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February 1995


Natsume - For SNES
Pocky & Rocky 2
Action-Shooter | 12 MEG
Release: September 1994
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Natsume's premier shooting duo is back with an all-new adventure on SNES. Showcasing the same stand-out sprite graphics and thrilling shoot-em-up gameplay as the original cart, Pocky & Rocky 2 is a worthwhile purchase for all fans of the genre. This one packs in a plethora of diverse levels to explore, with plenty of hidden treats and surprises to discover on the way. The option to swap sidekicks makes for some added replayability as well (Try tossing them at your foes for extra fun! -Jet). While P&R was famous for its high difficulty, Natsume cooled this new cart down significantly. It's a bit too easy to make major progress on your first or second outing, which may shorten the overall experience.

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Jaleco - For SNES
The Ignition Factor
Action-Strategy | 8 MEG
Release: February 1995
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According to the advertisement, "This game is NOT cool!" Hm, I daresay they have a point. In all fairness, this top-down adventure-like game presents a healthy dose of innovation in an era increasingly bogged down with sequels and re-hashed formulas. Players are given a briefing by the fire chief, then it's off to the races. Traverse rooms filled with walls of fire and exploding barrels and use clues at your disposal to rescue residents before they get roasted. The puzzle-solving element is neat, and the point-and-click interface to choose your gear is doable, but between the horrendous running controls and the repetitive nature of the timed rescue missions, we were not enthralled. Hose this one down.

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Absolute - For SNES
Home Improvement
Action-Platformer | 12 MEG
Release: December 1994
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Santa Claus is on SNES! Oh, wait, wrong Tim Allen property. Home Improvement, for those living under a rock, is a hit sitcom based on the life and times of ignoramus Tim "The Tool Man" Taylor. This title by Absolute attempts to convert this rather ordinary show into a action-platformer with middling results. Tim must retrieve a collection of stolen Turbo Tools or risk losing his job! Search through about twenty levels in zany environments from jungle treetops to ghost houses. The clever bit is exclusive to the array of weaponry. Use equipment like staple guns to nail down baddies and make your way to safety. This cart isn't a total bust, but Al could have done it way better.

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SEGA - For GENESIS
Phantasy Star IV
Role-Playing | 24 MEG
Release: February 1995
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It's been one thousand years since Algo was under threat by Mother Brain and Dark Force. The planet of Motavia is in danger once more and it's up to a lowly party of heroes to save the day! This title features an intriguing storyline with an assortment of well-developed characters. Battle animations are splendid, full-screen cinemas are eye-popping, and the soundtrack is A-plus work. In the gameplay arena, little has evolved or improved since previous entries appeared on the Genesis, giving the impression to some of an outdated cart. Our team would argue this is one of the best RPGs released yet by Sega with dozens of hours of adventuring to be had. Next to FF III, however...

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SEGA - For GENESIS
Ristar
Action-Platformer | 16 MEG
Release: February 1995
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Hot on the heels of Dynamite Headdy, Sega is determined to manufacture yet another child-friendly mascot. Meet Ristar, a meteoric hero making his auspicious debut in a pretty top-shelf platformer. Its spritework is impressive, there is no shortage of neat-o special effects, and the play mechanics are loads of fun, too! Use Ristar's stretchy arms to grab baddies, climb up walls, or swing from vines a la Tarzan. Best of all, stage designs are totally unique and require a dose of brainpower to work out: An absolute rarity for platform games these days. Speaking of whic, those projectile-throwing lobsters in the undertow level deserve a mention. No Sonic speed to be found, but otherwise about perfect.

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SoftCreate - For GENESIS
The Tick
Brawler-Platformer | 16 MEG
Release: December 1994
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Starring the giant, 700lb superhero from the popular Saturday morning cartoon series, The Tick has arrived with his very own Genesis (and SNES) game. As much as we do enjoy the toon, this title is sorely lacking in a number of key areas. Gameplay, mainly confined to a brawler/platformer format, is hardly varied as the levels play on endlessly. This cart's animation is extremely poor, evidence of a rushed job, which is disappointing considering The Tick's fluid movements on TV. We got a real kick out of the voice sampling, however, which includes vocals taken directly from the original cartoon. For fans of the show, this cart may be worth a rental, but we would advise all others stay far away.

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JVC - For SEGA-CD
Keio Squadron
Shooter | CD
Release: January 1995
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Looking for an oddball anime with a strange story involving alternate history, pet dragons gone AWOL, and angry grandmas? With Keio Flying Squadron, you will find all of that and more wrapped up in a supremely awesome shooter package. Acquire loads of power-ups, take on demonic raccoons and evil sumo wrestlers, and prepare for eight frenzied levels of pure shoot-em-up fun. Keio exemplifies the best of the Sega-CD: Cinemas that add to the story without taking over the whole game, a CD-quality soundtrack with a mix of modern and classical tunes, and brilliant graphics unattainable on standard 16-Bit. Strolling through the skies on a pet dragon in a bunny costume never seemed so cool!

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SEGA - For 32X
Metal Head
3-D Action | 24 MEG
Release: February 1995
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Metal Head is a robotic, two-legged tank built to maintain peace and public order (Hey, who wants to watch Robocop? -Jet). Upon popping in this cart, players will control a mechanized monstrosity simply bristling with weapons of all sorts. This is a 3-D textured cyborg slaughter fest with decent-looking polygonal graphics. The player-controlled Metal Head can roam this environment and obliterate a barrage of enemy tanks. Adding in the ability to choose any of four viewpoints was a nice touch by the Sega team. Digitized voice narration provides guidance along each mission - yes! It's good old-fashioned cheese. Do not go in expecting ultra-smooth scrolling like Doom on PC, though.

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CD - For 3DO
Interceptor
3-D Racing | CD
Release: November 1994
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For those looking for further proof that Crystal Dynamics is the gasoline fueling the 3DO's engine, here you go! Off-World Interceptor, a 3-D vehicular combat title, is out now for the 3DO. Like Crash 'N' Burn before it, OWI exhibits a bit of an imbalance in terms of righteous graphics versus OK gameplay. After watching an FMV sequence that not-so-subtly rips off the iconic silhouette style of MST3K, players finally gain control over the featured off-road vehicle and are allowed free-rein to explore the desert terrain. Driving atop mountain ranges while blasting apart cacti is exciting for a time, but the real challenge is surviving to the end. The two-player deathmatch mode is the true gem, here.

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Hudson - For Game Boy
Bonk's Revenge
Action-Platformer | 2 MEG
Release: November 1994
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Hudson's kid from the stone age is back, and boy is he furious! Bonk has his sights set on taking down the nefarious King Drool for the crime of initiating planetary destruction (He split the Moon in half! -Jet). As was true of the Turbo iteration, Bonk's Revenge takes players through a variety of quirky platforming stages in the role of the titular cave boy. Bonk's standard headbonk power is joined by an all-new morphing ability. Chow down on a piece of meat to transform into either a high-flying Batboy, a thief in prisoner's garb, or a sharp-toothed maniac! Levels are a tad short with minimal secrets and bonus rooms, and the musical score gets old way quick. Overall, not too bad a rental.

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SEGA - For Game Gear
Legend of Illusion
Action-Platformer | 4 MEG
Release: November 1994
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The follow-up to 1993's Land of Illusion is none other than Legend of Illusion, Sega and Disney's latest effort to continue the legacy of Mickey Mouse platform games. This time, Mickey is ordered by King Pete to heal the kingdom by fetching a pail of legendary water. Despite its somewhat silly premise, Legend made for a decent portable adventure. Its detailed and wonderfully colorful graphics are a certain high-point, while the standard puzzle-platform levels are passable at best. The programmers over at Aspect Co. were also kind enough to implement a comfortable and easy-to-use control scheme. Maybe hire a better sound engineer next time, though. All in all, Gear owners should be satisfied.

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SEGA - For Game Gear
Ristar
Action-Platformer | 4 MEG
Release: February 1994
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It's mind-blowing to see how ingenious these developers truly are. Ristar, a state-of-the-art platform adventure on Sega Genesis is also available in miniaturized form on the Game Gear! We may have commended portable conversions like Headdy and Sonic previously, but, by golly, this is impressive to see. Ristar retains the core gameplay of the original, including our hero's stretchy abilities, the fun and detailed level designs, and the catchy tunes to boot! An added mechanic is the plethora of stars polluted throughout each stage. Collect 100 of 'em and you will never guess what happens! If you want to see a console pushed to its absolute limits, go check out Ristar for a stunning trip.

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