title screen (screenshot taken by author)
Chuck Rock is a single-player side-scrolling platform game developed by Core Design. It has been published and ported to many other platforms including:
Core Design – Atari St and Amiga (1991), Commodore 64 (1992), and Amiga CD32 (1994)
Krisalis Software – Acorn Archimedes (1991)
Virgin Interactive – Sega Megadrive (1991), Sega Master System (1993) and Game Gear (1992)
Sony Imagesoft – Sega Mega-CD (1993), SNES (1992) and Game Boy (1993).
I chose to review the Mega Drive version.
Beautiful level design (screenshot taken by author)
Plot
Set in a fantasy prehistoric Stone Age, Chuck is enjoying a lazy day in front of his TV drinking beer (root beer that is). His wife, Ophelia, is going about her daily chores unaware that she will soon be kidnapped by the evil Gary Gritter, who has designs on her. Chuck hears the commotion and investigates, only to find a pile of crumpled, dirty clothes and signs that something heavy has been dragged away. Since he has no clothes to wear, he ducks behind some nearby bushes and fashions some leafy pants to cover his modesty. He must now rescue his wife.
Gameplay
Chuck must navigate his way through five levels, each with three-five stages, all the while evading various dinosaurs and prehistoric animals; or if you are feeling brave, barging them out the way with your belly, performing flying kicks, or picking up huge boulders and throwing them. I’d recommend using the latter two to kill your enemies.
The levels are:
The jungle scene
The caves scene
The water scene
The Ice scene
The Graveyard scene
Chuck may look like a everyone’s least favourite uncle, but he is the hero of this tale (screenshot taken by author)
How Does It Handle?
The controls are easy to learn and are nice and responsive. The game is challenging with some tough levels. Oddly, the end of level bosses are all very easy to defeat with the exception of the third boss. The only boss that you need a strategy to defeat is the first boss, but other than that, it is simply a case of button mashing. One nice little touch is that when Chuck is carrying a large rock, he won’t move as fast.
Graphics
Throughout the entire game the graphics look fab. The overall feel of the graphics is more on the whacky side than the realistic side. The background look great, and I particularly like the snowman on The Ice scene level. There’s plenty to catch the eye and make you think “That looks cool!”, like a T-rex with boxing gloves…awesome!
The levels look gorgeous (screenshot taken by author)
Music& SFX
The music is good throughout the game. The opening musical number on the title screen is awesome and I found myself delaying playing the game in order to listen to the song the whole way through. It seems that even though Chuck isn’t the sharpest tool in the box, he has aspired to lead singer of a rock band. The music speeds up during the boss battles.
There are plenty of SFX throughout the game as Chuck jumps, throws rocks, and bounces enemies of his belly.
Replay Value
Sadly, this game lacks replay value. There is only one difficulty setting and once completed you may only wish to revisit it once or twice before turning your attention to the next challenge.
(screenshot taken by author)
Did I Complete The Game?
Yes, I completed the game without the use of cheats. Sadly, upon completing the game you are met another example of an anti-climatic ending to a game that deserved more.
What The Critics Said:
Mean Machines: “An excellent and quite original platform game that’s highly recommended to all Megadrive players. Overall 91%.”[1]
Mean Machines Index: “A brilliant, humorous Megadrive platform game with real character. Its graphics are out-of-this-world, the sound completely brilliant, and the game play pretty good too! A must have for your Megadrive collection. Overall91%”[2]
Sega Power: “Groovy goings-on 100 million years B.C. with wild sonics and graphics as Chuck rescues his wife from the evil Garry Glitter. Overall4/5.”[3]
Electronic Gaming Monthly: “The gameplay could use a little fine tuning, but it is still very fun to play. The graphics are comical and the music jams. Overall7.75/10”.[4]
Megazone:“Graphics wise this game is a hit (as good as the Amiga on the Mega Drive), the sound is pretty good (not quite up to the Amiga, but still pretty hot) and some imaginative sprite drawings have been added to this game. Overall85%”.[5]
GamePro:“The game’s worth the bucks for the music and graphics alone. From standpoint of challenge and gameplay, it’s middle of the road – not too hard and not too easy. Overall4.6/5.”[6]
My Verdict:
“Unga Bunga – The game has nice graphics and is fun to play. The simple button mashing as oppose to a strategy needed to defeat end of level bosses, is a mark against this game. The lack of replay value means that once completed I doubt you will want to play through again.”
Rating:
What are your memories of Chuck Rock? I would love to hear your thoughts, and don’t for get to follow and subscribe so that you don’t miss my latest reviews! You can also find me on Instagram: @nicklovestogame.
[1] ‘Review: Mega Drive – Chuck Rock’. Mean Machines. (June 1992). Issue 21:76-8.
[2] ‘Review: Mega Drive – Chuck Rock’. Mean Machines. (October 1992). Issue 1:137.
[3] ‘The Hard Line – Review: Mega Drive – Chuck Rock’. Sega Power. (September 1993). Issue 46:96.
Ah the city of Paris, home of the Notre Dame Cathedral, the Eiffel Tower, and the Louvre. A city that countless visitors seek for romantic getaways, art and culture. American lawyer George Stobbart was visiting Paris. He was enjoying a coffee and minding his own business…then a bomb exploded in the café he was sitting at.
Title screen (screenshot taken by the author)
Broken Sword: Shadow of the Templars (also known as Circle of Blood) is a point and click game developed and published by Revolution Software in 1996. It was released on multiple platforms including Android, Game Boy Advance, iOS, Linux, Mac OS, Nintendo DS, Nintendo Switch, Palm OS, PlayStation, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Wii, Windows, Windows Mobile, Xbox, Xbox One. Here, I will review the Director’s Cut which was released in 2009.
Director’s Cut cover art
Plot
This is the first instalment of the Broken Sword series. You play as American George Stobbart who witnesses the assassination of a man named Plantard. Whilst enjoying a coffee at a Parisian Café, Stobbart observes the assassin enter and then leave with a briefcase moments before an explosion destroys the establishment. Naturally Stobbart begins to investigate the murder because, let’s face it, the explosion almost killed him too and to rub salt into the wound, he appears to be a suspect. During his investigation he meets and allies himself with French reporter Nicole “Nico” Collard. What starts as a murder investigation soon unravels as a conspiracy plot involving the Knights Templar, which takes Stobbart and Collard to several different countries including Ireland, Spain, Syria, and Scotland in search of the murderer.
Gameplay
Like with all point and click games, you control a cursor on the screen. By hovering it over certain objects or characters, you have the option to look at or interact with them. By moving the cursor to the lower part of the screen, you will gain access to your inventory and any objects you have picked up. When talking to characters, a number of pictures will appear and when these pictures are clicked, George of Nico will engage in a line of questioning which will help the story progress.
The animation style is in the beautiful classic animation tradition (screenshot taken by the author)
How Does It Handle?
The gameplay is easy to learn and intuitive. The story is engaging, especially if you love a good conspiracy theory, and I felt immediately drawn in by it. The puzzles are challenging but not convoluted like in some other point and clicks. I did need assistance to help with the odd puzzle, but I never got bored of this game.
Graphics
The game is designed to be reminiscent of the classic animated film genre. The scenes are incredibly detailed and the characters are realistically animated. With beautiful Parisian streets, rural Irish settings, and Syrian towns, there is a good array of different scenes.
Music
The music is rather understated and takes a back seat in this game. It is mainly used in cutscenes or when you solve a major puzzles. This game doesn’t need music though. The silence and minimalist SFX adds to the realism of the game.
George and Nico’s adventures see them meet a number of undesirables (screenshot taken by the author)
Differences With The Original Release
The Director’s Cut has several differences when compared with the original release. The graphics have been improved and are smoother. There are extra scenes; in the original you begin with Stobbart at the Café, but in the Director’s Cut, you begin with Nico needing to escape Plantard’s house. Artwork of character profiles appear during conversation scenes, and there are extra puzzles to work your way through.
Did I Complete The Game?
I did, but there were one or two occasions when I had to use a walkthrough.
What The Critics Said About The Original Version:
Gamespot.com “Without question, Circle of Blood is an adventure of epic proportions and ranks as one of the most intriguing games to roll out this year. Its only drawback is that the graphics might be too real. After playing the game, you might find yourself wanting to pack your bags and take in the European sights first-hand. But if you’re lacking for travel funds and must stay home and play computer games, Circle of Blood definitely won’t disappoint you.Overall rating 9.2 superb”[1]
What Critics Said About The Director’s Cut:
PC Gamer Magazine“Wonky visuals, but this is as close to the Da Vinci Code meets Monkey Island as we’ll get. Did I mention the hot French accent? Overall 69%”[2]
(Wii version) Best European Adventure 2011 – European Game Awards[5]
My Verdict:
“I love this game, and am a huge fan of the franchise. I love the graphics, the story, and the puzzles. If you like point and clicks, and even if you don’t, I’m sure you will find this game entertaining.”
Rating:
What are your memories of Broken Sword: Shadow of the Templars? I would love to hear your thoughts, and don’t for get to follow and subscribe so that you don’t miss my latest reviews! You can also find me on Instagram: @nicklovestogame.
Aladdin is a Middle-Eastern folk tale about a boy who went from rags to riches with the help of a genie. It is one of the more well-known stories from the Arabic world. The western world embraced this tale and in 1992, Disney released their animated film version, bringing Aladdin to a “whole new world”…er…I mean generation. Its popularity, due to a great soundtrack and an award winning performance by Robin Williams, saw a video game released a year after the films hit the cinemas.
Title screen (screenshot taken by the author)
Aladdin is a single-player side-scrolling action platformer which was developed by Virgin Games. It was published in 1993 by Sega and Disney Software for the Sega Megadrive, and by Capcom for the SNES. It was later ported to the NES, Game Boy, Amiga and DOS formats. I chose to review the Mega Drive Version.
Plot
The game is not identical to, but still has the same storyline as the film. In the Arabic city of Agrabah, a lovable street rat called Aladdin lives with his monkey companion Abu. One day, he stops a stranger from getting her hand chopped off for giving a starving child an apple. This stranger turns out to be Princess Jasmine, and Aladdin is smitten.
Meanwhile, the Sultan’s evil adviser Jafar is plotting to overthrow the Sultan and marry Jasmine. Aladdin must must rescue the Princess Jasmine from the evil Jafar.
Gameplay
You can choose from three difficulties: Practice, Normal or Difficult. Once the game begins, prepare to navigate the following levels:
Agraban Street
The Desert
Agraban Rooftops
Sultan’s Dungeon
Cave of Wonders
The Escape
Rug Ride
Inside the Lamp
Sultan’s Palace
Jafar’s Palace
Whilst traversing the levels you are able to jump, crouch, and climb ropes. To defeat enemies, you have the choice of a scimitar with which to slash your opponent or you can collect apples to use as projectiles. If you collect tokens of the Genie’s head or Abu’s head, you will gain access to bonus stages to gain extra lives and such. Gems can also be acquired to buy extra continues and wishes from the peddler.
Clearing a level with one or more of the Genie’s tokens takes you to the Genie’s Bonus Machine where you can win gems, apples, and extra tries. The amount of spins you get depends on the number of Genie tokens you have.
If you find an Abu token, you gain access to his bonus stage. He must run back and forth, wielding a scimitar, and trying to pick up special objects that are dropped from the sky whilst avoiding rocks and pots that are also falling. Again, your aim is to collect gems, extra tries, and apples.
There are cut scenes between the levels allowing the storyline to move along, but you do not need to have seen the film in order to enjoy the game.
Aladdin was praised by critics for its graphics (screenshot taken by the author)
How Does The Game Handle?
The controls are tight, and the physics of the game are easy to get used to. One level which sees our hero trying to escape the Cave of Wonders is particularly hard and had me swearing many times at the TV and/or controller pad.
Graphics
The graphics are incredible! They are bright and colourful, and the animation is excellent and fun to watch. I particularly liked the smoke from the genie’s lamp being used as a health meter and the way little Abu runs around in his bonus stage.
All the levels are detailed, look beautiful and make you feel like you’re playing the movie. The parallax scrolling of the chains in the foreground of the Sultan’s Dungeon really helped with the feeling of being locked inside. To be fair, all the levels look amazing.
Music& SFX
The music consists of songs from the movie soundtrack so no doubt you will be humming along. For example, over the title screen you will hear “A Whole New World” and over the first level it is “Prince Ali”.
The main SFX you will hear is the sound of air being cut as Aladdin swinging his sword and little ‘trings’ as he picks up items. There are lots of SFX in this gave and it’s awesome.
SPOILER ALERT!!!
Frustratingly, at the end of the game you can only defeat Jafar by throwing apples at him. What the game doesn’t tell you is that you need 36 apples to defeat him. If you don’t have enough there is little else you can do other than restart the entire game, and ensure you use the apples sparingly.
“Prince Ali fabulous he Ali Ababwa” (screenshot taken by the author)
Replay Value
When the game is completed the ending is practically non-existant, which begs the question, should one have bothered to complete it in the first place. The answer, of course, is yes as this is a good game and worth playing again.
Did I Complete The Game?
Yes, but I wasn’t happy about getting all the way to the end before realising that I had to restart and play through again to ensure I had enough apples to defeat Jafar.
What The Critics Said:
Edge Magazine: “…almost perfect. The sound could have been better – but that’s a minor quibble. Anyway, at last the Mega Drive has a new platform king. Move over spiky blue one, Aladdin’s in town. Overall8/10.”[1]
My Verdict:“Prince Ali! Fabulous He! Ali Ababwa. A fun little game that is well worth your time. Great graphics and music, however older generations might get bored a little easily with this one.”
Rating:
What are your memories of Aladdin? I would love to hear your thoughts, and don’t for get to follow and subscribe so that you don’t miss my latest reviews! You can also find me on Instagram: @nicklovestogame.
The history of the world is full of civilisations competing for resources, wealth and glory. Age of Empires offered the chance to relive those struggles, and immerse ourselves in a world that we are so far removed from. Rise from humble beginnings, defeat your enemies and rule the world!
You begin in the Stone Age with rudimentary weapons and little technology (screenshot taken by the author)
Age of Empires was developed by Ensemble Studios and published by Microsoft Games. It was released in 1997 for the PC, spawned a number of sequels and spin-offs, and has gained a loyal following. It was the original PC version I chose to review.
Gameplay
AOE is a real-time strategy game which sees you lead the ancient civilisations of Egypt, Greece, Babylonia and the Yamato, through the Stone Age, Tool Age, Bronze Age and Iron Age, in order to rise up and become dominant empires. In order to progress through the ages, you need to build your base and grow your army. To do this you send villagers to gather resources of wood, food, gold and stone. Upon reaching a new age, better soldiers, weapons and technologies become available to you.
Build your civilisation to conquer the known world (screenshot taken by the author)
You have the option of playing single player campaigns, as well as a Random Map mode in which different maps are generated for each match. Other adjustments can be made to make the matches harder such as adding a Death Match mode. You can even create your own scenarios in the Scenario Builder and set your own match parameters. Multiplayer is also available to play online. These features give this game tons of replay value.
Each campaign contains a number of missions. Before each mission, you are given a timeline and briefing with mission objectives and hints to draw you into the game.
The campaigns are:
Egyptians (8000 BCE – 1457 BCE) – 12 scenarios – Helping you learn the game initially through hunting and foraging through to the Siege in Canaan.
Greeks (1600 BCE – 334 BCE) – 8 scenarios – From competing to with smaller tribes for agricultural land, to fighting in the Trojan War, to helping Alexander the Great build a wonder.
Babylonians (1760 BCE – 612 BCE) – 8 scenarios – See the rise of Babylonia under King Hammurabi and throw off the yoke of Assyrian oppression.
Yamato (210 BCE – 740 CE) – 6 scenarios – From making a pre-emptive strike on a clan of would be assassins’ to defeating the Kyushu army to confirm Yamato as the dominant empire in Japan.
How Does It Handle?
The controls are simple. You use your mouse to hover over a unit (villager, priest, military personnel etc.) and click on them to gain control. You can then either move them or call them to action. For example, if you highlight a villager, and then click on a tree, the villager will begin to gather wood and carry it to the nearest storage pit or town centre. A menu also appears in at the bottom of the screen with options to build and repair buildings.
For military personnel, once they have been highlighted, you can direct them to attack enemy units or buildings. Default stances can also be set which will instruct them to attack enemies on sight, attack enemies within a certain range of your settlement before returning to their original position, or simply ordering them to stand their ground. ‘Standing Your Ground’ is useful for archers and artillery (for these units, there is also a ‘ceasefire’ option). With artillery such as catapults, you can damage your own troops so be aware when deploying troops.
When clicking a building, options will appear at the bottom of the screen where you can choose to research technologies or create new troops (obviously depending on the type of building). Each civilisation has a slightly different technology tree and so certain technologies will need to have been researched before progressing to the next age, or before certain troops and other technologies become available. For example, you can only build a market once you have reached the Tool Age. Building a market will allow you to build farms which in turn is a vital food source. However, you need wood to build farms. It all weaves together beautifully like an intricate web. Markets also allow you to offer tribute in the form of resources to other players.
Graphics
Visually, the game has an isometric view and I think it looks beautiful. The attention to detail of the landscapes, buildings and units make the game look awesome and really gives you the feeling you are watching these ancient civilisations grow.
Music& SFX
I adore the music too. The creators tried to ensure that the music was authentic to the time periods and cultures by performing with instruments that would have been used by musicians of the time. This attention to detail really adds to the atmosphere of the game.
There is always a background activity. Whether it is the light thuds of axes hitting trees, or the ‘tink, tink’ as your villagers mine for gold, or even the distinctive clash of steel on steel as your soldiers fight your enemies and destroy their buildings, the sounds of activity bring to live the atmosphere of the game. I particularly like the sounds of the waves when you are near the sea.
Replay Value
The many different campaigns, scenarios, modes and multiplayer options, and difficulty settings give this game tons of replay value. I revisit the game at least once a year just to prove to myself I can still cut the mustard.
Personal Memories
Just hearing the music again takes me back to when I was 16, playing this game for hours on end when I should have been studying for my G.C.S.E’s. I ended up with poor grades so let that be a lesson to you not to neglect your studies! I love the music so much that I often listen to the AOE soundtrack.
The Rise of Rome extension was released in 1998 and contained four extra campaigns based on the Roman Empire. These campaigns included the Rise of Rome, Ave Caesar, Pax Romana, and Enemies of Rome. The expansion pack added more civilisations, technologies and units. It also had some extra features such as being able to queue the production of units, allowing you to continue with other objectives whilst your army is being created. It also allows the player to double-click a single unit to highlight all similar units on the screen, handy for when in the height of battle.
The new campaigns are:
Rise of Rome (509BC-27BC) – Help establish Rome and defeat the likes of the Macedonian King Pyrrhus of Epirus, defeat the Carthaginians in the Second Punic War and put an end to Hannibal’s threat once and for all.
Ave Caesar (75BC-48BC) – Help Julius Caesar escape from Cilician pirates, invade Great Britain, put down a rebellion in Gaul, and defeat Pompey at the Battle of Pharsalus.
Pax Romana (31BC-373AD) – Help Caesar conquer Marc Antony and Cleopatra at the Battle of Actium, help settle Rome after the death of the notorious Emperor Nero, recover a caravan of gold originally sent to pay the ransom of Emperor Valerian, put down a Palmyran rebellion, and witness the beginning of the downfall of Rome with the arrival of the Huns.
Enemies of Rome – Four scenarios focusing on different enemies of Rome:
Crossing the Alps – (219BC) – Hannibal fights his way through the Alps
Third Macedonian War – (171BC) – Push back the Roman legions and prevent them from establishing a foothold in Greece.
The Revolt of Spartacus (73BC-71BC) – Defeat the slave army of Spartacus
Odaenathus, Lord of Palmyra – (260AD) Help the Romans defend their eastern provinces from the Persians.
Help Caesar conquer Britannia (screenshot taken by the author)
Any Negative Points To AoE And The Rise Of Rome Expansion?
A few negative points include the lack of diversity in the units amongst the different civilisations. If you didn’t know from the campaign menu or didn’t select a civilisation when beginning a Random Map game, you could be forgiven for not knowing which civilisation you were. Regardless of what colour your army is, an indication to which civilsation you are can only be found by looking at the style of the border at the bottom of the screen.
The hoplite armies are also very overpowered. If you have a squad of about 10, you can pretty much decimate any confrontation with ease. Your only hope to defend against such an army is to either have an equal army of hoplites or get a few lucky strikes with a catapult. Having a large contingent of Heavy Horse Archers also helps as they can easily keep their distance. Lastly, some of the missions can become monotonous. Most missions are simply building an army and destorying the enemy base. There are a few more interesting missions such as finding and marking ancient horse symbols, but these are few and far between.
My Final Word
That being said, this game is utterly brilliant. What’s not to like? The game is easy to learn and highly addictive. There are plenty of different units with which to build your mighty army. The missions increase in difficulty, challenging your strategy to the end, and the replay value will have you coming back year after year.
I have successfully completed all campaigns on easy mode without the use of cheats and loved every second of it. I will no doubt unsheathe my sword again in the future, just to ensure I can still cut the mustard.
What The critics Said Of Age of Empires:
Allgame.com:“Although the building at the beginning of a mission is slightly repetitive at times, the game is still extremely enjoyable. Overall 4.5/5”[1]
Gamespot.com: “Age of Empires looked, and pretends, to be so very much more. It still has tons of potential and a fundamental gameplay that remains entertaining enough to overcome the flaws and merit a fair rating. The system can go very far with some fine-tuning, but as it stands it seems downright schizo. Is it a simplified Civilization or a modestly beefed up Warcraft? It’s almost as if the designers started out to create one game and ended up with another. Overall 6.8/10”[2]
PC Zone Magazine: “You’ll have to spend a few hours getting to know it before you’ll be able to find the fastest routes to each main advance and what you should be researching first to get to the weapons and buildings that suit your style of play best. But then this is the sort of thing that gets people hooked in the first place. And hooked you will be. Overall 9.4/10”[3]
What The Critics Said Of Age of Empires: The Rise of Rome:
Computer Games Strategy Plus: “If you enjoyed Age of Empires, Rise of Rome will put fresh blood on your sword. Overall 4/5”[4]
Awards:
Finalist – 1997 Computer Gaming World ‘Strategy Game of the Year’[5]
Outstanding Multiplay – CGW 1998 Premier Awards: Special Award[6]
My Verdict:“A classic real-time strategy game, and you even learn a little about classical history too. It has tons of replay value, and although it’s not perfect, I find myself drawn back to this game year after year.”
Rating:
What are your memories of Age of Empires? I would love to hear your thoughts, and don’t for get to follow and subscribe so that you don’t miss my latest reviews! You can also find me on Instagram: @nicklovestogame.
I was seven during World Cup Italia ’90. Sadly, I don’t remember much about it, other than my father jumping off the sofa in celebration as England scored. I don’t recall the match but I have a feeling it may have been England v Belgium, and the goal in question was David Platt’s volley.
Title screen (screenshot taken by the author)
Released for the Sega Mega Drive in 1990, and the Sega Master System in 1991, this football game was developed and published by Sega, and can be played in one and two-player modes. To review, I revisisted the Sega Mega Drive version
Gameplay
There are three modes:
World Cup – Single-player mode only where you can choose from 24 teams in the World Cup, all with varying degrees of stats, to guide to World Cup glory and immortality. Brazil, Argentina, West Germany, Holland and England are the best rated teams for the era, but sadly, they do not use names of real players.
Test Match 1P – Single-player exhibition match
Test Match 2P – Two-player exhibition match
Once you select your mode, a map of the world will appear. You then move the cursor to select you desired team. You can only select countries that are in colour. Any land area in beige cannot be selected. Each country’s stats are broken down in the following: Speed, Skill, Defence, Keeper, Total, all labelled 1-5 (5 being the highest)
Once you have chosen your country, you then need to select which players you want for the first team. Players have different stats: Speed, Kicking Strength, Tackling, and Accuracy, again, all labelled 1-5 (5 being the highest). Once selected, the game is ready to begin!
You view the game from a top down perspective, changing only during corners, penalties and goal kicks, where it changes to a more detailed, close up view. Also, when you score a goal, a picture of a player celebrating appears on the screen for a few seconds before kick-off resumes.
In-game action (screenshot taken by the author)
How Does It Handle?
The gameplay is still superior to later football games such as European Club Soccer(1992) and Super Kick Off (1991). For instance, there is a clear distinction between shoot, pass and cross functions. You can tackle and head the ball, and the overall ball control is better. You also need tactics to score goals. For example, in the first half, you need to diagonally cross ball into the penalty box to head the ball over the goalkeeper. In the second half, the goalkeeper tends to stay on his goal line, and so long shots diagonally across the penalty box into the corners of the goal are best.
There are a few things wrong with this game, however. Firstly, there are no fouls, so you can just hack away to your heart’s content. What really lets this game down though, is the length of each match. There is no way to shorten the match time, and each game seems unnecessarily long. This wouldn’t be so bad, but the simplicity of the gameplay soon becomes tiresome over such a long period of time. I achieved such a high level of skill at the game that I was scoring 20 goals per match because they are so long.
The more detailed set piece animation (screenshot taken by the author)
Graphics
The graphics are basic but they are colourful, clear and crisp. Smooth scrolling combined with more detailed illustrations and animations during set pieces are a nice touch as the game would seem rather plain otherwise. I think the football itself looks cool too, especially the way it enlarges as it rises into the air helping to ascertain its height.
Music
The music is great.! It has a very South American Latin feel to it which I’d be more than happy to listen to. The only annoyance is that every time to ball goes off for a throw-in or corner or when a goal is scored, the music restarts from the beginning.
The detailed stills are a nice touch (screenshot taken by the author)
Replay Value
Sadly, with the exception of two-player mode there is very little replay value to this game other than trying to win the World Cup with a weaker team.
Personal Memories
This game received poor reviews, but I seem to have a soft spot for it. I must confess that I love the music. Once it’s in your head, it never leaves. You’ll certainly find yourself dancing in your seat to the Latin beat.
This was also one of the first Mega Drive games I owned and completed. I felt such a sense of pride because I was only about nine years old and had often made it to the final only to be defeated.
Did I Complete The Game?
Yes, I have led the teams of Brazil and England to World Cup glory numerous times.
What The Critics Said:
Sega Power: “…this soccer game is a disappointment. Tired old gameplay and average graphics make this one for soccer fans only. Overall 2/5”.[1]
Sega Power: “This soccer game is, to put it mildly, very poor. Tired old gameplay and average graphics make this a soccer fan game only. Overall 2/5“.[2]
Raze: “Smooth scrolling pitch, good animation, lots of great set-piece screens and two-player mode is great fun. Poor title tune and corny during game, feeble whistles and strange groans, doesn’t always pick the nearest player. Overall 82%”.[3]
My Verdict: “Although you may get bored with the formulaic ways of scoring, the music will help ease the lengthy game time. I still prefer this to European Club Soccer.”
Rating:
What are your memories of World Cup Italia ’90? I would love to hear your thoughts, and don’t for get to follow and subscribe so that you don’t miss my latest reviews! You can also find me on Instagram: @nicklovestogame.
[1] Jarrett, S., ‘The Hard Line – World Cup Italia ‘90’. Sega Power. (April 1991). Issue 23:55.
[2] ‘The Hard Line – Review: Mega Drive – World Cup Italia ‘90’. Sega Power. (September 1993). Issue 46:99.
[3] ‘Reviews: Mega Drive – World Cup Italia ‘90’. Raze. (March 1991). Issue 5:44-45.
Role-playing games have the ability to take us out of ourselves and whisk us off to fantasy lands where we can choose to be warriors, mages, dwarves, and any other imaginary creature that suits us. We can select our own weapons, and if we are successful, gain strength and are harder to defeat. Phantasy Star promised to whisk us off to such a fantasy universe.
Screenshot taken by the author
Phantasy Star is a single-player role-playing game developed and published by Sega. It was released on the Sega Master System in 1987, and latterly re-released on the Sega Saturn, PS2, and Nintendo Switch. To review, I played this game as part of Sonic’s Ultimate Genesis Collection (2009).
Plot
The game is set in the fictional Algol star system which contains three planets: Palma – a lush and green planet, Motavia – a desert planet, and Dezoris – an ice planet. Algol is ruled by King Lassic, who early in his reign was considered kind and benevolent. He later becomes a cruel and sociopathic ruler. Soon, a rebellion begins to overthrow the now evil king. One hero, who falls during a battle, is Nero. His sister, Alis, the main protagonist (incidently, one of the first female protagonists for video games), swears to avenge her brother. She assembles a party consisting of a warrior named Odin, a wizard named Noah, and a cat-like creature named Myau. Together the party swear to kill King Lassic and restore peace to the kingdom.
The overworld is how you traverse the landscape (screenshot taken by author)
Gameplay
There are two gameplay modes. The first is from a near top down perspective whilst walking around the villages and planet surfaces. When walking around the surface of the planet, outside the cities, and in caves etc. You come across random battle encounters where you must choose to fight your opponent or attempt to run away. When exploring dungeons and caves, and in a battle, the view switches to first-person mode.
If you are successful in battle, you will gain experience points and money. As your experience points increase, your overall level of each character increases and subsequently, your characters stats making them stronger in attack and defense.
Gaining money will also allow you to buy stronger weapons, armour, and other items.
The battle scenes are highly detailed and look fantatsic (screenshot taken by author)
How Does It Handle?
The game is easy to learn and enjoyable. The fight mode is simple, but it can become frustrating that when fighting multiple enemies, you seem unable to select which enemy to attack, which can hinder fighting tactics. The game contains a back-up save option, which if you play RPGs will know that this is very useful.
RPGs can be a bit of a slog though. Known as grinding, you seek out and fight the same smaller enemies in order to gain experience points and increase your stats. Whilst hardened RPG gamers may love this type of gaming, many find it dull and repetitive.
The dungeon-crawling sections are very atmospheric (screenshot taken by author)
Graphics
For an 8-bit game, I think it is really beautiful! The colours are vibrant, the sprites are well designed, and there is a great variety of them to fight. The backgrounds during the fight scenes are also varied and are very detailed. I’ll wager this game pushed the Master System to its limits.
Music
The music becomes tiresome after a while but since it is not essential to the game, you can simply turn the sound off and listen to your own music or podcasts.
Did I Complete The Game?
I did complete the game, but with the assistance of a walkthrough. Sadly, as I have gotten older, I simply don’t have the time or inclination to spend countless hours on these sorts of RPGs.
What The Critics Said:
Computer & Video Games Magazine: “Real RPG fans should definitely check Phantasy Star out, but anyone with a passing interest in this type of game might not feel they’re getting their money’s worth. Overall 75%”[1]
S: The Sega Magazine:“An excellent entertainment – once you’ve teamed up with Odin, Noah and Myau and built up some strength, it’s like controlling an interactive movie. Brilliant? Yes it is. Overall 94%”[2]
Mean Machines: “A sprawling RPG which offersa great depth of gameplay, decent graphics and a good challenge. There are slightly better games of this sort (and cheaper too – this cart costs £40), but if you’re an RPG fan who has them all, this is well worth getting. Overall 75%”[3]
Sega Power: “If you’re into RPG adventures this is the one to go for. Explore stunning 3D labyrinths and solve a quest big enough to last for months. Huge. Astounding Get it. Overall 5/5“.[4]
Sega Power: “If you’re into RPG adventures this is the one to go for. Explore stunning 3D labyrinths and solve a quest big enough to last for months. Astounding and huge. Get it. Overall 5/5.”[5]
Awards:
Best Graphics – 1989 Electronic Gaming Monthly’s Player’s Choice Awards[6]
My Verdict:“A beautiful 8-bit game, just a pity the story is a bit thin. However, all RPG fans should enjoy this game.”
Rating:
What are your memories of Phantasy Star? I would love to hear your thoughts, and don’t for get to follow and subscribe so that you don’t miss my latest reviews! You can also find me on Instagram: @nicklovestogame.
[1] Rignall, J., ‘Mean Machines Review: Master System – Phantasy Star’. Computer & Video Games Magazine. Issue 89:92-3.
[2] ‘Special: Phantasy Star’. S: The Sega Magazine. (June 1990). Issue 7:11.
[3] ‘Games Index: Master System – Phantasy Star’. Mean Machines. (October 1992). Issue 1:135.
[4] Jarrett, S., ‘The Hard Line – Phantasy Star’. Sega Power. (April 1991). Issue 23:58.
[5] ‘The Hard Line – Review: Master System – Phantasy Star’. Sega Power. (September 1993). Issue 46:100.
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