Genesis Game Reviews: Mega Turrican

Box art that screams "badass."

The Turrican franchise is one of those often forgotten classics, at least here in the United States where the Commodore Amiga and other home computers didn't really take off. Instead we played our home consoles, like the stalwart Sega Genesis that this site is dedicated to. Thanks in-part to the 2012 Neo Geo and Dreamcast releases of NG:DEV.TEAM's Gunlord, a love-letter clone of the Turrican saga, awareness of the franchise has been slightly raised in North America (at least among the retro gaming community).

Originally designed almost completely by German programmer Manfred Trenz, Turrican was released for the Commodore 64 and with his help ported to the graphically superior Amiga by Factor 5 (a now defunct developer known mostly today for the Star Wars: Rogue Squadron series). The Amiga version and its sequel, Turrican 2 which is often called the masterpiece of the series, are seen by many Amiga fans to be the most iconic titles in the series.

Your basic title screen.™

So just what the hell is a "Turrican" and what does it have to do with our beloved Genesis? I'm glad you asked. Turrican (which actualy refers to our hero's Turrican assault suit) is a side-scrolling run'n gun game mixed with lots of platforming elements and exploration. You control an armored warrior whose fate is to blast through countless hordes of strange enemies. It's been described by many as Contra meets Metroid which is about as apt a description I could give. The unforgiving breakneck action and various weapon power-ups reminds one of Contra while the platforming, hidden secrets and sprawling levels will call Metroid to mind. The hero can even transform into a ball that drops bombs like Metroid's Samus Aran.

The first game was ported to the Genesis by Code Monkeys but unfortunately suffers from lazy sound work and is ultimately inferior to the Amiga original. The second much more polished and popular game suffered an even worse fate. It was released on the Genesis as the movie tie-in game, Universal Soldier. Some of the game is intact but the graphics were butchered and levels were removed and replaced with poorly designed ones.

Oh crap it's Galactus... I mean... The Machine!

The gameplay of the elder Turrican titles had a few eccentricities unfamiliar to console gamers of the time. Instead of bouncing back when you're hit and having temporary invincibility like most games, in Turrican you'd take constant damage while in contact with an enemy making the game highly difficult until you got used to it.

With the exception of programming a version of Turrican for the NES by himself (called Super Turrican but unrelated to the SNES game), Manfred Trenz was essentially done with the franchise after Turrican 2. Factor 5 took it upon themselves to continue the saga and they initially chose the Genesis as their platform. The result was Mega Turrican, our subject for today. This caused some ire among the faithful Amiga fans who demanded their own Turrican 3 and Factor 5 obliged. The result was an altered port of Mega Turrican, renamed Turrican 3: Payment Day.

This artwork is not indicative of the game's quality.

Up until this point Turrican still didn't really have a good showing on home consoles and for better or worse, Mega Turrican seems to be designed to cater more towards the taste of Genesis owners than to fans of the Commodore computer originals. The most controversial difference is the level design. While many stages still have a good bit of space for exploring, most are considerably more straightforward action affairs than its predecessors. Mega Turrican borrows more from the book of Contra than Metroid. One advantage of this is that Factor 5 managed to give us some impressive set pieces with wonderful boss battles. The graphics are all very highly detailed and up until this point the franchise had never looked better. The old Turrican gameplay is mostly intact with some concessions to console gamers such as now getting knocked back when you're hit. For me this was a welcome change and more in-line with the kind of action gaming that I'm used to.

That's a bit better. The Turrican armor is as cool as ever.

Like previous Turrican games you still have three different weapons to collect and power-up. Your Contra style spread shot, a mostly useless bouncing shot that follows the walls and a straight-shooting powerful shot perfect for taking down bosses. You also have a screen clearing bomb and the ability to transform into a spiky ball and drop bombs. Unlike Turrican 2, you're limited in how long you can stay in your ball form by a meter that only replenishes between levels or when a life is lost. This helps keep the game from becoming too easy and forces you to use the ball transformation more tactically. Another useful weapon is a homing missile that isn't very powerful but makes up for your character's inability to shoot up or down like Mega Man.

The level of detail is great. Check out the little alien capsules in the back.

Other than the less expansive levels the biggest change in Mega Turrican is the removal of the lightning whip, a powerful weapon that you could only use while standing still but aim in any direction. Considering your primary weapons only shoot forward it was a very useful tool. In its place is a grappling hook, giving the game some Bionic Commando styled flair. It's difficult to use at first and arguably still clumsy even when you become practiced at it but it's an interesting addition and in my opinion one that's utilized well by the level design. Mastering it will become key to making your way through the game.

One of my favorite parts in the game is the junk yard level, which is one of the more straight left-to-right stages, because it contains a few beat-up bosses from previous Turrican games. Presumably this is because you sent them there! These kind of continuity nods never fail to make me smile since it shows the developer really cares about their product and its history.

Mastering the grappling hook is key to clearing parts of the game like this boss.

Since Factor 5 made this game themselves with Turrican 1 and 2's composer Chris Huelsbeck the music is spot on. Mega Turrican shockingly has some of the better tunes on the Sega Genesis. The rocking soundtrack comes at even more of a surprise when you consider the criticism that western developed games for the system usually receive in the aural department. The sound effects also do a keen job and the few voice samples present are quite clear.

The story is simple and follows up on the second game. To put it briefly you're Bren MacGuire, the hero of Turrican 2 (the first game was a completely different, unnamed character in the Turrican suit) and you've received a distress call from a beautiful woman informing you that The Machine, your arch nemesis and destroyer of worlds, who even kind of looks like Galactus from Marvel Comics, has returned and regrouped his forces. It's up to you to save the girl and the universe from this menace one last time.

You want explosions? We've got explosions.

Other video games and comic characters aren't the only thing derivative about this game, though not in a bad way. One level borrows liberally from the Alien film franchise, going as far as pitting you against the xenomorphic creatures and face-hugging terrors of cinema fame. Considering this film franchise was also a big inspiration for Contra and Metroid the shout-out feels kind of natural.

While Mega Turrican is likely not a game you're going to beat the first time you sit down with it, the challenge is fair. If you spend the time to hunt down the copious number of extra-lives hidden throughout the levels you should be able to give yourself the edge needed to eventually clear the game. You don't want to spend too much time exploring because you are being timed, but unlike the previous Turrican games you should have little trouble beating levels within the limit since the area to explore usually isn't very large. Like other games of its type, its all about getting boss patterns down and learning how to deal with certain enemies. It also pays to learn which weapons perform better in a given situation.

I wonder if rolling up in a ball and dropping bombs will just be a common feature in all massively destructive power suits.

Ultimately this game gets a hearty recommendation to anyone who is into the run'n genre. It's the complete package with great graphics, sound and action. If you've played all the well known titles to death but ignored Mega Turrican you should consider it as your next stop.

I feel like Mega Turrican is a great jumping on point for people looking to get into the franchise. It's more tuned towards what console gamers expect from this type of game but still holds some of the platforming elements that made the earlier Turrican titles a unique experience. Super Turrican on the SNES takes elements from both this game and Turrican 2 though it drops the grappling hook of Mega Turrican which many people see as a plus. Unfortunately that game is also short and anti-climactic. Apparently Factor 5 was forced to use a smaller capacity cartridge than they were expecting causing some levels to be cut out. The game ends after fighting an alien queen boss that is also present in Mega Turrican and you never have a confrontation with the series antagonist, The Machine, even though he appears in the ending.

A water level! Don't worry, this one's not too annoying.

This was somewhat rectified by a sequel, Super Turrican 2, which was a late release on the SNES and as such is unfortunately rare and expensive. Super Turrican 2 pushes the graphics of the SNES to its limits but is even more linear than Mega Turrican. As a straight-up action title it's an amazing game though some have said it's Turrican in name only. It also brought back Mega Turrican's grappling hook mechanic to mixed opinions. Unfortunately in 1995 this was also the final game in the Turrican line, relegating the series to the status of "almost forgotten classic." Though there were attempts to give the series a 3D update that were never brought into fruition, the death of developer Factor 5 has also essentially sealed Turrican's fate.

As mentioned earlier, the independent game Gunlord has kept the the game alive in what is practically a spiritual sequel. You know now that I think about it, developer WayForward made the fantastic Contra 4 for the DS, as well as the amazing "Metroidvania" game Aliens Infestation. I wonder what they could do if they got a hold of the Turrican license? A man can dream can't he?

The game is full of cool bosses like this octopus.

Presentation: 9 The intro is a little wonky with some really terrible artwork that attempts to have a Japanese flare to it despite being a European game. Other than that however the presentation is great and the game has a wonderful atmosphere. The box art, front and back, is really stunning in my opinion.  I'm just going to come out and say it, Mega Turrican has my favorite box art any Genesis game.

Gameplay: 8 While extremely fun there are a few hitches that keep it from being perfect. The grappling hook mechanic never really becomes second nature though you'll become decent at it with practice. The ball transformation can also be awkward and hard to control. Some levels are better designed than others but when it comes down to it the shooting is fun and the controls are responsive.

Graphics: 10 I know graphics can get better than this on the Genesis, but lets face it, not by much. I feel like more care and detail were put into the graphics of this title than the first Super Turrican game for the SNES. The sprites and backgrounds get equal attention, there are a few parts with some nice parallax scrolling, and the bosses are mostly big and menacing and the explosions are every bit as satisfying as games like Contra Hard Corps. The animation doesn't slouch either.

Sound: 10 The sound effects are satisfying, the voice samples are clear and understandable and the music is some of the best you could ask for. I'd be doing a disservice by not giving it a 10.

Lasting Appeal: 8 There's not much to come back to once you've beaten it unfortunately and the game is kind of short. It's a fairly difficult game so probably one you won't beat on your first play, however it's not so difficult that you won't breeze through it once you've found where the 1-ups are hidden and you have a feeling for the controls. Regardless, it's simply a fun game and one you'll likely revisit if you enjoy the run'n gun genre.

Overall Average: 9/10

Recommendations:

Collector: Mega Turrican was originally made for the Genesis and ported to the Amiga and in my opinion this is the superior version since some graphics were removed on the Amiga port. With great box art, an affordable price and the fact that it's one of the best run'n guns on the console this should be a no-brainer.

Gamer: If you've already played Contra Hard Corps, mastered Gunstar Heroes or you're just a fan of the run'n gun genre you should be kicking yourself if you haven't played this yet. It's more of a straightforward action title than its predecessors and a good place to start with the Turrican franchise for genre fans. Avoid the first game's Genesis port and pick this up instead. The Super Turrican games on "that other console" are worth checking out as well. Best of all I believe all three of these games are available on the Wii Virtual Console.

If you're interested in how the older Turrican games played you can find the pretty good PC version of Turrican 2 on many abandonware sites and it works perfectly with DOS Box.

Genesis Game Reviews: Splatterhouse 3

This is what box art looked like in the 90's, and we loved it.

October is one of my favorite times of the year. Here in Pennsylvania it's not too cold and not too warm, the leaves turn beautiful colors, and it's just a great time to go out and enjoy life. On top of that there's Halloween, a time of year where people indulge in make-believe through costumes, eat lots of candy, and take the time to enjoy the entertainment value in horror. Why is it that we like terrifying and disgusting ourselves? Is it adrenaline, is it dark fantasy? While there may be no single answer to that question the fact of the matter is sometimes we enjoy scaring ourselves silly.

Oh gosh a big spooky mansion, what could go wrong?

In celebration of this October we're going to look at a game for the Sega Genesis that revels in the horror genre, Splatterhouse 3.

In the 1980's a phenomenon occurred in the motion picture industry, the golden age of the slasher flick. In these movies a seemingly unstoppable and sometimes supernatural murderous psycho would go around slaughtering hapless victims, usually annoying teenagers who almost always have it coming. At the end the murderous monster would be defeated with hints that he probably survived and that there would be a sequel. And there would be sequels. Dozens of them. Movie franchises like Friday the 13th, A Nightmare on Elm Street, and Halloween would see sequels, one after the other. Their villains Jason Voorhees, Freddy Krueger, and Michael Myers would become pop culture icons equal to characters like Batman and Spider-Man. They became heroes for being bad and audiences couldn't wait to see how these madmen would dismember their next teenage victim.

And you thought Mortal Kombat had violent uppercuts.

Splatterhouse is the direct result of the popularity of slasher flicks and an attempt to design a game with the same kind of feel and atmosphere. The game itself is an arcade beat'em up from Namco. Originating as an arcade cabinet in 1988, the first game's most popular home port landed on the TurboGrafx-16 where it was heavily edited in the west. The sequel, Splatterhouse 2, was made specifically for the Mega Drive/Genesis where Sega, with their "mature gamer" image, allowed them to run hog wild in terms of blood and gore.

A creature hunched in a corner eating naked, broken corpses. Genesis does what Nintendon't!

Before we discuss the third game, which I feel is the pinnacle of the series, it's important that we cover the other two. The story of Splatterhouse starts with two college sweethearts Rick and Jennifer. In standard "save the princess" fashion Jennifer is kidnapped and Rick is left for dead. Lucky for Rick he's revived by a magical, possibly a little evil, mask that imbues him with the power he'll need to fight through hordes of monsters and save his beloved Jennifer. Also the mask bears a striking resemblance to the hockey mask of Jason Voorhees in a not-so-subtle reference.

The magic voodoo mask brings you back to life.

The first two games are very simplistic side scrollers. You can move back and forth, you can jump and you can attack. That's it. What set the game apart from other beat'em ups is it's shock value. The monsters are grotesque and blood soaked, they spew slime and other fluids when you smash them with your fists or various weapons and gory body parts litter most of the stages. The violence for its day, and even by today's standards, is pretty intense and over the top. Unfortunately once you got over the all of the game's chunky, meaty graphical tidbits the games themselves were pretty mediocre.

The digitized photos that tell the story make the game feel even more like a campy 80's horror movie.

Then came Splatterhouse 3 which was a major departure from the original games. In this sequel Rick and Jennifer have moved on with their lives, settled down and even had a son named David. Or course this is too good to last and all hell breaks loose forcing rick to once again don his cursed mask and protect his family from an onslaught of grotesque creatures.

The most immediate change one will notice is the game has more of a focus on the story, using digitized images of actors to tell the game's narrative which is all very corny but in keeping with its slasher flick origins. You're also no longer limited in your movement and can now maneuver up and down as well, giving you additional planes to walk and fight on like most games in the genre. This instantly makes the game feel much less restrictive than its predecessors and brings the gameplay closer to something like Streets of Rage.

Your mask talks to you? No you're not crazy. Please put down that meat cleaver.

You're also given the freedom to explore with a map of your location that marks the end of the level. You're able to work your way through however you like which is a major improvement compared to the stale scrolling of the first two games. I wish more beat'em ups would use a system like this because it adds an additional layer of interest to a traditionally shallow genre. You can't just fart around however because you're on a time limit to reach and defeat the boss otherwise you might lose one of your dear family members, or worse. Surprisingly the time is actually allowed to run out and you can continue playing. This changes which ending you'll get, of which there are four, and it's another great addition that adds to the replay value of what could have been just another boring punch-fest.

When he's not fighting Satan's minions, Rick makes his living as a butcher. Just don't ask what kind of meat.

Graphics wise the game is a bit brighter than its predecessors with better defined sprites. Regardless, the majority of the game is still dark and dingy with the exception of bright reds and greens for the blood and slime you'll be pounding out of monsters. The enemies don't have health bars but the more you beat on them the more bloody and mauled they'll become until they're finally vanquished. Some of the bosses explode like overinflated blood balloons and enemies will die in different, horrific ways if you're using a weapon on them like a meat cleaver or a baseball bat. The enemy designs themselves range from terrifying to downright bizarre from decapitated zombies to guys with giant noses. I can't say they're the most spectacular graphics on the Genesis but they do their job well and convey the campy horror atmosphere perfectly.

Time fer whoopins!

The gameplay itself is pretty simple. You have an attack button, a jump button and, new to the series, a button that puts your mask into overdrive, transforming you into a musclebound behemoth who both absorbs and dishes out more damage thanks to power you gain from collecting orbs on the ground. This adds a bit more strategy to the fighting which on its own becomes bland and repetitive pretty quickly. You can also occasionally regain health by picking up the still-beating hearts of some of your foes. Brutal.

Yes that is a demonically possessed teddy bear.

Occasionally you'll run into rooms full of traps like ghostly animated furniture or giant demon hands bursting out of the ground and it's difficult to dodge these things with your slow-moving Jason wannabe. While these segments break up the monotony of constant fighting and often look cool they were usually frustrating to traverse. Another problem I have with the gameplay, and it's not really the fault of this game since it wasn't designed to be multiplayer, is that I really like playing beat'em up games with friends. If this game had a two-player mode it would probably be one of my all time favorite games for the Genesis. I guess you can't have everything.

HULK SMASH SCARY TEDDY!

The game features six levels that aren't terribly lengthy especially if you take the path of least resistance to reach the bosses. It's also fairly easy to beat the game if you're persistent since you're granted both unlimited continues and a password system. This isn't a bad thing really since the game ends as soon as it starts to feel like it's dragging. The previously mentioned multiple endings and different rooms to explore also give you good reason to replay the game several times.

Sound design is pretty good, the music ranges from haunting to pulse pounding depending on the situation. It's probably nothing you'll be humming later though. Punches and grunts sound painful and enemies make some nice splatting noises. There's really nothing to complain about here.

Rick is just having one of those days.

For some reason in 2010 Namco decided it was time to revisit Splatterhouse with a remake of the original game for the Playstation 3 and X-Box 360. The game met mixed reviews due to the repetitive nature of the beat'em up genre though some praised its careless 80's horror movie shock value. Splatterhouse 3 was included as a bonus with the new game, though the cheesy digitized photo storyboards were edited out apparently for legal reasons. Still, this is a great way to play the game on a modern console.

Delicious monster hearts.

Splatterhouse 3 is a celebration of 80's horror with its gratuitous violence, blood and gore. While its shock value may not be as intact as it was when it was released it's still not for the easily queasy. The game was one of the first titles to receive a mature rating of M.A.-13 from Sega's proprietary Videogame Rating Council, and for good reason. If you're a fan of corny 80's horror, and I know I am, and you enjoy beat'em up games, then Splatterhouse 3 might be right up your alley. Just don't go up any dark alleys, especially this time of year.

Splat!

Scoring:

Presentation: 9 Everything about this title screams 80's horror cheese. The blood and gore is completely outrageous and some parts of the game are downright sickening. The digitized photo story segments add an additional layer of camp that really captures the feeling that this game is trying to accomplish. I judge the presentation based on what the goals of the developer were, and in the case of Splatterhouse 3 and its 80's horror vibe, they came close to perfection

Gameplay: 7 While it's a fun beat'em up with a few unique tidbits like the transformation system, the fighting is really on the simplistic side and grows tiresome quickly. Pummeling enemies into a bloody pulp is so satisfying that you should still remain distracted most of the way through the game.

Graphics: 8 It's not the most fantastic thing you'll see on the Genesis and it's a little rougher than the arcade version but overall it's colorful, attractive and detailed.

Sound: 8 Nice spooky music, good grunts and groans and not much else to say here.

Lasting Appeal: 7 For those who love the horror genre, this might end up one of their favorite Genesis games. Not everybody will appreciate the over-the-top violence however and even though this game is leaps and bounds over the first two and has multiple endings you'll eventually find yourself tiring of the repetitive combat. If only it were two-player!

Overall Average: 7.8/10

Recommendations:

Collector: Probably the best game in the Splatterhouse franchise. Given that it was edited for the 2010 re-release there's still some value in owning an original cartridge. It's gotten really pricey these days though so be prepared to empty your wallet.

Gamer: If you're a fan of horror, or beat'em ups, or especially both, then you should really give this game a try. It's probably too expensive for the casual player to pick up unless they're a serious fan of the genre but It's available as a bonus on the 2010 Splatterhouse or as always you can put on your pirate hat and fire up an emulator.

Genesis Game Reviews: Chase H.Q. II

Another review posted at Sega-16, this time it's Taito's Chase H.Q. II! Next review will probably be directly on the blog as I have no more pending reviews on Sega-16 at this time.

Click here to read the review!

Genesis Game Reviews: Phantom 2040

Today's review of Phantom 2040 was written by me for Sega-16.com, the best and most complete source for Sega Genesis information on the net.

Click here to read the review!

Genesis Game Reviews: Mercs

Suspenders are badass in this universe.

The recent fad of releasing sequels to classic games like Contra 4, Mega Man 9 and even Sonic the Hedgehog 4 was responsible for a fun but forgettable sequel to Capcom's classic arcade title Commando in the form of Wolf of the Battlefield: Commando 3. It was named this because "Wolf of the Battlefield" is the English translation of Commando's Japanese name, Senjō no Ōkami. This still left some people wondering; where the hell was Commando 2?

Well it was in arcades of course, and for our purposes it was lovingly ported to the Sega Genesis. The only problem is the game wasn't brought to the west as Commando 2 but under the completely new moniker, Mercs, which is short for mercenaries also known as guns for hire or soldiers of fortune. Though this name fits pretty well with the the game's mercenary soldier storyline it makes little sense that Capcom didn't call it Commando 2 as the original was a well loved arcade classic and surely it would have gotten a lot more attention if it were branded with that title. Was it because they had already billed Bionic Commando for the NES as a spiritual sequel? No matter what the case is I've heard many people call Mercs a good Commando clone only to be genuinely surprised to find out that the game is actually the honest-to-goodness Commando 2.

Because calling it Commando 2 was too boring?

For those unfamiliar with Commando it was an originally an arcade game released by Capcom in 1985. It is considered the father of the top-down view "run'n gun" genre. You take the role of Super Joe, a generic soldier, and scroll vertically up the screen with a rifle and and grenades to fight off waves of attacking soldiers. This simple concept inspired many imitators such as SNK's Ikari Warriors franchise and the game was ported to just about every home gaming machine of the era.

That helicopter just swoops in and takes the president. Seriously.

Commando's follow-up, Mercs, came in 1991 and was ported to the Genesis that same year. While the game isn't vastly different in the sense that you still scroll upwards and shoot at enemy soldiers indiscriminately, it was a major overhaul from the simple design of the original. Capcom took inspiration from other "shoot'em up" games of the time incorporating different weapons and power ups instead of just a simple rifle. You could now upgrade the power of your base rifle, a wider spread shot, a powerful bazooka and even a flame thrower. In a further nod to shmup game design the grenades were replaced with a bomb that killed all enemies on-screen. Other than weapons, power-ups and bombs you also found items that lengthened your health bar or restored your heath such as medical kits and food. Speaking of which, the health-bar is another major change from the original Commando where you died in one hit and it's a very welcome one that makes the game a lot more manageable. The gameplay also focuses more on dodging than Commando which had a greater emphasis on taking cover behind objects.

A nice beach outing ruined by soldiers in bright orange.

You also aren't limited to fighting enemy soldiers who themselves come in different varieties with different weapons. Hard to destroy enemy vehicles and powerful bosses at the end of every level also stand in your way. You're not entirely outmatched however as occasionally you stumble across empty vehicles like Jeeps and even tanks as well as fixed gun emplacements which you can use against your enemies, a neat innovation to the genre.

It takes a psycho to attack a Harrier jet head-on.

The levels are fairly short, as is the game. Your mission is simply to rescue the president of the United States from terrorists of some fictional country. Once you manage to acquire the dodging and shooting skills needed to complete the game there's about 20-30 minutes of game time from start to finish. The difficulty level is adjustable and you've got a few continues to help you get through the game. Don't let the length put you off however because Mercs is arcade fun at its finest and is one of those games you'll pick up and play through time and time again. The biggest gripe against Mercs is its lack of multiplayer support which was possibly done due to technical limitations. I imagine slowdown may have occurred with more than one player. This is unfortunate because the three-player mode is one of the main draws of the Mercs arcade cabinet.

It takes man's man to blow it up.

But wait, the game's arcade mode isn't the only thing offered here! Mercs also comes with an "original mode" which takes the graphics and bosses of the arcade mode and mixes them into new levels with added gameplay elements. With no continues, original mode is more difficult than the arcade mode but includes additional characters you can rescue and switch between. Each character has a different weapon with your first character wielding the default machine gun. Between levels you can access a weapon shop and spend money you've earned from defeating enemies to upgrade your weapons. The story is different and instead of rescuing the president it revolves around invading a hostile nation to prevent them from becoming a threat to world peace. Honestly I prefer playing through the quick and simple arcade mode more but the original mode was a decent effort to add more longevity to the home version of the game.

Motorcycle gang trying to enforce a bridge toll?

The graphics of Mercs are as to be expected. They're slightly pixelated and less colorful than the arcade version but manage to look great. I still found the game to be very colorful and detailed just not as colorful as it looks in the arcade. Using the flamethrower to light enemy soldiers on fire and reduce them to ashes is really something that needs to be seen in action to be appreciated. Most of the bosses are big and attractive and the explosions are plentiful and satisfying. Much of the environment is destructible and some vehicles and bosses have several phases of destructibility to them. I really have no complaints here. The graphics expertly convey the game's chaotic action and even your little soldier guy is well animated.

I find rockets more effective than beeping my horn.

The sound is mostly good though the majority of the sound effects are rather weak and undistinguished. The music is classic Capcom greatness and will really get you into the game.

Mercs is an awesome arcade style shooting game and a fantastic, near perfect port. It takes elements from the original Commando and contemporary shmups and creates a wild experience with hordes of enemies and brutal bosses. The arcade mode is short and sweet and the original mode is a serious challenge. Mercs is one of the standout titles of the top down "run'n gun" genre and is still loads of fun to waste the occasional half hour on.

Flamethrowers should be required in all video games.

Scoring:

Presentation: 8 It's got a generic story but at least it tries. The original mode adds a map between levels and an item shop and tries to add some depth to the game. The arcade mode tries to add a little story by marking the level bosses as important objectives. It translates the arcade game faithfully and there's not much else you really need from a game like this.

Gameplay: 8 Mercs is incredibly fun especially if you're a fan of the genre. The four weapons each have their uses and get cooler as they upgrade. The bosses are neat and fun to fight and blowing away wave after wave of grunts is very satisfying. Especially with the flamethrower. My only complaints are that the length of the levels is really too short and I had to take another point off for the lack of multiplayer which was a major feature in the arcade original.

Graphics: 8 It's not the most fantastic thing you'll see on the Genesis and it's a little rougher than the arcade version but overall it's colorful, attractive and detailed.

Sound: 8 The sound effects aren't memorable for better or worse but it's got a rocking soundtrack courtesy of the musical mastery of Capcom's composers.

Lasting Appeal: 8 This is not a game you're going to sit down and play for hours at a time but it is a game you'll most likely pick up when you're bored for a quick and satisfying play-through. It's a timeless arcade action title that you'll find yourself coming back to each time you peruse your Genesis collection.

Overall Average: 8/10

Recommendations:

Collector: Mercs is yet another port of a classic arcade game to the Genesis and is the sequel to the incredibly influential Commando. It can be had for only a few bucks so it should join your collection as soon as possible.

Gamer: Hardcore shooter fans will really love this one and even gamers who are new to the genre should be able to handle the arcade mode after a little practice. I say it's definitely worth a shot. You can rarely go wrong with Capcom.

Genesis Game Reviews: OutRun

Why is everyone burning out their tires?

The 1980's was a time before Street Figther 2 and its many imitators dominated arcades. Companies were racing to create the next big sensation to eat people's spare quarters. Because of this the arcades of the time were a showcase for incredible graphics and enticing gimmicks that home consoles like the NES could never dream of being able to emulate. Unlike today arcades were where you went for eye-candy and ground-breaking games. It's difficult for some people these days to grasp how big a deal it was for the Sega Genesis to deliver unabridged versions arcade hits on a home platform. Before the Genesis it was just accepted that the arcade and home experiences were two different things.

Time to sit back, relax and drive like a maniac.

Sega's most famous arcade branch AM2 and its exceptional designer Yu Suzuki are known for creating classic after classic in during that decade and their success continues well into the present. Using clever programming tricks they designed some of the most visually impressive games of their day. Hang-On, Space Harrier, After Burner and our subject for today, OutRun used what they called "Super-Scaler" technology that created a simple pseudo-3D effect at extremely high frame rates. These games were also some of the first 16-bit arcade games and not only did they look incredible compared to their counterparts but they played fast and fun. Some of the arcade cabinet gimmicks they used included a motorcycle frame to sit on and steer through leaning in Hang-On and the interior of a car with unheard of force-feedback that moved the entire machine with the deluxe cabinet of OutRun. If nothing else these attractions would draw your attention away from the usual stand-up cabinets and force you to notice them.

Switching on some tunes with my weird looking hand.

Many cut-down versions of Sega's arcade hits ended up on their Master System and a few of them even went over to their competitor's unstoppably popular NES as well as a few computers of the time. Needless to say when Sega would release their 16-bit home system, the Genesis, far more arcade accurate versions of these games would be released for it.

OutRun is in many ways a follow up to the earlier motorcycle racing game Hang-On though it differs in many ways. Both games made an excellent conversion to the Genesis which had more than enough horsepower to do them justice even though the scaling isn't quite as foolproof as it is in the arcades. Both games used the "Super-Scaler" technology to great effect creating interesting atmospheres with believable speed and cool effects like hills. It's something we might take for granted today but the elevation changes were a big innovation for driving games which used to be limited to driving on flat surfaces. The illusion of movement is created by scaling sprites from small to large towards the player making them look like they're coming at you while the road would use alternating strips of dark and light colors to give the illusion that you're driving over it. It was ingeniously simple and effective and it gave these games an unprecedented sense of speed.

People sure are excited to see me break every traffic law on the book.

Like Hang-On, OutRun is a race to the finish against the clock. Instead of a sport bike you're a guy driving with his girlfriend in a generic red sports car that has been popularly recognized as a convertible Ferrari Testarossa. Called the Testarossa Spider, in reality there is only one legitimate convertible variant of this car in existence though unofficial Spider modifications have been done.

Unlike it's motorcycle cousin you're not really racing against anyone else in particular and are just trying to get from point-A to point-B as quickly as possible. It's a simple premise that isn't as boring as you would think and the nature of the game always reminded me of speed-driving movies like Smokey and the Bandit and Cannonball Run. Instead of other racers you have to contend with traffic which comes in a small assortment of different cars and gives you the feeling that you're driving on real roads instead of a race track. Yu Suzuki himself once said that he doesn't consider OutRun a racing game, but a driving game.

Cool sailboats.

Another innovation that set this game apart from the competition and added to the idea that you were driving along on actual roadways were the forks before each checkpoint. You could choose to go either left or right and depending on which path you took you'd end up in a new environment. In comparison Hang-On and most other racing titles of the time had you driving on a predetermined track. This was an excellent feature that added to the longevity of the otherwise short arcade gameplay. After you beat one route you wanted to play again to see what you missed on the other routes. The different stages were attractive to look at and switching them up kept the experience from growing stale. One moment you could be driving on a sunny beach then you would move on to a scenic mountain road or possibly end up in the desert where the roads are unpaved or on a snowy highway. Am2 even upped the ante by giving the game multiple endings depending on which paths you decided to take.

Suddenly we're in ancient Rome or something.

Other than the 3D effects the rest of the graphics were highly detailed. The Ferrari you drive was lovingly recreated right down to the prancing horse logo and the people inside are fully visible and look great. In Hang-On when you crash you fall off of your bike while in OutRun if you hit an obstacle on the side of the road hard enough you'll either spin out and get told off by your girlfriend or be sent flying out of your car as it tumbles end-over-end down the highway. It's a nice touch that along with some of the goofy endings adds to the humor and overall laid-back feel of the game. Other little things that you'd notice if they weren't there like your break-lights and smoking tires really put the game over the top in the detail department for a title this old. I have only one minor gripe with the graphics; because the obstacles on the side of the road are being repetitively scaled to convey the sense of speed they're very repetitious carbon copies of each other. It's not so bad with objects like trees and billboards but sometimes stuff like an army of identical boat shops is a little weird. As I said earlier the scaling is not quite as good as the arcade game and it can be a little choppy at times.

Note: A Ferrari is not built for desert driving.

The game has very simple controls with A-button to break, B-button to accelerate and C-Button to shift gears between low and high. It's archaic by today's standards but the driving is smooth and entertaining regardless. Much of the fun has to do with the atmosphere because even though you're on a timer something about the game just makes it feel relaxed. It's like going out for a leisurely drive (like a maniac in a super-sports car) without actually going out for a drive. The car controls flawlessly with the Sega Genesis controller even though it's not quite the same experience you'd get from the steering wheel in the arcade. Unlike Hang-On's Genesis port, Super Hang-On, OutRun seems to be a straight arcade port with no additional gaming modes though you have the option to adjust the difficulty.

The only sound-effect that really stands out in my mind is the tire-screeching which can get annoying. The music on the other-hand is superb. The Genesis version comes with all three selectable tracks from the arcade original and a bonus fourth track that really rocks. Memorable soundtracks really add a lot of character to simple games like this and OutRun's is very memorable.

I knew I should have brought a map.

This game might not turn many heads today but it's an arcade classic that set the standard for driving games in its day. It's still a blast to play today and that's saying something because typically I'm not a fan of racing games. It's got a lot of character to it that elevates it beyond the generic. It doesn't take very long to drive through the game and once you've seen everything, you've seen everything so some people might not get a lot of replay-value out of this one. Personally I find it to be one of those games, like many arcade titles, that you can play again and again simply because the gameplay itself is so enjoyable.

Shrugging off a 170 MPH crash.

As I discussed earlier OutRun was ported to several other systems as well and even had a second 3D glasses version for the Master System though the Genesis version is probably the most arcade-perfect. It also recieved three of what Yu Suzuki has termed "unofficial" sequels on the Genesis; the Japan only Turbo OutRun, the futuristic OutRun 2019 and OutRunners. They were good games in their own right but failed to recapture the charm of the original. The franchise has stayed alive and has seen a few modern remakes such as its official sequel OutRun 2 and OutRun 2006: Coast 2 Coast, this time with official Ferrari licensing.

The map of our very diverse neighborhood.

OutRun is ultimately less a game about race driving and more a game about luxury and relaxation as you fly an expensive sports car through beautiful locales with your girl by your side. It's 1980's escapism at its finest.

Moments before they drop me on my spine and end my racing career.

Scoring:

Presentation: 9 The feeling of freedom on the open road while you enjoy the excesses of an expensive Italian sports car and a hot babe helps to elevate OutRun from a simple driving game to a timeless classic. The funny endings and lots of other little details really show the care that Sega put in their old arcade titles. It only loses a point for being a little choppier than the arcade version.

Gameplay: 9 I would give it a perfect ten for its tight controls and excellent sensation of speed but the game is just a little too short considering you reach the end in around six minutes. You've only got the normal arcade mode so it won't take you long to see it all. There's nothing more to it than driving from beginning to end but thankfully that's such an enjoyable experience that it doesn't matter much. The game is fine as it is but I can't help but feel they should have included something more like they did with Super Hang-On's original mode. It was common for arcade ports to have extra modes but apparently Sega felt this one stood up fine on its own.

Graphics: 8 While it's really close to the arcade some of the colors have been dulled a bit, yet the game still remains exceptionally colorful for an earlier Genesis title. The Genesis also can't handle the sprite scaling as well as the arcade hardware though it's as close to an arcade perfect port as you're going to get on the console and is a big improvement over the earlier Master System port.

Sound: 9 The music is one of the things that OutRun will be forever remembered for. All of the tracks are catchy and memorable. It's some of the best classic video game music of all time and it sounds incredible on the Genesis. The only problem I have is that the somewhat annoying tire-screeches distract from the wonderful tunes.

Lasting Appeal: 8 Like most of the arcade classics it's got a simple and addictive concept that's fun to pick up and play for a few minutes. It's not the type of game that you'll sit down and play all day then beat and never pick up again. It's the type of game that you'll have the urge to play for a few minutes every once in a while that never gets old. You'll always be trying to shave a few seconds off your time.

Overall Average: 8.6/10

Recommendations:

Collector: Out of all of the arcade ports that helped cement the popularity of the Genesis this is probably one of the best. It's a real Sega classic and I've never met a Sega fan who disliked OutRun. As far as I'm concerned it's a must have for any Genesis collection. It's one of the first in a long line of stellar Sega arcade racers.

Gamer: If you like racing games this one may be a little odd to you at first and possibly seem a little too simplistic. Give it a shot and once you get into the atmosphere and the casual feel of the gameplay you might start to understand what makes it so enjoyable.

Genesis Game Reviews: Ghostbusters

Who you gonna call? ...HE-MAN!

Ghostbusters was arguably the most successful entertainment franchise of the 1980's. The original 1984 film starring legendary funnymen Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray and Harold Ramis directed by Ivan Reitman was the perfect storm of action, comedy and romance with a unique and memorable concept that instantly became a permanent fixture of American pop-culture.

For those who don't know about the Ghostbusters — all three of you who have just recently given up your old order Amish lifestyle to join the rest of us in the modern world — the story was about a group of parapsychologists who lost their university jobs due to their research into the supernatural being viewed by their peers as a ridiculous waste of money. It didn't help that Murray's character Peter Venkman was a sleazeball using his career to take advantage of female students. Out on their rear-ends and needing to make cash the three discover a real live... er... dead ghost at the New York public library and hit upon a brilliant idea to make money: charging people to remove malevolent spirits from their homes and businesses, becoming some kind of insane supernatural cross between firefighters and exterminators.

The Ghostbusters are fine too I guess.

After hiring a fourth Ghostbuster by the name of Winston Zeddemore played by Ernie Hudson, the Ghostbusters discover that the recent surge in ghostly activity isn't just good for business, but a threat to the entire planet when an ancient Sumerian god named Gozer is summoned to our plane of existence. As the only ones with the necessary equipment and know-how the team is forced to battle this primordial force and save the world.

The mega-hit movie led to the creation of a cartoon series that lasted well into the early 90's and an often maligned but decent sequel in 1989. The cartoon also spawned a vast toy-line that practically printed its own money. Ask anybody who was a child in the 80's and very early 90's, Ghostbusters was huge, almost Pokemon huge.

No Winston? Racism or laziness? You decide.

For some reason this success never translated into video games which is a shame because the source material has all the makings of a great game. Given its popularity, Ghostbusters games were quickly released for almost every video game platform imaginable and ranged from barely playable to legendarily bad in the case of both Ghostbusters and Ghostbusters 2 on the NES. To add insult to injury one of the only halfway decent Ghostbusters games to be released was New Ghostbusters 2 by Hal Laboratories, the developer famous for the Kirby and Super Smash Brothers franchises, was only available in Europe and Japan. North America did get the Gameboy version but it wasn't nearly as good as its NES brother. Ghostbusters fans would have to wait until 2009 for the original writers and actors to return to help craft Ghostbusters the Video Game for all current consoles which finally contained good gameplay in most versions accompanied by great writing, acting and a canonical story that was spiritually Ghostbusters 3.

Here and there. Very scientific observation, Egon.

This brings us to our review for this installment of Sega Scrutiny which is, you guessed it, Ghostbusters for the Sega Genesis both developed and published by Sega themselves.

The Sega Ghostbusters is an oddity first and foremost because it doesn't completely suck and secondly because the game follows its own original story taking place sometime between the first and second movie. Most other Ghostbusters games attempted to just shoehorn in the movie storyline. It was released in 1990 which was not to its benefit as Ghostbusters was on the decline after the lackluster second film. The cartoon was still trucking along but that too was suffering from worsening quality. The franchise was beginning to implode in terms of popularity. The game also battled consumer distrust. Since other Ghostbusters games were monumental flops people weren't exactly running out to buy this one. All of these reasons helped the game fall into relative obscurity.

Evil tablecloth representing the cheapest of Halloween costumes.

The storyline isn't necessarily a good one but at the very least it sets the stage for your adventure. After defeating Gozer the Gozerian in the original movie the Ghostbusters basically put themselves out of business. Supernatural activity around New York City was suddenly non-existent. This suddenly changed as mysterious earthquakes began to occur along with new hauntings for the Ghostbusters to investigate. The mystery deepens with the discovery of ancient puzzle pieces that the boys in gray must hunt down and combine in the hope of discovering the underlying cause of the disturbances.

This game can get downright weird.

The writing is pretty poor and badly presented since the game doesn't care which Ghostbuster you choose. Since the dialog remains the same no matter what you'll get some strange out-of-character lines such as Egon saying, "We've got money, let's party!" which is something Ghostbusters fans will find odd coming from the emotionless scientist we know and love. There are a lot of other tidbits that won't make muchsense to people familiar with the franchise like needing to buy equipment from this random scientist guy. The iconic Stay Puft Marshmallow Man also makes a welcome and obligatory appearance as a boss character though it makes little sense from a story perspective. They've already defeated Gozer (Stay Puft) and nobody makes any mention of his return. You can ignore these elements and their lack of adherence to the source material easily enough but they're still irksome. For the most part the story is just there to move the game forward and nothing else. Don't expect anything near the caliber of the films.

Way to shed your scales and leave yourself open to attack, moron.

Another issue where the story is involved is something that a lot of Ghostbusters games have screwed up. There's no Winston. Winston was an integral character to the films. He was the outsider that didn't have a PhD and gave us the common man's perspective of what was going on. He wasn't one of the original Ghostbusters and was hired later in the first movie but this game takes place after the movie so where is he? For some reason game developers just didn't like Winston. Was it because he was black? That may be an unfair assumption to make but the fact remains that he's not here or in many other old Ghostbusters games and the absence is annoying.

Come on, come on!

Don't look directly into the trap!

That wasn't such a chore now was it?

The graphics are nothing stellar but there's nothing terrible here either. The first thing you'll likely notice are the character sprites which have gotten a lot of criticism for displaying our heroes with giant heads and tiny bodies. The obvious reason this was done is to capture the facial likenesses of the characters without making the sprite so large that it would impede gameplay. It actually sort of works for me by giving the game a fun and cartoony feel. Your Ghostbuster will make a shocked expression when they're hit and knocked back in slapstick fashion. The goofy look may take some getting used to and is one of the aspects of this game that you'll either enjoy or loathe depending on personal taste.

Sega had a brief but unsuccessful stint in the newspaper business.

The level graphics are unfortunately mundane. While they do their job of portraying different environments you basically get your generic fire level, ice level and so on. The backgrounds are static and don't really take advantage of things like the parallax and animation that the Genesis was capable of. Even by 1990 standards the eye-candy is kept to a minimum. The weapon graphics get the job done with the most visually impressive being the Ghostbusters' famous capture stream but you'll never find yourself going, "wow that was awesome!"

Collect the puzzle pieces and open up the final levels, blah blah.

One place where the graphics department didn't slouch is the bosses. The boss and middle boss monsters have a lot of visually unique designs that range from cool looking to really, really weird. Some people don't really like how odd some of the bosses and minor enemies are in this game but I found the strange enemies fitting for the Ghostbusters universe, especially when you factor in the Real Ghostbusters cartoon series which has a lot of creatures far more absurd than anything represented in this game.

Chinese restaurant/fireworks store/night vision goggle store?

Why am I buying equipment from a mad scientist fanboy again?

At its core the gameplay is that of a standard platformer. You run, you jump and you shoot. This basic model is actually a good thing since earlier attempts at Ghostbusters games often had complex and confusing elements that contributed to their unplayable natures. Another plus is that the controls are responsive and fun. There aren't really any sudden death pitfalls and the jumping puzzles aren't frustrating or very difficult. The fun of simply controlling your character is make-or-break for this type of game and I feel Ghostbusters performs admirably here.

It wouldn't be a platformer without an ice stage.

You start by choosing one of the three Ghostbusters available: Egon Spengler, Peter Venkman or Ray Stantz. Egon is the fastest but has the least vitality while Ray is the slowest but can take the most punishment. Peter is predictably a balance of the two. While it really doesn't matter which Ghostbuster you choose I've found Ray to be the easiest since speed isn't a major factor and it takes a lot to kill him.

A snowman shouldn't threaten a guy...

...with an unlicensed nuclear accelerator on his back.

Between each mission the Ghostbusters discuss current events in their firehouse headquarters and you have a choice of proceeding to the city map where you head to the next level or visiting one of the shops. Although you can choose what level you want to go to out of the first four levels in Mega Man style it works best to just do them in the order given to you. The first shop is an item shop run by a Chinese man who sells you Chinese food like a Peking duck that restores your health, screen clearing bombs that effect ghosts for some reason and night vision goggles which are all but required to beat the fire level. It's a pretty strange combination that's not worth questioning. The other shop is a weapon shop where you can upgrade your Ghostbuster with more powerful blasters, protective shielding and energy tank upgrades to give yourself more ammo for your special weapons. Why you have to go to a store and buy anti-ghost weapons is beyond me since Egon is supposed to have invented them.

Why didn't you just call the fire department?

I see. Nevermind.

Only a few of the special weapons are particularly useful unfortunately. There's a three-way spread shot that will all but replace your primary weapon since it doesn't use much energy and a bubble gun that traps ghosts and floats them off the screen, very useful for the few enemies in the game that are invincible to your normal attacks. Other weapons include a slow but very powerful single shot gun and an explosive shot with an area-effect that's good for groupings of enemies but uses a lot of your energy.

This is for ruining the cartoon you little slime-ball!

Speaking of the weapons this is another complaint that the game gets. You don't often actually catch ghosts like in the movies and cartoon. You use your arsenal to outright destroy most ghosts. A few ghosts take only a shot or two to kill but there's also annoying enemies like supernaturally floating dishware that take a lot of shots to destroy for no obvious reason. This problem is alleviated by purchasing some of the other weapons but I still have some issues with the enemy balancing decisions.

Oh snap.

Fortunately it's not all spiritual annihilation and you do get to capture some ghosts with your trusty proton stream and ghost trap just like in the movies. Each level has a number of "middle ghosts" you must defeat, essentially middle bosses, before you can move on to the final boss. The middle bosses are the only enemies you need to capture but first you have to beat the tar out of them. After they're defeated they'll be reduced to a little green spirit which you must reel in with your capture stream in a little tug-of-war mini-game. Once you get the ghost close enough to the trap it will automatically trigger and suck the ghoul in. The capture mini-game is a bit awkward and sometimes difficult because the ghost can leave the screen and escape. Occasionally this will happen without even giving you a chance to capture the ghost depending on where the middle ghost is on the screen when you defeat it. You only get paid for defeating the middle ghosts if you actually capture them and since money is important for buying new items this can be extremely frustrating until you manage to master ghost wrangling.

It's not a proper retro game if it doesn't have a centipede boss.

The game also allows you to grind for money if you need to, sort of, by placing safes in the levels. You blow up the safes to see what's inside and it will either randomly be a bomb that will blow up and hurt you or a bag of money. You can leave the level by returning to the beginning and exiting which resets the safes so you can try your luck again. You also get a small amount of money for defeating regular enemies. If you're patient you can fully arm your Ghostbuster at the very beginning of the game.

Mike Tyson's Punch Out: Extreme Edition.

The game's difficulty is low but it's not mindlessly simple. The bosses are interesting and rough at first but they all have conquerable attack patterns that most experienced gamers will master quickly. The game is also short with only six levels though the difficulty understandably heightens in the last two. It shouldn't take the average person very long to get through the entire game and while extra lives are rare you're given plenty of continues should you need them. Regaining health is done by either leaving the level and visiting the item shop or using the Peking duck. You can also find health and energy restoring balls by destroying the famous and recognizable ghost "Slimer" of cartoon and movie fame. Slimers will show up in predetermined locations but they're few and far between.

It's not that impressive now but it blew me away when I was eight years old.

The game's sound isn't drop-dead incredible but it's actually fairly good. Given that this is a Sega developed game I would expect no less. The 16-bit mix of the famous Ghostbusters theme song by Ray Parker Jr. is presented acceptably and the rest of the level tunes are catchy and memorable. Some of the sound effects are unique but most of them will be familiar to you since it was common for Sega to re-use sound effects in order to save time and money. This seems especially true with earlier Genesis games.

Way too much Coppertone Kid's sunblock, Egon.

Ghostbusters for the Genesis isn't going to be mistaken for one of the greatest games ever made but compared with other Ghostbusters games of the time it stood far above the competition. It's a serviceable platformer that fans of the genre and fans of the franchise will no doubt enjoy. Despite some strange design choices and unnecessary liberties taken with the source material it still lives up to its Ghostbusters namesake and is well worth your time. Except for New Ghostbusters 2 and the modern games there's really no other Ghostbusters title you can say that about.

Bustin' makes me feel good and so does this frequently overlooked game.

Let's show this prehistoric bitch how we do things downtown!

Scoring:

Presentation: 6 A passable story but the weird dialogue hurts the game in the presentation department as well as a laissez faire approach to the source material. Still, it looks and feels like a Ghostbusters game which is more than I can say for the NES original among others. While I find the character designs to be endearing others might find them a tad strange.

Gameplay: 8 It's a very basic platformer but tight control and fun bosses save it from total mediocrity. Some parts need work like the ghost catching sequence and the game is both short and easy but they were probably hoping to target a younger audience so these things are forgivable. I think it would have gotten boring if it were to drag on any longer anyway.

Graphics: 6 A lot more could have been done here. The backgrounds are plain, static and repetitive and your repertoire of weapons is uninspired and not nearly as flashy as the Ghostbusters' high-tech arsenal should have/could have been. There are some cool looking parts, especially the bosses, but in general nothing here really stands out.

Sound: 7 Filled with catchy but somewhat repetitive songs and good sound effects that are mostly reused from other Sega titles not that there's anything wrong with that. It was standard practice back then.

Lasting Appeal: 5 This really depends on if you're a Ghostbusters fan or not. If you are you might want to bump this up a few points. For everybody else this is a fun platformer that you'll beat once and probably not see any reason to revisit.

Overall Average: 6.4/10

Recommendations:

Collector: As one of the best Ghostbusters games out there and the fact that it's getting harder and harder to find, this obscure title is highly collectible. Despite flopping when it was released it's a very desired title today. James Rolfe the Angry Video Game Nerd may have had something to do with that. Expect to pay more than you usually would for Genesis games if you're looking to buy this one.

Gamer: If you like platforming games then fire up your emulator and give it a shot. If you like Ghostbusters then what are you waiting for? If you're not a fan of either of these things Sega's Ghostbusters probably won't change that.