yoshirulez! : I hit back space and delete. It doesn't seem to work. Thanks a million btw for helping me with this. I really appreciate it.

Zamiel : I apologize for bothering you, but I'd like for you to help me solve an issue with my thread layout. I haven't been able to change it since my signup to this site. I don't want a new theme or design. I simply want to return to the original stock layout. If you could send me the steps on how to do that, it would be much appreciated. As always, have a nice day and happy gaming!

Vanelan : While it may be beyond the reach of most people, the Skyline is still far more affordable than an Aston Martin or Macleran. It's essentially an entry super car

Ghostbear1111 : That's a really cool privilege you got. Street racing is one of the more tempting aspects when it comes to being a fan of cars, so it's no surprise that those who have the opportunity to drive emergency vehicles at high speeds have it pretty well off. Also, a knowledge of cars is something you can slowly, but surely, obtain in a couple of years. No automotive classes, etc. Just research about a certain kind of car or engine you like and watch how you slowly gain insight on cars in general. That's how I started out.

Vanelan : You have a good taste. The R34 is one of the coolest looking machines to come out of Japan. It really sucks how GTR's don't have the same presence as Ferraris or Lamborghinis here. They offer the same kind of performance and looks for FAR less. Which is why I'd take a GTR of any generation over the likes of Ferrari.

no 8120 : Couldn't be more true. Everything looks the same. For the past 20-30 years companies have been doing nothing but copying each other. At least with muscle cars, they had an identity. They all had something going for them which is why people treasure these cars. Cars from the 50s are also real gorgeous. A personal favourite is the 1958 Plymouth Fury. 

lordbelial669 : I'm a GM nut as well. The 74 corvette is a nice one, one of the last years before everything went to crap. My favorite has to be the 70-74 Camaro and Firebird. Both are gorgeous looking cars. Also, I'm sorry for misleading you back there. Although I LOVE MOTORHEAD. The band's made some of my favourite tunes when it comes to hard rock and heavy metal.

jokool : If anything, I wouldn't consider it a real Pokémon game. I like the idea of having a genuine, physical copy of a game whether it be a cartridge or a cd. (I know I know, big shocker considering that I'm on a site that offers emulators for free) This game is just so gimmicky. And not to mention, people who originally hated Pokémon have now decided to join the quest to Catch em all because it's the "hip and cool" thing to do. And worst of all, people are walking zombies; restaurants and businesses from around Canada and the US have to have SIGNS plastered on their entrance telling people to either buy something or get out. It's gotten so out of hand. Not even 2 months and I already want out. 

I was looking at all the threads around and noticed that there doesn't seem to be that many car enthusiasts around here. For those who like cars, what's your favorite culture? It doesn't matter at all. It can be Super Cars, Muscle Cars, JDM, etc. Each and every opinion matters!

            One of the best aspects of the 80s was its unapologetic sense of machismo, action, and adrenalin. Well, at least when it came to the decade’s action films. You got Terminator, Total Recall, Die Hard, Rambo, Lethal Weapon, Predator: the list could go on. These kinds of films would have made great games that could have been enjoyed by both moviegoers and gamers alike. But unfortunately, movie based games are terrible for the most part and sadly all of these movies suffered the fate of being butchered into horrendous excuses for games simply made to get a quick buck. But every now and then, you get a game that fills in the void made by all of the garbage titles. Jackal is one of them. Just look at that cover: a soldier eagerly shooting his machine gun ontop a jeep while his driver cheers him on as a helicopter flies past by. It doesn’t get any more 80s than that. This game, along with Contra, was Konami’s love letter to all of those great action flicks that the decade was responsible for. But is it as fun as when it came out? Or is it an outdated piece of pop culture? Let’s find out.  


Graphics - 8

            Surprisingly, the graphics for Jackal are pretty good. But then again this is Konami we’re talking about. This game came out at a time when the company was making critically acclaimed games nonstop such as Castlevania and Contra and it shows. The game has pretty good visuals for the time. And considering how it’s a 2-D shooter, that’s a bonus. A lot of the NES shooters like Tiger Heli and 1942 are alright games but they lack any pastiche and come off as dull and drab. While Jackal isn’t exactly a visual masterpiece it still shows a decent amount of effort to look pleasing to the eye. The character sprites all look good and the background is pretty well done. And keep in mind that like Contra, Jackal is also an arcade port. And let’s face it, arcade ports are terrible for the most part. Jackal is one of the few exceptions where the NES counterpart looks visually enjoyable. Konami made great use of the limited resources they had at this time. While this isn’t the best looking shooter for the NES, Jackal shows a decent amount of effort in its visuals which is why it gets an 8 for the graphics.


Sound - 7

            Along with having decent graphics, Jackal also has good music. Its tracks range from short and cheerful, to adrenalin pumping. With that said the music can become a little dull and tiring after a while. It’s not that the music is bad by any means: it’s just that this kind of music is common when it comes to these 2-d shooters. It makes Jackal hard to stand out from all of the other shooters that the NES offers. With the exception of Castlevania, Konami hasn’t been well known for their music in their games and it’s not hard to see why. Lack of original music aside, the sound effects save the game from going a little mediocre. The sound effects can be summarized in one simple sentence; it sounds fun when you shoot and kill. The sounds are the saving grace in this department; they’re just so satisfying. Everything from shooting your gun to watching tanks and soldiers explode sounds awesome in the warped 8 bit kind of way. And it’s not just Jackal that did this; Konami also used realistic sounds to great effect when they did Contra. While the music may be lacking, it’s the sound effects that save it from going mediocre which is why it gets a 7.


Addictiveness - 7  

            For the most part, these old 2-D shooters tend to get boring after a while. Many of the older NES shooters leave you shooting a blank background half of the time. This game manages to stay addictive for one reason: there’s always something to shoot. The game has the same philosophy as Contra where the gameplay involves you gunning down dozens, if not hundreds of enemy soldiers and obstacles. Because of this, the game keeps you on your toes, punishing you if you decide to get careless. There’s a rare instance when the game decides to get calm but for the most part, you’re left by yourself against hundreds of enemies and obstacles. Because of this, the game is pretty enjoyable and shows how capable Konami is when making something as simple as a 2-D shooter. But the biggest reason why this game is enjoyable is the fact that the screen doesn’t scroll. You read that right: you move at your own pace. This deviates it from all the other shooters in the NES library as it gives you more freedom to move around the stages. But at the same reason, it gives you less of an excuse to get yourself killed by enemy fire. The only problem is that it can get boring after playing for a while because of how you’ll repeatedly come across the same enemies. But for what it is, this issue doesn’t really hurt the game’s overall enjoyability which is why it gets a 7 for its addictiveness.


Story - 8  

            I’m not gonna lie, Konami isn’t exactly the most original when it comes to the stories they come up with for their games. Why do I bring this up? Because Jackal uses what is essentially the same plot as Contra and Rush n’ Attack: it’s up to the likes of one brave soldier and his ally to save the world from an evil terrorist organization that wants nothing but complete domination regardless of how they get it. So now you’re asking why the rating is so high. Simple: it’s so refreshing to see a story like this nowadays. Let me explain. A story like this would be made all serious and gritty about how Democracy is good and how Communism is the scum of the Earth. Nowadays games like Call of Duty and Battlefield have stories that feel more like propaganda than they do actual stories. With Jackal’s story, it’s done right; it doesn’t take itself as this serious dramatic borefest that so many new games do. It also helps that the story is short and simple; save your fellow soldiers and the world from the forces of evil. Why is it that modern games and even movies somehow make this cool idea about as exciting as reading the phone book? Jackal gives you a plot that doesn’t care about every single little detail. No mention of any country or type of government trying to take away the freedom of Democracy. None of that garbage. The story itself is like the action movies I mentioned; an entertaining premise that doesn’t take itself seriously, allowing its viewer to actually care about the story. Because of this, Jackal gets an 8 for the story.


Depth - 7

            When it comes to these old 2-D shooters, they tend to lack any sense of depth. It’s as basic as it gets: You shoot down enemy aircraft and obstacles to win. Jackal unfortunately suffers from this. The main issue is that aside from your gun and grenades and rockets, you have nothing else to use when killing the enemy. One of the most enjoyable aspects of any shooter, whether it be run and gun, first person, or 2-D, is the amount of weapons you come across throughout the levels and stages. Because of this, it can get really boring after the first few stages with the same 3 weapons. But with that said I do like how your Jeep is also a weapon. That’s right: you can run over enemy soldiers with it. Well played Konami, well played. However, the game also doesn’t really have a variety of enemies. You have your standard foot soldier with his gun, your enemy tanks, your bosses, boats, and helicopters. With that said, it’s understandable how there’s only so many kinds of enemies when your game has a military feel to it. So I can’t give the game that much fault. The game does have a sense of depth but it leaves more to be desired which is why it gets a 7.


Difficulty - 8  

            Along with Konami’s other NES titles, Jackal is a rather difficult game. Just like many games from the shooter genre, the game is far from boring. While the first two stages aren’t that engaging or difficult, the game gets harder and harder with more enemies and obstacles. As you get to the later stages it begins to feel more and more like Contra; you find yourself facing dozens of enemies all while avoiding showers of bullets and rockets. And as usual, one hit and you’re dead. Because of this, the game requires you to get good and fast. But what makes the game difficult is how your Jeep works. You see, you have two ways of killing enemies: 1) Your machine gun and 2) Your grenades. Sounds straightforward right? Wrong. The first issue is that regardless of what position your jeep is in, your machine gun can only shoot up ahead. I’ve tried countless times and never has the machine gun shot anywhere below. This leaves you vulnerable to enemy fire from below. But then you have your grenades. You can upgrade them into rockets if you gain enough points from finding enough prisoners and getting the upgrades. With the grenades, you can shoot anywhere you want. Sounds like the only weapon you'd use right? Well it comes with a catch. The grenades have a delay unlike the machine gun which can fire infinitely. This can be frustrating at times; either you ignore the enemies at the bottom of the screen and risk getting shot at, or you use the grenades and dodge enemy fire so that you can reload your ammo. Because of this, the game gets a difficulty of 8 because of how it gets you to multitask about your weapons.


Overall: 7.5/10 - AVERAGE  

            When it comes to many of Konami’s NES games, Jackal is one of their more overlooked. With that said, it’s not hard to see why. While it might not be as engaging as Contra or Castlevania, it’s still a rather fun shooter. To me, this is how a lot of the action movie based games should have been like. Rambo, Terminator, Mad Max and countless other titles would have benefited from being a run and gun shooter like Contra or a simple 2-D shooter like Jackal. But today, those games are forgotten and for a good reason; the companies that made them cared more about their wallets than they did creating an enjoyable game. My final score is a 7.5/10. While it’s far from the best 2-D shooter for the NES, it’s still a rather enjoyable game that gives you a good run for your money. Not to mention, there’s no excuse not to get this game on the NES. It remains one of the cheapest games for the system; people sell copies of this game for less than $10. I recommend this game to anyone who’s fond of the 2-D shooter genre. And for those who really liked Contra, it wouldn’t hurt to try this game. Overall, this game is one of the best to get if you’re just starting out with NES collecting: it’s affordable and it’s enjoyable. What more do you need?

Eniitan : Glad to see that you enjoyed this review. I apologize if it might have been too long. Thanks for the criticism as I am always on the need to improve. As always, Happy Gaming!

            It’s no secret that movie based games generally tend to end up awful. It’s been like that since the days of the Atari 2600 to the present; nothing’s really changed. But there’s an exception to that: what about games based off animated films and shows? Some of the best games on the NES and SNES were based off successful animated movies and shows. These included Disney’s Aladdin, Lion King, and Ducktales. The company responsible for these great games is the revered Capcom, a company famous for its many game franchise like Street Fighter and Resident Evil. Among these great movie titles is one of their earlier entries; Little Nemo the Dream Master. Believe it or not this game was actually a tie in to an already existingmovie; Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumber land. What’s that? You never heard of the film? Well it doesn’t help that this film bombed when it hit theaters back in 1989. With such a critical failure as this game’s inspiration, it's bound to be as disappointing as its film counterpart…..right? Let’s find out.

Graphics - 8  

            To be honest, my expectations weren’t all that high for this game initially. I ended up getting caught by complete surprise the moment I saw the story unravel. Not only did the story follow the movie closely, but the graphics give a great overall presentation. The characters look completely identical from the movie and the overall background and delivery is spot on and well done. And the best part is things only got better and better as I progressed throughout the game. Not only are the character sprites rather polished for an NES game, but the level design is some of the best I’ve seen on a plat former. Capcom made great use of the NES’ limited color pallet and it shows. This has to be one of the best looking NES games for the system; the time and effort that went into what is essentially a movie based game shows Capcom’s dedication into creating quality level games regardless of what other companies would do. There are far too many examples of movie based titles on the NES showcasing horrible graphics; this game is not among them. Which is why it gets an 8 for the graphics department.

Sound - 9  

            As if the great graphics wasn’t enough, Little Nemo also has a great musical score. The music is some of the best I’ve heard on the NES and considering the kind of music the NES has, that’s saying a lot. This game has such nice and calming music that it’s refreshing. As much as I like adrenaline pumping music from games like Contra and Silver Surfer, it gets stale after so many times. With Little Nemo not only does the music fit the overall atmosphere of the game, but it’s also some of the most unusually satisfying music you’ll find on the NES. The only other game that I can think of that gave me the same kind of feeling on the NES is the first Legend of Zelda. Both games have an almost hypnotic kind of musical score; the music fits the game so perfectly that it can be pretty touching in certain aspects. And unlike many NES games where there might be only 5-6 tracks at most, Little Nemo has a vast amount of tracks with each level getting their own theme. That’s right: no level sounds the same! The music overall is rather well done which is why it gets a 9.

Addictiveness - 6  

            The real surprising thing about this game is that it’s not all that addictive. Sure it’s a fun and inventive plat former but you won’t find yourself playing it as frequently as let’s say Super Mario Bros or Contra. The surprising thing is that it shouldn’t be so low when it comes to the addiction. The truth is that this game has quite a different way of how it’s mechanics work. What do I mean by this? Let’s compare it to one of Capcom’s other titles, Mega Man. There’s a reason why the Blue Bomber is Capcom’s mascot: it’s a series that’s fast paced and requires quick thinking. The series makes great use of these two elements which is why it’s outlived countless of other franchises and still obtains a strong and loyal fan base to this day. But with Little Nemo, the game play is really slow and relaxed.

            Rather than having a quick and fast environment like Capcom’s other titles, Little Nemo plays at a much slower pace; the controls are rather floaty and there’s no sense of urgency when completing some of these levels. Out of all the stages only a handful of them require quick thinking. Not to mention, the game’s levels have various paths and areas for you to explore, which is a good thing. But here’s the drawback; in order for you to make it to the next level, you need to collect a certain amount of keys to unlock the door at the end of the stage. The keys are scattered all over the stages. Because of this, exploring the levels feel more like a chore than actually fun or adventurous. Why give me these levels when I’d rather explore for the sake of simply getting all of the keys and finishing the level? This, combined with the slow and tired game play, is why the game’s addictiveness is a stale 6.

Story - NA  

As mentioned before, this game is based off an animated movie that came out roughly the same year. By explaining the plot, I’d be spoiling it for anyone who wants to see the film. For those who are tempted to watch it here’s my overall opinion to take into consideration; if you want a captivating story with interesting characters this isn’t the best film. But if you’re willing to look past all of that for good animation then go ahead and see it. With that said the game follows the movie pretty close which is why discussing the story might ruin the chance of anyone wanting to see the film at all. NEXT!  

Depth - 7

            For a movie based game, Little Nemo has a surprising amount of depth and replayability. Unlike a lot of movie based games on the NES where there’s little to no resemblance to their source material, Little Nemo actually follows its story very closely. The game features most, if not, all of the major characters in the film as well as feature levels based off areas in the movie. As for the game itself, it has a lot of things going for it besides the good music and sound. For starters you have a wide variety of animals to use. Each animal has their own strengths and weaknesses. All you have to do to use these animals is to throw 3 pieces of candy at them. After that, their powers are granted to you. There are many animals throughout the game but here are the 3 that I think are the most common that you’ll find. There’s the frog; it allows you to stomp on enemies and jump higher.

            There’s the lizard; it walks much faster and can climb walls although it can’t defend itself from any of the enemies in the game. And at last there is the wasp; it can fly and shoot down enemies with its stinger. Those are just 3 of the many animals you’ll come across throughout the game. Why did I only bring up 3? Because it would ruin any sense of surprise for any curious gamer if I told them about every single animal in the game. With that said this game does have its drawbacks. One issue that this game has is that there’s a lack of bosses to face. You get little to no bosses which is really unusual considering how Capcom’s flagship series, Mega Man, is well known for its many difficult and elaborate boss battles. The other problem is that Nemo himself is overall defenseless. In order for you to stand even some sort of chance, you need to have an animal with you. Otherwise you can’t attack any enemy. The only way you can attack the enemies without an animal is if you obtain the magic rod, but that doesn’t show up until much later in the game. With that said, these issues are rather minor and not something that really handicaps the game’s enjoy ability. Because of this the game gets a 7 for its depth.

Difficulty - 7  

            Like all of Capcom’s games for the NES, Little Nemo is rather difficult as a game. While it’s not as difficult as let’s say Castlevania or Ninja Gaiden, it’s still challenging as a plat former. For example, as mentioned previously Nemo himself can’t attack any of the enemies. Without assistance, all it takes is 3 hits and he’s dead. Each animal also has their own strengths and weaknesses. One may be able to stomp on the enemies but it may not be able to climb walls. Another may be able to fly but it can’t stomp on the enemies. Each animal also has its own health bar with some being able to take more abuse than others. The difficulty comes from not the level design itself, but where the enemies are placed. That’s right: it’s not the few bosses that will get you in the game, it’s where the enemies are in the levels. Enemies are in spots where it’s difficult to avoid and in areas where you wouldn’t expect them. I remember constantly dying in stage 1 simply because of where and when the enemies spawned. Not to mention, the enemies appear in endless numbers. It doesn’t matter if you took an enemy down: if you leave where you killed a certain enemy, it will re spawn infinitely. Aside from that this game is far from impossible. As long as you become familiar with the levels and where the enemies are, it’s a walk in the park. Which is why it gets a 7 for the difficulty. Time to wrap things up.

Overall: 7.4/10 - A hidden Gem

            Out of all the movie based games made for the NES, this one took me by complete surprise. Not only is this one of Capcom’s better NES games, but it’s also one of their most overlooked. This is one of the most interesting plat formers for the NES. It has so many things going for it; great graphics, great game play, great music, and great replayability. Right now, this game goes for much less than most of Capcom’s games for the system; usually a $10 - $20 price tag. I recommend picking it up for anyone who wants a good plat former. It’s a must have for any NES collector and anyone who enjoyed the film counterpart. Altogether, this is one of those hidden gems that needs to be brought back to attention. I’ll be the first to say that while it may not be any masterpiece, it’s still much better than many movie based games on the NES. It’s a game that deserves much more recognition than it gets. Next time someone mentions Ducktales or Mega Man 2 as great Capcom games, bring Little Nemo up as it deserves as much spotlight as Capcom’s other games for the NES.

         One of the most important aspects of any game, regardless of their genre, is if they can still be enjoyable years after their release. In most cases it’s a no brainer; many NES titles are still referenced and played after almost 30 years. Even systems like the Atari 2600 have amassed a cult following despite their primitive hardware and simplistic games. The reason I bring this is up is that most people can agree that some games have aged terribly. Sports games and especially racing games suffer from this. Ever wonder why there’s always a brand new Forza or Gran Turismo game almost every year? It’s because people strive for realism when it comes to these games. Even though it’s always enjoyable to play the newest racing sims, it never hurts to go back to a simpler time. Today we’re going to look at the great granddaddy of racing games: Rad Racer. Oddly enough this game was developed by Square, the same company that created one of the greatest gaming franchises of all time: Final Fantasy. With a company like that responsible for this game, it’s almost expected for the game to be a smash hit. Is Rad Racer as good as Square’s other titles? Let’s find out.


Graphics - 7

         For 1987, the graphics aren’t too shabby. The two cars you have, a Ferrari 328 turbo and a Formula 1, both look pretty good in the game. You also have a couple of opposing racers to worry about. For the time the game shows a really nice and relaxing colour scheme. The clouds actually shift to whatever side your car turns which I find to be pretty cool. But by far, the best tracks take place during the night where it’s pitch black and all you see is a city ahead. The game really looks nice in the night themed stages and it really shows that the NES was a pretty capable system. It also mentions the compatibility with 3D glasses on the back of the game’s cover. But this looks more gimmicky and confusing than it is actually helpful in playing the game. But there are a couple flaws every now and then. For example, on land, there’s nothing to look at. I know that this is a minor nit pick but with a lot of racing games, it’s nice to see a change in elevation. Who wants to play a racing game where it takes place in what looks to be Death Valley half of the time? Not to mention, there’s only two stage designs, the desert and the city at night. So you’ll find yourself repeating what look to be the same stages but with more twists and turns in the tracks. But with the few tracks and cars this game has, it does a pretty good job capturing the look and feel which is why Rad Racer gets a 7 for its graphics.


Sound - 5  
         
         The NES is known for some really well known music from some of its games. Rad Racer is not among those games. It has little to no music. But that’s not the point in racing games; you want to hear the roar of your car going 150+ mph right? Wrong. By the time you approach the second race, you just want to mute the T.V. and be done with the sound. The sound of the car just isn’t appealing to listen to. The NES simply isn’t capable of complex music and sounds as the Super Nintendo or N64. The cars sound very annoying; it’s like the occasional fly you get in your house. Thankfully the car sounds much better when you apply your boost but you need to be careful when using it. The sound isn’t really the NES’s fault as pretty much all racing games on the system sound pretty off putting to say the least. But with that said, it’s nice of Square to put the effort of trying to replicate the feel of a supercar even if it does sound mediocre. With that said Rad Racer gets a 5 for the sound department.  


Addictiveness - 6  
        
          I have to admit, the first time I played Rad Racer, I found it to be pretty engaging. That is until the 3rd track. By the time you play one or two tracks, the game starts to get stale; you’ve already faced the worst the game has when it comes to obstacles. All that changes are the tracks. Not to mention, the game has that very outdated feel that a lot of old racing games have such as Pole Position for the Atari 2600; you don’t really have a lot of directions to move as you’re always restricted to the middle of the screen. This is what makes the game so unplayable today in comparison with all the racing games nowadays. You like the idea of being able to move, dodge, and turn throughout the tracks in a game like Need for Speed for example. And you really can’t do that in a game like this. Being this restricted removes any sense of freedom to move around; where’s the fun in that? With that said, it’s not really the game’s fault but more so the industry’s; by making games more realistic, we lose touch on the pioneers and take them for granted. Without games like Rad Racer or Pole Position, the racing genre would be a vastly different place. But with that said, this style of gameplay is pretty much obsolete; why spend money on a game when even flash games offer more fluent gameplay. Time has not been forgiving to Rad Racer which is why it get’s a 6 for it’s addictiveness.


Story - N/A

         As far as I’m concerned, there is no story in Rad Racer. You’re just some unnamed driver who goes from track to track hoping to win. That’s all I can think of. NEXT!


Depth - 4

         Surprisingly for a lot of these old racing games, there’s not that much depth. Rad Racer unfortunately suffers this. When it comes to many racing games, you have a vast amount of cars to choose from and countless more upgrades to use. But with Rad Racer you have two cars; a supercar and a formula 1 racer and all you have is your boost. This may have been understandable back when this game came out, but releasing a racing game today with only two cars to choose from and no possible customizations or powerups is unheard of. Some of you may say that this is an unfair thing to judge seeing as how this game came out in the 80s but let’s look at two games from that era. First there’s R.C. Pro Am; only one car to choose, but you’re given countless power ups and upgrades that keeps the game fresh. Then there’s Mario Kart for the SNES; you have a wide variety of characters to choose from that each have their own strengths and weaknesses and dozens of power ups to use. Age isn’t the problem here. With that said, this game gets a 4 for it’s depth.


Difficulty - 5  

         For the most part, this game isn’t really difficult. As mentioned before you don’t really have any obstacles to face except for the occasional car or two. Because of this, the game can be pretty easy. It’s when you need to make a sharp turn where the game can become unfair. As we all know, the most satisfying thing to use in any racing game is your boost. But like Excite Bike, you need to use your boost sparingly and effectively. The reason I bring up this is that it can be incredibly easy to be cruising in your car with your boost on and then suddenly, you see the road make a sharp turn. When you manage to cut the boost and use your brakes it’s already too late and your car ends up crashing into a tree. By the time your car get’s back on the road, you’ve wasted too much time for you to hit the checkpoint in order to continue in the race. Because of this, it can get increasingly frustrating in the later stages of the game as the race tracks get more and more complex. But with that said it’s not that hard; as long as you maintain caution with your surroundings you should have no problem dodging other cars and turning on the occasional bend. Because of this, the game gets a 5 for the difficulty. Time to wrap things up.  


Overall - 5.4/10: A passing grade

         See what I meant back in the beginning on how age can ruin a game? Rad Racer is a perfect example. While it does have decent graphics for the time, that merit is not enough to save the game entirely. The game is by no means terrible though; if you like the novelty of going back in time to when games were simpler then this is a great game to try out. But in the modern day gaming industry, it hasn’t aged as well as say Legend of Zelda or Contra. Which goes back to what I said earlier in this review; by constantly making games more and more casual we miss the point of games in general. We lose touch with the pioneers and innovators and care only about the best looking or best overall presentation. Not to say that’s it’s a bad thing. But it severely devalues the significance of the original runner ups. And it’s not just happening in one genre; everywhere you go, games are getting more and more mundane and casual. It’s a reality we as a community have accepted with open arms. And for that, I can’t help but feel sorry for games like Rad Racer.

osazemccurley :  Nice review. This has to be one of my favorite games on the SNES so it's always cool to see someone give their 2 cents on this game. As always, keep up the good work and Happy Gaming!

CrystalKnight :   Nice Review. I feel that you did a great job on this game. It's well structured and has tons of reasons WHY you should play this game. Not to mention, Mega man X2 is one of my favorite SNES games so it's always nice to see someone give their 2 cents on it. Keep up the good work!  

         Superheroes have always been a gateway into worlds of awe and wonder ever since their origin in the 1930s. There has always been a persistence of fascination in these characters and for good reason. They represented what we all want to be; flawless beings with powers and abilities beyond the realm of reality. They’re among the biggest cornerstones of pop culture. And they’re everywhere scoring huge in comic books, movies, and TV Shows. Unfortunately, Superheroes and video games don’t mix (for the most part at least). Superhero games in general tend to be a mixed bag ranging from classic titles to god awful excuses for a game. This has been evident since the age of the NES. Sunsoft’s Batman is one of their best titles for the system. Games like SIlver Surfer and LJN’s Spiderman tend to be average if not a tad bit mediocre. Then you have the just plain awful; any of the X-MEN titles for the NES and so on. The question is where does Superman fit in all of this? Is it among Batman as the only good superhero game on NES or will it bomb along with X-MEN? Let’s find out.

Graphics - 3  

         If there’s any early indication on the overall quality of this game it would be the graphics. But before we go after the graphics, let’s look at the game’s cover. Notice how Superman looks; very muscular and confident looking as he should be. I bring this up because he looks absolutely NOTHING like he does in the cover. Why is he so pathetic looking? No wait, better question, why does everyone look like a bobble head?!?! Seriously; on the cover and even the title screen Superman’s a normal looking human. But in the actual game, he’s reduced to a midget. And in the subway, everyone’s much taller. Not to mention this game got its proportions all wrong; telephones are as big as human heads, fire hydrants are almost as big as people, and telephone booths are as big as the street lights. WHAT?!?! And did I even mention the colour scheme? These have to be some of the worst choices I’ve seen on the NES in a long time. The buildings and towers look like a 3rd grader’s doodle and nothing pops out. It’s dull and lifeless; gamers saw much better graphics on the NES by the time this game came out. This game was released in America in 1988, the same year as Zelda II, Bionic Commando, and Blaster Master so there’s no excuse. The final score for the graphics is a 3 out of 10. NEXT.

Sound - 3

         Just when you think the game may have any redeeming qualities, it destroys any hope of that when you hear the overall sound and score. Just like the graphics, the music has to be some of the worst on the NES and given that I’ve played Action 52, that’s saying A LOT. The music isn’t just bad, it’s beyond any sense of understanding; who on Earth thought that these tracks acceptable? These aren’t even tunes; they’re random notes spliced together, and it shows. Every now and then the tracks are somewhat tolerable but for the most part, they make you feel thankful that your T.V. has a mute option. The overall quality ranges from mediocre to downright abysmal. But the biggest flaw in the sound department is not the awful music or terrible sound choices, but the fact that the game doesn’t even have Superman’s theme. Trust me, you can search high and low but it’s not in here. WHY ISN’T IT IN THE GAME!?!! This wouldn’t even be an issue if it wasn’t called SUPERMAN THE VIDEOGAME. This is easily in the Top 5 Worst NES scores ever. It’s THAT BAD. 3 out of 10. NEXT.  

Addictiveness - 4

         Along with the awful graphics and sound, the game’s addictiveness is stale. This sits with JAWS as one of the most boring NES games to play. There’s nothing stopping you from shutting off your NES and finding something else to play. There’s no sense of reward or accomplishment when you beat a level or kill an enemy; it feels empty and dull. One of the most important elements needed for a game to work is how it rewards its player. The reason why games like Megaman and The Legend of Zelda are so satisfying is because of their emphasis on impact; it feels awesome hitting enemies and obstacles. You get worried when you get hit because you feel the stress Link and Megaman have to go through, enemy after enemy, boss after boss. You get no feeling in this game. Enemies are lifeless and uninspiring and Superman himself isn’t anything special. The missions you partake in don’t have any sense of significance or interest. Normally this wouldn’t be an issue, but then you realize that this is SUPERMAN we’re talking about. Where’s the sense of adventure and heroism that we had in the comics and movies? Aside from the title itself, this game has next to nothing to do with Superman. The game’s addictiveness gets a 4 out of 10. NEXT.

Story - 4

         Superman is, and remains, among the most engaging stories in literature altogether. So you’d think the game would AT LEAST come up with an engaging plot to attract its audience right? Wrong. Rather that have one distinct plot for the whole game, you have multiple stories to complete but all of them are boring and uninteresting. Rather than tell you all of them, I’ll give you a glimpse as to how “engaging” these stories are. It was a hard choice, but I managed to find the worst of the worst. You are Clark Kent as you’re given an order by your manager to investigate why the stock market has been taking a nosedive recently.You read that right. There’s a level in this game where you have to investigate how the stock market works. DID THE DEVELOPERS HAVE ANY IDEA ON WHAT KIDS FIND INTERESTING?!?! And it’s one disappointingly boring story after another. Lex Luthor and General Zod are mentioned every now and then but for the most part, this game has nothing to do with the man of steel. I know that this is about the third time I’ve said this but it can’t be stated enough; if you’re going to make a game, or movie, or book based on a source material, MAKE SURE YOU ACTUALLY INCLUDE THE SOURCE MATERIAL. 4 out of 10 for the stories. NEXT.

Depth - 3

         If it weren’t the few hints and clues here and there, this game would have absolutely nothing to do with Superman at all. There’s the Daily Planet and some of the characters for the movie but for the most part it’s a confusing train wreck. You do have various power ups that you can use against the enemies but none of them are better than another. Ok then, so what’s the point of having all these power ups if they each deal the same damage? Not to mention, you do have the ability to fly but it’s almost useless. All he does is fly up a building and then come back down. There are rare occasions where flying at a certain area does take you to another area in the game but for the most part, you’re left confused as to why they would put flying in the game in the first place. If you want to go anywhere you have to take the subway. Yes you read that right: Superman has to use a subway to get where he wants. And the worst part is you have to PAY to get on the train! HOW STINGY DO YOU HAVE TO BE WHERE EVEN SUPERMAN CAN’T GET A FREE RIDE WHEN HE’S TRYING TO SAVE THE CITY?!?! That’s it, I’m done. The game gets a 3 out of 10 for its depth. NEXT.  

Difficulty - 5

         It’s obvious that if you’re playing a Superman game, you’re not playing it for the sake of difficulty. But this game is difficult for all the wrong reasons. It’s has the same issue as Castlevania II; you have no idea where to go. Without any walkthroughs online, you can get lost very easily. And even the game doesn’t make sense. For instance, when you leave the daily planet you can find yourself being attacked by thugs and goons for no reason. And keep in mind that if you want to change into Superman you need go to a phone booth. What do these criminals have against Clark Kent? And to add insult to injury, the citizens can say stuff like “Hello Superman!” when you’re CLARK KENT! How is Superman this bad at keeping his identity a secret? And it’s not even like the townspeople aren’t of any use either; they have nothing helpful to say and can even give you misleading information. Altogether, it’s not the enemies or bosses that make this game difficult but how cryptic everything is. It’s almost impossible to progress through this game without SOME form of help. The difficulty is a 5 out of 10. Time to wrap things up.

Overall - 3.6/10 BELOW AVERAGE

         It’s a sad day when even the world’s most celebrated superhero is given such a disappointing adaptation. This game had so much potential; it would have made for a perfect beat em’ up and shoot em’ up combination but instead, we got a mundane platformer with boring missions and no overall interest. And you know the really sad thing? Sunsoft, the creator of the Batman NES game, was actually developing a Superman game on the NES. And from the screenshots I’ve seen of the game I can assure you that it would have been MUCH better than this game. It even had Superman’s theme! But for some reason Sunsoft scrapped the project at the last minute. Fortunately, there does exist a GOOD Superman game. Even though Sunsoft unfortunately canned its NES game, they were able to release one for the SEGA Genesis and the Super Nintendo called “The Death and Return of Superman”. And what we got was easily the BEST Superman game ever. It can be pricey but it’s worth every penny. Too bad the same can’t be said for this game. An awesome promise but an overall complete misfire. My final thoughts: STAY AWAY FROM THIS GAME!

To the reader: If you found this review good, feel free to check out my Doom SNES Review and my GODS SEGA Genesis Review. You won’t be disappointed. As always Happy Gaming!

When I first played the original Castlevania on the NES, I couldn’t think of a more difficult and frustrating game. Sure it was fun and addictive, but its steep sense of difficulty made it one of those games that you wouldn’t play as often as let’s say Super Mario Bros. But, it was still a fun game. So fun, that it became a success for Konami. The game soon spawned a sequel that would get savaged by gamers and critics alike for being too cryptic, easy, and plain boring. So Konami gave the franchise one more try on the NES with Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse. What they got was easily the best game in the trilogy. Instead of following Castlevania II’s structure, Konami went back to the first Castlevania game, took everything that made it a great game and multiplied it several times. The game had better graphics, more replay ability and a better atmosphere. But Konami also upgraded the difficulty and it shows; this is easily the most challenging of the Castlevania trilogy and today, we’ll see if that statement still stands after almost 30 years after its release.


Graphics – 8

As mentioned before, this game improved on everything that made the first great, and the graphics are no exception. The game gives you a good demonstration of what the NES could accomplish. Each level fits the game’s theme of horror perfectly. Some levels give you a gothic atmosphere, like Frankenstein’s cellar, while other levels are shrouded in mystery, like the forests. The enemies are also well done. Most of the enemies are from the first two Castlevania games but better like the skeletons, the medusa heads, and the hunchbacks. But they gave the monsters an overall better design. They also gave better animations on the monsters, bosses, and characters you play as. The bosses are also entirely new and fresh; it’s nice to see that Konami didn’t rely on the first two games for designs too much. You see inspiration here and there, but for the most part Castlevania III stays true to its source material while giving itself its own theme and identity. Because of this it gets an 8 for the graphics department.


Sound – 8

Not only are the graphics better than the first two games, but so is the overall sound and music. Each track fits the stage and gives each of them a nice atmosphere. The music can go from adventurous and endless, to dark and eerie depending on which level. The music overall is among some of the best on the NES. Keep in mind that the NES was quite limited music wise. The majority of NES titles with more complex music, such as Silver Surfer, had special sound chips that added more notes and chords. This, however, has no sound modifications which is why I feel that it’s one of the better NES titles when it comes to the music department. In all three of the Castlevania games on the NES, it’s pretty much a tradition to incorporate good themes in the games. And Castlevania III delivered. It went from simplistic tunes in the first game, to more complex and interesting themes in this installment. So it’s no surprise that it gets a solid 8 for its music.


Addictiveness – 7

It’s no surprise that Castlevania III is a rather fun and enjoyable game. But with that said, it comes at a price. This is one of those games you don’t play all the time due to several reasons regarding difficulty. While difficulty can add to a game’s enjoyability, it can also take away some of that enjoyability. And Castlevania III suffers from that problem. The overall enjoyability is still there; the game is a great platformer and sequel. But at the same time, there are only so many tries it takes until you to shut off the game and find something else to play. It’s not a great game to start off with, especially for newcomers who want to try their hand on NES games for the first time. In all honesty, I found the game to be quite tedious when I first played it on my NES. It has a steep learning curve and is one of the most cruel and unforgiving games on the NES. With that said, the enjoyability is still there. The game pushes you to new frustration as you try to learn the game’s mechanics. It keeps the player invested in the atmosphere and level design. With that said, it gets a 7 for the addictiveness.



Story – 9

When it comes to Castlevania, the story has remained similar throughout all three of the NES games. But in Castlevania III, rather than being a sequel of Castlevania II, is a prequel of the first game. You play as Trevor Belmont, an ancestor of Simon Belmont. He is next in line to face the infamous Dracula after he has risen from the beyond and has again sworn vengeance on the Belmont family. It’s up to Trevor to stop Dracula from spelling chaos and destruction throughout Europe. Along his perilous journey, Trevor meets three other characters. There’s Syphia, a sorceress who was turned into stone, Grant, a sailor who was turned into a monster, and Alucard, who was enchanted by his father, Dracula. Trevor continues his quest along with his new partners as he hopes to rid the world of Dracula once and for all. Now THAT’S a story. Instead of being the same plot as the first Castlevania, this game gives you multiple possibilities for the final outcome of the story. The game only allows you to have one additional character with you, which adds to the game’s replay ability of playing simply to see all of the endings. The overall story is well done, which is why it gets a 9.


Depth – 9

The game has a lot going for it when it comes to the depth. For starters, you still have all of the secondary weapons that were in the first Castlevania like the holy water, timer, axe, and countless others. Castlevania III also made a huge improvement on the stage layout. Instead of the original Castlevania, where you only have one path throughout the entire game, Castlevania III gives you multiple forks in the road to choose from. This gives the player more levels and paths to wander through. Not to mention, each path gives you one of the three different characters to come across. Each character has their strengths and weaknesses. Grant, for example, can climb on walls and ceilings and jump higher than Trevor. The downside is that his weapon is too small; you need to be right in front of an enemy in order to hit it.

Then there’s Syphia; she can conjure various spells that can make boss battles much easier. But like Grant, her main weapon, an iron mace, is smaller than Trevor’s whip. At last, we have Alucard. He can transform into a bat and fly above the enemies below. Because of this, he can be very valuable when going through some of the later stages. But Alucard has the worst weapon of all four characters; he shoots beams which are ineffective against a lot of the stronger monsters in the game. And keep in mind that as you progress farther in a level, the monsters grow in numbers. Not to mention, in order to be able to turn into a bat, you need hearts. Overall, each character has their own faults, but at times they make the game much easier with their unique abilities. The only issue is that you can’t keep more than one additional character at a time. Because of this, it’s wise to choose the character you play best as. Because of the overall features this game gives you, it gets a solid 9 for its depth.


Difficulty – 10

A lot of people can agree that the original Castlevania was a pretty hard game on the NES. The question is, how is Castlevania III when it comes to difficulty? Answer: even more frustrating and anger inducing than the original. The first game was difficult because of one flaw; you couldn’t control your jump. In this game, Konami somehow managed to put even more flaws and obstacles for the game’s clunky and stiff controls. For starters you’re limited to where you can use your weapons. Yes I know that this was also a problem in the first game, but it wasn’t as obvious. This game has a huge emphasis on having more hordes of enemies than the first two Castlevania games. Not to mention, half of the time you have more enemies in the air than on the ground which makes it much more difficult to kill them than it has to be. The second big flaw is trying to use your secondary weapon when you’re on the stairs. When you want to use a secondary weapon, you need to press UP and A. But when you’re on the stairs, the game thinks you’re pressing UP to walk up the stairs. And keep in mind that you face tons of enemies in the game, lots of which are stationed in or near the stairs. AVGN went into great detail on this problem when he reviewed this game. It’s best to watch his video as he’ll give more detail on this flaw more than I ever could. But aside from those two flaws, the game is still rather fun. Overall, the game gets a full 10 for its difficulty.


Overall – 8.1/10

For what it is, this game is probably the best Castlevania game on the NES. It took everything that made the original great and made it even greater. This game is a must have for those who like difficult platformers like Ninja Gaiden and Megaman. It’s easily one of the best titles on the NES. This game can go for quite a lot of money; you’ll find listings on Kijiji and Ebay between $40 - $60 dollar range. If you have a copy HANG ON TO IT! They are very desirable and valuable. This game makes the perfect to any collection whether it be for your NES or a Castlevania Collection. Do I recommend it? Of course. While the difficulty may be a downside for some people, I feel as though it’s BECAUSE of the difficulty that people come back to this game even after 30 years. It continues to excite old fans as well as interest new ones to this day. And that to me is what a game should do.

When it comes to platformers, the Sega Genesis didn’t really have that many variety. Sure there was Sonic the Hedgehog and other platformers here and there but the Genesis focused more on fighting and sport games. So it’s no surprise that when you find an obscure title like GODS, your first instinct is to try it out. Believe it or not, this game was published by ACCOLADE inc. ACCOLADE is the company responsible for creating mediocre platformers like Bubsy the Cat. So, first impression wise, this game would draw customers away. But surprisingly, this game started out as an obscure platformer on the PC. That’s right; this is a port. There’s only one question that we’re all asking: Is it any good? Let’s find out.





Graphics: 7





When GODS came out for the PC, the graphics looked superb and clean for that of a platformer. And just like it’s PC counterpart, the genesis port is well done. The graphics give a good demonstration on the Genesis’ capabilities. The stages and monsters all look polished and well done along with the bonus items and weapons. The game offers a variety of enemies to face and weapons to come across. The only negative thing I can think about when it comes to the game’s graphics are that the stages do get repetitive. Each stage looks similar to one another so it can be somewhat confusing trying to figure out your progress in the game. But all flaws aside, the graphics are well done. These graphics are some of the best I’ve seen on the Genesis.It’s obvious that this port shows the time and effort put into it. Because of this, the game gets a 7 for the graphics department.





Sound: 7





Along with great graphics, GODS also has a rather decent musical score. Each stage has its own distinct theme. It’s nice to see that the developers also put effort in the musical department even if it is a minor detail in the overall game. One thing that should be mentioned is that GODS was also ported for the SNES. The reason I bring that up is because the SNES version has a much better sound to it than the Genesis version overall. But to be fair, the Genesis was never really that good with music as it had limitations regarding sound. With that said, the Genesis port still does a decent job on the musical department. It’s just not as good as the Super Nintendo. Because of this, it gets a 7 for the sound.





Addictiveness: 7





This has to be one of the most enjoyable platformers for the Genesis. It’s up there with Castlevania Bloodlines and Contra Hard Corps when it comes to enjoyability. You’re given a wide variety of enemies, weapons, and items to find throughout the game. The game is also quite difficult, which adds to the enjoyability. It’s not insanely difficult like Ninja Gaiden for the NES, but it’s still a rather challenging game. It’s a game that’s difficult enough for you to continue playing it instead of quitting in rage. You also come across some rather smart enemies. This game has smart A.I. that sees how skilled the player is and reacts differently depending on the player’s skill. Because of this, it can make for an intense session if you’re skilled at these kinds of games. And that’s why I give this game a 7 for its addictiveness.





Story: 8





When it comes to most games, the story is pretty generic and stereotypical; a brave individual must save the babe and stop the villain. It’s been done to death in so many games. GODS, however, actually shows originality story wise. The game’s protagonist, Hercules, is sent by the Greek Gods and Goddesses on various missions across Greece to rid the country of hellish monsters and demons. With each victory, he comes closer to reaching his main goal: to become a God himself and to rest in Mount Olympus. Now THAT’S what you call a story. The idea of playing the nearly indestructible demigod as he travels through a torn up Greece is already a cool thought of a story. The idea of adding Greek mythology also gives the story a lot of interest as to what creatures you, the protagonist, face. For this, GODS gets an 8 for its diverse story.





Depth: 8





GODS has a lot of items, weapons, and treasures for the player to find and use. In the final stretch of each level, you can stop by a shop owner who will offer weapons and items in exchange for the diamonds and gold you collect from level to level. At first you start with a puny throwing dagger that is ineffective against the monsters you’ll face in the stages. But as you progress, you acquire better weapons to the point where once difficult enemies are now a walk in the park. The game also has tons of secret levers, keys, and passages to go through which also adds to the replayability. The depth is strong with GODS, which is why it gets an 8.





Difficulty: 10





GODS is without a doubt, one of the most difficult platformers on the Genesis. The challenge itself is pretty fair; you have a health bar. When you take too many hits, you die. However, unlike other games, you don’t gain temporary invisibility. All it takes is one mistake to cost you your entire health bar. Not to mention, you have a limited amount of lives to begin with. You can earn a life if you earn enough points. But if you lose all your lives, it’s game over; no continues, nothing. But to the game’s defense if you die in a stage with remaining lives, it puts you at a checkpoint rather than at the beginning of the stage. This wouldn’t normally be an issue, but the game also has controls that take sometime to get used to. For example, you can’t control your jump. So in that aspect, it’s like the original Castlevania on the NES. But here, it isn’t as bad. You also can’t attack in certain positions. You can’t fire projectiles while ducking which can be a struggle when facing a barrage of enemies. Because of the issues that plague this game suffers, it gets a full 10 on its difficulty.





Overall: 7.8/10 - A hidden gem



When I first saw this game, I wasn’t expecting much. Most obscure games are obscure for a reason; they’re terrible. This game is one of those exceptions. Not only was it a well made platformer, but it’s an easy find. GODS was ported on both the Genesis and SNES and both ports go for next to nothing. You can find this game for about $10 or $20. Should you buy it? Yes; it’s one of the more interesting takes on the platforming genre. If you want the definitive version, get it on the Genesis. While the Super Nintendo may have better music, the Genesis has better overall gameplay. This is one of those games that I feel doesn’t get the respect it deserves. When it came out, it was praised by critics for its solid gameplay and stunning visuals. But since then, it’s faded into obscurity which is ironic considering how common this game is. So the next time someone brings up good games on the Sega Genesis, bring up this title as it’s a game in dire need of rediscovery.

Wow, talk about a really detailed review. You did a pretty good job doing this. Keep up the good work.

imamonster : Yep you're right. Guilty as charged. AVGN is an inspiration to some of my reviews although I don't plain plagiarize what he says in his reviews. I've been a fan since 2008. I'd be lying if I denied any influence from AVGN. Thanks for the comments and I'll try next time not to sound like AVGN. Thanks again for the positive feedback as I can always improve. Happy Gaming!!!