Action Maze Game Review: Bomberman II

Bomberman II, released in 1991 in Europe and Australia as Dynablaster, is the second Bomberman game for the Family Computer in Japan and on its international Nintendo Entertainment System counterpart.

It combines elements from the original Bomberman for Famicom and Nintendo Entertainment System as well as from the 1990 Bomberman game for the the PC Engine and its international version, the TurboGrafx-16.

The inspiration from the PC Engine Bomberman includes the graphical style that the series is known for, with the iconic white and black Bomberman outfits with pink-topped antennae on the helmets.

Like the afforentioned PC Engine game, it also includes scenes to illustrate the story, although the story shown between stages are simply simple static graphics. The story of this game finds Bomberman framed for the robbery of a bank by the Black Bomber. Bomberman must fight through forty-eight levels, blowing up enemies and blocks to reveal doors he can use to escape.

These are now seperated into six stages with eight levels unlike the fifty identical stages in the first game for Famicom and the sixty-four broken up into eight stages with eight levels from the PC Engine Bomberman. Like the latter, the stages have individual artistic themes that seperate them from the usual plain bricks. Unlike that game, however, there are no bosses at the end of the stages.

Continuing on from the first Famicom version after they were not included in the PC Engine Bomberman, there are bonus stages after every five stages which can be made more easy by mashing the bomb button. These bonus stages continue to have their own theme music.

A weird feature of this game is seen when spamming the bomb button to keep blowing up bombs while invincible to bombs will send you blasting backwards. If you hit an enemy after this happens, Bomberman will lose a life. The bomb blasts don't send Bomberman backwards in bonus stages. A beeping sound is heard for every ten seconds before a stage ends. This is true in bonus stages as well as during the last moments of an invincibility powerup.

Bomberman II is a vast improvement over the original Famicom Bomberman. The graphics and music have been enhanced to more closely resemble their 16-bit counterparts, and as a result there is a greater variety in both areas. The lack of bosses brings the enjoyability of this game down a bit, but it is definitely a game that I can be more confident in recommending to fans of the series over its predecessor.

Final Verdict:
4 out of 5

Action Maze Game Review: Bomberman

Bomber Man was originally released for Japanese computers in 1983 as well as for the MSX and ZX Spectrum in the United Kingdom as Eric and the Floaters to disassociate it from the car bombs of the Troubles on the border of Northern Ireland and Ireland that were commonly broadcast on the news across the UK at the time. However, it was the console version of Bomber Man, or Bomberman as it was known internationally, for the Family Computer and its international counterpart the Nintendo Entertainment System that set the stage for the popularity that the series would come to attract throughout the 1980s and 1990s. It was popular enough that it was even converted to the MSX in 1986 only in Japan as Bomber Man Special.

The NES Bomberman uses the sprite used in Hudson Soft's NES conversion of Lode Runner for the player character. The Japanese Famicom and international versions for the NES are identical, save for a mention of the latter game, which used its title directly in the Japanese version and was only hinted toward in the NES version. The version included in the Super Bomberman Collection uses the wording from the latter.

The computer version of Bomber Man, or Eric in the UK version, was a human that set off bombs in catacombs searching for treasure. This version is a robot that bombs through fifty mazes in a quest to become human. Compared to later Bomberman games, the art style is not as defined at this point. However, the art of the enemies and their animatons are still lively and fun, if a bit stilted.

Each level also uses the same music track. It is pretty catchy and really isn't annoying at all, however, so it doesn't overstay its welcome too much. It also serves as a series melody of sorts, being remixed in later games through the stage intro music as well as in proper stage music in some instances. 

Bomberman also moves slower than later games at first and the footfalls are pretty loud, considering the hardware it runs on. The levels are also repetitive as there are only plain grey blocks on each stage. With fifty stages, this can get repetitve fast. The new enemies that appear in later stages with their abilities such as faster moving speed and walking through walls helps with this a bit, especially since some of the animation on some of these creatures can get quire entertaining and even cute at times, if a bit primitive in comparison to later games in the series. 

Bombing a door releases a whole horde of enemies, so much so that there is noticeable slowdown. Later games will only give a penalty of one released enemy at a bombed door rather than a horde, and even stop releasing enemies at a certain point, removing any possibility of slowdown issues If you bomb a powerup item, a horde of enemies will spawn. Most games in the series just disintigrate the item without the penalty bombs with a timer will simply keep pulsing. Most of the later games had a turn-key animation to better illustrate that it was on a timer.

Stages only have one powerup. The music will change when the powerup is collected. When the last enemy is defeated, the jingle that plays when the pause button is pressed will play to indicate that the stage is clear.

Bonus stages will appear after every five stags. They have Bomberman defeat as many enemies of a certain type as possible within the time limit. Invincibility is active during this, so it is possible to continuously spam the bomb in order to blow up enemies. This will later be a useful skill in Super Bomberman, as invincibilty is active for a short amount of time when a stage starts. This is phased out in later games in the series. Bonus stages have their own music, and the music that plays when Bomberman picks up an invincibility powerup is different from that tune.

Once the game is completed, there is a short ending, after which it starts at level one with the score in-tact, allowing score hunters to get an even higher score through subsequent runs.

Bomberman is, without a doubt, an influential title. It doesn't hold up as well as later games in the series, however, as it lacks the features that make those titles universally enjoyable. The art style is a lot more simplified than other games in the series, but most importantly it lacks the diversity of maze styles that come from the zones that appear in later games. This game, like the original computer game that came before it, only had single-colored blocks. After playing fifty levels to reach the ending, it becomes quite repetitive. On the positive side, however, the music is really catchy, which helps alleviate things somewhat. This game is still fun, but it is one that I can only recomend to those that are already fans of the Bomberman series and wish to see the original console version.

Final Verdict:
4½ out of 5

Stealth Action Game Compilation Review: Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol. 1

Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol. 1 is the latest in a long line of compilations featuring Metal Gear games. It made its own name, however, by having several things going for it that no other compilation before it had.

The first volume of the Master Collection is headlined by the first three Metal Gear Solid games, but it actually contains seven games and two variants. The games that have appeared in other compilations over the years include the console versions of the mobile remakes of the MSX2 versions of Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake, Metal Gear Solid, Metal Gear Solid: VR Missions, Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, and Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater.

Beyond these games, the compilation also saw the first re-release of the Family Computer and Nintendo Entertainment System version of Metal Gear and the NES-exclusive sequel Snake's Revenge. It also was the first international release of Metal Gear Solid: Integral, which was originally released only in Japan. This game combined the international version of Metal Gear Solid, with the English voices and the choice of Japanese or English subtitles with the VR Missions. Integral was actually the original release of the latter before it was released in North America as Metal Gear Solid: VR Missions and in Europe as Metal Gear Solid: Special Missions.

Beyond the included games, the Master Collection also includes the motion comics Metal Gear Solid: Digital Graphic Novel, which digitized IDW Publishing's graphic novel adaptation of Metal Gear Solid  and Metal Gear Solid 2: Bande Dessinée, which digitized IDW Publishing's graphic novel adaptation of Metal Gear Solid: Sons of Liberty.

Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol. 1 is a large treasure trove of Metal Gear games that were released throughout three decades. However, its value will largely come down to whether you don't own another Metal Gear Solid compilation and whether the compilation-exclusive games such as the NES version of Metal Gear and Snake's Revenge as well as the first international release of Metal Gear Solid: Integral matter to you. If either of those cases turn out to be yes for you, then this compilation is well worth picking up.

Final Verdict:

4½ out of 5

Action Stealth Game Review: Metal Gear 2 - Solid Snake

While it was the giant success that Metal Gear Solid would become upon its release over ten years after the start of the series, the original Metal Gear was enough of a success that two sequels from two separate teams were put into production. 

The Ultra Games version of Metal Gear received the Nintendo Entertainment System exclusive Snake's Revenge in Europe and North America. This sequel led series creator Hideo Kojima to put Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake into production for MSX2. Unlike the original MSX2 version of Metal Gear, which received an official English version in Europe, Solid Snake was only released in Japan. This led to somewhat of a mythical release, as Metal Gear 2 was only available via a fan translation until an English version of the mobile remake was included in Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence in 2006.

The gameplay retained the stealth action gameplay of the original game, but it introduced several concepts that would remain part of the series going forward. including crawling, and crouching. There was also more danger which could be spotted with the radar. Enemies now respond to sound produced by Snake such as footsteps. To avoid being spotted, Snake now can hide under tables or inside lockers.

The graphics of Metal Gear 2 for MSX2 were very similar to those of the original MSX2 version of the first game. This meant that they were in a classic overhead style with characters and locations being as well-detailed as 8-bit graphics allowed. The music and sound effects, likewise, also fit in the game well.

Hideo Kojima is a fan of American action films, which shows in his game design as well as in the design of the detailed character portraits in Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake. Some obvious ones include Mel Gibson as Solid Snake and Sean Connery as Big Boss. Other character portraits include Platoon's Tom Berenger as Grey Fox was based on Tom Berenger in Platoon, Rambo's Richard Crenna as Roy Campbell, and Gunhed's Brenda Bakke as Holly White.

Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake was a huge step forward for the series. The new elements were a necessary evolution which would be included in all of the games moving forward. The radar, enemies hearing sounds of footsteps, and the ability to hide in lockers, would become a huge part of Metal Gear Solid when it released eight years later.

Final Verdict:

4 out of 5

Metal Gear (Ultra Games) Review

Metal Gear Solid Review

Arcade Beat 'Em Up Game Review: X-Men

X-Men is an arcade beat 'em up from 1992. It is one of approximately ten arcade games in that genre developed by Konami in the 1990s

It is the only video game which has character designs based on the animated pilot X-Men: Pryde of the X-Men. The playable character roster includes Cyclops, Colossus, Wolverine, Storm, Nightcrawler and Dazzler. The fact that the character designs are taken from the Pryde pilot actually works well for the game because those designs were based on some classic art from the comics, albeit sometimes in different colors such as Dazzler's jacket being brown instead of blue. Some of the designs are great for comics fans, such as Wolverine in the brown and tan colors given to him by the Marvel Comics artist John Byrne.

As is usual for Konami beat 'em ups of the era, the sprite work is superb. The pixel art really does resemble its source material to a tee. The animation is great here, with expressive movements that bring each Marvel hero to life as well as the animated series it is based on. The backgrounds are also well designed, perfectly bringing the world of the X-Men to the pixelated world of 1990s arcade games.

The music was always excellent in the classic Konami arcade games, and X-Men is no exception. The music captures the atmosphere of the Marvel universe fantastically. The sound effects also compliment the music. They also fit into the game world well, as they range from the mundane fight sound effects to futuristic sounds when the game veers from comic logic into science fiction territory, which is often.

The plot is simple. The X-Men have to defeat their archenemy, the master of magnetism, Magneto. He is once again trying to upend human civilization and is sending many mutants that are on his side after the X-Men. There are many classic X-Men villains that appear in this game. The villains that appear the most due to their non-human nature are the mutant-hunting robots known as the Sentinels and the X-Men-hating cyborgs known as the Reavers. The former should be familiar to most X-Men fans as they appeared in one of the best X-Men movies produced by 20th Century Fox, X-Men: Days of Future Past.

Other enemies that appear in the game are classic X-Men villains. Many should be familiar as they have appeared in various X-Men films. These mutants include Mystique, Pyro, Blob, the White Queen Emma Frost, and Juggernaut. The small Sentinels in X-Men: Days of Future Past were based on the nearly indestructible Sentinal-descendant known as Nimrod from the comic of the same name. He appears in the game in his full glory. The other villains never appeared in the films, but they have crossed the paths of the X-Men in the comics many times. These two villains are the Living Monolith and Wendigo.

Although he isn't a playable character, the benefactor of the X-Men, Professor X, appears in the game when he is kidnapped by Magneto. As it is based on the Pryde of the X-Men pilot, it's only natural that when Charles Xavier is captured, Kitty Pryde would be captured as well. This culminates in a tense final boss battle against the master of magnetism himself.

X-Men is a fantastic arcade game that brings the world of the X-Men circa the 1990s to life in a bombastic fashion. Although the Pryde of the X-Men animated television pilot was never picked up for a full series, the choice to use the character models for the game was a wise decision. The pilot had looks for the X-Men that were pulled from classic comics but were rarely seen outside of them, including Wolverine's classic brown and tan suit. As an X-Men fan, it was fun to see these designs in action in a video game. The sprite and background art are fantastic, the music and sound effects are top notch, and the beat 'em up formula is Konami at its best. Any fan of arcade beat 'em ups owes it to themself to try this game at least once. It's truly astonishing.

Final Verdict:
4 out of 5

X-Men

X-Men: First Class review

X-Men '97 Season 2, Episode 5 review

Marvel Multiverse

Spider-Man (1982 video game) review

X-Men '97 Season 2, Episode 5 review

Arcade Shoot 'Em Up Video Game Review: Pooyan

 

Pooyan was a unique fixed-screen shoot 'em game by Konami where the player's shots were fired by arrows at the side of the screen compared to the usual games in the genre where the player shots come from the bottom to the top.

The main character is a mama pig who has to protect her piglets from hungry red wolves. She rides an elevator controlled by some of her piglets on a cliff on the right side of the screen. Wolves drop off of the cliff on the left holding balloons. Mama fires arrows at the balloons, causing the wolves to crash down to the bottom. The wolves throw rocks, which cause the mama pig to lose a life if hit directly. If they hit the top of the elevator instead, the rock will drop down.

At certain points, the mama pig can also throw meat to the wolves, which will cause them to get distracted, drop the balloon, and fall down to the ground. The latter will earn the mama pig bonus points. If the wolves reach the bottom in tact, they will run over to the ladder to kill mama pig.

In the next level, it will have a ladder that does not reach the bottom. In this case, the wolves will inflate balloons and rise up toward the cliffside instead. Among the regular wolves, there are also boss wolves that ride up in balloons that have to be hit more than once to pop. There is a rock at the top of the left cliffside, and the wolves will push it down to kill mama pig if they reach the grass on the top.

After the end of every two rounds, mama pig will reach a bonus round. There are two types of bonus rounds. In one, the wolves need to be defeated by only throwing meat. In the other, wolves throw fruits and mama pig will earn points by shooting them.

The game has beeps and boops that act as sound effects for arrows being shot and wolves falling to the bottom. The sound of the popping of the balloon is especially effective, as it sounds just like it does in real life. The music played is a traditional American camp song titled "The Other Day I Met a Bear". While that song sounds similar to the theme song in its contemporary Konami arcade game, Frogger, it doesn't have the wide range of music of that game. What is there does work well for the game, though.

Pooyan is an arcade game with an unusual name and one that is not well known today. It is unique compared to other shoot 'em ups of the time because the player shots come from the side rather than the bottom of the screen. The graphics are cute and colorful, which work well for this type of game. The camp song played in the game also fits the animal hijinks and family-friendly gaming that the game represents. It isn't a classic game, but Pooyan is one that is fun to play if you ever get the chance to do so.

Final Verdict:

3½ out of 5

Arcade Action Game Review: Frogger

 

Frogger is a successful and influential arcade game that was developed by Konami and distributed by Sega/Gremlin in the United States of America.

Like the best games of the 1980s, it is easy to pick up but difficult to master. The goal is to take frogs across a street, across a river, and then onto a lily pad. There are several obstacles in the way, including automobiles, tractor trailers, snakes, and alligators. The latter can also be used as objects to hop onto in the river, much like the logs. However, the gators open their mouths and become a danger to the frog if it comes into contact with the gaping maw. Once all of the lily pads are filled with frogs, the game jumps to the next level.

As the game goes on, the highways become more packed, the river becomes more populated with alligators, and the logs become more filled with snakes. The vehicles also become faster and the river gets quicker. The latter makes it more difficult to jump into lily pads without becoming gator food. The logs also are less able to be stood upon, as when the river takes them beyond the game playfield, the frog loses its life.

The game is packed full of sound. Beyond the bloop sound that is meant to represent the frog's jumps, there are 26 different song fragments played throughout five stages. After that, the stages loop back to the first, albeit much harder than before. The game has an opening jingle, as was common in arcade games of the early 1980s. But, from there, each stage contains music loops. There is also music for restarting a level after dying, completing a level, and getting a game over. Beyond that, there are a ton of songs that play when a frog has arrived home on a lily pad, with a total of 20 different song fragments used. This was definitely a very lively arcade game, and the variety of songs kept it from feeling too repetitive.

Frogger is a great arcade game that inspired many clones and competitors. It's also one of those games that stood the test of time. There are a ton of frogger clones on various app stores, showing the longevity of the concept. It's very easy to pick up, and super addictive. There's tons of music too, which helps the game remain fun way into the era of constant music in most video game soundtracks. It's likely you've at least come across a clone, but if you haven't played the original, you owe it to yourself to give Frogger a try.

Final Verdict:

5 out of 5

Stealth Action Game Review: Metal Gear Solid

Metal Gear Solid was not only the first Metal Gear game after an eight year hiatus, it was also the first fully three-dimensional game in the series. Released for the PlayStation in 1998, it propelled the series and its creator into worldwide fame.

Hideo Kojima was always a fan of Western action media, as evidenced by the use of stars from American action movies as the basis of the character portraits in the original Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake on the MSX2. Heck, even the name Snake comes from the main protagonist in Escape from New York.  

Thus, it made sense that once gaming moved into the true third dimension with the release of the 32-bit and 64-bit consoles, Kojima would attempt to emulate his favorite films cinematically as well. Kojima has become infamous for the use of long cutscenes in his games, but in the original Metal Gear Solid, they are undoubtedly a benefit to the game, making the game feel more engrossing while not feeling like a slog. Heck, even the remade cinematics in Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes for GameCube, goofy as they are, still manage to come in at a runtime that doesn't infringe upon the enjoyment of the gameplay.

Solid Snake is sent to Alaska, where he needs to do what he does best. He must infiltrate an enemy base and stop a Metal Gear, this time the model known as REX. He is first sent to rescue the DARPA chief and discovers a conspiracy to which he was clearly not previously privy. At this point, he also meets a fan-favorite character known as Meryl Silverburgh, the biological daughter of Snake's mission leader Colonel Campbell.

Snake also has help from people on his codec, as usual for this series. Snake simply has to communicate because the codec is implanted in him. Along with Campbell, Snake communicates with Mei Long who saves his mission data and offers philosophical quotes, Master Miller who offers non-sequiturs and occasional advice, and eventually series regular Dr. Emmerich aka Otacon who offers information about the base and Metal Gear REX itself.

The story is one of the best, if not the best, of the Hideo Kojima stories. There are so many twists and turns in the story, and the characters are really interesting. It leaves a lasting impression. The voice work of the actors is fantastic, both in the English and Japanese language. If you have played through Metal Gear Solid in English, you could find it fun to play it again with the Japanese voice actors in the Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection, assuming you don't mind reading the English subtitles if you don't mind Japanese.

The music is fantastic too. Unless you play at the easiest level, or are fantastic at playing action stealth games, you'll likely see the game over screen at least once. This has become iconic for a reason. The voice over that accompanies it is fantastic and the game over music is extremely memorable. Of course, the rest of the music is fantastic as well, but that was epic enough it deserved a write-up on its own. The sound effects are also great, giving the game its polished feel.

The stealth gameplay was influential on the genre, and even though a lot has changed in the nearly twenty years since its 1998 release, it is still great to play today. The Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes remake adds some then-modern touches. It does make the game feel different because the first person mode makes some parts easier than the original. If the PlayStation version of Metal Gear Solid feels stiff to you, and you don't mind some goofy cutscene changes, that might be an option. The earlier Metal Gear Solid: Integral also includes first person mode, which might be a better option since its gaming and presentation comes from the North American release of the original Metal Gear Solid PlayStation release.

For those really willing to dig deep into the history of video gaming and emulation, there is bleemcast! for Metal Gear Solid for the Dreamcast. Playing the game using this will make the game smoother. It's true that most PlayStation emulators will have an option for smoothing, but the bleemcast! experience is surprisingly smooth, and it's amazing to experience considering the PlayStation and Dreamcast were direct competitors that were only one console generation apart.

Metal Gear Solid is well worth playing, in any form, from the original PlayStation version on the PlayStation console or on emulators to the GameCube Metal Gear Solid: Twin Snakes remake. I recommend the PlayStation version on console or emulator, since the cutscenes are 2000s action film level goofy in the remake. Some of the original cutscenes can be goofy too, but it is worth it to play it in its original form. If you have played the original, and especially if you have played it many times, it could be worth it to play the PlayStation version with Japanese voice actors and English subtitles to experience the Japanese voice actors. The actors in the Japanese version are just as high-quality as those in the English version. It could also be worth it to play Metal Gear Solid: Integral, if you want to experience the game with first person mode. If you don't mind cutscene changes that make the game feel like a goofy late 1990s to early 2000s American action film, Metal Gear Solid: Twin Snakes might also be worth experiencing. No matter which version you play, the stealth gameplay, excellent voice acting, plus fantastic music and sound effects make this one a classic that every video gamer should experience at least once.

Final Verdict:
5 out of 5

Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake Review

Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty Review

Stealth Action Game Mega Review: Metal Gear for C64, DOS, and NES

Metal Gear for the Nintendo Entertainment System is a very different game than the original MSX2 game of the same name. It, along with the lesser known Commodore 64 and DOS ports, has become something of a red-headed stepchild as it was both created without the input of series creator Hideo Kojima and suffered from meddling when the management at Konami requested that it be as different as possible from the original. It gets a lot of flack for those reasons, but it really isn't a bad game, especially considering the constraints of its development. 

The game has the same general set up as the MSX2 Metal Gear. Solid Snake has to infiltrate an enemy encampment and has backup off-site through radio contact such as with his mission commander, Big Boss. The primary difference here is that the mission takes place in an outdoor military encampment whereas the original took place inside a sprawling enemy base. This makes it have more in common with Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater than the original Metal Gear Solid, which took direct inspiration from the MSX2 Metal Gear games.

The comparison is superficial however, as Kojima has stated his dislike of the NES Metal Gear games. This is unfair however, as the game is quite fun on its own. I did play it often on my toaster NES when I was a little girl, so I'll admit some of my like of the game may be rose-colored glasses. However, even when I replayed it recently on the Metal Gear Solid Collection: Vol. 1 for the Nintendo Switch, I still had a lot of fun with it.

The game has the oft-mentioned poor English translations such as "I feel asleep". It also doesn't have as strong of a story as the original, although even the MSX2 version doesn't have the context-heavy radio calls for which the series would become known. The game also doesn't have the titular final boss. Due to hardware restraints of the NES and the limitations of the mapper used, Solid Snake a giant super computer instead of a Metal Gear mech.

The Nintendo Entertainment System version of Metal Gear is still fun to play, if you are open to playing top-down two-dimensional 8-bit action stealth games. With its outdoor locales, you may have fun with this game even if you played the MSX2 game or its console remake. The limitations of the console even work out for making it a different experience due to the very different final boss. It is not as good of a game as the MSX2 original, but in my opinion it comes really close.

Final Verdict:
3 out of 5

Metal Gear Review

Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake Review

Stealth Action Game Review: Metal Gear

Metal Gear for the MSX2 computer is a very different beast from the Nintendo Entertainment System version that international players received. It is also the version that connects to the later games, as the two NES games are ignored by the storylines of the Metal Gear Solid games. The full three-dimensional third-person presentation of the latter made it a bonafide worldwide hit. However, even in the top-down perspective of the original game, many of the stealth mechanics that made Solid so popular were already present.

Metal Gear was released in for MSX2 in 1987 as the first game in the eponymous series. It was released in Japan and Europe, but the latter received a truncated version of the game with nearly half as many radio transmissions and truncated messages. 

A faithful remake of the original version was developed in the J2ME subset of Java and released for feature phones in Japan in 2004. It included an easy mode with a bandanna that gave infinite ammunition, larger text, and end-of-game statistics and related player codenames. This version was the basis of the version that was released worldwide in 2005 as a bonus on Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence.

Solid Snake begins his mission in much the same manner as he would later in Metal Gear Solid. Snake travels through the water to infiltrate an enemy base and receives a transmission from his mission commander who is known by the codename Big Boss. As the game progresses, Snake will be able to make and receive radio transmissions from other characters as well.

Snake finds keycards throughout the game, which can be used to unlock doors. In these doors, he may find weapons and gadgets to help him in his mission. He can also go into the back of trucks to find items to use, but sometimes enemy guards will be found instead. Snake can punch these guards or use the weapons he found. He can also use rations to refill his health bar.

There are two storage compartments where Snake keeps his items. The first stores items such as keycards and rations, while the second stores weapons. These can be set as active at all times. This allows Snake to enter doors with a keycard without having to manually activate the keycard. It also sets the weapon, which lets Snake fire it while it is active. This is especially helpful with rations, as Snake's health will be automatically refilled to an extent when it reaches zero.

The rations help a lot with the boss battles. There are no memorable bosses as in the Solid series. You won't find Psycho Mantis-style originality here, but the bosses do offer some variety as Snake battles terrifying gun-wielding soldiers and huge mobile weapons. The latter gives the player the first taste of the nuclear-loaded mecha known as Metal Gear.

Metal Gear is not as welcoming as its Solid brethren, but it does offer fun stealth action to those who are open to 8-bit game mechanics. With many of the game mechanics the Metal Gear Solid games would become known for, this is a fascinating game to play to see how the series started, if nothing else. It is also very easy to come by as the 2005 remake version has been ported to most consoles as well as Windows since that came out since it was first released. 

Final Verdict:
3½ out of 5

Metal Gear (Ultra Games) Review

Beat 'Em Up Game Review: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: The Manhattan Project

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: The Manhattan Project was a beat 'em-up video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System based on the 1980s animated television series.

It has the craziest storyline of all the Konami games based on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. However, since the 1987 series was so zany, it fits with the franchise perfectly. In the game, Shredder and Krang stole the entire island of Manhattan and it is up to the ninja turtles to get it back.

As it is for the Nintendo Entertainment System, it only has two action buttons. However, it makes great use of what is available. It manages to have most of the moves from the arcade games thanks to button combinations. It also pushes the Nintendo Entertainment System to its limits. It has the fun enemy animations and background object interactions from the arcade games that weren't present in the NES version of the original arcade game. It lacks the ability to have different kinds of enemies on screen at a time, but since the enemies have a ton of character, it's not that noticeable while playing through the game.

The game also has quite a nice soundtrack that evokes the feeling of the arcade games. It also has voice clips, but, of course, they are highly compressed due to the limitations in file size available on NES ROM cartridges. This was pretty standard practice at the time, and voice clips weren't common on the NES at all, so it's cool they're included. It really does help to evoke the feeling of the Konami arcade beat 'em ups.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: The Manhattan Project is a worthy member of Konami's 90s ninja turtle beat 'em up oeuvre. When I was a little girl, I avoided the NES Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles games due to the small size of the sprites and backgrounds necessary for the games to fit in the small resolution of the console. This was a mistake on my part, as Konami managed to translate all of the gameplay, style, and charm from the arcades into Nintendo's little grey box. If you are going to play this, and you should, opt for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Cowabunga Collection. That way you can reduce the flickering that was necessary to push the console to its limits. That's one of the great things with emulation, we have much stronger hardware now, so we don't have to live within those limits anymore and can experience games at levels the developers could only have dreamt of back in the 1990s.

Final Verdict:

4 out of 5

Action Maze Game Review: Super Bomberman

In 1993, Hudson Soft released a follow-up to its popular Bomberman action maze game with Super Bomberman for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System.

Super Bomberman takes what was best about Bomberman, including the mechanics of using bombs to blow up bricks and enemies. powerups for extra bombs and longer blasts, and level exit doors that can only be entered after all enemies are defeated. It then takes it a step further, with more enemies, stages taking place in themed worlds, more powerups, and boss battles.

It also has a fun multiplayer mode where up to four players, using the multitap accessory, try to blow each other up in a last Bomberperson standing battle royale. Not all of the players had to be human either, as there were optional artificial intelligence-controlled opponents for which you could set the difficulty level. Of course, it is infinitely more fun with at least one human opponent.

The graphics are fantastic, as they make great use of the capability of the SNES with bigger and more detailed player and enemy sprites and blocks compared to the original game. Atmospheric effects like fog also appear in some stages. The new enemies are all expressive, and even the balloon enemies from the first game look better here. The bosses are the highlight, as they are very detailed and extremely large, dwarfing Bomberman. This makes the stakes feel higher and gets the adrenaline flowing. 

Super Bomberman is a game that set the standard for the series, taking everything from the original game and adding lots more of its own elements that would become series staples. The larger roster of enemies, themed worlds, and bosses makes this game stand out from the originator. Plus, the multiplayer battles are loads of fun, making it a fun break from the usual story mode. If you enjoy Bomberman games, maze games, or just blowing things up, then make sure to give this one a try. It's a true classic.

Final Verdict:

5 out of 5

Arcade Beat 'Em Up Review: The Simpsons

The Simpsons is a beat 'em-up arcade developed and manufactured by Konami early in the run of The Simpsons television series.

The plot is fairly simple but works well. Waylon Smithers broke into a jewelry store and stole a diamond for Mr. Burns. He crashes into the Simpsons, the diamond pops into Maggie's mouth in place of her pacifier and Smithers takes the diamond, Maggie and all.

Players can take control of any of the remaining four main Simpsons family members. Marge smacks thugs with a vaccuum cleaner, Bart whacks enemies with his skateboard, Lisa whips baddies with a jump rope, and Homer just uses his fists and feet. A devestating attack can also be accomplished when two players combine forces, resulting in the duo spinning around to offer an enhanced attack on enemies.

There are eight levels total, including Downtown Springfield. Krustyland. the Springfield Cemetery. Moe's Tavern. Springfield Butte at the Springfield National Forest, Dreamland, the Channel 6 Station building. and the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant. Each of the levels includes generic Simpsons-style men as enemies, but also include level-specific enemies such as Bigfoot, flying saxophones, and ninjas, among others.

The bosses include characters from the show such as the wrestler Professor Werner von Brawn, a Krusty the Clown balloon, a bear that looks like the one that befriended Maggie, and of course, Smithers, and Mr. Burns. It also includes characters created for the game such as a large goon and his child-size henchman, a fire-breathing drunk, a sentient bowling ball, an electric-shooting robot, and a kabuki warrior.

Konami did a fantastic job with the graphics, as both the characters and the backgrounds look just like pixelized versions of the art from the show. The music is also fantastic, including a digitized version of the classic theme song as well as stage music that wouldn't be out of place in the show proper. There are also samples of vocal clips from the show's characters.

Konami was the king of arcade beat 'em ups in the 1990s, and The Simpsons ranks among their best. Since it was released early in the show's run it includes some oddities such as a much eviler Mr. Smithers than usual, and deeper voices for Smithers and Mr. Burns than usual. All of that aside, it is still a fantastic beat 'em up arcade game that should be played by everyone at least once.

Final Verdict:

4½ out of 5

Arcade Beat 'em Up Mega Review: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - Turtles in Time

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time was the second, and arguably, the best, arcade game by Konami to feature the pizza-eating ninja turtles.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles features a wacky plot that fits right into the 80s iteration of the franchise. The mutant from Dimension-X, Krang, stole the Statue of Liberty and the nemesis of the turtles, Shredder, mocked them on live television to get them to come after them. Once the turtles get there, they are sent through a time vortex. The turtles get flung back and forth through time as they fight their way through the past, present, and future until they get back to their own time and stop Shredder's crazy plot.

The turtles have to go through nine levels, or ten in the Super Nintendo Entertainment System version since the first visit to the Technodrome was omitted in the other versions. The levels range from the sewers, alleys, and New York City streets in the present, to prehistoric times with stone warriors and dinosaurs, to a pirate ship in the golden age of piracy, to the western United States in the Wild West era, to hover transport areas in the future, and then finally to a space station and the Technodrome for the final fight.

Konami was the leader when it came to arcade beat 'em ups in the 1990s, and this game shows that in spades. The game has satisfying kicking, punching, and jumping moves and items that can be interacted with in the environment. It has excellent animation, from the turtles, to the foot soldiers, to all of the enemies throughout time. The backgrounds are probably the best two-dimensional art that Konami has ever produced, which is saying something for a company that was so prolific in the golden age of arcade games. The art really gets you invested in the game, as each location is highly detailed and makes you feel like you are really in those time periods.

The arcade version of Konami's original arcade game was the best version with the Nintendo Entertainment System version being only for those who were interested in the extra levels. It's harder to say this time around. The Super Nintendo Entertainment System version only supported two players rather than four, and lacked some animations and voice samples compared to the arcade version. The SNES version also has an exclusive Technodrome level and a fun battle where the object is to chuck foot soldiers toward the screen. Both versions have the Neon Night Riders level, but the arcade version has a straight-forward horizontal battle on hovercraft whereas the SNES version makes extensive use of the mode 7 effects of the system to make the level an over-the-shoulder battle. The arcade version has nine bosses. The SNES version has those bosses as well, with the exception of Cement Man who is replaced with the Rat King. However, the SNES version also has Slash, fan favorites Bebop and Rocksteady, and a stronger iteration of their main foe that goes by the name Super Shredder.

There are also no-longer-available variations of the arcade version of the game through emulation as a stripped-down bonus in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 3: Mutant Nightmare for the GameCube, PlayStation 2, and Xbox, as well as a remake titled Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - Turtles in Time Reshelled. The remake isn't worth tracking down, as it lacks the SNES extras and the three-dimensional graphics don't bring across the fun animations as well as the original two-dimensional pixel graphics. 

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time is a seminal arcade game. Great, responsive combat, excellent animation, fun enemies, and enjoyable boss levels make the game still fun to play thirty years after its original release. Both the SNES and arcade versions have their own qualities that make which version to play a matter of personal preference. Personally, I'd pick the SNES version for the extra bosses, the replacement of Cement Man with the more recognizable Rat King, the great use of mode 7 effects, the extra level, and especially the fun boss fight that has turtles chucking foot soldiers towards the screen. The best way to play this game is in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Cowabunga Collection as it has both the arcade and SNES versions of the game so you can decide for yourself which is your preferred version to play.

Final Verdict:
5 out of 5

Fall of the Foot Clan Review

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II Review Coming Soon

Platform Game Review: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Fall of the Foot Clan

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Fall of the Foot Clan was the first game to feature the shelled ninjas on a portable cartridge-based system. It was released in 1990, at a time when both the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and the Game Boy were immensely popular. As Konami had the rights to the franchise and produced Turtles games for the home systems and the arcade, a Game Boy adaptation seemed like a no-brainer. 

The end result feels like it was rushed to the market. It’s not actually a terrible game, it just doesn’t feel like a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles game. Some video games feel like a popular franchise was jammed into a pre-existing prototype. This is one of those games. It does have all four ninja turtles and they do have their signature weapons. When one turtle is out of health, they are captured and a new turtle has to be selected. However, unlike the other Konami Turtles games released in the same time period, the turtles don’t seem any different outside of their weapon animations. They all have the same reach, and the striking power is identical. Even the animations, especially Donatello’s bo staff, seem like they have been shrunk in order to strike within the hit distance of the others. This leads to some animations looking weird, and all of them just don’t look right. 

On the plus side, the game does have all of the expected aspects of a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles game. There are basic enemies such as Foot Clan ninjas and Mousers to defeat. Plus, the boss characters consist of staples of the 1987 television series, including Bebop, Rocksteady, and Baxter Stockman. The final battles, of course, are with Shredder and Krang.

Another positive is that the underlying game mechanics are actually quite good. The jumping feels tight and precise and the weapons hit their targets as they should. It’s obvious a lot of work went into the platform game engine. 

What makes the game feel rushed, besides the squished animations, is the slowdown. This was common with many games of the time, as developers pushed games beyond the limits of the platform. That doesn’t seem like this is the case here, as the next Game Boy game in the franchise featured much more detailed sprites and innovative fighting scenarios. In fact, both of Konami's other Game Boy Ninja Turtles games don’t suffer from the slowdown problem, despite them offering much more in every aspect, pointing towards the slowdown being a problem with the game’s code rather than the Game Boy system. Granted, the slowdown isn’t constant, and it isn’t game-breaking, but it is distracting. 

Unfortunately, even the Cowabunga Collection, which provided options to remove most of the slowdown in Konami’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles games for the Nintendo Entertainment System, doesn’t offer an option to reduce the slowdown for this game. 

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Fall of the Foot Clan would be a decent game if the weapon range and slowdown issues were addressed. As it stands, it is a mediocre platform game from the 1990s among a sea of mediocre platform games from the 1990s. On the plus side, the game did work well as a learning experience for the staff at Konami. Luckily, the next Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles platform game for the Game Boy was much better. This game is one I can't recommend unless you really love the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles or if you want to get the achievement for completing it in the Cowabunga Collection. 

Final Verdict: 

2½ out of 5

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Review

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time Review

System Review: TurboGrafx-16 Mini/PC Engine Mini

Hudson Soft, the designer of the TurboGrafx-16, became a wholly owned subsidiary of Konami in 2011. Hudson Soft ceased to exist in 2012, but its projects live on. With the success of miniature consoles from Nintendo, Sega, and Sony. Konami gave the TurboGrafx-16 a miniature update with the TurboGrafx-16 mini.

The miniature console is named the TurboGrafx-16 Mini in North America, PC Engine Mini in Japan, and PC Engine CoreGrafx Mini in Europe and Oceania. Konami went with M2 for the emulation, which was the same company that handled the Sega Genesis Mini. The emulator is not just for the TurboGrafx-16 console, but also the Super CD-ROM² and Arcade CD-ROM² add-ons, as well as the short-lived SuperGrafx. The emulation in this console is very accurate, which has always been a major strength of M2. 

The system runs on a Zuiki Z7213 system on a chip with a 1.3 GHz quad-Core Cortex-A7 central processing unit, a 500 megahertz dual-core Mali-400 ARM graphics processing unit, 256 megabytes of random access memory, and 4 gigabytes of flash storage.

The system comes with one two-button controller. The Japanese version contains fifty-eight games, while the international versions contain fifty-seven. This console has some of the best games of the 16-bit generation and is easily the miniature console that packs the best games in its library. It is truly quality over quantity, although the international versions have a lot of games that are still in Japanese.

The fifty-seven games in the international versions include Air Zonk, Aldynes: The Mission Code for Rage Crisis, Alien Crush, Alright! Gateball, Blazing Lazers, Bomberman '93, Bomberman '94, Bomberman: Panic Bomber, Bonk's Adventure, Bonk's Revenge, Cadash, Castlevania: Rondo of Blood, Chew Man Fu, China Warrior, Cho Aniki, Dragon Spirit, Dungeon Explorer, Evil Sword Necromancer, Fantasy Zone, Galaga '88, The Genji and the Heike Clans, Great Demon World Village, Galaxy Police Legend Sapphire, Gradius, Gradius II: Gofer's Ambition, J.J. & Jeff, The Legend of Valkyrie, Lords of Thunder, Military Madness, Moto Roader, Neutopia, Neutopia II, New Adventure Island, Ninja Gaiden, Ninja Spirit, Parasol Stars, Power Golf, Psychosis, R-Type, Salamander, Spirit Warriors Spriggan, Snatcher, Soldier Blade, Space Harrier, Splatterhouse, Spriggan Mark 2: Re-Terraform Project, Star Parodier, Super Darius, Super Momotarō Electric Railway II, Super Star Soldier, Victory Run, and Ys Book I & II.

The Japanese version contains the same game list except for Salamander and with the addition of Far East of Eden II: Manji Maru and Heartthrob Memorial.

As with the other mini consoles, I’ll be looking in-depth at the above games in the future, and the links will be updated accordingly. This console has finally put the TurboGrafx at the top of the heap. The emulation is excellent and the console is packed with great games.  I recommend the Japanese version as the two exclusive games are excellent and the arcade version of Salamander is now available through Hamster's Arcade Archives. If you modify your console to accept other games, you will get the most out of your console because a lot of these Japanese games have unofficial English fan patches.

Note: The USB wall plug is not included. Make sure you use one that is 5 volts, 2 amps (2000 mA). There have been reports of the system bricking itself if the wrong plug is used. 

Final Verdict:
5 out of 5

Action-Adventure Mega Review: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was the first game based on the quartet of pizza-loving sewer dwellers. It was also Konami's first game based on the property. The end result missed the mark in nearly every aspect, but it did lay the groundwork for the much more beloved games that followed.

If there was ever a game that I wondered how on earth I managed to complete as a child, this was it. The game starts out on an overhead map. You can change between turtles whenever you like by hitting the start button. These are the best parts of the game. The game goes downhill from there. Once you enter the sewer, the game switches to an action platformer. The problem is that jumping feels off and the level design is hit-or-miss. When it misses, it really misses. You can control the height of your jump with light button taps, but often the level will put a ceiling between where the turtle is and the platform to which he has to jump. This leads to infuriating sessions where the current area has to be completed again since the enemies respawn. The Cowabunga Collection minimizes hair-pulling as it has a rewind button. This is definitely the preferred way to play, as even seasoned platformer players will fail to make a jump at least once in the game.

The other infuriating thing is that Donatello and Leonardo are the only useful turtles. Michaelangelo and Raphael have a very small range compared to the two aforementioned ninja-practicing testudines. The best thing to do is to leave Raphael and Michaelangelo for areas where it is nearly impossible to not lose health. 

This brings us to the worst part of the game, the dam section. Without the save function of the Cowabunga Collection, I would not blame anyone who rage quit after trying this level. Heck, I wouldn't blame anyone who rage quit even with the save function. The turtles have to swim through a maze to disarm eight bombs in only eight minutes. Impeding them are electric beams and electrified seaweed. The latter is the worst part as it is nearly impossible to make it through without hitting seaweed since the path is so narrow and pressing the swim button causes the turtle to rise up quite a large amount. Also, the time limit makes careful swimming impossible. The time limit also makes waiting for the electric beams to stop a challenge. It's nearly impossible to make it through without draining the health of one, or likely two, turtles. That is why it is best to save the weakest turtles in this game, Michaelangelo and Raphael, for this level.

The overhead level actually becomes quite a bit of fun when you get to the point where you can drive the party wagon. Walking enemies can be run over and vehicles can be hit with bullets shot out from the wagon. Once you get the missiles, you can destroy enemy vehicles with one hit. It's tempting to just fire away at vehicles with missiles, but there are also blockades that can only be destroyed with missiles. Sadly, the fun overworld driving sections only last for one level, and most of that level is spent going in and out of sewers and buildings searching for missiles and grappling hooks that you will need to get to sections that can't be jumped across. With these sections being platforming sections, the fun of the overhead section is quickly overshadowed.

Alongside the Nintendo Entertainment System version, it was also released for Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Arcade via PlayChoice-10, Atari ST, Commodore 64, DOS, MSX, and ZX Spectrum. Some of these versions have more appealing graphics, but the platforming sections are surprisingly even less responsive. This makes the NES version the best of the bunch, which isn't saying much.

The one bright spot of this game is the music. Even though there are mainly only two musical scores for the overhead and underworld levels, with the exception of some new music in the final level, they are really great and can get stuck in your head well after the game is over. When I was a little girl, I would just stand in place on the overhead map or hang out in an enemy-free part of the sewer just to hear the music.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is probably best summed up as a game with some good ideas that are poorly implemented. Some of the ideas, such as the spin attack powerup would make its way into better Konami games such as Turtles in Time and Hyperstone Heist. Other than the music and the short overhead sections, there's not much to recommend. It would be a mediocre game, but the terrible dam level takes it even lower. Unless you're playing with the emulator functions in Cowabunga Collection, don't bother playing it. Even with the collection, there's really no point playing it unless you want to earn the achievement for doing so.

Addendum February 12, 2026: There is also an arcade version for the PlayChoice-10. This version is identical to the NES version, except there is a time limit in place where the game will quit when time runs out. 

Final Verdict:
1½ out of 5

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Arcade Game Review

Arcade Beat 'em Up Mega Review: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was an arcade game by Konami that was one of the premiere beat 'em ups when it was released in 1989. It still holds up today, especially in the newer releases that have multiplayer support over the internet.

As is common in arcade games, the story is scant, but it does get the job done. The goal of the game is to save your friends from the Foot Clan, then track down the Technodrome to defeat Krang and Shredder. The Nintendo Entertainment System version also adds a level where you have to shut down a weather machine that has been covering New York City with snow and another level where you fight a shogun in a martial arts dojo. 

Alongside the Foot Clan ninjas, Shredder, and Krang, there are also popular villains from the 1987 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles animated series, such as Bebop, Rocksteady, and Baxter Stockman. It also includes the lesser-known villain, Tragg the rock soldier. The Nintendo Entertainment System version of the game also includes two bounty hunters created specifically for the game, Shogun and Tora. 

Other than the fighting gameplay which feels responsive and easy to learn, the presentation is what makes this game unforgettable. It has fun character animations, both in the sprites of the turtles and those of the enemies. Two of my favorites are the animation played when one of the turtles falls down a sewer hole and those of the motorcycle-riding Foot Clan ninjas. The Nintendo Entertainment System Version has smaller sprites and simpler backgrounds, but it surprisingly includes most of the animations from the arcade version. The NES version also has two exclusive levels, the aforementioned snow-covered New York City and a level in a dojo. These levels, especially the dojo level, have some fun animations of their own including ninjas jumping up through the floor and the tiger painting that comes to life and fights the turtles. There is some slowdown,  flickering sprites, and only one type of enemy on screen at the same time in the NES version. However, it is really impressive how Konami managed to recognizably replicate the arcade version and add extra levels on such limited hardware. Digital Eclipse's emulation in the Cowabunga Collection is the best way to play the NES version, as it has options to remove most of the flicker and slowdown. 

The chiptune music is great, and it is fun that the catchy opening song is included in a sample that isn't compressed too badly. The voice samples, however, are more heavily compressed. This is fine for the electrocuting robots that channel the Daleks from Doctor Who by saying "do not resist us". The heavily compressed samples for the turtles such as "shell shocked", April's "save me", or Shredder's "tonight I dine on turtle soup" sound quite tinny and aren't as impressive as they once were. The NES version doesn't have any samples and does play a few different level songs as well as those from the NES exclusive levels, but the arcade game's music that is there has transferred quite well to the little grey toaster that could.

The arcade version has support for up to either two or four players playing simultaneously depending on the cabinet. The NES version only has support for up to two players playing simultaneously. The arcade version has unlimited continues. When I was a little girl, I went to an arcade with a pocket full of quarters. I probably paid a good ten dollars in order to get to the end. Like a lot of arcade games of the era, the ending is presented entirely through text. The text is fitting, however, and it has the same tone as the television series on which it was based. The NES version is harder, as continuing in the arcade version continues right where it left off while continuing in the NES version starts from the beginning of the current level. There are also only three continues in the NES version, although this can be changed to ten in the Cowabunga Collection. In the aforementioned collection, there is also a god option that makes the chosen turtle invincible and kills most enemies with one hit.

In addition to the arcade and NES versions, there were also versions for home computers such as Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64, and DOS. There are a lot of limitations in these versions, and the controls feel a lot stiffer on each, so they aren't really worth playing. The arcade version, either in the arcade or via the emulated versions in the now-unavailable Xbox 360 version or in the Cowabunga Collection, is the best way to play this game. The emulated versions have online play, so if you enjoy multiplayer games, these versions are the way to go.

If you are interested in playing the additional two levels in the NES version, the control is just as responsive as the arcade version, so could be worth playing if you aren't turned off by the limitations of the older hardware. The best way to play the NES version is with the settings that mostly eliminate the flicker and slowdown in the Cowabunga Collection.

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles arcade game is a bonafide classic that manages to hold up well to modern tastes. The fun animations, great chiptune music, and excellent level design make this one a must-play for Teenage Mutant Turtle fans as well as those who are fans of arcade beat 'em ups. The arcade version is the best version to play, but the NES version is fun if you are interested in the two exclusive levels. The Cowabunga Collection is the best choice to play as it includes both the arcade and NES versions and it sports accurate emulation, online play, and the ability to reduce slowdown and flickering on the NES version.

Addendum October 8, 2025: There is also an arcade version for the PlayChoice-10. This version is identical to the NES version, except there is a time limit in place where the game will quit when time runs out.

Final Verdict:

4½ out of 5

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Review

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Fall of the Foot Clan Review

The Evolution of Adventure Games Part III: Visual Novels

Adventure games were popular in the early days of the computer industry in North America and Europe, but they didn't immediately catch on in Japan.  There were a few produced in that region, but the early releases didn't catch on with the gaming public.

ASCII released the first text adventures produced in Japan, Omotesando Adventure in 1982 and Minami Aoyama Adventure, in 1983. These adventure games had limited popularity, and ASCII wouldn't produce another entry in the adventure game genre for several years.  However, when the adventure game genre evolved into the visual novel and became popular with Japanese gaming fans, ASCII continued producing adventure games in this format into the 2000's. ASCII as a separate entity ceased to exist in 2008 when they were absorbed by Media Works, forming ASCII Media Works.  ASCII Media Works has continued to produce visual novels, and still does so today.

The obscurity of adventure games in Japan was fated to be changed after Yuji Horii created The Portopia Serial Murder Case, which was released by Enix in 1983.  It was a hit, especially the 1985 Famicom version which had a point and click menu based interface (which was similar to a three part episodic adventure series released from 1983 to 1984 by T&E Soft titled Legend of Star Arthur). It's success inspired other developers to create similar games. Enix continued to release adventure games and as the genre evolved to visual novels, they continued releasing them. In 2003, Enix merged with Square to become Square Enix.  Square Enix continues to develop visual novels today.

While we're on the subject of Square, it should be mentioned that they also created influential early adventure games. Their first game was a text adventure with static graphics, The Death Trap.  It was released in 1984, before Square was founded as a legal entity.  The 1985 sequel, Will: The Death Trap II, was one of the first animated computer games.  As the genre evolved to visual novels, they continued releasing them. As stated above, in 2003, Square became Square Enix, and continues to release visual novels to this day.

The success of The Portopia Serial Murder Case led to the creation of games which would become known as visual novels.  Although they both started from the same style of text adventures, adventure games evolved differently in Japan as opposed to the adventure games in the west.

Whereas adventures in the west focused on puzzles, in Japan, adventures evolved based on the narrative of text adventures, sharing the choose your own adventure aspect of these games, where the narrative is laid out to the player, and the player interacts with the game to keep the narrative flowing. These types of games became known as visual novels. One of the first influential developers of this new visual novel style of adventure was Hideo Kojima at Konami.  Inspired by The Portopia Serial Murder Case, he created Snatcher, which was released in 1988.  Konami continued releasing visual novels, including Hideo Kojima's own Policenauts in 1994.  They still continue to release visual novels today.

Visual novels are still popular in Japan, and their popularity has increased in the west as well.  One of the companies responsible for the increase of western localizations for visual novels is Capcom.  Although they have been developing visual novels since 1986, it was the Ace Attorney series that was responsible for this spike in western popularity.  The series began in 2001, but when the Nintendo DS remakes were released in 2006, they received an official English translation.  The games proved to be more popular in the west than expected, which led to more official translations.

The amount of translations of visual novels into English has dropped in recent years, but they still continue to be a driving force in Japan, still claiming the majority of sales in the home computer market.  After the 1990's Western adventure games wouldn't share in that popularity, but they also evolved from their text adventure roots to the adventures that are still developed today, although in a much different style than their Japanese counterparts.

Back to Part II

On To Part IV