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Heroes of Might and Magic (GB)
by thole09
"Heroes of Might and Magic" is a video game released for the Gameboy Color console in 2000 by 3DO. It is based on a long standing series of the same name which saw more success on the personal computer. In the United States, the game received a rating of "E" by the ESRB panel which deemed it suitable for all ... ages.
Gameplay of this title is heavily strategic in nature, and more specifically is a "real time strategy" game. The title revolves centrally around controlling available land masses which contain certain relics or artifacts, and the player or computer opponent who successfully controls the most artifacts wins the game. To accomplish this the player is required to manage his or her resources, harvest available raw materials, send troops to war and other characteristics of a typical strategy game. Each aspect of the game, such as the availability of materials, is customizable by the player and can create an easier or more difficult experience. It is noteworthy that the computer opponents in this game are difficult even in their easiest setting so penalizing the availability of resources could in fact hinder the computer's progress.
The graphics of this title are presented from a top down perspective which looks on to the map in play. In many real time strategy titles, it is wise to create a larger army to defend and conquer resources. Unfortunately, the characters in Heroes are very tiny and leave much to be desired. It is difficult to differentiate between a common peasant and a more advanced soldier without use of on screen prompts. I also found the soundtrack to be somewhat lacking with simple and often repetitive musical scores that accompany the player throughout the game. Many players would likely opt to play this game in silence.
Overall, Heroes of Might and Magic offers an acceptable strategy game when looking past its graphical faults. There are many missions to play through which could keep a player occupied for an extended period of time.
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Inspector Gadget - Operation Madkactus (GB)
by thole09
"Inspector Gadget: Operation Madkatus" is a video game released for the Gameboy Color console in 2001 by Unisoft. It is based on the popular children's cartoon character Inspector Gadget. In the United States, the game received a rating of "E" by the ESRB panel which deemed it suitable for all ages.
The ... gameplay reflects a typical platform release. Inspector Gadget responds to a case regarding the disappearance of Happykactus' customer base, and is notified that the henchmen of M.A.D. are behind the case. Included in this game are Inspector Gadget's niece Penny and dog Brian, and are accessible by the player in instances where their specific character attributes are required. Penny is required to make use of the various computer terminals which unlock a secret mini-game and Brian has the highest leaps to access the harder to reach platforms. The player will likely find him or herself switching bewtween the characters frequently throughout each stage. There is a total of fifteen stages to complete by the player and each divulge further into the henchmen's secret lair located on the fictional island of Awoo-lwoo. There is some difficulty in this title but the majority of it spawns from deciding what character to use in what situation. Some similarities between the three could be apparent but only one is likely suitable for a specific task.
The graphics of this title are excellent and show good detailing efforts on behalf of the developers. Each character looks accurate to their fully animated counterparts and retain all of their typical attire and colouring. The background sections are also of a good, detailed quality with numerous effects implemented well. I particularly liked the outdoor scenes and the sharpness seen in the clouds which occupy the sky. The musical scores in this game change with each passing stage and are all of a higher quality in composition.
Overall, I would recommend Inspector Gadget to prospective buyers. It combines excellent graphics with excellent gameplay and would likely be seen as appealing to fans of the series.
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Martian Revenge Looney Tunes Collector (GB)
by thole09
"Looney Tunes: Marvin Strikes Back!", also known as "Martian Revenge" in Europe, is a video game released for the Gameboy Color console in 2001 by Infogrames. It features and is based on Warner Brothers "Looney Tunes" characters. In the United States, the game received a rating of "E" by the ESRB ... panel which deemed it suitable for all ages.
"Marvin Strikes Back" is a sequel to the popular "Alert!" title which was released prior. The developers have made no obvious change to the game engine and this could be seen as positive due to the previous title's positive reception. Shortly after the first title, Marvin the Martian went back to Mars to sulk after his defeat by the earthlings. He later intercepted a message from Daffy Duck claiming to have orchestrated Marvin's defeat and this sends the Martian into a rage. Marvin quickly goes back to Earth in order to confront and eliminate Daffy once and for all. The player will begin as Marvin on his quest to eliminate Daffy Duck but will also acquire other characters for certain purposes. Marvin is not fully capable to complete all tasks and therefore the player will be required to cycle through various characters, such as Speedy Gonzales who can navigate through tight areas, to progress further into the game. It is generally a simple game to complete and poses no real challenge to the player. It is very linear in implementation; all of the required tools and characters will be near their source of need.
The graphics of this title are quite good. The character detailing is excellent and very much resembles their full sized animated counterparts. The colours are also accurate to each character with each sporting their typical attire. The sound is also of a comparably good standard with numerous high quality musical scores and effects being implemented seamlessly and occur at appropriate moments in the game.
Overall, Marvin Strikes Back is an excellent title worthy of purchase by a prospective buyer. While it does come across as being a simple game to complete, the graphical detailing is of an excellent standard and does great justice to the Looney Tunes franchise.
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