Point and clicks aren’t for everyone. Some find them sleep inducing when what they really want is a high tempo adrenaline fuelled experience. However, even though some of us might enjoy a more relaxed experience from time to time, point and clicks can still be incredibly fun. You are basically taking control of an interactive movie. It still takes a lot of work though. There are puzzles to be solved after all, and they won’t solve themselves!
Beneath a Steel Sky is a point and click adventure game developed by Revolution Software and was published by Virgin Interactive Entertainment in 1994. Originally for MS-DOS and Amiga computers, it would be released for iOS in 2009, Apple Arcade and Steam in 2020, and GOG.com in 2022. For this review, I played the version downloaded from Steam.
Gotta love those early 1990s SCUMM graphics (screenshot taken by the author)
Plot
Beneath a Steel Sky is based in a cyberpunk-themed dystopian future. The Earth is a very different place. Set in Australia and against the backdrop of an economic war, a young boy called Robert is the only survivor of a helicopter crash that occurred in ‘The Gap’, an area outside of Union City. Robert is found and adopted by some of the locals who protect him and teach him the necessary skills to survive in The Gap. Over the years, he learns engineering and robotics, and builds a sentient robotic friend called Joey. Joey’s memories and personality are stored on a microchip and can be installed into other robot bodies to utilise them.
One day, a group of soldiers arrive from Union City. They have been sent by LINC (Logical Inter-Neural Connection), a computer system that runs the city, with orders to take Robert into custody without an explanation as to why. As they fly back to Union City, their helicopter malfunctions, and crashes on the city’s upper level. Robert survives and flees into a recycling plant where he hides from his captors.
Gameplay
Played from a third-person perspective, Beneath a Steel Sky is a standard point and click game with simple controls. Using the cursor, you click on parts of the screen move Robert around the environment, or to look at, or interact with people and items. To progress in the game, you must solve puzzles which involve finding objects that can be combined with one another or part of the environment. When conversing with another character, you can ask questions or make statements using a dialogue tree which either furthers the plot or gives you hints as to how to progress in the game.
Using the mouse, the left button looks at the object or part of environment, and the right button allows you to interact with it. By moving your cursor to the top of the screen, the items in your inventory appear. Again, you can use the right mouse button to select the use of an item and drag it to where or who you wish to us it on.
Like other point and clicks of this era, there are plenty of whacky characters to interact with (screenshot taken by the author)
How Does It Handle?
The game is simple to learn and to control, so you are able to dive straight in. One aspect of the controls I found annoying was that the “looking” button was the left mouse button, and the “action” button was on the right. I would have preferred this to be the other way around as it feels more intuitive for me.
Interestingly, you can actually die in this game, a rarity for point and clicks. Luckily you have infinite lives and you are simply taken back to your last save, so remember to save often.
Graphics
Firstly, I love the comic book style introduction (and ending). It is a great way to start the game and engages you instantly with the background story. The in-game graphics have that typical SCUMM (Script Creation Utility for Maniac Mansion) game look to them, which I love. The characters are all unique and the backgrounds are well designed and really give a sense of what a futuristic dystopian city might look like.
Music and SFX
For the most part, the music in many point and clicks are subtle and atmospheric, and at times, completely forgotten. However, in Beneath a Steel Sky, the music is a prominent feature and is very noticeable throughout. It feels like it is constantly changing from scene to scene to stop it from getting monotonous and there is a good mix of dramatic and playful. I found myself rather enjoying it.
This game has excellent dialogue with an array of accents. It is easy to see why it won an award for its dialogue. I really enjoyed the conversations, especially between Robert and Joey. The SFX in general, as I sit here and write this, I don’t really remember much. There are background noises like when you are walking through the factories, and sliding doors opening and closing but apart from that, I don’t seem to be able to remember much about them.
Inside LINC (screenshot take by the author)
Replay Value
There are two endings to this game. A good one and a bad one. However, both endings were disappointing in my opinion. Although I enjoyed the game, it didn’t make me want to play through it again.
Did I Complete The Game?
Yes, I completed the game but had to use a walkthrough to assist me several times.
What The Critics Said:
PC Gamer Online: “A slick, funny, and absorbing adventure that will appeal to a wide variety of gamers–two thumbs up! Overall 91%”.[1]
1995 Best Adventure – The Golden Joystick Awards 1995[3]
Verdict
“In my head, I imaged Beneath a Steel Sky to be a serious point and click. I didn’t expect the humour and quirky characters. The game looks great too, has memorable music and excellent dialogue. Not much in the way of replay value, but if you like point and clicks, you can’t go wrong.”
Rating
What are your memories of Beneath a Steel Sky? 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
In the early 1990s, EA Sports quickly made a name for themselves as the producers of the most realistic sports videogames. Their PGA Tour Golf (1990) release set the standard for how realistic and additive a golf videogame could be. The question was: could EA Sports produce a sequel to PGA Tour Golf (1990) that maintained the high standard set by the first instalment but have enough differences to make purchasing copy worthwhile?
PGA Tour Golf II is a sports simulation game developed by Polygon Games and published by EA Sports for the Mega Drive in 1992. A version was released on the Game Gear by Time Warner Interactive in 1995. For this review, I played the Sega Mega Drive version.
(screenshot taken by the author)
Plot
As with most sport sims, there is no plot per se. The object of the game is to compete in and win six tournaments whilst competing against other professional golfers.
Gameplay
With up to four players, there are several modes to play:
Practice Round – Play 18 holes on any course just for fun. You can also just practice your long game on the driving range and/or short game on the putting green.
Tournament – Compete in any tournament which consists of 4 rounds of 18-hole rounds. However, to qualify for the next round, you must make the cut by ensuring you score low enough on your round. If you successfully compete the final round, you earn money and may even win the tournament if you consistently score the lowest numbers of strokes per round.
Skins Challenge – A nice addition to the game. Two to four players can compete in an 18-hole match where each hole is assigned a monetary value. To win the hole, simply complete the hole in the least strokes. The winner takes the pot for that hole. The value of the holes increase as the match progresses. If a hole is tied, the money rolls over to the next hole. To make it more interesting, you can also opt to have pros join the game controlled by the computer.
The courses you can choose to play include:
TPC at Avenel
TPC at Eagle Trace (New)
TPC at Sawgrass
TPC at Scottsdale (New)
TPC at Southwind (New)
PGA West Stadium
At the beginning of each hole, you are greeted with a rotating 3D view of the green and advice from one of the professional golfers on how to approach the hole. Before each stroke, a bird’s eye view of the hole with a cross hair over the pin will appear. You can move the cursor and it tells you the distance from your golfer to the cursor. You can go back to the overview at any time by pressing ‘A’ button.
As you address the ball, a small window will appear showing you how the ball lies, allowing you to select the most appropriate club. The HUD contains all the information you need. You have the wind speed and direction in a box on the bottom left, the power gauge in the middle, and the hole number, hole par, stroke number, current score, distance to pin and club you are using in a box on the bottom right. On the horizon is the cross hair which shows you were you are aiming your shot. You can move this cursor left or right. Your caddy will automatically select the club they think you should use but you can change clubs yourself by pushing up or down on the D-pad. As you do this, you will notice the number to the left of the power gauge will increase or decrease. This is the maximum number of yards the club will hit the ball if the ball was unaffected by wind or how the ball lies.
When you are ready to hit the ball, press ‘B’ and the power gauge begins to fill from right to left. When you have reached your desired power, press ‘B’ again and the power bar begins to descend having left a mark when you stopped the power gauge rising. You then need to press ‘B’ a third time as the power bar reaches the Stroke Bar. If you are accurate, you will hit the ball without a slice or draw. The earlier or later your stop the power gauge either side of the stroke bar will determine the degree of which you slice or draw the ball. After striking the ball, and when the ball begins to descend, the camera angle changes, and you will see where the ball lands.
When you reach the green, a 3D square grid will appear showing you the lie of the green. This allows you to judge the slopes of the green when attempting to putt. Again, by pressing up and down on the D-pad when you are on the green increases and decreases the maximum power of the putt.
A new feature includes a Draw/Fade option allowing you more control over your ball when evading sand bunkers and water hazards.
There is also the new “Hole Browser” feature which allows you to really inspect the course, scrutinize the hazards, and plan the best approach to the green.
PGA Tour Golf (1990) (screenshot taken by the author)
PGA Tour Golf II (screenshot taken by the author)
How Does It Handle?
Very little has changed from PGA Tour Golf (1990). The controls are easy to learn. It’s the execution that proves difficult, but that is what makes the game so frustrating yet addictive.
Graphics
The graphics have improved since PGA Tour Golf (1990). The sprites are more detailed, and the swing animation is smoother and looks more realistic. The courses look better too with more differentiation between the light rough and heavy rough. I also think there are more varieties of trees of which are more detailed. The HUD looks slicker too.
When compare to its 16-bit console contemporaries, I think the sprites and courses look much better than Pebble Beach Golf Links (1992).
Music and SFX
Nice, upbeat pieces of music can be heard over the title screen, at the beginning of each tournament, and at the start of each hole which suits the game. In my mind, it is reminiscent of music that would be heard on Prime Time TV over the intro montages to sports TV programmes. There is no music whilst playing your rounds of golf which I prefer.
SFX are very minimal too. You’ll hear the occasional bird tweeting, the ‘thwack’ as you strike the ball, when ball when it lands, an applause when you putt in the hole, and the frustrating splash as the water lands in a water hazard. You don’t need more than this for a golf game. Less is more in this case.
Use the 3D mapping to read the green (screenshot taken by the author)
Replay Value
Like most sports games, this really comes into its own in multiplayer mode. The addition of the Skins Challenge is certainly something that will have you returning time and again. Add to that, the game is tough but strangely addictive. It is also a relaxing game which can be played in a semi-sedate manner.
Did I Complete The Game?
You can’t complete this game as such. I guess “completing” it would be winning all the tournaments. The best I ever did was place third in the TPC at Scottsdale.
Personal Memories
I used to own this game as a kid, and my father and I would regularly play the Skins Challenge. I was also better than my father at this game and after a few holes…and a few bogeys on his part…he would make an excuse along the lines of “I better get on with some jobs your mum wants me to do.” and would resign from the game, a little to my annoyance.
What The Critics Said:
MegaTech: “Seven 3D courses based on real-life PGA Tour venues are the setting for this prime golf simulation. Multi-player and skins tournaments, on-screen advice form the pros, battery game save – this cartridge is just loaded with features. Overall 94%“.[1]
My Verdict
“Arguably, one of the best 16-bit golf games of its time. It looks great but don’t be fooled by its serene atmosphere. It is challenging enough so that you won’t get bored easily, and addictive enough to keep you coming back for more, especially in multiplayer mode.”
Rating
What are your memories of PGA Tour GolfII? 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] ‘Game Index – PGA Tour Golf 2‘. MegaTech. (October 1993). Issue 22:101.
In real life, I enjoy playing golf. I’m not very good, and I’ve never scored a birdie, but it is hard not to love being surrounded by greenery and, in some cases, wildlife. I have played in scorching heat in Canada (Alberta and Ontario), fighting off mosquitoes but receiving regular visits from the cart girls selling refreshments, and I have played in rainy, gusty conditions in England where there are no cart girls but it’s easy to sneak your own drinks onto the course.
Title screen (screenshot taken by the author)
PGA Tour Golf is a sports simulation game developed by Sterling Silver Software and published by Electronic Arts. The first of a franchise, it was released in 1990 for MS-DOS. It was later released for the Mega Drive and Amiga in 1991, and SNES in 1992. Later releases for the Master System and Game Gear were published by Tengen in 1994. For this review, I played the Mega Drive version.
Plot
As with most sport sims, there is no plot per se. The object of the game is to compete in and win four tournaments whilst competing against other professional golfers.
Gameplay
With up to four players, you have the option to play a Practice Round or a Tournament, or you can simply practice on the Driving Range and/or Putting Greens. The practice modes are self-explanatory, but they are handy for people unacquainted with the game.
In Tournament Mode, each tournament consists of four rounds of 18 holes competing against 60 other golfers, of which all are real-life professionals.
The game contains three real courses from the US and one fictional course:
TPC at Sawgrass (Florida)
TPC at Avenel (Maryland)
PGA West Stadium (California)
Sterling Shores (Fictional)
At the beginning of each hole, you are greeted with a rotating 3D view of the green and advice from one of the professional golfers on how to approach the hole. Before each stroke, a bird’s eye view of the hole with a cross hair over the pin will appear. You can move the curser and it tells you the distance from your golfer to the cursor. You can go back to the overview at any time by pressing ‘A’ button.
As you address the ball, a small window will appear showing you how the ball lies, allowing you to select the most appropriate club. The HUD contains all the information you need. You have the wind speed and direction in a box on the bottom left, the power gauge in the middle, and the hole number, hole par, stroke number, current score, distance to pin and club you are using in a box on the bottom right. On the horizon is the cross hair which shows you were you are aiming your shot. You can move this cursor left or right. Your caddy will automatically select the club they think you should use but you can change clubs yourself by pushing up or down on the D-pad. As you do this, you will notice the number to the left of the power gauge will increase or decrease. This is the maximum number of yards the club will hit the ball if the ball was unaffected by wind or how the ball lies.
When you are ready to hit the ball, press ‘B’ and the power gauge begins to fill from right to left. When you have reached your desired power, press ‘B’ again and the power bar begins to descend having left a mark when you stopped the power gauge rising. You then need to press ‘B’ a third time as the power bar reaches the Stroke Bar. If you are accurate, you will hit the ball without a slice or draw. The earlier or later your stop the power gauge either side of the stroke bar will determine the degree of which you slice or draw the ball. After striking the ball, and when the ball begins to descend, the camera angle changes, and you will see where the ball lands.
When you reach the green, a 3D square grid will appear showing you the lie of the green. This allows you to judge the slopes of the green when attempting to putt. Again, by pressing up and down on the D-pad when you are on the green increases and decreases the maximum power of the putt.
An overview of on of the four courses you can play (screenshot taken by the author)
How Does It Handle?
PGA Tour Golf is not for the feint hearted. It is clearly designed for golf fans and is very challenging, much more challenging and unforgiving than Arnold Palmer Tournament Golf (1989). I wonder if the game is a bit too difficult. You have to be incredibly precise (maybe too precise) when you try to stop the descending gauge at the Stoke Bar else you can very easily draw or slice the shot. That being said, I really like the power gauge for this game. The ease of which you can change clubs and use the percentages of the power bar to estimate shots is a much simpler and user-friendly way of playing than Arnold Palmer Tournament Golf (1989).
When putting, I like the fact that you can change the maximum strength of the putter as this allows you to more accurately gauge the strength of your putt. That is not to say that putting is easy, of course. I found the putting to be very unforgiving with little margin for error.
Unlike Arnold Palmer Tournament Golf (1989) where you have to keep pressing ‘A’ to scroll through wind, distance, club selection etc., I love how all that information is one the main HUD. This speeds up the game and means you don’t keep having to go back a screen because you’ve forgotten the distance to the pin.
All the information you need on one screen (screenshot taken by the author)
Graphics
I love the design of the main menu. The picture of the Pro Shop is very colourful and nicely illustrated, and it really adds to the feeling of getting ready for a round of golf. The drop down menus show that the game was designed for MS-DOS/PC.
The in-game graphics aren’t as realistic as Arnold Palmer Tournament Golf (1989) and the courses themselves are far less detailed when it comes to the trees, sky, and differentiation between the fairway and the rough. The bitty graphics become even more apparent the larger your TV screen. The sprite also pales in comparison. Oddly, there is no difference in the look of the clubs or the stance of the golfer whilst using them with the exception of the putter which is disappointing. However, I do prefer the graphics of PGA Tour Golf to Jack Nicklaus’ Unlimited Golf & Course Design (1990).
The innovative 3D overview of the greens is awesome. It is a simple design, but is a great way to display the lie of the green. It allows the player to read the greens more accurately that previous methods. Bravo!
I also like the way the camera angle changes a few seconds after you have hit your shot so that you view the ball coming into land is a nice touch. This really helps with the feel of professional golf you see on television.
Music and SFX
The only music you hear in the game is the cheap 8-bit ear-offending tune that plays over the introduction to each hole where a professional golfer offers advice on how to play the hole. I appreciate this game is ported from MS-DOS but one would expect the music to be of better quality for the Mega Drive.
The sound is very minimalist. You hear a few birds tweets, the sound of the ball as you strike it and as it lands, and a ripple of applause when you putt the ball. It is how golf should be. Peaceful and relaxing…at least for the spectators anyway.
Replay Value
The main replay value of this game is the multiplayer mode. Each of the tournaments are individual titles and so once you have won them, you have won them. The money accrued means very little other than to be kept as a bragging statistic which is a shame. It would have been nice to be able to buy some different clubs like you can in Arnold Palmer Tournament Golf (1989). That is not to say that the game will be cast aside quickly. The tournaments are incredibly hard to win and mastering the game will take some time.
Did I Complete The Game?
At present, I have not won a tournament…in fact, after several attempts, I have only ever qualified for the third round once whilst competing in the Sterling Shores tournament and the second round of the TPC at Sawgrass.
The 3D view allows for more challenging green designs (screenshot taken by the author)
What The Critics Said:
Mean Machines:“A superb sports simulation which will appeal massively to golf fans, and will even be enjoyed by those who normally wouldn’t play this type of game. Overall 91%“.[1]
Raze:“PGA Tour Golf is a very accomplished piece of programming on the Amiga, and even more so on the Mega Drive, putting Arnold Palmer in the rough. The slick presentation on both versions gives the game a very professional look and a lot of appeal. To casual players or more serious golf devotees it will provide an ideal opportunity for long term entertainment. Overall 87%“.[2]
Video Games and Computer Entertainment:“The computer plays a good game, but this is one of those that really shines when you play with one, two or three other people. If the graphics, which would seem to be no more than 32 colours, were on a level with Arnold Palmer Tournament Golf (or even the celebrated Links 256-colour golf game from Access), it’d be a truly remarkable achievement. As it is, PGA Tour Golf is still a thoroughly entertaining, challenging and complex golf simulation. Overall 26/40“.[3]
Sega Power:Possibly the best golf game to appear on the MD! Good 3D views, loads of options, a multiplayer mode, a Save Game option, and classic golfing play. A must for all golfers. Overall 5/5”.[4]
My Verdict:
“Although the graphics are a bit sub-par (pun intended), PGA Tour Golf is fun and easy to learn but challenging to master. It has plenty of replay value, especially in multiplayer mode, and the creators have captured the atmosphere of the sport nicely.”
Rating:
What are your memories of PGA Tour Golf? 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: PGA Tour Golf’. Mean Machines. (April 1991). Issue 7:40-42.
In the 1980s, game developers cottoned on to the fact that celebrity endorsements help increase game sales. Beginning with Atari’s Pele’s Soccer (1980), it wasn’t long before names and likenesses of other celebrities such as Bruce Lee (albeit posthumously) and Daley Thompson soon appeared on video games. The quality would vary, however, and a celebrity endorsement was not always a guarantee of a good game.
Title screen (screenshot taken by the author)
Arnold Palmer Tournament Golf (Naomichi Ozaki Super Masters in Japan) is a golf game developed and published by Sega and released in 1989. AS far as I know, the game has not been ported or re-released at a later date and so the Mega Drive version was the only option I have to review the game.
Plot
As with most sports games, there is no plot other than you must compete against other golfers to win the tournament. To win the tournaments, you must finish each hole in the least number of shots.
Gameplay
Played in single or two-player modes, you can choose to play practice rounds or full Tournament Mode. Practice Mode can be played with one or two players, and you have a choice to play any of the three courses. The Tournament consist of 12 rounds of 18 holes played over three different courses located in the US, Japan and Great Britain. As you progress, you earn money based on your standings at the end of each round. This money can be used to upgrade your clubs from the default black carbon to the better glass fibre and ceramic clubs. Your skill level also increases allowing for greater distances with your shots and your caddy offers better advice for each shot.
Most of the rounds of are played as normal stroke play golf, in that you simply have to get around the course in the least number of shots. However, rounds seven and eleven are played as match games where you play against one other golfer. All you need to do is finish the hole in less shots than it takes your opponent. If, at the end of the tournament you are tied, you will play a sudden death game where the first golfer to win a hole, wins the match.
When it is your turn to address the ball, the HUD becomes split. On the left, you’ll see an overview of the hole and on the right, you’ll see your golfer and the caddy standing with their golf bag. There are three black boxes on the screen displaying various pieces of information. The top left box consists of the number of the hole, distance from the pin, and the hole’s par length; the top right box is the caddy’s advice; and the bottom right box displays your name, the number shot you are on and the club you are going to select. When you press ‘A’, a fourth black box will appear with the options to get Advice, to see the Green, or to see the Score. Press ‘A’ again, and all the black boxes will disappear, and a weathervane will appear showing the wind speed and direction. Press ‘A’ again and the weathervane disappears and an image of how the ball lies appears. Press ‘A’ again and the lie of the ball disappears, and picture of your club appears. You can use the direction button to search for the club you wish to choose. Press ‘A’ again and you will then be shown the stance of your golfer. Again, using the direction button you can adjust the stance allowing your golfer to deliberately ‘slice’ or ‘draw’ the ball. Press ‘A’ again, and the weathervane will appear once more as will the power gauge, and a small yellow arrow on the horizon. The direction button controls the yellow arrow and allows you to aim where you wish to hit the ball. You then press ‘A’ and two white markers begin to ascend on the power gauge. A third white marker will remain in the bottom third of the power gauge. Once they reach your desired power, you press ‘A’ again. The left marker will stop, and the right marker will begin to descend. You then press ‘A’ a third time to stop the descending marker in line with the stationary marker in the bottom third of the power gauge. Your player will then strike the ball. The progress of your hit ball can be seen on the overview map on the left. You will then be told where the ball lands (E.g., fairway, rough, sand bunker), and the process starts all over again. When you land on the green, the view changes to a near bird’s eye view. The lighter areas of the greens are higher than the darker areas of the green. Pressing ‘A’ will make arrows appear on parts of the green which shows you the direction of the slopes.
To help you during the rounds, you have a caddy who offers advice to you before you take a shot. At first, the advice simply states distance left to the hole. As you progress through the game, the caddy begins to offer more advice regarding how the ball lie and various landmarks and hazards on each hole of the course.
Excellent graphics and beautifully detailed (screenshot taken by the author)
How Does It Handle?
For the most part, the game is easy to pick up and play, but you will need the instruction manual to remind yourself of the maximum distance of each club. Adjusting your strength of shot and direction based on wind speed and direction takes some getting used to but adds a sense of realism to the game. Sometimes the wind works in your favour, other times it works against you. The putting is the hardest part as each increment of the putting gauge equals one yard. Add slopes into the mix and the speed with which the power increases in the power gauge, and you can be forgiven for missing some seemingly straightforward puts. I much prefer the way the greens can be viewed in PGA Tour Golf (1991) but I still prefer it to Power Golf (1989).
One of the things I found frustrating was the HUD display. The remaining distance to the hole wasn’t displayed at all times. Once you play your first stroke, you only need to know the remaining distance and to be reminded of the par of the hole. You don’t need reminded of the hole length. The annoyance of having to constantly click the ‘A’ button and then the ‘B’ button to go back and forth does become tiresome after a while. I actually prefer the HUD display for PGA Tour Golf (1991) and Power Golf (1989) which displays all the information all the time.
Oddly, there is an inaccuracy between the map of the hole and what you can see on the right screen when the ball has struck. Many a time I have struck a ball into an area and the ball is seemingly on the fairway but it is in fact in a bunker or in the rough. For example, on hole 13 of one of the courses, I forget which, the ball was lying on the fairway according to the right section of the screen but on the map sections, it showed I was in the bunker. It was rather annoying at times.
Graphics
I think the game looks great. The colours are vibrant, and the sprites move in a very realistic way. The courses are clearly defined so that you can differentiate between the fairway, rough, sand bunkers and trees. I think I actually prefer the way the courses look here than I do with PGA Tour Golf (1991), which looks a tad bland for me, or Power Golf (1989), which looks a bit too cartoony for me.
Halfway through each course, you have a tea break where you are greeted with one of several animations of Sega Master System hero Alex Kidd playing golf. He is joined by Opa-Opa of Fantasy Zone fame.
Oddly, the backgrounds of the courses do not vary and so the courses are not visually distinctive. This is very disappointing as it would have been a great opportunity to design courses based around styles and fashions from those nations: mountains for the USA and cherry blossom trees and some pagodas for Japan. These may come across as stereotypical, but the visuals would have been a nice way to differentiate the courses.
It is also disaapointing that there is only one player face to choose from and that you cannot change the colour of the jersey. The only colour change is a palette change when you compete against another opponent.
Music & SFX
Music plays throughout in the form of an upbeat and bouncy number which doesn’t really lend itself to the sedate nature of a golf game. I do like the music, but If I’m honest, I prefer silence with the occasional bird tweeting and the gentle ripple of applause from the crowd as you bag another birdie. There is a satisfying noise as you sink your ball and a nice little applause from the crowd, but I found that I just turned down the sound and listened to my own music or podcasts as the music and noise aren’t really needed for the game. Weirdly, there is a slight delay of sound when you hit the ball.
Replay Value
For golfing fans in particular, I think this game has lots of replay value. Picture a relaxing evening with a beer or cup of tea, maybe a bit of light music on in the background whilst you play a genial game of golf. Two-player mode will also ensure that level of competitiveness amongst friends remains ignited.
Apparently, there is a secret Fantasy Zone level hidden within the game. To find it, allegedly hit the ball 100 times on the first hole without putting in. You then enter up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, B and A on the game over screen. However, I’ve never had the patience to do this and so cannot confirm if this is true.
Did I Complete The Game?
As of yet, I have never won the overall tournament but I have won the GB Pro Tournament and earned a nice set of fibre glass clubs for my troubles.
“Driving for show, putting for dough” (screenshot taken by the author)
What The Critics Said:
Mean Machines:“More fun than Bruce Forsyth, better looking than Tarby, and more strokes than Cecil Parkinson. Overall 83%“.[1]
Raze: “The whole game is slickly designed and beautifully executed. Arnold Palmer may sound like a boring old fart to you, but he’s got one hell of a game to play. Overall 89%“.[2]
Sega Pro:“One of the first and still one of the best. Accurate graphics, good sound and heaps of playability make this an impressive golf simulation, but PGA Tour Golf plays a lot better. Overall 83%”.[3]
Sega Power: “Impressive looking game with convincing 3D courses, good player animation and a hidden Fantasy Zone Game! Simple play-style grows dull so seasoned golfers should go for PGA Tour Golf instead. Overall 3/5”.[4]
Verdict:
“I think this is a solid golf game. Lovely colours and animation, and the game is surprisingly addictive. There is a fair amount of replay value and I’d wager than you’ll be paying your golf fees again and again with this one.”
Rating:
[1] ‘Mega Drive Review – Arnold Palmer’s Golf’. Mean Machines. (December 1990). 3:58-60.
Wii Sports holds the accolade of Nintendo’s biggest selling video game with 82.9 million units sold as of 2022. However, these figures seem less impressive when you keep in mind that it was part of the bundle when you bought the Wii.[1] That being said, one cannot fault Nintendo’s pushing of gaming boundaries here. The results may not have been perfect, but it sparked an array of easily accessible games for people of all ages and abilities to enjoy.
Title screen (screenshot taken by the author)
Wii Sports is a sports simulation game developed and published by Nintendo. It was released for the Wii in 2006. For this review, I dusted off my old Wii and had a trip down memory lane.
Plot (or in this case, what is the game all about?)
As with all sport sims, there is no “plot”. Instead, there are five different sports for you to compete in and can be played with upto four players with the exception of boxing and baseball which are single- or two-player games. To play the games, you use the Wii remote to simulate the actions you would make if you were to play these games in real life.
Tennis
Gameplay
With up to four players, you can choose to play a single game, best of three games or best of five games. The direction you hit the ball is very much based on the timing of your swing and the position of your Mii (your character). However, when serving, you simply raise your remote as if throwing a ball into the air before swiping at it to send it towards your opponents. The rules and point system are the same as a real life tennis game.
How Does It Handle?
The fact that the direction the ball is hit is based on the timing of your swing and the position of your Mii can be frustrating because you don’t have control over the position of the Mii. Their movements are controlled by the computer and so one can be forgiven for shouting, in the immortal words of Eliza Doolittle in the movie of My Fair Lady (1964), “Move your bloomin’ arse!“. One little hint when serving is that if you can time it so that you strike the ball when it has reached its peak height, you will hit the ball incredibly hard and fast, making it difficult for your opponent to return the serve.
Graphics
For all the sports in this game, the Mii designs are never going to win prizes for asthetics. However, they don’t need to be breathtakingly detailed because that is not what Wii Sports is about, so I won’t hold their design against the game. The environments of Tennis are nicely coloured, and conjure up feelings of summer days watching Wimbledon and eating strawberries and cream. The varying arrays of greens is rather impressive.
Music and SFX
You only really hear music when you are selecting how many players will play or during the replays when you win the match. The SFX are very realistic. From the sound the ball makes as your strike it, to the cheer of the crowd when a point is scored, the SFX are awesome. The umpire calling out the scores after a point is scored reminds me a lot of old arcade games.
“New balls please!” (screenshot taken by the author)
Baseball
Gameplay
Up to two players can play at any one time. One player bats and the other player pitches. Once you get three opposing players out, your innings ends, and it is your opponents turn to bat. Each team has three innings but if one team leads by 5 runs, a mercy ruling is imposed and the game ends with the winner being the team with the most runs.
To hit the ball when batting, you simply need to time your swing as the ball approaches. However, the pitcher will use all their cunning and guile to throw different types of pitches to ensure you miss the ball. For example, by simply motioning the remote as if throwing a ball, your pitcher will perform a fastball (the fastest ball I can pitch reaches 151KM/H). The faster you throw, the faster the ball will travel. Holding the ‘A’ button while throwing will perform a swerve ball. Holding the ‘B’ button will perform a curve ball and holding both ‘A’ and ‘B’ will perform a splitter. This is where the ball swerves downwards at the last second making the batter swing and miss. If you swing and miss three times, your batter is out. If you hold your nerve and don’t swing at the splitters, four times, then your player will get a free walk to first base. Hitting the ball into the stands within the foul lines will earn you a home run, and all players at the bases can freely run home to score you points.
How Does It Handle?
As the pitcher, trying to disguise your pitch is all part of the fun. The fielding is automatic and so once you throw a pitch, the rest of the game is out of your hands. As the batter, timing your swing is everything. Once you hit the ball, that is pretty much all there is to it. You can’t steal bases, you simply hit the ball and let the computer do the rest. It is a simple game, but suprisingly fun in two-player mode.
Graphics
Again, the graphics are adequate for what the sport is offering. Clear and colourful graphics…what more do you want from such a game?
Music and SFX
You hear the Wii Sports fanfare (which is very memorable) as the players line up at the beginning of the match, and another piece of music once the match has been won (which is not very memorable). Some noticeable SFX consist of when you strike the ball and when the ball is caught by a fielder. However, the main SFX comes from the constant crowd noise giving you a real sense of stadium atmosphere.
“Let’s go Blue Jays!!!” (screenshot taken by the author)
Ten-pin Bowling
Gameplay
This can be played with up to four players. Each player has ten frames. In each frame, you are allowed to bowl twice, with the object being to knock down all the pins. If you knock down all the pins with your first ball, your frame is over and it is the next person’s frame and so on (Note: For frame 10, if you get a strike or a spare, you will end up bowling an extra ball. The maximum score you can achieve is 300 (My highest is only 192). Before bowling the ball, you can adjust your aim, then you simply hold down ‘B’, and perform a bowling motion, letting go of ‘B’ as your follow through.
How Does It Handle?
The game handles very realistically I think. As a right hander, there will always be a natural draw to the left when bowling (to the right if you’re a southpaw), but the method to adjust your position and trajectory is easy to use (this doesn’t mean getting a perfect game is easy though). By twisting the remote as you bowl, you can add spin to the ball as it sails down the lane which is fun to try and master. One nice little quirk of the game is that if you let go of the ball too early, it will fly backwards and land with a thud making the spectators jump.
Graphics
Nothing spectacular is needed for this type of sport, but there are some nice touches. For example, seeing the reflection of the pins and the ball as it is being bowled adds to the illusion of a slick and well maintained bowling alley. Also, when the camera pans around so that you can see what’s behind the bowler, you can see all the Miis wandering back and forth to their lanes.
Music and SFX
The main SFX are the satisfying noise of the pins as they tumble together and fall. Interestingly, for this game they have chosen a lo-fi soundtrack l, that I didn’t notice at first, that plays throughout. However, the post-game music is a nice guitar-riffed country-esque affair, and arguably the nicest piece of music in the entire game.
“We’re gonna score tonight. We’re gonna score tonight!” (screenshot taken by the author)
Golf
Gameplay
Up to four players can play at any one time. The aim is to get around the nine-hole course in the least number of strokes. To the left of your Mii, you will see a gauge. As you swing the remote, a blue bar will appear to fill the gauge. The harder you swing, the more the gauge will fill. However, if you swing too hard, the gauge will turn red, causing your shot to either draw or slice uncontrollably. You can take as many practice swings as you like but when you wish to hit the ball you will need to press and hold the ‘A’ button to move the Mii forward to prepare for your shot. To help gauge how hard you should swing, dots on the gauge correspond with the dots on the map to your right. This will indicate where your ball should land (taking into account wind and elevation etc.).
How Does It Handle?
I think the game handles well. You are able to swing the remote incredibly lightly too when putting, allowing for the deftess of touches.
Graphics
Again, a lovely array of greens set against a cloudy but blue sky, with the odd sand bunker or water feature present. The colourscheme is strangely relaxing and comforting.
Music and SFX
The main SFX are the when you strike the ball, and when it lands in the water, on land, or when you get it in the hole. If you hit the ball well you are greeted with a “Nice Shot” vocalisation and a cheer from the crowd which (realistically) dies down as the player addresses the ball for their next shot. There is also the pleasant ambience of nature around you complete with bird tweets.
Driving for show, putting for dough (screenshot taken by the author)
Boxing
Gameplay
Up to two-players can play at any one time. The object is to knock your opponent out. Using the Wii remote and the nunchuck, you block, jab and hook as you would if you were really boxing. You can also tilt the controllers left or right to bob and weave and evade the opponent’s strikes.
How Does It Handle?
Although this game shows the potential future of sporting sim games, I didn’t spend much time on the boxing. There is little finesse to the game and I feel that you just end up slugging it out. I’m sure there are people out there who practically make their Mii dance, but I did not have the inclination to become as proficient.
Graphics
Your Mii is transparent but your gloves are fully opaque. I would have liked the option of first person perspective for this game.
Music and SFX
The only music you hear is an urban beat sounding piece after the fight when your stats are shown. The most distinctive sound you’ll hear is the crowd noise as they cheer during the fight. There’ll be plenty of familiar sounding thuds as punches are landed too.
“You’re gonna eat thunder and crap lightning” (screenshot taken by the author)
Extras
As an extra bonus, the game also contains two other features. The first is a training mode which gives you three different training sessions per sport to help improve your skill. The second is a fitness mode which uses tennis, baseball, and bowling to test your speed, strength, and stamina. It then calculates your Wii age…my last attempt put my age at 33. At the time of writing this in 2022, I am 39 so I’ll take that.
Replay Value
Personally, I found this game to have tons of replay value, especially in two- or multi-player modes. The gaining of experience points was a good option too as the competitve amongst us will ensure their Mii has the highest number of points. However, I do also concede that Wii Sports may also be a Marmite game. You’ll either love it or you’ll hate it!
Personal Memories
Many years ago, when I used to live with a buddy, Friday nights were for listening to Reel Big Fish and playing Wii Sports. We’d crack open the beers and would compete mostly on golf and baseball. We occasionally play bowling and tennis, but our hearts lay with golf and baseball. We actually became pretty darn good at the golf game and could birdie most holes.
Did I Complete The Game?
As with most modern sport sims, this is not the sort of game you complete.
What The Critics Said:
Allgame: “As a key launch title, Wii Sports accomplishes everything it sets out to do. It introduces the system’s control scheme in an appealing way, it incorporates the cutesy Mii characters for a personal touch, and it shows off some of the console’s communication capabilities by sending players notes whenever they achieve a certain milestone. More importantly, it is exactly the type of game that will bring users of all ages and skill levels together for laughs, cheers, and some excitement about what may be in store from Nintendo in the years ahead.Overall 12/25”.[1]
Electronic Gaming Monthly: “Good – Grandma can play, comes with the system. Bad – Zero depth. Coolest Feature – Seeing your customized Miis wandering the sidelines. Overall 19/30”.[2]
Eurogamer: “…what it’s actually got here brilliantly embodies the Wii’s dramatic premise: that this kind of control can appeal to people who don’t play games and people who used to play games as well as people who’ve been playing them for as long as we have. That’s not to say that it’s all things to all people, or that it’s without flaws – but when you get lost in tennis late at night, you can be playing because your opponent’s smart, and needs to be forced out of position with varied ground shots, top spin and precisely angled shots; or you can be playing because, golly Michael, come see what Tom’s brought home, it’s a sort of magical tennis racket. It’s more than the parlour game that we all expected, then, but perhaps the beautiful thing is that it still can be that if you want it to. Overall 8/10.”[3]
Gamepro: “Even though Wii Sports is included in the system, we don’t want to give it too much leeway because it’s free. But, realistically, we can’t help but enjoy the fact that we’re getting a solid sports experience for nothing. It’s definitely more fun in groups and won’t have a great deal of longevity, but anyone who doesn’t find at least some fun in Wii Sports has a heart of coal. There, I said it. Overall 4.25/5.”[4]
Gamerspot: “The first time the games included in Wii Sports were shown to the public, it was simply as tech demos to prove that Nintendo wasn’t totally crazy for building a whole console around motion-sensitive controls. Though there’s still kind of a tech-demo feel to Wii Sports, it’s a fun, unique package you’ll enjoy so long as you don’t expect too much detail from it. Overall 7.8/10.”[5]
Gamespy:“Wii Sports is at its best in a group setting, where the familiarity that everyone has with these games makes them incredibly easy to pick up and play. It’s a game you can play with your friends and family, and it perfectly highlights the direction that Nintendo is taking with the platform. It’s not the best-looking game on the system, and it’s definitely not the deepest, but it may well be the most fun. You’re not forking over any money for Wii Sports, so consider it the best money you won’t spend this year. Overall 4/5”.[6]
GameTrailers:“Wii Sports is incredibly fun to play for the first couple days you have it, and you’ll undoubtedly sell some Wiis for Nintendo if you bust it out at a party. But eventually, the relative lack of depth to any of the games exposes it for what it is–a free game that comes packed-in with the system. Overall 8/10”.[7]
GameZone: “Mario. Tetris. Mario World. Wii Sports. These are the four games Nintendo has chosen to include with four of their game consoles. In terms of sales and longevity, Wii Sports won’t do for Nintendo Wii what Mario did for the NES. Wii Sports won’t be played by as many people as Tetris. It is, however, a killer, innovative showpiece that will draw in anyone who witnesses all that it can do. Sure, it lacks goals and can be beaten very quickly. But the ultra-responsive technology and high multiplayer replay value are far greater than any other party or sports game collection. Excite Truck is good, but this is the one that should’ve been packed in Wii kiosks all over the country. Overall 8.5/10”.[8]
IGN: “Wii Sports is a successful showpiece for Nintendo’s new hardware and a fantastic means to get non-gamers talking about Wii. Not all of the games are spectacular. Given the choice, I’d prefer not to play either boxing or golf, which is disappointing because both sports seem like a fine fit for the remote. But the games that do work really work. Baseball is good in short bursts. Tennis is a lot of fun, especially with two or more. And bowling is fantastic – I can’t wait for Nintendo to use these mechanics and release the inevitable (and much deeper) Mario Bowling.
What you’re going to find in Wii Sports is a title that demonstrates the potential of the Wii remote, but comes up short in depth and visuals. Play it for an hour with friends and you’ll love it. Your non-gamer friends will be dazzled by the immediately intuitive controls and the imported Miis. But the title sacrifices incredible depth and visuals for an immediately accessible experience. Overall 7.5/10.”[9]
Nintendo Gamer:“…even though the tennis, golf, and baseball aren’t that great, there’s still no denying that Wiis Sports is a lot of fun. Bowling and boxing alone make it a great party game, and the rest of the sports, though flawed, at least provide a glimpse of what the Wii is capable of…Overall 78/100.”[10]
Nintendo Life:“It’s simply a fun game that is somewhat plagued by the simplicity and a few other errors, but offers a refreshing and satisfying experience. Overall 8/10.”[11]
Nintendo Power:“The whole fitness aspect is cool, but in the single-player game you’ll experience everything Wii Sports has to offer in a matter of hours. Then again, the game does come free with the console, so ГИ stop whining. Overall 8.25/10.”[12]
Official Nintendo Magazine:“Maybe a month or two down the line you’ll have put Wii Sports back on the shelf because the basic nature of the games means that once you get used to them there isn’t much of a replay factor (although the training mode does provide a number of missions for you to complete). But if someone comes over to your house and asks to see how the Wii works, Wii Sports is the game you’ll use to demonstrate. It’s simple yet has a surprising amount of depth, and when played with a group of friends is one of the best multiplayer experiences on the Wii. And it didn’t cost you a penny. Overall 90%”.[13]
PALGN: “A very solid first effort for the Wii, and provides just a taste of what is, and what will be, great about the Wii console. Pick it up, play it and have fun. Very nice. Overall 7.5/10”.[14]
Videogamer: “Undoubtedly, Wii Sports did start out as “just a tech demo” but the game that’ll arrive with your Wii has come a long way since then. It’s come far enough, in fact, that were Nintendo to sell this separately for say £20, it would be something akin to a must buy. It may not win any awards for the best looking or sounding game but it’s great pure fun, and is instantly accessible to pretty much anyone. We all know roughly how to swing a tennis racket, or bowl a bowling ball – even if we haven’t done either before – and the Wii Remote does a great job of recreating the sensations of the real thing by being neither too accurate nor too forgiving, but just right. Overall 8/10“.[15]
My Verdict:
“I have a real soft spot for this game. The multitude of fond memories I have playing it with friends may account for my generous score. Wii Sports will never win awards for graphics, but the colours and sports designs are pleasing to the eye. Most of the music and SFX are easily forgettable, but I think there is so much fun to be had playing this with friends that it can be forgiven its shortcomings.”
Rating:
What are your memories of Wii Sports? 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.
Zaxxon holds the accolade of being the first arcade game advertised on television.[1] A 30 second commercial was created by Paramount for around $150,000.[2] The advertising seems to have had the desired effect as the game was a commercial success and one of highest earners for arcades between October 1981 and September 1982.[3]
Zaxxon is an isometric shooter developed and published by Sega for the arcade in 1982. Over the next three years, Zaxxon was ported to the following: Aaple II, Atari 8-bit family, Atari 2600, Atari 5200, ColecoVision, Commodore 63, Dragon 32, IBM PC compatibles, Intellivision, MSX, Sega SG-1000, TRS-80, TRS-80 Color Computer, and the ZX Spectrum. Over the years, it has ben emulated to many consoles. For this review, I played the version found on the PlayStation 3 as part of Sonic’s Ultimate Genesis Collection (2009).
Plot
You must pilot a ship through a series of heavily defended space fortresses, destroying as many enemy buildings and crafts a possible.
Gameplay
The aim of the game is to earn as many points as possible buy hitting various targets throughout the levels. Danger comes threefold: You must evade enemy fire, evade walls and electrical fields, and be careful not to run out of fuel. To replenish your fuel, simply destroy fuel drums when you see them. Each level also contains a certain number fo enemy planes. If you destroy all the enemy planes then you are rewarded with bonus points.
Zaxxon consists of three levels played in a loop which increase in difficulty as the game progresses. Level 1 is a fortress that you must fly through, level 2 is a battle in outer space, and the third is also a fortress culminating a boss battle at the end.
At several points throughout the fortesses, you will need to ascend or descend to fly through gaps in their defensive walls. To gauge height, your ship casts a shadow and the HUD displays a sort of altimeter.
How Does It Handle?
I think the game handles well. The controls are responsive, but it is very easy to ascend or descend unintentionally which can cause you to crash. This difficulty in judging height can become frustrating. You also need to keep pressing the fire button so be prepared for your thumb to get a workout.
Graphics
Zaxxon has been credited with being the first game to use axonometric projection which emulates 3D from a third-person viewpoint.[4]
I think the levels look really good. There is a good array of colours and detail to the levels. No complaints here.
Music and SFX
There is no music in this game, but there is a permanent sort of white noise in the background adding to the illusion of flying in space. However, the predominant noise you will hear is the pew-pew sound when you fire, followed by booms as you destroy your targets. Also, during your dogfights, when an enemy locks on to you, you will hear a distinctive beep, reminding you to perform some evasive manoeuvres.
Replay Value
If you like this game and have a competitive nature, you will return to this game often. It is a pity that there is no two player option.
What The Critics Said:
At present, I have yet to find a contemporary review. Wikipedia claims that an article from Computer and Video Games magazine has given Zaxxon a position review but upon reading the article they do no such thing. They simply describe how the game is played.
My Verdict:
“I didn’t spend that much time on this game as I just didn’t enjoy playing it. The graphics and SFX are good, and the gameplay is fun if you like this sort of game. I’m not saying this game is bad, far from it. It just wasn’t for me.”
Rating:
What are your memories of Zaxxon? 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] Wolf, M.J.P., ‘A Brief Timeline of Video Game History’. in eds. Wolf, M.J.P. The Video Game Explosion: A history from PONG to Playstation and Beyond. Connecticut: Greenwood Press. pxviii.
[2] Harmetz, A., (Saturday, July 3rd 1982). ‘Movie Themes Come to Video Games’. Star-News.
[3] ‘Industry News – AMOA Announces Jukebox and Games Awards Winners’. Cashbox. (October 30th, 1982). :37.
[4] Therrien, C., ‘Graphics in Video Games’. in eds. Wolf, M.J.P. The Video Game Explosion: A history from PONG to Playstation and Beyond. Connecticut: Greenwood Press. p240.
Space Harrier is an arcade rail shooter. It was developed and published by Sega and released for the arcade in 1985. It was later ported to the Master System in 1986, the Game Gear in 1991, and the Mega Drive’s 32x in 1994. Non-Sega releases included the TurboGrafx-16, Famicom, ZX Spectrum, Amstrad, Commodore 64, Nintendo 3DS, Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 as part of Sonic’s Ultimate Genesis Collection (2009). It was the latter version that I chose to review.
Plot
The arcade version had no plot as such, but when it was released on the Master System in 1986, a back story was given. It explained that the once peaceful Land of Dragons was attacked by an army of monsters and robots. As Space Harrier, you are sent to defeat the invading army and return the Land of Dragons to its peaceful existence.
Gameplay
Played in third person, Space Harrier runs briefly before taking off. You then fly around the screen destroying or evading oncoming enemies. The enemies consist of an array of robots and monsters. One such monster is a mammoth with one eye…weird! You must also be aware of the many stationary pillars throughout the stages. One hit from your enemies or a collision with a pillar will result in death.
Space Harrier will always default to the centre of the screen, so if you let go of the controls, he will automatically move to the central position.
There are 18 Stages, with numbers 5 and 12 being Bonus Stages. The Bonus Stages sees you riding a Haku-esque (Studio Ghibli fans will know what I mean) dragon. The object of the Bonus Stage is to smash down trees or pillars to gain extra points.
Don’t forget to evade enemy fire and stationary objects (screenshot taken by the author)
How Does It Handle?
The game is very fast and chaotic, and I think there is little finesse required. I often felt that I got through the stages on sheer luck and persistence. If it wasn’t for infinite continues, I would not have made it past the first few levels. However, the manoeuvring controls are tight, but you must remember to keep tapping the fire button. There are no automatic weapons to make the game easier for you.
Disappointingly, there is only one weapon for you to utilise. It would have been nice to be able to pick up a few power-ups along the way.
One of the issues with the third person view and the speed of the game is that it is that it can be tough to judge the depth of the projectiles being hurled at you. When being peppered with fireballs, it is difficult to determine when they will hit you. So much is happening that you are simply trying to fly in random patterns before slamming into an enemy laser or fireball. Again, I think you just need luck more than skill.
According to a reviewer from Computer & Video Games magazine (see below), the game will adapt its difficulty based on how well you play it. I’m unsure if this feature was on my version, but I certainly noticed that some levels appeared to be faster than others.
In the Bonus Stages, although you can direct the dragon, you can’t really steer it.
Graphics
The sprites look great! Space Harrier is brightly coloured and nicely detailed. Sadly, you don’t have much time to admire the illustrations of the enemy sprites as they whizz by incredibly fast. Only when you die, and if an enemy is close to the foreground do you see how awesome the robots or dragon creatures look.
The level design is quite basic. The floors are coloured in bi- or tri-tonal chequered patterns and change colour with every stage. The skies tend to have multi-coloured horizontal stripes patterns. The backgrounds contain minimal detail, but you don’t really have time to admire them as your attention is on the incoming enemies and pillars.
Music & SFX
When I began writing this review, I had to go back and play a few levels just to listen to the music. The music is actually good and fits the game well but because of the on-screen action, my brain seemed to filter it out.
I loved the vocalised “Welcome to the Fantasy Zone. Get Ready!” at the beginning of the game. Is it me, or does the sound Space Harrier makes when he dies very similar to Altered Beast (1988)?
I also like the fact that when you hit an enemy, there are two distinctive sounds to indicate whether the enemy has taken damage or not.
Replay Value
For me, there isn’t much replay value with this game unless you are a fan of rail shooters. I doubt I will return to this game again. There isn’t even a two-player mode to compete against a friend with.
I really like the enemy sprite designs (screenshot taken by the author)
Did I Complete The Game?
Yes, although it took me around 16 continues. If we equate this to £1 per continue, it took me £16 to complete. That’s not too bad…or is it? I don’t know how to gauge these things. My final score was 29438560.
Spoiler Alert!
I felt cheated when I beat the game. A message appears simply stating “The End”, and that’s it!
What The Critics Said:
Computer and Video Games: “What makes it so interesting is, other than the fast and exciting game play and clear bright graphics, is that the machine will judge for itself how proficient you are, and change the level of difficulty accordingly, sometimes within the same screen.”No Rating.[1]
Sinclair User Magazine: “The fabulously colourful 3D graphics, the movement of the sit-in cabinet were, and still are, breathtaking. The first thing you’ll notice about Space Harrier as you climb into the pilot’s seat is the seatbelt. It makes you wonder what type of ride you’re in for. Take it from me – it’s turbulent. Still using the basic blast-everything -which-moves theme, Space Harrier hurls you up, down, left and right while managing to tilt the cabinet in a roll in whatever direction you push your joystick. It’s hair-raising and great fun.” No Rating.[2]
Computer Gamer: “The game is basically of the shoot anything that moves, and if it doesn’t explode get out of the way, type – but the graphics are extremely good, and the 3D effects are quite good.”No Rating.[3]
My Verdict
“This game is fast and furious, and the way the original cabinet would move you around as you played must have been revolutionary. Without the cabinet, the game is probably a lot of fun for rail shooter fans, but I came away from it feeling like I’d not actually done that much. The sprites look great, and the controls are tight, but I don’t think there is that much skill required for this game, and I don’t feel like playing it again.”
Rating
What are your memories of Space Harrier? 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] Edgeley, C., ‘Arcade Action – Space Harrier’. Computer and Video Games. (Feb 1986). :83.
[2] ‘The Arcade Coin-Op Giants for 1987 – Space Harrier’. Sinclair User Magazine. (Feb 1987). Issue 59:92.
[3] ‘Coin-Op Connection – Space Harrier’. Computer Gamer. (March 1986). Number 12:26.
I can’t speak for females, but I would wager that most boys (and men come to think of it) have fantasised about being a ninja at one point in their lives. The idea of being a stealthy assassin dressed in black and wielding “cool” weapons such as nunchaku, shuriken, and kusarigama is an appealing fantasy…until you realise the amount of training and self-discipline one would need to achieve such expertise. Thank God for video games, eh?
Titlescreen (screenshot taken by the author)
Shinobi is a side-scrolling hack-and-slash action game. It was developed and published by Sega and released in the arcade in 1987. It was ported to the following:
Master System (1988)
Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64, NES, PC Engine (Japan only) and ZX Spectrum (1989)
Wii Virtual Console and Xbox Live Arcade
PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 as part Sonic’s Ultimate Genesis Collection (2009)
Nintendo Switch as part of Sega Ages series (2020).
Plot
The evil Zeed Terrorist Organization have kidnapped young students who belong to the clan of ninja master Joe Musashi. Joe must battle through a number of levels dodging gunshots and flying swords in order rescue his students.
Rescue the hostages by walking into them (screenshot taken by the author)
Gameplay
The controls are very basic. You can walk, crouch, jump and attack. Depending on your proximity to the enemy will determine if your throw a shuriken or kick. There is only one movement speed, but you can jump into the background and back into the foreground to evade enemies and save your students. You have an unlimited supply of shuriken and when you rescue certain hostages, they are replaced by a gun. You can also find a katana to replace your melee attack too. If things gets too tough, you can use your ninjitsu attack, but only once per level. Your ninjitsu attack changes Depending on the level: thunderstorm, tornado, or doppelganger.
Although you can harmlessly bump into enemies, this is a one hit kill game. If you are killed, the stage begins again minus the hostages that you have saved (if you saved any that is). This game has infinite continues and you will simply restart the stage (apparently this does not happen if you run out of lives on the final stage though).
Each level has a time limit of three minutes. You can gain points by finishing the stage quickly, and refraining from using your special attacks or melee attacks. After each boss, you will fight in a bonus game where, from a first-person perspective, you must throw shuriken at encroaching enemy ninjas. Winning this bonus round will gain you an extra life.
Complete the bonus stage to gain an extra life (screenshot taken by the author)
How Does It Handle?
This game handles incredibly well. The controls are very responsive allowing you to duck or jump and evade enemy attacks. Also, the ability to jump to and from the background adds an element of tactical gameplay too. The game isn’t as fast and furious as The Legend of Kage (1985) but I think the characters look and move more realistically.
The bonus stage was a nice little addition too, to break up the gameplay and offer something a little different.
One of the frustrating aspects to the game are the beige coloured enemies who guard the captives. They have three attacks: they swing their sword, throw their sword at you, or throw their sword in the style of a boomerang. It is difficult to determine what the sword is going to do.
Also, I found the first boss much tougher than the ones at the end of stages two and three. It was incredibly difficult to judge the flight of the fireballs that he shoots.
Graphics
The graphics aren’t ground-breaking but I still I think the game looks good. The sprites aren’t, as detailed or as colourful as the likes of Rastan (1987) or Ninja Gaiden (1988) but I prefer them to The Legend of Kage (1985) and Captain Silver (1987). There is enough detail about the sprites to make them interesting to look at. Th levels and backgrounds are good too, but not very memorable.
Music and SFX
The main music from the first two stages and the boss battle have a good beat and fits very well with this style of game. It returns for later stages and is quite memorable for me, but the other music from the game doesn’t seem to stick in my mind.
I like the voice over stating the mission numbers at the beginning and end of each mission as well as the “Welcome to Bonus Stage” introduction to the bonus stage. The SFX in general are fine. There are no annoying sounds or trings that drive you nuts.
Upgrade your shuriken to the more powerful pistol (screenshot taken by the author)
Replay Value
I think there is replay value to this game because, although it is very difficult, it is very fun to play and I can see myself returning to again.
Did I Complete The Game?
No, as of yet, I cannot get past the first stage of mission four.
What The Critics Said:
Computer & Video Games:“Fast moving and very challenging, Shenobi is well worth playing. I particularly liked it for the controls which weren’t too complex. A straightforward kick and punch game with bags of action.”No rating.[1]
Sinclair User:“Conventional combat ideas – but the gameplay makes up to make a winner. Overall 8/10”.[2]
Commodore User:“Shinobi doesn’t break much new ground but nevertheless bares the hallmarks of a coin-op wow. It’s tough, but not so tough that you lose interest. It combines several different kinds of shoot ‘em and beat ‘em up action in one well thought out, well executed game. It looks good, it plays brilliantly and it’s coming to an arcade near your soon. Overall 8/10”.[3]
Verdict:
“I like this game. It’s fun and it’s the sort of game I would have spent all my money on in the arcades. There’s nothing ground-breaking about it but there doesn’t need to be. Good music, good graphics…simply a solid game.”
Rating:
What are your memories of Shinobi? 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.
In this world of almost unlimited access to video games through emulation, we forget sometimes that once certain games were only released in selected countries. I myself used to own a Honey Bee, which allowed me to play Japanese games on my Mega Drive. Although ported to consoles around the world, as far as I can tell, the Fantasy Zone arcade cabinet could only be found in Japan. It proved very popular in Japan and so it is anyone’s guess as to why it was never exported to Europe or the US.
Title screen (screenshot taken by the author)
Fantasy Zone is a side-scrolling shooter developed and released by Sega. It was released for the arcade in 1986 and was later ported to the Master System, MSX, NES, Sharp X68000 and PC Engine. Each port contained slight alterations to the game. Later releases include:
PlayStation 2 as part of Sega Classics Collection (1996), although there were some very noticeable changes to the graphics.
Sega Saturn as part of Sega Ages (1997)
Mobile devices in 2002 and 2003
Virtual Console (2008)
PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 as part of Sonic’s Ultimate Genesis Collection (2009)
Nintendo 3DS (3D port) as part of 3D Fantasy Zone: Opa-Opa Bros. (2014).
For this review, I played the version found onSonic’s Ultimate Genesis Collection (2009).
Unlike many other side-scrolling shoot ’em ups, you can turn and fly in the other direction (screenshot taken by the author)
Plot
The Fantasy Zone, a solar system with 8 planets, is under threat from the evil Menons who are using foreign money, acquired by illicit means, to build a force of flying monsters. You must destroy the Menons and recover as many coins as possible along the way.
Gameplay
You control a sentient spaceship called Opa-Opa. Armed with your Twin Shot gun and single bombs, you have 8 stages to conquer. In each stage you must destroy 10 specific ships in order to collect the coins they drop. Once you have collected all the coins from one planet, you can move on to the next…after a boss battle, of course. Oh, and unlike many shooters I’ve played, this one allows you to turn around and fly in the opposite direction.
Throughout the stages, you will occasionally see a balloon which has the word ‘Shop’ written across it. Flying into these balloons will allow you access the shop where you can spend your hard-earned coins on upgrades and weapons:
Shot Type Upgrades:
Wide Beam – Damages over a wider area than your Twin Shot
Laser Beam – Incredibly powerful laser
7-Way Shot – Shoots in 7 directions at once
Bomb Type Upgrades:
Twin Bombs – Launches two bombs at once
Fire Bombs – When it hits its target, it fires out a blast in two directions destroying everything in its path
Smart Bomb – Damages every enemy on the screen
Heavy Bomb – Drop to smash through anything it comes into contact with.
Speedup Parts (Each upgrade allows your ship to fly faster):
Big Wings
Jet Engine
Turbo Engine
Rocket Engine
Other:
Extra Life
Weapons and bomb power-ups contain a limited number of ammo. When they run out, your ship will revert back to your default weapon.
Beware, one hit from an enemy and your ship will get destroyed, losing any power-ups you have bought!
Don’t be fooled by the cutsie appearance, this game is tough (screenshot taken by the author)
How Does It Handle?
The controls are very responsive, allowing you to quickly evade enemies. You can keep your thumb on the fire button to release a steady stream of fire, or quickly tap the fire button for more rapid fire.
As the levels progress, the main enemies you need to kill require more hits to be destroyed and the screen becomes busier with smaller enemies increasing the level difficulty.
Graphics
This game is very bright and colourful. There is plenty to look at and take in and the many enemy creatures are nicely illustrated and animated. At first glance, you can be forgiven for thinking this is aimed at kids. After all, compared to the likes of Alcon, Darius and Lifeforce (also released in 1986) the graphics have a very cartoon-like feel. These graphics will sit well with some but not with others who may desire a more adult look to their games.
Music and SFX
I quite like the music. It has a good beat and I found myself bopping along to it as I attempted to evade the many flying enemies. The change in tone to a lower register for the boss battles adds a feeling of danger. You find yourself saying “Right, here we go”.
When shooting the enemies where you gain the main coins from, the noise changes slightly which I thought was a nice touch, and there is a satisfying ‘boing’ sound when you blow up the smaller flying enemies.
Replay Value
There is an addictiveness to this game as well as an element of competition in two-player mode. It is a pity that two players can’t play at the same time but it is understandable as it would likely take away the option to scroll the screen in both directions.
As the levels progress, the main enemies take more shots to kill (screenshot taken by the author)
Did I Complete The Game?
At present, I can only get to the third planet.
What The Critics Said:
At present, I have been unable to find a contemporary review for the arcade version.
Verdict
“It may look cute, but it doesn’t play cute. This game is a real challenge! Bright and colourful, with nice music, its simplicity is also its appeal.”
Rating
What are your memories of Fantasy Zone? 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.
It is always a pleasant surprise when you find out that a game that evokes so many fond memories from your childhood has prequels and sequels. Sadly, some of these are often vastly inferior to the original and are clearly a quick cash in for game companies. However, some are rather interesting, especially when a different genre is attempted. I’d never heard of Golden Axe Warrior until I began playing Sonic’s Ultimate Genesis Collection (2009).
Title screen (screenshot taken by the author)
Golden Axe Warrior is single-player action-adventure role-playing game. It was developed and published by Sega and released for the Master System in 1991. It would later be released as part of the Sonic’s Ultimate Genesis Collection (2009) for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. For this review, I played the version found on Sonic’s Ultimate Genesis Collection (2009) for the Playstation 3.
A spin-off of the Golden Axe franchise, I was unable to find out where it fits into the series (if, in fact, it does). It is possible that it may simply be a reboot in a different genre.
Plot
In ancient times, a race of evil giants rose up and fought the Elders. At one point, it looked as though the giants would emerge victorious…but from imminent defeat emerged a hero carrying the Golden Axe bestowed upon him by Thor, God of Thunder. This unnamed hero put down the giant’s rebellion and peace ensued in the kingdoms of Firewood, Nendoria and Altorulia for many years.
As time passed, the war was nearly forgotten until the evil giant Death Adder eyed the kingdoms greedily. He first conquered Nendoria and Altorulia but could not invade Firewood as the kingdom was protected by nine magic crystals. One day, a greedy minister betrayed the King of Firewood, stole the crystals, and gave them to Death Adder, allowing him to finally invade and defeat the kingdom.
An unnamed young hero (you) soon sets out to recover the nine crystals, find the Golden Axe and defeat Death Adder. To do this, you must locate, and search nine labyrinths created by Death Adder and guarded by his armies of minions.
Gameplay
Starting out with a short sword and a shield, you must begin to explore the world one screen at a time. Each screen will spawn a differing array of monsters both in appearance and difficulty. Defeating these enemies will allow you to pick up horns, which you can use to buy items, health, and magic potions. Occasionally you’ll come across towns where the inhabitants offer tips on where to go next. Some even lead you to secret objects. Along the way you’ll have the opportunity to acquire better weaponry and armour. You can also learn the Thunder, Earth, Fire and Water magics.
There are many shops dotted throughout the map where you can buy items. These include:
Magic Oil – Use when your armour gets rusty (flashes).
Golden Apple – Fills up your life gauge.
Magic Feather – Whisks you away from danger and back to where you last saved your progress.
Small Key – Can be bought or found and used open locked doors in the labyrinths.
Other items to look out for include:
Yellow Horn – Worth 1 horn.
Blue horn – Worth 5 horns.
Bread – Increases your life guage a little.
Meat – Increases your life guage a lottle (like a little but a lot).
Heart – Adds an extra heart to your life gauge.
Magic potion – Will fill an empty magic pot (if your magic gauge is full, it will add another pot to it increasing your magic gauge).
Ice Bell – Allows you to see rocks that can be smashed open.
Torch – Allows you to light up dark rooms.
Magic Rope – Allows you to ascend and descend certain parts of the mountains.
Thief’s Key – Opens locked doors in labyrinths and can be used Infinitely.
Speed Shoes – Make you run faster.
Hourglass – Freezes all monsters on screen for a short time.
Don’t forget to be on the lookout for sages where you can save your progress and inns where you can pay to stay the night and restore your health.
You will need to make your own map to record all the secrets you find (screenshot taken by the author)
How Does It Handle?
Although the manual contains a map of the world, annoyingly, the map in your inventory is a blue-lined grid which tells you basically nothing about where you have been and where you yet need to explore. It stays black the entire time. However, this does allow a bit of old school mapmaking and note taking to do yourself…which I find fun!
Your sprite is easy to control but there is an element of finesse to the fighting. For example, when your enemies are throwing their weapons at you, you can manoeuvre yourself to block the attacks with your shield. You must also ensure you are not swinging your weapon at this time else you will take damage.
Graphics
First of all, I love the title screen. Definitely the sort of imagery that would have a younger version of myself chomping at the bit to go on a fantastical adventure.
The HUD is unobtrusive and allows you to keep track of the magic crystals you find, the number of horns you loot, your life and magic gauges, and the weapon/item you are wielding.
I think the in-game graphics are good for an 8-bit system, and better than any top-down RPG I’ve seen on the NES (prove me wrong gamers). However, I don’t think they compare to the quality of Phantasy Star’s (1987) introduction, or open world graphics where the towns and sprites are more detailed and colourful.
The labyrinths are where you’ll find the magic crystals (screenshot taken by the author)
Music & SFX
I quite like the intro music. It gets the blood pumping. The in-game music is good too. There is a relaxed, mellow air when you walk around the villages but when you’re out in the open it takes it up a gear with a melody that will get stuck in your head whilst you reach for your sword and prepare to charge at your enemies!
I don’t really think there is much to comment to discuss where the SFX are concerned. There is a semi-pleasing explosive noise when you kill an enemy, and a rewarding noise of some description when you pick up a goody, but these sounds are very forgettable.
Replay Value
As much as I enjoyed this game, I can’t say I would return to it as I don’t think there could be enough variation in the game to warrant a second run through.
Spoiler Alert
Keep an eye out for the cameos of Gilius Thunderhead, Ax Battler and Tyris Flare (in this game she is a princess).
Along the way, you’ll find faster modes of transport (screenshot taken by the author)
What The Critics Said:
Mean Machines:“It’s no sequel to Golden Axe – instead Golden Axe Warrior is an unsurprising and uninteresting role playing game. Overall 40%“.[1]
Sega Power: “An arcade adventure based on the Golden Axe characters. Akin to Golvellius, this is a flick-screen quest for amgic and monsters. Pretty, but too tame for true RPGers. Overall 2/5”.[2]
My Verdict:
“I have a soft spot for this game and had a fun time playing it and creating my own map. I think it has been harshly judged by critics who unfairly compared it to Zelda: A Link to the Past, in which it can never match in graphics or music, and called it a poor clone. I still think this game is worth playing.”
Rating:
What are your memories of Golden Axe Warrior? 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] ‘The Hard Line – Golden Axe Warrior’. Sega Power. (October 1991). Issue 23:57.
[2] ‘Master System Review: Golden Axe Warrior’. Mean Machines. (April 1991). Issue 7:72-3.
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