This was one of my favorites arcade games when it was released. Unfortunately, the SMS version does suffer a bit from the translation process. The graphics are good for a SMS game, but they become repetitive after you pass some missions. The control of the plane is where the game disappointed me. Each stage seems to be too long, and after a while, you become really bored. Keep the plane on one side, and you will be able to advance up to level 12. Don't expect too much from this version. If you are a fan of the arcade you will have to look for the Saturn version.
Graphics: 8.5
Sound: 8.0
Control: 7.0
Fun: 7.5
The first Alex Kidd game was a masterpice, the second one, AKTLS had cartoony graphics, and was not as inovative as its predecesor, but I must confess that I enjoyed it a lot, and this third installment of the Alex Kidd series doesn't stand up to the standard of an Alex Kidd game.
At first it looks a little like a RPG game because you have to find a map to the arcade and there're lots of dialogs between Alex and other people. The graphics are good, but its a shame that it doesn't play as good as it looks. The sound is average. This game is hard to find these days. It an OK game, but good for collectors.
Graphics: 8.5
Sound: 8.0
Control: 7.5
Fun: 7.5
Action game in which you play a kid with big hands.This was Sega's flagship title in the SMS days. The graphics are really good for a first generation title, and the sound does its job. Alex has to rescue his brother, and he uses a motorcycle, a pedicopter, a cane, and other stuff that he can buy in stores. This game is fun to play and has many levels, although it wasn't my favorite when I first played it, but now its climbing spots and its one of the games I enjoy a lot.
Graphics: 8.5
Sound: 8.5
Control: 9.0
Fun: 9.0
You are the captain of Hometown High's basketball team, and it's your senior year. Now you've got a shot at the All-American High School Championship. You went to sleep the night before the start of the tournament, and then you fell asleep.Now it's you and your team against some monsters. The game has very good graphics, and the sound is decent, but I don't like the constant flashing of the players. The control is average. I don't find this game very entertaining, but that is just my opinion. Many people love this game, and probably you will do too once you get a chance to play it.
Graphics: 9.0
Sound: 8.5
Control: 8.0
Fun: 8.5
This game is one of my favorites. It is what 1943 was for the NES. Don't get me wrong, this game has better graphics than 1943. You control a little red plane that tries to shoot everything down. There are 5 missions. You can collect power ups along they way. If you like shooters, definitively get this game.
Graphics: 9.5
Sound: 8.0
Control: 9.0
Fun: 9.5
Do you remember this game in the arcades? This version captures the main feeling of the game. It is fun to play, even though the graphics are not very impressive, but that doesn't mean they are bad either. The sound is average also. The fun thing is to rescue the hostages and to try to get back to the base without being hit. The cave level is just frustrating.
Graphics: 8.0
Sound: 8.0
Control: 8.0
Fun: 8.5
This was the first card game I ever played. I must say I wasn't disappointed at all. The game has good graphics, but they aren't going to impress you, but they do their job. You control Mick, who has inherited the family jewels, but you'll have to get rid of Dracula in order to get them. You have to kill several Draculas in each level in order to advance to the next one. The control is good, but your character moves really slow. Nice for a card game, though.
Graphics: 8.0
Sound: 8.0
Control: 7.5
Fun: 8.0
This game looks a lot like Zelda for the NES, but with better graphics and and gameplay. The graphics are very good and colorful. The sound is good. This game is very fun to play. You have to collect money, buy things, explore mazes, and meet people that will help you eventually on your quest, and it won't be over until you find and defeat Death Adder. It has a save feature. This is probably my second choice for a SMS RPG.
Graphics: 9.5
Sound: 8.5
Control: 9.0
Fun: 9.5
This is the arcade translation of Hang On. The game has cartoonish and repetitive graphics. You have to beat the clock in order to get to the finish line. The control is very good, but the game gets repetitive after a while, although I find this game fun to play. Safari Hunt is a good phaser game, in which you get to shoot ducks, bears, and many more animals. This is not the best phaser game, but it's an OK game
Graphics: 8.0
Sound: 8.0
Control: 8.5
Fun: 8.5
This game was the first RPG that SEGA released. The graphics are good. The sound is ok. I played Phantasy Star first, so I wasn't very impressed with this game at the beginning, but after playing it for an afternoon, I found the game interesting. It's a shame you can't name you companions. The game is fun, but takes time to get into it. Once you do, you get to explore towns and caves, and find companions. It has a save feature.
Graphics: 8.0
Sound: 8.0
Control: 7.5
Fun: 8.0
The game is the same as the board game. The good thing is that you can play against the computer.The view of the Monopoly board is good. There is also a save feature, which can be useful when the game is taking too long, and you have lots of propierties. If you don't like the original board game, don't get this one.
Graphics: 8.5
Sound: 8.5
Control: 8.5
Fun: 8.5
The classic racing game from Sega is transalted well to the SMS. Back in 1988 I used to dream of owning this game, because I had a NES at the time, and I had to play Rad Racer, but fortunately, I got to finally own the game. This game made me a Sega fan. The graphics are good, and while not arcade like, they capture the feeling of the arcade game. The Ferrari looks really good, and you can distinguish the Porsches and the Beetles passing you by. The control is simple; one button for accelerating, and one for the breaks. With the control pad you can change from low to high speed and viceversa. The only thing that I didn't like very much was the music. I'm pretty sure it could have been done better, but it captures the atmosphere of the original tunes. Anyway a true classic, and a must have game for any SMS collector or Outrun fan.
Graphics: 8.5
Sound: 8.0
Control: 9.0
Fun: 10
When I started to collect games for the SMS, I wasn't even sure this game existed, and of course I never imagined I would get to own it. Well just for its rarity, it's a must have game. Now let's see how good the game is. The ferrari looks smaller this time, and the framerate is choppier and slower. The 3D effect is better than I expected, and the levels seem to have more trees, signs, rocks, and things on the sides of the road. The levels have changed a bit, but they still retain the original atmosphere. For example, on the first level, you can see the beach on the left side of the road, an effect which I thought was excellent. The game has different music, but it isn't that great. You can choose the difficulty level from beginner, advanced and expert. The game can be played in 3D or in 2D. I recommend the 3D mode though. If you ever see this game, GET IT! It's ultra rare.
Graphics: 8.5
Sound: 8.0
Control: 8.0
Fun: 10
This was my first RPG game.The graphics are the best I've seen in a SMS game. Lots of colors and detailed bosses. The sound is excellent also. The game is very addictive; once you start to play you can't turn the SMS off. You have to travel to three different planets and explore its towns and dungeons. There're lots of places to explore, and many things to find. This game was so ahead of every other RPG game out there. The BEST SMS game without a doubt. It has a save feature.
Graphics: 10
Sound: 9.5
Control: 10
Fun: 10
This is a Special Edition game by Sega. Your planet has been overrun by some mutant vegetation created in a laboratory. They have taken over everything, from buildings, labs, people. You pilot the Power Strike, the most versatile jet fighter in the world. You have to use your ship to destroy this mutant vegetation. Your ship has the ability to use weapons that you free from the ground. The game has very good graphics, and colorfull sprites. The sound is good, and the sound effects do their job. The controls of the ship are simple and easy to use. You have your normal fire weapon, and 8 special weapons like directional shot, web gun, laser cannon, rolling fire, homing flame, swing web, plasma ball and wipe laser. Each of them has a limited number of shots, which is 80. The game has six levels. This is one of the best shooters available for the SMS.
Graphics: 9.0
Sound: 8.5
Control: 8.5
Fun: 8.5
This game is what Ikari Warriors was for the NES. You have to kill everyone in order for you to get moving. The graphics are good, although sometimes a little repetitive. The sound is good also. The game gets hard by the end. I like this game, even though it's nothing special.
Graphics: 8.5
Sound: 8.0
Control: 8.0
Fun: 8.5
I've never liked real baseball, but I like playing this game. There're many teams to choose from.This game has very good graphics, good gameplay, althought the players on the field are kind of slow. The Brewers are good in this game, believe it or not. I love the Homerun contest.
Graphics: 9.0
Sound: 8.0
Control: 8.0
Fun: 9.0
This was my first SMS game and it's one of the best ones. The graphics are very detailed, and the bosses are well done. The sound is very good. The gameplay is excellent, the game responds to the control well. The best thing about this game is that it's fun, and captures the overall feeling of the arcade game very well. One thing: don't expect to finish this game in an afternoon; it takes a lot of practice to finish it as it's hard. This game is in my opinion the best shooters on the SMS, and one of the best SMS games.
Graphics: 9.5
Sound: 9.5
Control: 9.5
Fun: 9.0
I love this game. It has very good graphics, and I find it very fun to play. You have to shoot down ducks, ballons, zepellins, balls coming out of a pipe, spaceships. It even has some voice that says "Perfect" everytime you shoot down all the targets in a level. If you like phaser games, you'll probably like this game.
Graphics: 9.5
Sound: 8.0
Control: 9.0
Fun: 9.0
This game is a shooter that has repetitive graphics. You can move across the whole screen. The control is good, and the sound is very good, and there's even some digitized voices.The game is fun to play. The 3-D version is better.
Graphics: 7.5
Sound: 8.0
Control: 8.0
Fun: 7.5
This a totally different game than the previous Space Harrier. The graphics have improved a lot, and there's a nice background, which was missing on Space Harrier. The sound is not as good as it is in Space Harrier.The 3-D effects helps the game a lot. If you have the 3-D glasses, get this game. It has an option which allows you to play this game in 2-D.
Graphics: 9.0
Sound: 8.0
Control: 9.0
Fun: 9.0
This game is like Rambo II traveling in time. The graphics are very good, and the sound is good, but the game is difficult. I find this game to be fun to play, although you can get killed easily. 2 players can play at the same time, and that's a great experience. I enjoy this game a lot, even though I play it from time to time.
Graphics: 9.0
Sound: 8.5
Control: 9.0
Fun: 8.5
This is way better than Great Football. Having that said, lets begin with the review. You can choose from all the teams availabe at that time (1988-1989), and you can change your team's jersey color. Then you get to choose if you want to play with agaisnt a friend or the computer. You can set the length of each quarter by choosing 5 or 15 minutes, real time or running time. The game lets you participate in the playoffs, or in a monday night game. The game has good graphics, and the sound is above average. The game has different plays, in which you can pass, run, try for a field goal, or return the ball. The gameplay is good, but what I don't like is that when you're on the defense you can not change the [ ] mark of the player you're using. Aside from that, this is a very good game, if you like football that is. It has a password feature, so you can save your playoffs, or your monday night game stats. This is the game to get if you want a football game for your SMS. Stay away from Great football or Joe Montana.
Graphics: 9.0
Sound: 8.5
Control: 8.0
Fun: 8.5
This game requires you to make choices according to the answers you get from people you meet. You have to chase Carmen's gang in order for you to catch her. The graphics are average, and the sound is ok. This game is fun to play because of all the choices you have to make, in order to trap a bad guy.
Graphics: 8.0
Sound: 8.0
Control: 7.5
Fun: 8.0
This game is similar to Adventure Island is for the NES, but I like Wonder Boy much better than Adventure Island. It looks really similar to the arcade game, and brings back great memories, when I used to play the arcade version in 1988-1989 at a mall. This game and Outrun made want to have a SMS. Ten years later, I've finally found the SMS version. You're a caveman who has to rescue your girlfriend, who has been kidnapped. The graphics in this game are good, although, the backgrounds are repetitive throughout the game. The sound is average, and the control is good. I like this game a lot. The game has a continue option.
Graphics: 8.5
Sound: 8.0
Control: 8.0
Fun: 8.5
This is one of the best games for the SMS. You have to finish 12 levels in order to defeat the dragon and finish the game. This time around, the game combines action and some RPG elements. You can buy boots, shields, potions, and other stuff. The game has great graphics, in fact, when I saw this game back in 1989, I fell in love with the SMS. The sound is good, but the combination of great graphics and gameplay is what makes it an excellent game. Do not miss the chance to play this game.
Graphics: 9.5
Sound: 8.5
Control: 9.0
Fun: 10
This game has good graphics, although the sprites are a bit small. The sound is good. The game is fun to play, even though the way you fight is a little strange at first. Good game .Has a save feature.
Graphics: 8.5
Sound: 850
Control: 9.0
Fun: 9.5
This game was my first 3-D game. It's pretty simple, but I like it. The graphics are good, and in 3-D mode it's better. The sound is average. This game is a good one, if you have the 3-D glasses. Has 2-D mode.
Graphics: 8.0
Sound: 8.0
Control: 8.0
Fun: 8.5
Back to the Future 3, is a far better sequel to the awful BTTF2. I remember being quite excited at the time the game was released, thinking that it would take ages to complete...unfotunately not! From buying the game, it took me about 30 minutes of playing to do so! 3 levels and that's it!! It's a shame, as the game has great graphics and the few levels are very different. The first level involves riding an horse playing as Doc who is chasing after Clara Clayton before she falls to her doom! To do so they is a number of obstacles to duck and jump over. The secound levels involves controlling Marty and throwing pies at Bufford's gang and dodging their bullets. The final level is where you control Doc again... as you try to make it along the top of the train to the delorean and BACK TO THE FUTURE YOU GO! In conclusion BTTF 3 is far too short, but is rather enjoyable all the same.
Rating: ** If only it was longer!
Battle Outrun is the sequel to the great coin-op Outrun, but unfortunately it's no classic. Unlike the 1st game, this is more like Chase HQ, where you have to chase after some bad guys and bash into their car. The game has 9 levels in total where the villain gets more harder to catch. The graphics are okay, but some of the sprites are rather flickery. One thing I like about this game is that you can buy parts for your car and make it into a mean machine!! I've only completed this game twice.....level 7 onwards are pretty tough to say the least! If you like Chase HQ you will probably like Battle Outrun, but Outrun Europa is a far better game.
Rating: ** Ok, but not very original.
Cool Spot is one of my favourite platform games. Cool Spot has to rescue his friends at the end of each level by collecting 50 or more spots. This is not so easy with a range of mice, crabs and even water spitting fish in your way!! The graphics are of a very high standard, the giant deck-chair on the 1st level looks great!!! The action is not just left-right in some platform games, but in all directions. The final level involves floating upwards on balloons!!!! Cool Spot is a challenging game even on easy mode, and with great graphics and music this deserves to be in your Master System collection!
Rating: **** Buy it today, if not sooner!!!
The Lion King marked a new revival for the Master System in 1994, setting new standards in graphics and MS animation! In the game you control Simba the lion cub through ten difficult levels. The lion King has many innovative features which makes it more than just a bog standard platformer. The second level involves Simba swinging from tree to tree, jumping on giraffes heads and swinging from rhino's tails in order to reach branches and not fall into the river. Another example is where you have to avoid being crushed by buffalos, by jumping onto platforms at the right moment. In conclusion the game offers an high challenge and shows what the MS can do, with amazing graphics and excellent music, one go and you'll be hooked!
Rating: **** One of the best ever MS platformers!!!
Olympic Gold is one of my favorite sports sims on the MS. You are able to compete in up to 7 events including Archery, Pole Vault and 110M hurdles. Each event offers a challenge, the diving section is the most difficult and requires a great deal of practice! Although the game play involves a lot of button bashing especially in the running events it's great fun to play on your own or with friends.
Rating: *** GREAT FUN!!!!!
Pit Fighter, before Street Fighter II was one of my favourite arcade games of all time. What a shame, that the Master System version is such rubbish! This may seem a bit O.T.T, but I can assure you that it is one of the worst MS beat em'ups of all time, apart from My Hero. At the start,the game seems quite promising, with three fighters to choose from, all explained to have their own special moves in the manual. But when you get down to the fighting two tiny figures appear on screen, and basically the gameplay involves repeatedly pressing the punch and kick buttons....YAWN!! As for the special moves, you can only use them three times a fight. With ten levels the challenge is quite high, but at the end of the day, there is nothing to keep you interested. Although the game has some nice pictures of the fighters in between levels and the music isn't too bad!!!
Rating: * Pretty crap!
Road Rash was a classic on the Genesis, now it's been
ported down to the Master System. The idea of the game
is to come 4th or better in each of the 5 races of
each level.The better you do the money you win which
can be used to upgrade your bike. The game is not so
easy with the cops after you, as well as other bikers
who are trying to knock you off your bike. Fighting
with your opponents is the most fun, you can kick and
punch them to a pulp or ram them off the road! Each of
the courses are challenging with some tight corners,
if you're not too careful you'll drive into a tree and
get knocked of your bike.If you get caught by the cops
for speeding you'll have to restart the level which
can be annoying at times.
The graphics are pretty good and the in game music is
excellent. This is a difficult game which won't be
completed easily. You'll definitely get value for
money with Road Rash, so get on your leathers, rev up
your bike and get ready for some violent action!!
Rating: **** Excellent!!
This was the final ever MS game to be released in England in 1995, but unfortunately it isn't very good. It is infact a bog standard platformer where you control Speedie in search of his 'chums' who have been kidnapped by Sylvester. Although the graphics and music are ok, the game has some annoying faults. Speedie runs too fast causing you to run into enemy sprites before you can see them. The game does offer a challenge but with such frustrating gameplay, you won't be coming back to this.
Rating: ** A bit Crap!!
Trivial Pursuit is one of my favourite board games of all time with it's tricky questions. When T.P was first released onto the MS I was quite dubious, but playing it, this changed.... On the opening screen, you are able to choose to play the game in a variety of Languages English French German and Spanish. After selecting this, you are shown a smart looking title screen and some great music. The game works surprisingly well. The game has three different types of questions -standard text questions, music questions- where a penguin plays a little piano and you have to guess the song and picture questions-where items are displayed on a projector. The game has great graphics- the T.P board graphics are cool. But this game can only really be played by a group of people..not by yourself. This is because you are asked after each question if you got it right or wrong and by yourself you can CHEAT!!!! The game has over 4,500 questions....which is pretty good considering the size of the cart. In conclusion, the game retains all the fun of the board game and is more effective than Monopoly on the MS.
Rating: **** BUY IT!!!
Wolfchild has to be one of the dullest platformers around. The game consists of 5 boring levels where you jump on platforms, kill the bad guys and collect hearts .DULL!!! The graphics are OK, but they is no in game music which doesn't help.On each level they is a boss to kill, use all your ammo and you have to repeatedly punch them which is rather difficult. Wolfchild offers nothing new to the platform genre, buy The Lion King or Sonic 2 instead.
Rating: * Avoid!!!!!
Ok you've played the awful 16 bit version, now you can battle for the World Cup on the Master System. It's not too bad actually, the game uses a over-head view like the Genesis one, but the players move a lot faster, and are smaller. The graphics are rather flickery especially when a lot of players are on screen. As with the 16 bit version it suffers from limited moves and no fouls or yellow cards are avaliable. The computer players are quite easy to beat with a good team and there's plenty of games to play. The Gameplay often involves a load of button bashing, and becomes boring after a while. Italia '90 is ok to play in small doses, but I'd get Champions Of Europe or Ultimate Soccer instead.
Rating: ** A bit Boring!
World Soccer is one of the earliest soccer games on the MS and it's definitely showing its age. The game offers either a regular match or a penalty kick contest. You can control one of 8 countries including England and Italy. Sadly the computer opponents are rather easy, I won Italy 9-0 when I was Japan!!! The graphics are OK but the music is rather annoying!!! With no tournaments or leagues you will become bored quickly, unless you play on it against a friend.
Rating: ** OK, but offers no real challenge.
Antartica98@yahoo.com
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