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January 1995


Nintendo - For SNES
Uniracers
Racing | 16 MEG
Release: December 1994
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You'll ride! You'll spin! You'll wipe out hard! Uniracers is the latest Nintendo-developed title for SNES. This one showcases the very same Advanced Computer Modeling (ACM) technology used to create the excellent Donkey Kong Country. In this unique stunt racer, players control topsy-turvy, multicolored unicycles and go head-to-head at ultra-top speeds to grab the gold. Race through streams of side-scrolling, tubular tracks in 1 or 2-player mode. Try out trick maneuvers when catching some killer air to accelerate even faster! Lacking even a touch of lag or slowdown, Uniracers exhibits Sonic-like attributes often absent on Super Nintendo, and the wide array of track layouts makes for heated gametime.

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Konami - For SNES
Batman & Robin
Action-Platformer | 16 MEG
Release: December 1994
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Konami's Batman & Robin is based on the outstanding animated TV show on Fox Kids. No Keaton to be found, here! As one may insinuate from the Batman license, this is an action-platformer with brawler elements. Use an array of abilities to wipe clean the streets of Gotham from the recently liberated inhabitants of Arkham Asylum. The graphics are totally spot-on, bearing a striking resemblance to the series. It successfully captures the dark and brooding nature of the world with the right balance of atmospheric environments and engaging levels. As for a dash of originality, it's awful fun bashing fists with the Joker atop a racing roller coaster! Batman fans will surely love it, as should all action-game aficionados!

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Kemco - For SNES
Kid Klown
Action-Platformer | 8 MEG
Release: October 1994
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An evil pirate named Blackjack has kidnapped the princess! The ever-inept Kid Klown must rescue the Clown King's daughter and thwart Blackjack's no-good plot. Kid Klown in Crazy Chase from Kemco is an isometric platform title where you traverse a long and arduous path of obstacles to reach an objective before time runs out. Don't forget to grab balloons on the way to find all four card suits, otherwise you will need to re-play the level! Kid Klown's silly slapstick makes this an absolute treasure. Whether splashed by water or slipping on a banana peel, Kemco devs created detailed, custom animations for it. The sprite work design is gorgeous, and the soundtrack is SNES perfection. Perhaps too tough for some, though.

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Konami - For GENESIS
Animaniacs
Puzzle-Platformer | 8 MEG
Release: November 1994
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It's time for Animaniacs! Is this game zany to the max? Featuring a style strongly reminiscent of The Lost Vikings, Animaniacs from Konami is as exactly as odd as the titular cartoon. Join Yakko, Wakko, and Dot as they platform abound a variety of set pieces and sort out silly puzzles. Depending on the task at hand, you may need to swap siblings to better suit the situation, which at times can be a tad clumsy and result in otherwise avoidable hits. We appreciated how faithful this was to the WB toon as far as the humorous presentation and level design goes. Considering the high energy pace of the Warners, our team expected a Buster Busts Loose, but this was fine. A good choice for kids, anyway.

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Sammy - For GENESIS
Viewpoint
Shooter | 16 MEG
Release: November 1994
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Viewpoint is an isometric shooting game with some rather superb graphics. It was impressive back in '92 when this baby released on the NeoGeo (at a far higher Mb count), and it is doubly impressive to see it out on the Genesis sans an SVP chip or add-on device. These devs managed to stuff that entire package down to a measly 16 MEG. Now, that does come with its usual drawbacks. The 3-D-like graphics are not as sharp or colorful, the soundtrack took a notable ding in quality, and the game is plagued with a consistent slowdown. Nevertheless, the core of Viewpoint remains a winner. In an era increasingly dominated by fighters, we at PPM always enjoy a stellar shooter when we see one.

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Acclaim - For GENESIS
Wolverine
Action-Platformer | 16 MEG
Release: November 1994
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The Acclaim-published Wolverine: Adamantium Rage is available now on the Sega Genesis. If you, like us, were once enthralled with the hardcore aesthetic and brutality of the X-Men Comics from Marvel, you may be tempted to go out and purchase this action-platformer. Sure, the graphics as shown in screenshots do appear to do the character justice, and c'mon - it's Wolverine, the baddest superhero of them all! Yet the game itself is a disappointment. Play control is sloppy and the assortment of moves are weak. Wolverine will take tons of instant hits without much chance to dodge. Only a single life to complete the whole adventure, too. Save your controller from an inevitable wall-throw and skip this.

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Sega - For 32X
Doom
3-D Shooter | 24 MEG
Release: November 1994
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Doom on 32X. Need we say more? If you have yet to play Doom, get up from beneath that rock and try this sucker out! This entertaining 3-D slaughter fest features a combat marine working to fight his way outta hell, blasting gruesome monsters and demons that stand in his way. To be clear, this is an inferior iteration as compared with the PC original. The soundtrack was soundly butchered, not all levels are packed-in, and the game featured a giant, distracting border around the screen. Still, the graphics are detailed as ever, and the action is no less smooth than on PC. Though likely rushed to meet the launch deadline set by Sega (And a step-down from the Jaguar port. -Jet), you could do a heck of a lot worse.

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Sega - For 32X
Motocross Champ
Racing | 24 MEG
Release: January 1995
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Zoom down the track in a motorcycle contest for the ages in Motocross Championship, an all-new 32X cart exclusive to the system. Sporting exciting racetracks and realistic environments, Motocross attempts to recreate a true-to-life dirt biking competition. It is unfortunate, then, that this cart just plain stinks. The 3-D effect falls flat due to shallow draw distance, meaning it's tough to see the road ahead! The main circuits include 20 competitors who promptly crash into one another at the start of each race. The shoehorned combat element, an aspect totally ripped off from EA's far superior Road Rash from '91, does little to liven things up. Just skip this cart (And think about skipping the 32X, too! -Jet).

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Sega - For 32X
Cosmic Carnage
Fighter | 24 MEG
Release: December 1994
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The fourth title available for the 32X, and the first fighting game unveiled thus far, is Cosmic Carnage. This cart showcases a curious mishmash of gameplay elements from Mortal Kombat to Art of Fighting, adding up to a rather unintuitive experience. The roster features a renegade crew of snakes, dinosaurs, and other oddities all fighting to escape a doomed spacecraft. On the graphical front, Cosmic's animation and character design may be commendable, but a horrendous, non-stop zoom effect distracts tremendously from the action taking place. If not for the scaling sideshow, this 32X fighter may have been a fun treat. As is, we say bypass this one and pick up MK2 for Genesis instead.

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Sega - For SEGA-CD
Power Rangers
FMV Action | CD
Release: November 1994
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From Fox Kids straight onto your SEGA CD, this edition of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers is a lot like living in the ranger world. Using on-screen footage from nine episodes of the television series, players will interact with the action to ensure they can stop Rita Repulsa from her dirty ol' tricks. Tap a series of button combos, shown as quick commands within the game, to kick and punch along with the Power Rangers. This is full-screen FMV done right, even if the gameplay leaves a bit to be desired. For fans of the show, defeating the nasty Goldar and sparring with the brainwashed Green Ranger is a total blast. The difficulty is suitable for younger players thanks to a generous health meter.

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Panasonic - For 3DO
Burning Soldier
3-D Shooter | CD
Release: November 1994
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Jump headlong into a state-of-the-art strike fighter and fight to save the Earth from an evil alien race in Burning Soldier, the latest shooter developed for the 3DO. Ah yes, the tried-and-true "Save the World!" cliche. We'll skip the dull plot details and move right along. Much like Starblade, players face down swarms of enemies and need only be concerned with the shooting spree. No 3-D control a la Shockwave. BS provides two weapons, a single-shot laser and a charge attack, each controlled with an on-screen cursor. No power-ups? Bummer! At least you'll check out some killer spacecraft and FMV cinematics. This one is far too rudimentary for our taste. The 2600 had more in-depth shooters.

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Atari - For JAGUAR
Checkered Flag
Racing | 32 MEG
Release: November 1994
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In the works from the console's grand reveal announcement, Checkered Flag from Atari is, at last, available for the Jaguar. This is the Jag's premier polygonal racer, and our team has somewhat mixed feelings on it. On the upside, we must commend the righteous 3-D graphics and awesome scaling effects that put the 16-Bit machines to shame. Players can race in a variety of weather effects, choose customized transmission and difficulty options, and select from a score of circuits! Beyond the polygons, however, lies a racer in sore of lack of a decent control scheme. Compared to the likes of Virtua Racing, CF is archaic in its touchy handling and herky-jerky movements. Crashes imminent!

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Taito - For Game Boy
The Pagemaster
Action-Platformer | 4 MEG
Release: November 1994
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When a young boy named Richard Tyler finds himself stuck in a magical library, he is teleported off to a literary world of wonders - and dangers! Scale treacherous cliffsides and shove off onto a pirate ship straight out of Treasure Island in this platformer. As far as Game Boy titles go, this cart exhibits very nice graphics with detailed foreground objects and enemy sprites. The soundtrack is supportive of the visuals too. Those controls are a serious downer. The entire game requires pin-perfect precision to conquer, yet it feels like all levels are covered in ice! As you slip around, expect hits from unavoidable baddies, one of which will send you to the grave. Pick up a book instead!

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Taito - For Game Boy
Tiny Toon Sports
Sports | 1 MEG
Release: December 1994
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Speaking of beloved Warner Bros. toons, the Tiny Toons are back and eccentric as ever. The ever-strange Gogo Dodo is heading up a catch-all sports fest, and it's up to you to snatch gold! Fans of the famous cartoon will have a blast in this diverse collection of miniature bursts of games. Play a variety of quirky contests from tennis and baseball to the Wild Gunman-like Squirt gun challenge over in the Carnival square. Wacky Sports is a decent Game Boy offering with fair graphics, standard GB sound, and decent play control. Two-player mode is a neat addition, as well. Though hardly in the running for greatest portable cart of last year, this cart easily excels above other such sports offerings.

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SEGA - For Game Gear
Power Rangers
Brawler | 4 MEG
Release: November 1994
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Those omnipresent superheroes have made their way over to the Game Gear in an entirely new adventure. Play as any of the five Mighty Morphin Power Rangers and storm the streets to brawl your way through. There is a ton of action in this portable entry, making for a fun blend of one-on-one fighting and beat-em-up gameplay styles. Each ranger has a repertoire of kicks, punches, and special moves - all easy to execute on the fly. Players can take on the traditional Story Mode path or fight in Vs. Mode against the computer or against a friend via the Gear-to-Gear cable. Sprites are brightly colored and large enough to easily distinguish from one another, a lesson Game Boy devs could learn.

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