Tuesday, February 23, 2010

SPC Quickies - Volume Six: SEGA All-Stars

Once again as if the vast posts didn't state it enough, Sonic and SEGA All-Stars Racing is due out today, and to celebrate I'm doing quickies on five classic SEGA games. Which games will I be playing? There's only one way to find out! Once again, here's how Quickies are scored:

5 - Fantastic

4 - Great

3 - Fair

2 - Poor

1 - Awful

===

Sonic the Hedgehog


Before the blue blur hit the Genesis around the midpoint of the console's life, a little boy named Alex Kidd was SEGA's main mascot. Ditching the dude for someone with more 'tude, Sonic the Hedgehog rolled into fruition. Speeding up ramps, down hills, over loop the loops, and bashing Robotnik's badniks in more than six zones, each with three acts apiece. Sonic the Hedgehog was what most older fans want from newer Sonics. The Marble Zone and Spring Act Zone were much more about delicate platforming than they were high speed. At the conclusion of each zone, Sonic faces off against one of the many robotic machines Dr. Robotnik has in his possession. Clever players might even collect one of six Chaos Emeralds to see the best ending the game had to offer. For a fantastic platforming adventure that might be a zone or two too short, Sonic the Hedgehog's your game, and speed's his name!


[SuperPhillip Says: 5/5]

DecapAttack


The hero of Decap Attack has a bit of a problem. You see, he's "a head" of himself. *cue Cryptkeeper cackle* DecapAttack is a 2-D platformer where our mummified hero can punch enemies with his heart, throw his head for a long-range attack, and leap through several themed body part worlds such as El Beau Island. There's also helpful items your mummy can collect to boost his strength, jumping ability, and much more as he progresses through each stage, three of them in each world. Jumping is tight, there's plenty of enemy variety, but many of the worlds happen to look the same which is a problem. Overall, DecapAttack is a great, overlooked platformer from SEGA's illustrious past.

[SuperPhillip Says: 4/5]

Columns



Columns is SEGA's answer to Tetris, and it's one that isn't too bad. There's three difficulty modes to select from, and the goal is simple. Three differently colored blocks fall down in column formations. The idea is to line up three colors either horizontally, vertically, or diagonally. As you earn more points, the columns begin to fall faster. Once they reach the top of the screen, it's game over. I have great memories playing this game with my dad. We'd spend hours lining up blocks, scoring points, and listening to the game's infectious music. While there isn't a lot to Columns, what there is enjoyable enough for puzzle fans far and wide.

[SuperPhillip Says: 3/5]


Golden Axe


Golden Axe is a side-scrolling beat-em-up where you play one of four characters each with different abilities. The game is as linear as you'd expect from the genre, and the different amounts of enemies isn't too terribly high. What kills this game from being at all fun is that Golden Axe is just so horribly clunky and archaic. Your characters move like molasses, the animations are rough, and the game is essentially devoid of worthwhile gameplay. If the revamp, Golden Axe: Beast Rider has shown anything is that this franchise is not golden at all. Perhaps Mediocre Axe would be catchier and fool many less gamers!

[SuperPhillip Says: 1/5]


Ristar


When the citizens of the world are in trouble, they wish upon a star to save them-- Ristar! Developed by Sonic Team, Ristar is a creative 2D platformer where Ristar's main line of attacking and moving through the levels is grabbing various enemies and objects. When Ristar grabs hold of an enemy, he thrusts his body into them to defeat them. When faced with a climbable object such as monkeybars or trees, Ristar can grab onto them and pull or climb himself to safety! Each planet-- the worlds of Ristar-- have two acts followed by a third which is a boss battle. These are just as clever as the game mechanics of Ristar themselves! With vibrant visuals, much melodious music, and an ease of difficulty, Ristar is one game definitely worth checking out.

[SuperPhillip Says: 5/5]


Have a game you want to see get the SPC Quickies treatment? Let everyone know in the comments section! Also, stay tuned for a review of Sonic and SEGA All-Stars Racing sometime next month!

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