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May 1995


Acclaim - For SNES
Warlock
Action-Platformer | 16 MEG
Release: March 1995
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Warlock? That old 80s movie? Yes, the fantasy schlock of yesteryear is back on Super Nintendo. Warlock's plot is serviceable: Find the six mythical runestones before the son of Satan can beat you to it. We expected from the brow-raising story that this cart would be a fun adventure game, but, alas, this one is a pitiful platformer. Dull and unimaginative as is typical for the genre nowadays. Despite sharp background graphics and satisfactory animations, there is nothing particularly notable about this one to merit the purchase. Horribly lagged controls make striking out enemies a source of frustration, especially flying creatures that move way faster than you. Save yourself from buyer's remorse.

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Ocean - For SNES
Flintstones
Action-Platformer | 16 MEG
Release: February 1995
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It's no trade secret that games based on movie licenses tend to suck. How, then, could a Flintstones cart be anything other than utter trash? As it turns out, this entry is not half bad. It all starts with a snip from the BC-52s (Get it?!) hit single, and then you are off to the races. Control a John Goodman-looking Fred Flintstone in this prehistoric-themed side-scrolling action game. Fred can utilize three different attack types: Rock-throwing, club-smacking, and bowling ball, uh, bowling. Bashing Neanderthals and dastardly dinos never gets old. The oddity here is the Mario Kart-esque bonus level with Barney. All in all, this title needed a bit more innovation, but does its best to resemble the movie and plays fine.

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Acclaim - For SNES
True Lies
Action-Shooter | 8 MEG
Release: February 1995
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Whereas Flintstones represents a halfway adequate movie licensed game, True Lies demonstrates the best way to do it. This one is a top-notch cart containing tight controls, superb graphics, excellent shooter gameplay, and some nasty blood effects to boot. The film itself was an action-heavy thriller, so it stands to reason the game should be the same. Players will be blasting loads and loads of baddies - and some good guys too, be careful! Levels do look different from one another, but they all play the same. Linear gameplay is the fatal flaw with True Lies. There will be no surprises if you've played it once before. Still, if you enjoyed SNES games like Ghoul Patrol, this is right up your alley.

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SEGA - For GENESIS
Desert Demolition
Action-Platformer | 16 MEG
Release: February 1995
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Desert Demolition works to bring to the forefront beloved Looney Tunes characters, Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner. Essentially two games in one, players have the option to select either toon, then run rampant in a select assortment of platform stages. Wile E. must use his ACME tools like rocket skates and cannon launchers to capture Road Runner, while the bird is tasked with escaping at high-speed. We appreciate the innovativeness and adore the classic Warner Bros. humor at play, not to mention the crisp and colorful sprite animations, though it all gets a bit routine rather fast. The six levels for each toon are somewhat short and easy, and the music only kicks in sporadically. Rent it.

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SEGA - For GENESIS
Ecco Jr.
Action-Platformer | 16 MEG
Release: April 1995
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Sega's lovable aqua mammal takes an all-new direction with Ecco Jr., a younger sibling of sorts to the oft-celebrated Genesis series. From the get-go, it must be stated that this title is definitively made for kids - just spot that "Sega Club" branding on the box. Nevertheless, Ecco Jr. looks and feels an awful lot like previous entries. The ocean scenes are beautiful as ever, exhibiting breathtaking visuals and smooth animations. As for gameplay, Ecco is relegated to simple tasks like finding lost eggs and playing hide and seek. No fighting, no drama, and no time limit to staying underwater. In case the simplistic play style did not give it away, the manual being part coloring book ought to do it.

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Acclaim - For GENESIS
Stargate
Action-Platformer | 16 MEG
Release: March 1995
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Right off the bat, let us say players who enjoyed the likes of Super Star Wars will almost certainly have fun in Probe Entertainment's Stargate on Genesis. As the story goes, after Colonel Jack O'Neal passes through the ancient and mysterious Stargate, he comes face-to-face with an alien world enslaved by the nefarious Ra. O'Neal must free the oppressed of this land as well as his own soldiers! This is another side-scrolling affair. Explore a diverse selection of levels, collecting supplies and locating the kidnapped Marines, dealing with nasty beasties along the way. The rotoscoped graphics were pleasant, but the funky controls certainly were not. What a chore! It's fine, but we've all seen better.

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SEGA - For SEGA-CD
Shining Force CD
Role-Playing | CD
Release: March 1995
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Sega's pinnacle strategy series makes its official CD debut with the appropriately titled Shining Force CD. As the Prince of Cypress, it is your duty to defend the land from an invading army. Four full chapters are available to play through, with the initial two stories adapted from the Game Gear SF titles. Each level utilizes the same sort of mechanics familiar to fans of tactical RPGs: Control a small party of characters from a top-down perspective and use military tactics to turn the odds in your favor. The battles are exhilarating and thoughtfully designed, more animations are present than ever before, and CD-quality audio is the icing on the cake. This one is totally epic.

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RocketSci - For SEGA-CD
Loadstar
FMV-Shooter | CD
Release: November 1994
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Loadstar is a curious sort of game. In essence, players control a futuristic, runaway freighter. It is a must to avoid tricky obstacles, shoot down pesky droids, and switch tracks at the right time. Loadstar uses frequent FMV footage much like Shock Wave or Tomcat Alley, but we did not find it too distracting beyond the drawn-out opening sequence. On the plus side, the on-screen renders are realistic enough and the sound design is very well done. Listen to those voice cues! However, the trademark Sega-CD graininess does muddle the picture somewhat, and it can be arduous to track your tiny yellow cursor. That said, it's a step-up from prior FMV titles and can make for an enjoyable evening rental.

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Acclaim - For 32X
Mortal Kombat II
Fighter | 32 MEG
Release: March 1995
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Nothing can really hope to match the excellence of Mortal Kombat II in the arcade. But, if you're sick of losing quarters and getting your butt kicked in public, this 32X version is the next best thing. Indeed, we say this portover is the closest you can get to the coin-op. All of the missing features of the Genesis version have suddenly reappeared: Sound samples, the array of combos, and even the arcade intro scenes. The voices are admittedly still a bit muffled, and a couple of animations are MIA, but fighter fans and arcade perfectionists will be pleased to see this one. If you own a 32X and miss the chance to pick up this stellar iteration of MK2, you can't honestly call yourself a Mortal Maniac.

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EA - For 3DO
Immercenary
Action-Strategy | CD
Release: May 1995
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Electronic Arts' Immercenary is a 3-D, first-person shooter created by a new developer exclusively for the 3DO. It all takes place within a dismal virtual world ironically named "Perfect." Desperately hoping to find their way out, residents lash out against one another to reach the SysOp that controls all. The 3DO showcases some of its underrated texture mapping abilities with Immercenary, treating players to realistic terrain from cities to jungles. The 3-D scaling effects are done well, too. Combat is tight, the New Age music is entertaining, and although it is not especially difficult to excel at, the gameplay is addictive enough to keep you playing. High scores for originality, but perhaps more work was needed.

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Nintendo - For Game Boy
Kirby Land 2
Action-Platformer | 2 MEG
Release: April 1995
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Nintendo's pink puff-ball hero is back on the action front after a long retirement playing golf and pinball. Kirby's Dream Land 2, the sequel to HAL Laboratory's 1992 original, is a platform game with an ingenious idea. Instead of limiting itself to a protagonist with a single power, Kirby can inhale foes and copy their abilities. Go from tossing boomerangs to swinging swords in an instant. Feel like swatting baddies with an umbrella? No problem! This time, the roly poly dude can enlist the help of several useful animal friends, like a beefy hamster or a quick-flying bird. Though it recycles much from its predecessor, none of Kirby's content is at all bad. In truth, this is the best platformer all month.

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PlayMates - For Game Boy
Earthworm Jim
Action-Platformer | 4 MEG
Release: May 1995
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Meet the newest addition to the "EJ" library. Earthworm Jim shrinks down to the size of a Game Boy cart in this exceedingly impressive portable edition of Shiny Entertainment's masterpiece. The story is essentially unchanged. A lowly earthworm was gifted powerful armor and intelligence, and now must use his tools to eradicate all evil from the planet. Levels have been converted from the 16-Bit versions, including the iconic New Junk City. Use your blaster and whip attacks to take out crows, mutants, and all sorts of alien scum. This one is still as challenging as ever, so be prepared. As was true with Contra 3 and Cool Spot before it, EJ left us stunned as to the brilliance of portable devs.

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