Alwa's Awakening Review (NES)

So here we are in 2022 and a new NES game has just been released. Truly it is a time of wonder. Alwa’s Awakening has been around for a fair while now and we’ve covered the Switch version of the sequel Alwa’s Legacy, which we really enjoyed. When it was announced that the first game was getting the NES ‘demake’ treatment it had us interested. What we weren’t expecting was the NES version of the game would actually be bigger than the original and end up being the definitive way to play it.

Alwa’s Awakening is basically a 2D Metroidvania adventure spread over a single interconnecting world. Our hero, Zoe, explores the region picking up spells and other magical objects which in turn then let’s her have access to more areas to explore. Zoe must enter dungeons, defeat boss monsters and then, of course, take on the big bad to save the land. You know how it goes.

It’s helpful then that the game is incredibly vibrant, imaginative and designed beautifully. We came away thinking we had never really had an adventure quite like this and if you go back to the NES days there would indeed be very little to compare it to. Battle for Olympus, Faxanda possibly or the 2D Zelda but this is undoubtedly better than both of those games.

Each region and area are easily identified and different looking and how the game has managed to be squeezed down into the limitations of a NES cartridge is absolutely astounding. Even walls of bricks or different woodland areas are distinctive from one another which really helps to keep the player engaged - and also works as a handy navigational aid.

All this would mean nothing though if the game didn’t handle well and we are happy to say that it plays like a dream. Zoe, is perfect to control. There’s no sluggishness or lose feeling that some NES games have. There is also a distinct lack of all those NES tropes such as slowdown and flickering, and Alwa can get pretty busy at times. It’s remarkable.

Zoe has a handful of things to help her along the way which act as puzzle solving tools and weapons. As well as her standard staff which she can use to just bash things with there are three spells available which can be upgraded as you go. The first one you will find is the magic block which you can conjure to use to activate switches or give yourself a boost for jumping. Later you can also make it waterproof so that it can be used to travel across rivers.

Next is the bubble which allows Zoe to float upwards for a while and can later be upgraded to last for much longer. Last is the lighting bolt which is a more offensive based spell but can also be used to open certain doors. There are other objects as well such as your handy map and upgrades to your magic but for the most part it’s using the three core spells that will progress you through the game and some of the puzzle rooms require all three to be used in quick succession.

We found progress to be fairly steady as well. There are plenty of save points and the general difficult is challenging without be completely hardcore. There were certainly a few bottle neck points where we kept dying repeatedly but overall there shouldn’t be much here that overly frustrates you – especially if you are used to NES games. Obviously, if you are playing digitally you also have the save state option and the game holds up well enough if you are playing this way to still be challenging and enjoyable.

Overall, Alwa’s Awakening is both a wonderful game and a wonderful achievement. It fits perfectly on the NES while also being modern and forward thinking in its design and play mechanics. There’s little doubt that if this had been released in the days of Nintendo’s flagship system then it would be sitting easily in the all the top 10 NES games lists across the internet. But it’s not just living off a nostalgic kick either as it can also go toe to toe with the many other Metroidvania titles out there and stand above most of them. It could turn out that turning Alwa’s Awakening into a NES game is the best thing that ever happened to it as it really seems to have found its home now. But no matter what format you can find it on you should be playing it as it’s pretty much flawless.

Overall 10/10

We were lucky enough to play the game both on the original NES cartridge as well as digitally thanks to Elden Pixels and Retro Bit.  

Rad Gravity (Evercade Review)

Rad Gravity is a promising space cadet with Elvis hair and a chin the size of a small continent and he has to foil an evil guy stopping three planets communicating with each other. He has also buried some computers named Compuminds on planets around the galaxy, and it is up to you to go and find them and restore peace to the universe.

Set across a number of planets and other space orientated levels, ‘Rad Gravity’ is a sort of comic book style platform adventure game. You have to transport down to planets where Rad must explore and find clues and information on where the compuminds are being held. While most of this takes place in standard platform territory there are a number of nice touches. Occasionally gravity goes mad and you find the level turned upside down meaning you have to stand on your head or turn the television over to get to grips with what's going on. A section in the asteroid belt where you need to use your gun to propel you in different directions is also a lot of fun.

Graphically, the game is nothing special, areas look a little plain and enemies are not overly detailed or colourful. Rad on the other hand is presented as a guy with a small body and a huge head, which seems to suite him somehow. Though the graphics are not great they are good enough, meaning you don't lose enemies in the background or get confused where platforms are. Unfortunately, there is a lot of slowdown present and flickering is also a problem, meaning it can be a touch frustrating at times, though this has improved a touch on the Evercade.

In terms of gameplay, you get a lot of different gadgets to play around with and certain levels are a lot of fun, but Rad himself can be a bit awkward to control especially when jumping. Though the controls are a touch unpolished the game is in no way a bad one. The level design is great with each of the planets being distinctly different from one another and containing its own unique set of obstacles and enemies.

Overall, there is a lot to like about ‘Rad Gravity’, with the lead character being extremely charming and some clever level design apparent. If you can look past the faults, of which there are many, what remains is a charming, funny game that given a little bit more polish would have been an excellent one. As long as you are of a forgiving nature you should get along just fine with the large chinned Rad.

Overall 7/10

The Fantastic Adventures of Dizzy (Evercade Review)

The story goes that once upon a time the evil wizard Zaks kidnapped Dizzy’s girlfriend Daisy, and took her to his castle in the clouds. Dizzy must now find the castle and rescue her solving puzzles along the way and engaging in some all-round platform action. For the uninitiated, Dizzy is an egg who had a great deal of success on the 8-bit computers before facing his biggest adventure in this game on consoles. They simply don’t make games like Dizzy anymore, the action is basic, but brilliant, and to finish an entire adventure is a challenge.

The idea of the game is to solve puzzles by picking up items and taking them to a place where they can be used, thus allowing you to continue on. This may sound easy but Dizzy can only carry three items at once - meaning if you miss judge what you need to take, then progression will be extremely difficult. On top of this all manner of hazards and traps will need to avoided along the way.

Graphically, Dizzy is presented in a cartoon style, big and colourful with simple, charmingly drawn characters set against decent enough backgrounds. Everything is very clear on screen with slowdown and flickering rarely occurring, even when the screen is packed. The landscapes in the game vary from woods and towns to underground caves and sunken pirate ships - each represented in its own way and looking different from the last.

Gameplay, is both very simple and very difficult. Initially the game seems daunting, as puzzles can be obscure and it's easy to get lost if you're not careful. However, after a couple of tries you soon realise the necessary approach needed to solve puzzles and progress. Dizzy can be a difficult to control, but (like the puzzles), once you work out how far he can jump and what distance he can fall from, everything comes together. Producing a well-executed title that offers large doses of quirky platform fun.

As well as the basic platforming action there are several mini-games present such as going down a river in a barrel throwing apples at enemies. However, the most enjoyable section is where Dizzy is shooting people with a crossbow taken from a first person perspective and reminiscent of the arcade Shinobi bonus level.

Overall, Dizzy is a magical title, and while you cannot argue that it feels a little dated, it is a fine example of how great games used to be. Functional graphics, challenging puzzles and enjoyable mini-games mean that this a great slice of retro action and a strong addition to the Evercade line-up.

Overall 9/10

Battletoads and Double Dragon: The Ultimate Team Review (NES)

After the mighty Toads defeated the Dark Queen on Ragnarok's world she fled to the far reaches of the galaxy threatening revenge. A few months later a huge city sized space craft comes smashing out of the moon and heads directly towards earth. This time the Queen really means business and to ensure her evil plan bears fruit she has teamed up with the shady shadow boss to help with her evil schemes. 

Hugely outnumbered the Toads turn to brothers Billy and Jimmy Lee, known as the Double Dragons to even the score. Together, in the Battlecopter they set out to the ship to engage the troublesome evil villains. 

Containing a healthy mix of different playing styles, the game none the less is a beat’em up at heart and this is a very good thing. Selecting from five different characters you must make your way across the top of the battleship beating up just about everyone that gets in your way. Apart from general fighting there are the inventive touches associated with the Battletoads franchise such as the speeder bike and abseiling sections both making a return and being as excellently done as ever.

The game mechanics are closer to a Battletoads game than a Double Dragon one and in this instance it is a good thing they are. With the different styles of level in the game the Double Dragon fight system simply would not be flexible enough to allow you do what you have to.

Fighting is restricted to one button, producing a few hits followed by a big finishing shot and that is all that is needed as everything moves so quickly it would be hard to implement a huge array of different moves. With five characters to choose from you won't be hard pressed not to find your perfect fight partner. Though the characters are not massively different, there are enough differences to easily distinguish one characters strengths from another. 

Favoured combinations soon develop as Rash and Zitz are stronger than Billy and Jimmy, with Rash being slightly Faster and Zitz being a bit stronger. Billy and Jimmy are faster than all the toads, again with Billy being a touch stronger than Jimmy and Jimmy being a bit faster. Pimple on the other hand is very big, very strong and very slow. 

Graphically, things are a little plain and functional but still help to create the humorous and charming appeal started with the first Battletoads game. The first time you hammer someone through the floor like a nail or kick someone with a huge foot you will understand the attraction. There is a problem with flickering on the screen, but having the odd bit of flicker is better than having slowdown so with the limitations of the NES we should be grateful.

Something else that adds to the appeal is the sound, with both the music and FX being of a great quality. The sound in this title is the very definition of retro cool, everything being completely over the top and not taking its self seriously, a brilliant aspect that adds a lot of fun to the proceedings. 

Make your way past the third level and you jump into the little battleship and try and destroy the Queens craft from the outside in a sort of take on asteroids. After the initial homage to the game you have to destroy flying saucers before having a final showdown with the huge rat like space ship. The level excellently breaks up the unrelenting fighting of previous stages and comes as such a surprise that you cannot help but to smile. 

Overall, Battletoads & Double Dragon: The Ultimate Team is a great game with the emphasis set on fun throughout and it has a much better learning curve than the previous Battletoads game - you find yourself getting a little bit further every time you play. This acts as another example of what Rare can do if they want to, retro cool at its most glorious. 

Overall 8/10

Battletoads Review (NES)

The story goes that one day while the biggest and toughest Battletoad (Pimple), was taking Princess Angelica out for a spin in the toadster the evil Dark Queen ambushes them and takes them to Ragnarok’s world - the Queens home planet. 

The remaining toads, Rash and Zitz have to beat everything up that stands in their way and rescue their friends. Far from being the dull side scrolling fighter that this game could so easily have turned into, Rare and Tradewest have made sure that it is something different and fresh.

While the first level keeps the classic side scrolling fighter format, from then on each level offers something new. Level two has our heroic toads being lowered down a tunnel having to jump from side to side to avoid obstacles and enemies while Level three has you jumping chasms on speeder bikes, and the next level (if you make it), is a more standard platform affair, each level offering a different twist taking the game away from constant repetitive button bashing. 

Graphically superb, everything is well animated and presented extremely well. The toads themselves offer different facial expressions from time to time, for instance having their jaws drop to the floor and eyes pop out when a huge monster arrives on the scene. Enemies differ from level to level but are repetitive in their respective worlds with only a handful of different creatures per stage. But this slight lack of variety is more than made up for by the shear quality the game overall. 

The Game plays well, although there are areas in the game when the limitations of your toad become far too apparent. During fights you could not ask for better controls, and while they simply consist of hitting one button continuously the attacks vary from level to level - in one the toad may hit the enemy with a huge fist while another will see him knocking him into the ground before kicking the enemy away like a living football. What lets the game down is when you are required to perform precision jumps, with the game being set in a multi-levelled playing field it is hard to judge the depth of the field often meaning a fall to an untimely death. 

Another problem with the game is the insane difficulty level, unusual for Rare games the difficulty curve for Battletoads is extremely unforgiving and in fact if you manage to get past the third level without using a warp then I would be very surprised. But strangely, the difficulty of the game adds to the overall charm and though you will die over and over again you will find yourself returning for one more go. 

Battletoads is a charming and fun filled game, which for a moment in time kept the mighty toads at the top of the gaming pile. Alas, along with many other characters from the creative minds of Rare the Toads never made it past the sixteen bit generation. Although we doubt a new version would have the same sort of charm it would still make a unique experience for the modern gamer. Until the day the Toads rule again this serves as a good reminder that it was not all Mario and Sonic back in the good old days.

Overall 8/10 

 

Snake Rattle N' Roll Review (NES)

A breath of fresh air upon release on the NES Snake Rattle N Roll could truly be the strangest game in the history of the world. Taking control of either Rattle or Roll you must help your snake to the moon by climbing up a very big mountain that consists of eleven increasingly difficult levels. 

In order to progress from one level to the next your snake must eat a certain number of creatures called Nibbley Pibbleys in order to gain weight. Once your tail has become heavy enough you can open up the exit door by jumping on a huge set of scales located somewhere on the level. As an added touch of genius the Nibbley Pibbleys that appear as different coloured blobs, have different characteristics on each level. For instance, On level one they just bounce around, but in subsequent levels turn into fish, helicopters and ‘splats’ among other things.

What makes the game really stand out however is the isometric viewpoint. Although it can prove a touch tricky to make crucial jumps without dying at times as players are often needed to turn in mid air. Along with the isometric viewpoint the enemies are truly bizarre and in can kill you in about a million and one different ways. A shark could eat you, you could be flattened by a giant foot, trapped by a toilet seat, fall to your doom, let the timer run out, swallow a bomb or get cut in half by mincing blades and that’s just to name a few dangers our beloved snakes face.

Adding to the fun is a brilliant two-player option, with both players on the screen at once it leads to many arguments over who keeps eating all the little Nibbley Pibbleys. Taking this into account the Pibbleys come in three different colours, grey and blue ones when eaten by the snake of the corresponding colour cause you to put on more weight than those of the other snake. What every one is after though are the rare yellow Pibbleys as they add more weight than the other colours, meaning co-operation only goes so far as you race around trying to eat them up before your mate does. 

With such a difficult game it's crucial that the controls are spot on, and luckily they are. The snakes are incredibly maneuverable, jumping and eating with ease. The only slight problem is judging where certain platforms are in the field of play. However, after a few attempts the gaming world is very straightforward to work out, meaning when you die, and you will numerous times, its because your reactions are too slow. 

Overall, Snake Rattle N Roll holds an awful lot of charm, it's a shame that Rare never made a next generation sequel as a new version could possible have brought about world peace. Unfortunately, it seems likely that the lovable snakes will remain hidden away in video gaming history, such a shame. Anyone out there with a NES must try and hunt this down as there is nothing else like it around. Another gem from the team that back in the good old days turned everything they touched into gaming gold.


9/10

Super Mario Bros 2 Review (NES)

Once upon a time (like all good tales), Mario had a dream where he climbed to the top of a long stair case before opening a door. On the other side of this door was a world he had never seen before, where a voice was calling out for help. A few days later while Mario was climbing in the nearby hills, he and his friends came across a small cave, where upon entering he was shocked to see the world in his dream spreading out into the distance before him. 

Set in the dream world of Subcon, Mario, along with Luigi, Peach and Toad must lift the evil spell on the land by defeating the evil ‘Wart’. Massively different to the original Super Mario Brothers<, the game mechanics for this title have been completely reworked. Alas Mario 2 did not start out life as a Mario adventure and originally starred several other characters in a game named Doki Doki panic. This means that while the game is indeed very good, it lacks the Mario magic we have come to know and love. 

Enemies can no longer be jumped upon in order to kill them, jumping on various creatures sees one of our heroes balancing on top of the unfortunate enemy, which can then be picked up and thrown. Vegetables now play a huge part as well, with characters picking different varieties from the ground and using them as weapons against the minions of Wart. Furthermore, the power up system has been dramatically altered with the heroes taking up to four hits before they die and the fireball being removed altogether. The invincibility star is still present, requiring you to collect a certain amount of cherries to make it appear.

Players are now presented with a choice of four characters to play with, all of which have their own special characteristics. Mario for instance is a good all round character, while Luigi can jump very high but is weak. Peach can float and Toad although unable to jump too well is very strong. Certain levels are easier with certain characters so it pays to think about who you are going to use before automatically picking Mario every time. 

Graphically, the game is a big improvement from the prequel, with more detail and a distinct cartoon feel to the graphics giving a lot of character to the game, though backgrounds are still bland and uninspiring. Everything moves at a decent pace, with slowdown and flickering not a major issue. While levels look similar there is still enough difference between them to make you realise you are adventuring in different areas as you progress through the game. 

In truth though, this is not up there with other Mario adventures but still a fun game. Unfortunately, it's the game play side of things that lets the second installment down. While competent it never really creates the excitement a Mario game should. Sure, characters are controllable and the thing moves along at a nice pace with the odd bit of innovation here and there, but after a few levels you will find yourself getting a touch bored and wishing for some of the genius present in the original. 

Overall, Mario 2 is a fun platform game that has enough charm and nice touches to keep you amused, However when compared to either the first or third installments of the Mario series it becomes very apparent there is a definite lack. You will not be able to work out exactly what is missing but something definitely is - it's a good game, just not a great one.

Overall 7/10

Pirates! Review (NES)

Set between the periods of 1560 and 1680, Pirates! has you terrorising the Spanish Main searching for fortune, fame and a beautiful wife to retire with. Starting out as either a French, Dutch, English or Spanish character you can choose to play it safe and be an upstanding member of your country or simply go around attacking everyone that gets in your way, this however is not advised as you will need somewhere to dock from time to time.

The game contains so many different sections it's hard to know where to start. Most of your time will be spent sailing around the map screen presented from a top down perspective, while sailing you run into other ships which brings up an information screen. From the screen you can then decide if you want to run, attack or hail for news. 

Attack the ship and the game switches to the battle screen, much like the map screen this has both you and the enemies ship battling each other, get close enough and ram into the enemy and it switches to the fencing screen where you must defeat the enemy captain and take control. This is just a fraction of what goes on in Pirates!You can attack towns, both from the sea and land, hunt for buried treasure, visit taverns, trade with merchants, talk to governors, get married and search for missing family members among other things. 

Graphically, everything is nicely done without being amazing. The map screen is fairly small but this does allow for a wide area to be seen at once making it easier to work out where you are, although there is a historically accurate map included with the game to help you out. Business in towns is shown in screens of information but still remains engaging, while battles are well done with different graphic novel style pictures representing a change from one screen to the next, all helping to add to the feel of being a pirate.

In terms of gameplay the title excels itself. For such an old game there is so much depth it's incredible. While raiding towns and ships for gold sounds like a simple affair other factors must be taken into account. Your crew need to be kept fed and in gold or else they will get angry and eventually mutiny against you, this means you have to be careful when taking on new men as if too many arrive the amount of gold and food for the others will be reduced. 

Sailing is easy to master with a wide range of ships being available to suite any players needs. Combat is also very well done with gunnery and fencing being straightforward affairs in terms of controls. Furthermore, there are a number of elements that mean each new game is different from the last. For instance, different skills are available at the start of your adventure meaning you excel in a certain area, there are also six different time periods to choose from giving you a variety of historically accurate periods to adventure in with each offering something different. 

Pirates! is such a good game that it's hard to think what the world would be like without it. Though on the NES, even today it is hard not to get caught up in it and lose days of your life in the hunt for Spanish gold. Everything is a class act and you can even become a Duke or other upstanding member of society as a reward from governors. It outshines the newer console versions in terms of gameplay and challenge as well. Brilliant, fun and innovative in the way all games should be, find it if you can and don't worry if you have lost the map you can get another one on the net fairly easily. 

9/10

Probotector 2: Return of the Evil Forces Review (NES)

Set in the year 2634, ‘Return of the evil forces’ sees either the heroic commandos or robots (depending which version you are playing) battling against the evil alien menace once again. After a message is received stating "units out on manoeuvres are under attack", our heroes are sent to investigate. Upon arriving they find that aliens have taken control of friendly troops and built a robot army to destroy the earth. As usual it is up to you to save the day, and destroy all the evil creatures once and for all.

Spread across eight levels, the emphasis is very much on all out blasting action. Most of your time is spent in horizontally scrolling levels, moving from left to right blowing up whatever gets in your way, as wave after wave of troops come at you. There are instances however where the level changes to either a top down perspective or a vertically scrolling platform affair, this at least adds a little variety to proceedings, though the top down sections are underused.

Graphically, the game is good with backgrounds and environments are represented well and never too much, or too little detail being on screen at any one time, meaning you are always aware of the sea of bullets and lasers heading your way. Characters are well animated, and though the screen is always filled with enemies there is no slowdown or flickering present - a very impressive feat on the little grey box. Boss monsters are absolutely huge, often filling the entire screen and you really have to be on your guard to bring them down.

Gameplay wise, your characters are extremely controllable allowing you to change direction during jumping and allowing the player to fire through a 360 degree field, both being essential to your progression through the game. With the controls being so responsive it means that anytime you are gunned down the cause is your failure to react. This makes every death seem fair, an aspect vital to a game as difficult as this.

Difficulty is something that the Contra series excels at with it coming from the breakneck action and ‘Return of the evil forces’ is no exception. To progress through the levels will test even the most hard core of action fanatics, and a casual gamer is probably looking at around level four as the limit. What is great about the game though is that you will end up replaying levels over and over , but never becoming bored. This one more go factor, always wanting try one more time to reach the next level, is rarely seen today.

Overall, Probotector/Contra 2 is a superb slice of eight bit action, it's hard to find fault with the game in terms of play mechanics but to be honest we have doubts if it will appeal to the current generation of console players. You just want a little bit more than is on display, a touch of innovation is all that is needed to launch this game into the higher reaches of retro greatness, but as it stands this is a solid shooting game with excellent controls.

  8/10

 

Fantastic Adventures of Dizzy Review (NES)

Once upon a time the evil Zaks kidnapped Dizzy’s girlfriend Daisy, and took her to his castle in the clouds. Dizzy must find the castle and rescue the girl, solving puzzles along the way and engaging in some all round platform action. Dizzy is an egg who had a great deal of success on the 8-bit computers before facing his biggest adventure in this game on consoles. They simply do not make games like Dizzy anymore, the action is basic, but brilliant, and to finish an entire adventure is a challenge.

The idea of the game is to pick up items and take them to a place where they can be used, thus allowing you to continue on. This may sound easy but Dizzy can only carry three items at once - meaning if you miss judge what you need to take, then progression will be extremely difficult.

Graphically, Dizzy is presented in a cartoon style, big and colourful with simple, charmingly drawn characters set against decent enough backgrounds. Everything is very clear on screen with slowdown and flickering rarely occurring, which is remarkable in certain instances, as the screen can become packed. The landscapes in the game vary from woods and towns to underground caves and sunken pirate ships - each represented in its own way and looking different from the last.

Gameplay, is both very simple and very difficult. Initially the game seems daunting, as puzzles can be obscure and it's easy to get lost if you're not careful. However, after a couple of tries you soon realise the necessary approach needed to solve puzzles and progress. Dizzy can be a difficult to control, but (like the puzzles), once you work out how far he can jump and what distance he can fall from, everything comes together. Producing a well executed title than offers large doses of quirky platform fun.
 
As well as the basic platforming action there are several mini-games present such as going down a river in a barrel throwing apples at enemies. However, the most enjoyable section is where Dizzy is shooting people with a crossbow taken from a first person perspective and reminiscent of the arcade Shinobi bonus level.

Overall, Dizzy is a magical title, and while you cannot argue that it feels a little dated, it is a fine example of how great games used to be. Functional graphics, challenging puzzles and enjoyable mini-games mean that this a great slice of retro action. If only Codemasters would give Dizzy one last adventure, as he truly was a great character and deserves a new opportunity.

9/10

Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse Review (NES)

Set one hundred years before the first NES Castlevania, this adventure follows Trevor Belmont along with Alucard, Sypha Belnades and Grant Danasty as they head into Dracula’s castle intent on sending the master of darkness back to the grave. Dracula had been prematurely awakened by his occult followers in Romania causing the evil one to reappear and lust after the thought of both destroying the Belmont family and turning the world to evil.

Moving back to the style of the original Castlevania game all the role-play elements, exploring and levelling up have been removed in favour of a more standard hack and slash platform adventure. However, there are a few things that make Castlevania 3 stand out from the crowd. First of all there are multiple routes through the game, often with the player needing to choose which path to journey down in order to continue. Furthermore, Trevor is not the only character with three others, each offering their own styles, on hand to join the fight.

While the new elements add to the game you can't get away from the fact that is represents a missed opportunity to build on Simon's Quest. While basic whipping action is good you do begin to get the feeling this is just a remake of Castlevania with a few cosmetic touches thrown in for good measure. Graphically, though containing larger characters than Simon's Quest the graphics are in fact worse. Characters are made out of a very basic colour scheme and often clash with their surroundings, Sypha Belnades showing the least imagination being made out of one colour outlined in black with about three different animations, very poor indeed.

However, it is still clear what is happening on the screen and unlike the original, monsters do not seem to disappear into the scenery due to over detailed, clashing backgrounds. Gameplay does show improvements from Castlevania with characters being more responsive and the whole game moving at a much better pace, slowdown and flickering are also a thing of the past. Saying that though jumping still being far too awkward and there is a lack of maneuverability when you need it most which makes boss battles much harder than they need to be.

Overall Castlevania 3 is a good game, being that it improves on the solid game engine apparent in the first title. However, not building on the innovation to found in the second game is a crime. After the second installment the game seems to lack a depth and character that really shouldn't be that hard to Implement considering the subject matter. However, to criticise the game too much takes away from the fact it is still an enjoyable hack and slash, if one that seems to build up a reputation more on the series as a whole than because of any individual gaming greatness.

7/10

Castlevania II: Simon's Quest Review (NES)

Set in 1698, seven years after the original Castlevania, we find Dracula has placed a curse on his slayer Simon Belmont. The curse will gradually weaken and kill Simon meaning that when Dracula awakens once more there will be no more meddling Belmont’s to stop him.  In order to break the curse Simon must gather up the scattered parts of Dracula’s body, then resurrect and burn him, thus lifting the curse.

Castlevania II takes a different approach to the previous game. Instead of simple hack and slash levels we are now thrown into a more cultured role-play title. Simon must travel across the land collecting items and speaking to the inhabitants of villages and towns. This reveals vital information needed in order to solve the many puzzles you come across. Solving the puzzles allows you to locate where the castles are that hold Dracula's body parts, the castles must then be searched and the evil monsters that guard them defeated.

The move to a more adventure style of game suits the series very well. Simon now levels up after collecting enough experience points, while there are also numerous magical items and weapons to use against the minions of evil. To say the game is step forward from the original is a massive understatement, there is simply so much more to this than the prequel. The playing area acts as one huge maze as certain towns and castles can only be reached when various items are used in certain places. This acts to make you really think about where you are trying to get to. Furthermore, a day and night system is employed to great effect. At night monsters are a lot stronger and peaceful towns become infested with zombies, an excellent idea especially considering the subject matter.

Graphically, the game is the best looking of all the NES Castlevania games, characters though a touch small, are all excellently done and unlike in the other games never clash with their surroundings. Numerous different environments are all well represented with a wide colour palette being used to create towns, marshes and woods among others. However, slowdown and flickering are very apparent in places, especially inside castles and this detracts from what is generally a well-put together game.

Once you play the game it becomes clear that a lot of development has happened in terms of play mechanics, though you still cannot change direction while jumping the whole way you move around and fight has become so much better than the original. Climbing up stairs is no longer a matter of life and death with Simon going where you want him to, relieving a lot of the frustration that marred the previous game.

Overall, Castlevania II is an excellent adventure game and a massive progression in the series, The third installment moved back to the basic hack and slash action, which really is a missed opportunity (although the game itself is great). Simon’s Quest though is an absolute joy to play with an interesting plot and deep world to explore. Everything just seems to fit into place, even the sound is outstanding, meaning Castlevania II remains not only one of the best in the series but also one of the best adventure game of the eight bit generation.

8/10

Rad Gravity Review (NES)

Let me introduce our hero, Rad Gravity a promising space cadet with Elvis hair and a chin the size of a small continent. The plot of Rad Gravity is very weird and basically involves an evil guy stopping three planets communicating with each other. He has also buried some computers named Compuminds on planets around the galaxy, and it is up to you to go and find them and restore peace to the universe.

Set across a number of planets and other space orientated levels, ‘Rad Gravity’ is a sort of comic book style platform adventure game. You have to transport down to planets where Rad must explore and find clues and information on where the compuminds are being held. While most of this takes place in standard platform territory there are a number of nice touches. Occasionally gravity goes mad and you find the level turned upside down meaning you have to stand on your head or turn the television over to get to grips with what's going on. A section in the asteroid belt where you need to use your gun to propel you in different directions is also a lot of fun.

Graphically, the game is nothing special, areas look a little plain and enemies are not overly detailed or colourful. Rad on the other hand is presented as a guy with a small body and a huge head, which seems to suite him somehow. Though the graphics are not great they are good enough, meaning you don'y lose enemies in the background or get confused where platforms are. Unfortunately there is a lot of slowdown present and flickering is also a problem, meaning it can be a touch frustrating at times.

In terms of gameplay, again the game is nothing special. While you get a lot of different gadgets to play around with and certain levels are a lot of fun, Rad himself can be a bit awkward to control especially when jumping. Though the controls are a touch unpolished the game is in no way a bad one. The level design is great with each of the planets being distinctly different from one another and each containing its own unique set of obstacles and enemies.

Overall, there is a lot to like about ‘Rad Gravity’, with the lead character being extremely likable and some clever level design apparent. If you can look past the faults, of which there are many, what remains is a charming, funny game that given a little bit more polish would have been an excellent one. As long as you are of a forgiving nature you should get along just fine with the large chinned Rad.

7/10

Castlevania Review (NES)

Set in 1691, the first NES Castlevania has Simon Belmont taking on the evil Dracula as he rises from the grave. Simon comes from a long line of vampire hunters who wield the magic whip ‘Vampire Killer’. He heads off into Dracula's huge castle armed with his trusty whip vowing to take down the master of Darkness once and for all.

The game is set over six incredibly difficult levels of platform slashing action. The levels do not differ a great deal and just become harder with enemies getting ridiculously tough and more precision being needed to make death defying jumps. By the time you reach the bosses later in the game expect your hair to be well and truly ripped out as Death, and then Dracula prove to be two of the hardest creatures ever seen.

Graphically the game is horrible. Looking back now all the extra detail just goes to make the screen seem cluttered and confusing, we really do not need seven different shades of brown displayed at once. The fascination with brown continues with Simon as well, giving him a very strange detached look. Animations are basic to say the least with characters consisting of two or three frames.

In terms of gameplay, Castlevania fairs better. The controls are slow and awkward but there is definitely a solid game engine behind it. The main problem is that you cannot change direction in mid air which leaves no room for error when jumping. Furthermore, the whip is not the most easily used weapon. Simon can only whip forward, no diagonal or upward strikes here, which adds even more difficulty to the boss fights.

Overall Castlevania is a solid start for the franchise, though not a game that anyone other than fans will stick with. The controls are too slow, and the difficulty level is extreme to the point of madness. Criticisms aside there is some fun to be had and it is interesting to see the story unfold. However, Castlevania IV on the Super Nintendo is more or less a re-make of this. Given the choice we would always recommend you play that instead.

6/10

Snake Rattle N Roll Review (NES)

A review of the NES version of Snake Rattle N Roll

 

Mega Man 2 Review (NES)

Our latest video review is of Mega Man 2 on the Nintendo Entertainment System.