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November 1995


PLAYSTATION
Wipeout
Psygnosis
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Racing   Release: September 1995
Age Rating: All   Challenge: Intermediate

For a racing thrill that is certain to make your stomach turn, try out Wipeout on the PlayStation. Perhaps the greatest come-from-nowhere shock of the E3 Conference, this impressive 3-D racer will leave even seasoned players drenched in sweat. Choose from a vast selection of hovercrafts and six truly unique anti-gravity tracks, each littered with cool bumps, twists, and turns. Look for speed-up stickers to leave your foes in the dust, or slap 'em silly with weapons like explosive missiles and tricky oil slicks. The sense of speed is incredible on this disc, as is the play control. Inertia will be a key ally in controlling your craft. The grueling courses are all well-detailed, from the misty ice worlds to dilapidated city streets. The lack of local multi-player sucks quite a bit, though.

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PLAYSTATION
Twisted Metal
Sony   Sony ISA
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Racing-Combat   Release: November 1995
Age Rating: Teen   Challenge: Intermediate

Screaming down the pit of destruction is none other than Twisted Metal, a fired-up demolition derby where anything goes. Players pick from a swathe of amusing vehicles from Humvees to ice cream trucks, then leap into the arena to cause some serious pain. Take on twelve enemy cars at a time, using multiple views to gauge locations and an array of Doom-esque weaponry like flame throwers to deal some real damage. On the visual front, this title is nothing too special. The modeling is hardly lifelike, and the stages (and rather stiff crowds -Jet) are underwhelming. The true star is the action-packed gameplay, which moves so quickly few will care about graphical detail. Two-mode mode is amazing fun, a party atmosphere unseen since Super Bomberman.

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PLAYSTATION
Space Griffon
Atlus   Panther Soft
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3-D Shooter   Release: November 1995
Age Rating: All   Challenge: Intermediate

One of the first corridor shooters available for the PlayStation in Japan, Space Griffon from Atlus has made its way to U.S. shores. This release claims to feature role-playing elements side-by-side with shooter-based action segments, however we found neither aspect rife with quality. Navigating chambers in the sprawling catwalk-like environments is somewhat tedious and slow, accompanied by gray walls and mechanical noises. Players who do not follow the precise directions from team chatter and the map display will surely lose their way. The lack of music is a sorrowful sight as well. Griffon's storyline is thankfully intriguing, as is your ability to transform into several transport modes. Perhaps worth a try for sci-fi fans, but otherwise a certain skip.

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SATURN
Black Fire
Sega   NovaLogic
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Flight Sim   Release: October 1995
Age Rating: All   Challenge: Hard

Helicopter enthusiasts on the hunt for a worthwhile Saturn release to invest in may have found their salvation in Black Fire. That is, if they can excuse some serious flaws. Your chopper and the texture-mapped worlds are occasionally pretty, as are the opening and interim cinemas. Fighting through an assortment of missions in this simulator will be enjoyable for a select cadre of players. Learning the controls and prompts can be a real challenge, and needless to say it's no fun until this factor is mastered. Lacking in Black Fire is realistic heli-mobility. The copter cannot gain altitude nor have its nose tipped up or down. No alternate camera angles have been provided, either. Nova developed a solid game engine, but this title sorely misses the mark. Skip unless you're a desperate sod.

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SATURN
OWI Extreme
Crystal Dynamics
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Racing   Release: October 1995
Age Rating: Mature   Challenge: Hard

Off-World Interceptor, originally released by Crystal Dynamics for 3DO, is now available for both Saturn and PlayStation. Per the devs, this title was reworked to take advantage of the heightened power of the super consoles. There is truth in this assertion, although perhaps not as much as we would have liked. OFW is a far prettier sight than the premier iteration, and the game speed feels faster, too. Dart across giant, turbulent tracks in your ATV, snatching up power-ups and cash whilst taking out unyielding swarms of enemies. Multiple play modes are available, including a story mode, arcade mode, and mostly fun competitive multi-player. The Mystery Science Theater 3000-esque cinemas are a hilarious addition as well. Certain weekend fun to be had.

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SATURN
Cyber Speedway
Sega   NexTech
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Racing   Release: September 1995
Age Rating: Teen   Challenge: Intermediate

For a racing thrill that is certain to make your stomach turn (On Saturn, this time! -Jet), try out Cyber Speedway from NexTech. Not unlike Wipeout, Speedway encompasses exhilarating anti-gravity races with a selection of crafts and racetracks to take part in. Albeit imaginative and fresh for a 3-D racer, this release sadly pales in comparison to the aforementioned PlayStation entry. Beyond subpar graphics and mediocre sound effects, the play control in Speedyway suffers from poor handling. All vehicles feel the same: Floaty, traction-less, and unpredictable. For racing games like this one, an unimpressive control scheme is a death sentence. On the upside, contests against the computer-controlled competitors prove a fierce challenge. Hardly worth a rental.

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SNES
Super Turrican 2
Ocean   Factor5
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Act-Platformer   Release: November 1995
Age Rating: All     Challenge: Easy

Forget all about cutting-edge visuals and specialized, wow-za graphics. Super Turrican 2 is a action-fan's paradise, complete with all the elements that made the original arcade hit such a fantastic title. Romp through a variety of levels in this sci-fi platform shooter, blasting as hard and fast as possible in intense Turrican fashion. Certain stages require a different approach, either meticulous timing to outfox the foes or running straight ahead in total mayhem. In no short time, players will be racking up points and extra lives, invalidating any real challenge in this adventure. Though death is not too likely to occur in ST2, be aware that there is no password system implemented here. In other words, game over means re-starting from the very beginning each time. Excellent playability on this cart.

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SNES
Dirt Trax FX
Acclaim   Sculptured
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Racing   Release: November 1995
Age Rating: All   Challenge: Intermediate

Dirt Trax FX was a good effort at utilizing the Super FX chip for Super NES, but the hefty drawbacks keep this one from attaining the fun levels of last year's Stunt Race FX. Those who approach this release as another arcade-style driving game will be sorely disappointed. Dirt Trax, with its stern emphasis on realism over all else leaves it feeling far more like a rather half-baked simulator. Now, the dirt bikes and riders themselves are well-designed, as are the stunt tracks. But rendering issues and a lack of indicators will mean commonly flying blind into unavoidable course corners (Though no crashes or falls! What gives? -Jet). As such, players must tread carefully and stay away from high speeds to win, but where is the fun in that? Good luck in two-player mode. Talk about 0 frames per second.

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SNES
Earthworm Jim 2
Playmates   Shiny Ent
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Act-Platformer   Release: November 1995
Age Rating: All   Challenge: Hard

Jim is back, baby! Straight from the folks at Playmates and Shiny Entertainment, the long-awaited sequel to the beloved worm-turned-hero Earthworm Jim had landed on SNES and Genesis. This cartoon-in-a-box successfully captures all of the fun elements of the original while adding a ton of features and as much weirdness as expected. The animation is smoother, the gameplay is a great deal more balanced, and the humor is choice. EJ2's diverse selection of levels encompass a library of genres, from standard platforming bits to isometric shooting mini games. A solid, near-perfect control scheme keeps the player in charge at all points. Developers turned up the creativity as well, adding even more whack-o ideas than before: Including contests with a giant maggot! Totally groovy!

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GENESIS
Light Crusader
Sega   Treasure
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Act-RPG   Release: October 1995
Age Rating: All   Challenge: Intermediate

Treasure, the all-star company behind Dynamite Headdy and Gunstar Heroes, worked at-length to studiously create the definitive action role-player on Genesis. And on that, the company's rave experience may be overstated. It's always a welcome sight to discover an RPG on Sega, and even more so one with an intriguing story and nice-looking graphics. This release uses an isometric viewpoint along the lines of Landstalker, which will take time to get used to. The 3/4ths perspective means strictly diagonal movement, making for some control issues. Most puzzles are shallow and easy to sort out, such as igniting an explosive barrel to open a passageway. Fighting can be somewhat repetitive unless you forget your sword and spar with magic. Kudos to the sound design team for an uplifting musical score.

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GENESIS
Vectorman
Sega   BlueSky
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Adventure   Release: October 1995
Age Rating: All   Challenge: Intermediate

Showcasing groundbreaking special effects and fast-paced shooting action for the Sega Genesis, Vectorman proves that 16-Bit has some life in it yet. This platform game stars a morphing hero, an "orbot", who seeks to return to earth to restore peace following a nuclear threat from the sinister Raster. You are armed with a standard laser shot at first, and later have the capability to upgrade to a rapid-fire cannon and three-way gun. Vectorman boasts an ability to morph into a racecar, a drill, and much more to navigate treacherous stages. Play control is top-notch, the sound work will rock your speakers, and special effects like simulated lighting is quite nice. Best of all, the levels are giant with both horizontal and vertical areas to explore. It's awe-inspiring to see the Genesis can impress after six years.

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32X
Kolibri
Sega   Novotrade
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Shooter   Release: October 1995
Age Rating: All     Challenge: Easy

The war is on! Wasps versus Hummingbirds for supremacy in the fight for pollen! From the game makers behind the Ecco the Dolphin series is the 32X-exclusive Kolibri. Not too far a step from Ecco, this title is a gorgeous-looking, atmospheric adventure based all around the animal kingdom. You play as a hummingbird armed with an array of attack types from fireballs to heat-seeking lasers! The shooting action is a bit so-so, but the impressive visuals, fluid animations, and new-age soundtrack push Kolibri up the charts. Check out environments from flowery fields to shaded savannahs with your color-shifting bird hero. The biggest negative with this release is its super short playtime and lack of boss fights. Ever wish you could play a bird-based Gradius? If this was on your wish list, 32X is it!

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