Part 1
Let's have fun they said. It will be fun they said. By "they", i mean Active Enterprise LTD and by "have fun", i mean playing Action 52 (1993).
I know this rather infamous game collection from my neighbor. We played it and i thought it was cool. Today i will review it one by one and give it my own rating score. Although the title said 52, there's 51 games in total as the last game is just random pick from those other game. My plan is to break this review into 3 part. That means: 51/3 = 17 games, for each part.
1. Go Bonkers
That red ball looks happy bouncing around the screen so this game supposed to be good, right?
I play as the ball that keep bouncing up and down. I can move it left or right with d-pad. I can break the block which has the same color as the ball. Its default color is green. There's special block on each corner that can change its color according to their color when bump into. For example: left-top block can change the color of the ball into blue. But i have no idea what's that block on bottom-left corner. Let's find out!
It's instant kill. Spy_sf12_badmagic04.wav
Why it's instant kill block when it has symbol of "Plus"? Or maybe it's iron cross. Why not put skull symbol like in other game that marks something lethal to touch? If i like to be harsh, i would say that it's because artist's incapability of doing so. Anyway, touching that block means death. Remember when i say the ball's default color is green? If you turn its color before destroying all the green blocks first, you will meet dead end and that dead block is the only way to restart the level. So i give credit where it's due for that damned block.
Once you clear all the color blocks, you get to erase the blocks with green dot on them which were indestructible blocks before. Erase absolutely everything and you beat the stage. Also you get to see the golden pharaoh's face without any blocks hinder its shine.
This level introduces us with key block that is required to erase that block with keyhole symbol but it's not right away. First you have to change the ball's color into the same color as the key symbol (in this case: yellow), the you can bump the ball into the key block and it will disappear once you done that. What if you accidentally change your color before erasing the locked block? The answer probably you will get in another stuck situation but i haven't experienced that myself. But i'm already stuck with "not clearing the green block first" situation here.
Level 3 called "Wrong Way" and i can see why. If i keep bouncing up and down on starter point i will make a hole into the death box. After that the ball keep dying no matter how hard i drive it out of the way. There's lots of thing new here but i can't be bothered with this game longer. Game over.
Solid concept but the ball moves too slow or the stages way too big. Also no way to change the ball's color back into green except death.
My rating score: 4 / 10
2. Dark Syne
I have no idea what Dark Syne means. It sounds like DC Comic's villain. Oh, wait! That's Darkseid. Nevermind. Amazing title by the way.
I'm in control of that triangle-shaped spaceship. The control is: D-Pad to rotate the ship, "A" button to activate shield and you need to hold it to maintain the shield longer, "B" button to accelerate the ship forward, and lastly "C" button to fire bullet forward. Accelerating and activating shield will drain shield number on top-left corner. This is like Atari's Asteroids only harder. How so? First, the game takes place in closed space and touching wall will outright kills you. Second, limited fuel. Third, the enemy are turrets that can shoot at you as opposed to armless asteroids in that Atari's classic game. Notice that there's no button to break your ship's pace? The game is desperately needs one because it's very cumbersome to decelerate by thrusting in exact opposite direction because early phase of acceleration is simply too weak for the task. Even if you manage to slow your ship accordingly, you will become sitting duck for those turret. If you go too fast, you collide into wall. The goal is simple: destroy every structures on wall including the turrets. As for that "S" and battery icon, i have no idea what they do. I assume one of them will replenish my fuel but i have no solid proof of that.
Next level introduces us with gravity which screw me up so badly. It's already tedious to adjust my speed in previous level and now i must struggle with constant downward force weights on my ship! I try to get to that 1up through that narrow gap but the turret nearby keep shoot me down over and over again until game over.
It's difficult and unfriendly version of Atari's Steroids albeit replace the steroids with stationary turret that ready to kill you. I quite appreciate the concept though. It's just not well executed.
My rating score: 5.5 / 10
3. Dyno Tennis
Here's the first two-player game
on the group. The 1st player is orange dino on top side while the 2nd player is
Barney purple dino on bottom side. The control is: D-pad to move the
dino left or right, and "C" button to swing the (tree) racket. Your
goal is simple punt the caveman into your opponent's field and do that until
9th set. There's no "Out of field" in this game. The caveman will
bounces once he touches left or right wall. Here's the game that makes me
interested the most back in the day. I think there's some factors what makes
this game works well unlike Battle Flip
Shot that takes fairly forever to finish. First, the goal is simple: once
the caveman goes beyond one of dino, the set is finished. Second, the dino
can't slide to reach the caveman just in time so pure positioning is the key.
Third, you can't just park yourself near the caveman to throw him to your
opponent's side as opposed to what happens in Battle Flip Shot. You have to hit him with your swing. I like to
add that there's sensitivity on hitting spot like in Arkanoid or Breakout.
The gameplay is simple yet more working than in Battle Flip Shot. Also cartoon dinosaurs! Can't argue with that! If there's option to enable AI-controlled player to take over 2nd player, the game will be very perfect!
My rating score: 10 / 10
4. Ooze
My goodness! Those beasts look at the title with intense ferocity. Let's get a move on ASAP, shall we?
I have no idea why i'm controlling a bloke with hair and cloth as if made of green ooze. He's disgusting! The control is D-pad to move left or right and crawl, "B" button to jump, and "C" button to shoot some the peashooter gun. Do mind that you can't fire your gun while jumping! It seems, my objective is to get yellow keys that can be found around here.
Then i get crushed by these hydraulic presser. Demoman_paincrticialdeath01.wav
What the freak? I tried to be smart by jumping on the glass tube but apparently there's hollow in center and thus i fall to my death. Heavy_paincrticialdeath01.wav
Then i'm killed by cartoon spring because the camera refuses to move accordingly. Game over.
It's generic platformer game with 1-hit death system and bad camera. Decent jumping mechanism though.
My rating score: 3 / 10
5. Space Ball
Space ball is pinball game with space background. The control is weird: left on D-pad to raise the left flippers, "C" button to raise the right flippers, and "A" button to launch the ball. Use the ball to get those apple and that jerk that constantly gives us the "raspberry"!
There's also cartoon car racer. Welp! My ball goes through that hole skillfully and vanishes.
What the hell? I believe that ball should hit that left flipper but it goes through it nonchalantly. Bad physic!
Even so. I prefer this than Dragon's Fury with unpleasant setting and whatnot.
My rating score: 3.5 / 10
6. Sidewinder
Although this title screen look like made by kindergarten kid. It looks good enough to me.
I'm on F-16 and shooting other planes. The control is D-Pad to move around and "C" button to shoot within that fixed crosshair. There's no projectile within my crosshair. Apparently, my shooting is hitscan. Enemy plane goes down with one shoot, which is nice. To make progress in this game is simple: just survive. Destroying enemies is just bonus stuff to do.
But there's more to it than that. Occasionally, enemies launch missiles at you but you can easily avoid them. My strategy here is: go to the uppermost screen and move left or right accordingly. Enemy aircrafts seldom go there and the missiles most unlikely reach you there. I'm bored. Next game!
 |
| Taito's Sky Destroyer |
This game really reminds me of Taito's Sky Destroyer but not as interesting or much on variety. But at least, the enemy's planes are very much easier to hit.
My rating score: 6 / 10
8. Daytona
This must not be the famous racing game: Sega's Daytona USA. It seems, someone misplace the tire with giant gray donut on title there.
Oh dear! This isn't looking good. The cars are digitized image but in really grainy quality. The controls is: D-Pad to steer left or right, "B" button to change gear between Low or High, and "C" button to accelerate. If you set the gear to High from the starter, your car won't run optimally.
If you get hit by other car. The screen will blinks red. Heavy_sf12_badmagic08.wav
Once you finish the racing, you will be presented with this finance information. It's nice but it disappears too quickly for you to read. Because this screen acts as loading screen, no wonder that it disappears fast. Let me see. My fund is 3,400. To enter next race, i have to pay 500. There's repair cost due to damage on previous race: 56. Also i don't get any prize money from previous race because i'm only end in 16th place. Therefore my money become 2,844. I Take it if my money is ran out, it's game over.
AAAGGH! Too many cars on sharp turn! CRASH! Next game!
It's certainly low-budget race game with eerie noise of screeching wheel whenever your car turns. Also the handling is bad. Pole Position feels definitely better.
My rating score: 3 / 10
9. 15 Puzzle
It's just sliding block puzzle! Plus, the blocks only numbers and not pieces of an interesting image or what have you. Boring and not fun.
My rating score: 1 / 10
9. Sketch
It's free-drawing program. D-Pad to move the drawing pencil. "A" button to change its color. "B" button to change line's weight. "C" button to start drawing. To erase error is quite complicated. You have to cycle the pencil's color into white (which is after black) and overwrite it. Another thing is to place the pencil in place you want is iffy thanks to the bad sensitivity of the pencil. Thanks to that, erasing particular spot become really aggravating. Maybe you expect me to draw male genitalia for this occasion, then you're very wrong. First, This is "Safe For Work" blog site. Second, i have different strange taste for drawing.
Enjoy this picture of burping comical bedbug that wears sunglasses, instead! His name is Tumila ("Bedbug" in Sunda language) in Black A.K.A TIB which is based on my own homemade comic. True fact.
It takes several savestate to draw properly. Music is probably acceptable.
My rating score: 1.5 / 10
10. Star Duel
This game is roughly Game #2 Dark Syne in duel mode. Hit other ship 10 times and you will win a set. First set, you get the most normal situation. Later on, there's gravity on various direction to mix things up and on later set the ships have ability to shoot 3-way bullets.
It's pretty neat concept or i feel like this game is better than Dark Syne.
My rating score: 7 / 10
11. Haunted Hills
Uuuuh. Spooky! I can see someone or something in that window. The title looks promising.
I admit this game also interested me back in the day. It's platformer game with spooky there. The enemies are: giant bat, giant rat, giant crawling hands, and giant spiders. No ghost or anything more supernatural around here for now. The control is D-Pad to move, "B" button to jump, and "C" button to swing the torch. If you played Ghost 'n Goblin / Makaimura game, you probably know that torch is the worst weapon and that also true here whether you throw it or you use it in melee manner. Your torch swing is very short and has miniscule attack duration. So you must swing it in very perfect timing. Your goal is: collect all those small grey-ish pink things (that resemble small ice cream) in entire stage. For example: there's one on most right side of the screen and two below. Be careful that if you fall longer than it should be, you will instantly die like in Game #4 Ooze.
On next stage, there's gargoyle statue that occasionally spits fire. Scout_jeers09.wav
You never get me (directly), death! *Splat*
I believe i get all the gem but apparently i miss some. I try load state to find it but to no avail. This platform is one-way dead [Pun may intended] end. The moving platform doesn't move fast enough to warrant my safety and the Grim Reaper is invulnerable also my jump isn't high enough to get over him. I wish i have that magic potion from Gauntlet Legends. I give up!
Although the game has good theme. It's tedious game to play especially with pitiful attack, instant-death fall, and difficult game objective.
My rating score: 4.5 / 10
12. Alfredo
I'm sorry, dear reader! The game doesn't work at all and i don't think i have time make it works. I can't judge the game if it doesn't work so...
My rating score: 0 / 10
13. Cheetahmen
Everyone. Meet the Cheetahmen, from left to right: Apollo, Hercules, and Aries. Yes, their name based on Greek mythology's famous God (and half-God). Show 'em what you got, lads!
The giant bat from the Game #11 Haunted Hills is back. Punch 'im! The controls is pretty basic. D-pad to move left or right, and climb up or down. "B" button to jump. "C" button to attack. In Hercules' case it's good one-two punch. Your goal is to collect all caged cheetah cubs in entire stage. If you get killed, they're re-captured again and put in same spot. These villains are really hard worker for sure.
Next level, i play as Apollo the
Cheetahman with crossbow. Ability to fire arrows is fine but keep in mind that
they're less powerful than Hercules' punch. Apollo need 3-5 arrows to kill
enemies whereas Hercules only need 1 hit to kill any of them. I forget to say
that Cheetahmen die by 1 hit only. Worth of notice, is that cartoon mosquito
with jet machine that drop cartoon bombs. He's out of place from other enemies
so far who's ranged to giant bat, giant cobra snake, and Rocksteady
rhinoman.
Then there's Hyenaman(?) on left and cartoon green angry creature on right. They're really contrast to each other. By the way, Apollo can shoot through tree like in this situation so his crossbow deserves credit where its due. On next level, i get to play as Aries who's armed with clubs. He swing them faster than Hercules's punch but has minuscule range. At least enemies die by one hit of the club.
Here's one of the cheetah cub and the villains always hide their captives behind bushes. So keep your eyes peeled!
That's it? 3 Stages and it's over. Cm_spy_gamewon_08.mp3
The game is harsh because once you die the cheetah cubs reset thus it requires perfect running to finish it. There's distinct feature between Cheetahmen.
My rating score: 5 / 10
14. Skirmish
Here's the title screen but also the game screen. It's 2 players turn-based game but only in first half of the game. I browse that quote. Apparently, the general attributed it to Plato the Athenian Philosopher. Whether it's from the philosopher or not, it's still debatable.
Each player choose unit from its respective board side and put them on the map. Only 2 unit that allowed to pick for a game set, which feels very restricting as i will explain later. To make things worse. Whether due to emulation error or in-game error, the game immediately choose infantry for each player. Anyway, i manage to pick artillery for 1st player and missile launcher (which is boogie car with missile launcher on top). To commence a battle, move the unit into enemy's unit. Keep in mind that each unit type have different moving range. Infantry has fairly bad movement capability (only up to 2-3 blocks).
Here's the combat phase. The game
shift to real-time action shooter mode. Infantry may has feeble health
armor point and attacking power but he can aim diagonally whereas missile
launcher can't. Men 1 - War Machines 0
On the other hand, artillery (which like winding key in this perspective for some reason) can aim diagonally. Add that to greater armor and firepower, that infantry goes down quickly. To be honest, i only full control the 1st player so that's why the left side keep winning. After this battle, the game demands 2nd player to make a move even though, he doesn't have any more unit on board. The game stuck. So in order to make the match properly finished, each player must pick Headquarter unit, which is besides the infantry on 5th column. It acts as King piece on Chess, besides it only move one block like the majesty itself. The match ends when a unit steps on opposition's HQ unit. So, you see why i said that 2 unit limitation feels very restricting? With the mandatory of HQ pick, your combat unit only limited to 1 unit only! This game probably simulates the lowest-budget war in history!
Despite the bad unit limitation, the game has solid and fun concept. If they fix it, the game will be hot take in genre of Action-Strategy! It could be par of Team Buddies that i love!
My rating score: 8 / 10
15. Depth Charge
This game is like the reverse version of In The Hunt. I take control of HMS Javelin, dropping naval mines on U-boats as opposed to depth charge like in game's title! The control is: D-pad to move left or right and "C" button to drop the naval mine. Of course, the U-boats won't let Javelin bomb them as her pleases. They occasionally fire missiles upward.
Nooooo! Javelin has sunken! TmT
Unlike Game #6 Sidewinder where you get lots of mobility space, Javelin is stuck in one layer of mobility, only. Thus making the game feels more intense than the aircraft ones and to me makes the game more fun.
My rating score: 7 / 10
16. Minds Eye
It's FREAKING MINESWEEPER! The control is: D-pad to move the cursor. "A" button to put the limited guess block (albeit without question mark symbol) and no way to retrieve that guess. "B" button to put Minesweeper flag. "C" button to reveal the selected squares. There's no automatic revealing squares when you reveal a blank square around the same blank squares.
Demoman_specialcompleted12.wav. I'm bad at Minesweeper.
It's goddamn Minesweeper but more tedious thanks to the absence of automatic blanks reveal. No smiley. No explosion effect when hit mine. It's only red square followed by darkening screen.
My rating score: 0.5 / 10
17. Alien Attack
I'm controlling that infantry
from Game #14 Skirmish but with
different uniform a generic nameless space marine. I thought that if i keep
running and shooting on this corner, i'll be safe but apparently not for long
time. The control is: D-Pad to move around. "C" button to fire the
peashooter. For some reason Medusa is treated as space alien. That doesn't feel
correct. Like in Game #6 Sidewinder and
#15 Depth Charge, survive is the sole
key to progress on the game. You can ignore enemies at all if you want.
Oh, look! The Octabrain (from Duke Nukem 3D) joins the fray. Other aliens just mind their own business while Octabrain has the brain [Pun intended] to chase after me. In this 4th level, you will be greeted by these rectangular foreground that may damage your sight. After this stage, the game loops to first stage. I'm done!
The game has rather feeble idea but still fun to play. But watch out for foreground objects on occasion!
My rating score: 6 / 10
