Mighty Morphin Power Rangers - The Movie game (Genesis)

I participated in Hi-score contest of DoDonPachi game in some gaming group. In case you don't know what's the game all about, i tell you. It's Cave/Atlus Bullet Hell vertical shooter game. Normally, I don't mind about hectic patterns of bullet. But when i played it to achieve hi-score (by only 1 credit from beginning, of course), it's become hard chore. I mean really hard, like my enjoyment become - 60% toward the game and my soul is corroded each attempt on said contest. Now that it's over, i need treatment to rejuvenate my soul. I'm currently undergo a special treatment of playing games about beating something/someone senseless as many as i want. Yes, it's "Fighting-Action" or "Beat em Up" therapy. So today, i play Banpresto's Mighty Morphin Power Rangers - The Movie game (1995).

I believe all of you know about Mighty Morphin Power Rangers especially from your childhood. It was also aired here, in Indonesia. Naturally, i have bit memory about its premise: group of teenager get power from unnatural being that only in form of head called Gordon to destroy any monster that terrorize their city. Feel free to correct me! The thing is: young me definitely like it while present me don't. That's because my logic dislikes to any Tokusatsu or Sentai setting. For example: why the heroes use the super or sure-kill move to finish the monster after bit brawly action? Why not use it the beginning, saving time and effort? My friend in colleague said that the monster need to be weaken first before the finishing move. My mind can't accept that. The only conclusion that satisfies me (also made by me): the heroes need to fill super meter bar (like in modern Fighting Game) to execute that big move. I digress. I'm sorry. Without further ado, let's hit the 1-player start!

 

I have vague memory about the movie and the game kindly re-tells the story. Like in 101 story design: a malevolent thing name Ivan Ooze got sealed for long long time and then he got free from the seal. The underground seal got broke because a construction yard. That's why you need proper Geo-morphology survey before start any engineering project, people!

 

It's no use crying over spilled milk. It's beating senseless time! You, red ranger. You get the honor of being the first to deploy. No need to be so hyped like that, lad!

 

You have great flexibility, i give you that. As for the standard control: 'A' button for special move that cost sliver of your health. You know the one that attack enemies surround you and knock them back; 'B' button for standard attack; and 'C' button for jumping. If you press the attack button successively, the ranger will performs attack combo. But there's something different about it than other game with same genre: you can attack thin air and you still do the string of the combo. It's like Dynasty Warriors or other Warriors game from Koei Tecmo.

 

You can hold the attack button and release it to execute another special move. In red ranger case, it's forward uppercut slash. Compare to a Capcom's Beat 'em Up game where you have to press down, up and then attack button. This execution is much simpler. But you have to hold the attack button until the ranger is flashing first. But again, it doesn't take long time. It's fairly short time. You can run by tapping either left or right button twice then you can either perform running attack with your weapon by pressing attack button or low-altitude jumping kick by pressing jump button and then attack button.

Of course the enemies do something harmful to you instead of just loitering around. This choking remind me of me playing Dishonored and choking dozens of people into unconscious. Besides that, the oozemen can quickly swipe sword and kick. They can liquefy themselves so they can reposition and render themselves invincible but can't attack you at all. Some may think this could be chance for you to take breather. To me, it's annoying because while doing so they waste your time.  If the timer comes to '0' your health will be slowly drained. But thankfully you have huge health bar. It consist of 3 layers: 1st) Blue; 2nd) Yellow; and 3rd) Red. But beware that once your health is out, you will deplete credit/continue next. No extra live. Anyway, for the first enemy in Beat em Up game, oozeman is (surprisingly) irritating to me.

 

At the end of this stage, i face the very Ivan Ooze himself. Time for first boss fight!

 

...or unskippable cutscene where he incinerates me and then leaves. The selfish coward. That marks the end of this stage.   

Ivan Ooze lays waste on Gordon. That's bold move that Lord Zedd and Rita Repulsa can't either think of or do it. Proving he's legit villain than those two jokers. If i remember correctly, Ivan Ooze traps them in small snow globe thus explaining their state in left-bottom picture. By the way, the picture goes monochrome when it has been explained by the narration which is nice touch on storytelling. Here's the summary: Ivan destroy Gordon thus making rangers powerless then they're sent to some planet to find the -so called- master warrior to find way to regain their power. By the way, lass in green bikini is the master warrior. If i remember correctly, one of the ranger doubt her as the master warrior (it's one of the guys but who's exactly i forget). I can understand his doubtness, though. With cloth made by ivy or leaves like that, she's more appropriate as female version of Tarzan instead.

 

The rangers have to travel to the temple to gain new power (but not new color uniform :P) . The master warrior gave them sparkle of ninja magic to aid them on their journey. Meanwhile Ivan Ooze enslaved all adults in Angel Grove and make them excavate his giant monster: Scorpitron and Hornitron. The rangers made it to the temple and get new power they do. After that they get back to Angel Grove and fight Ivan Ooze and his monsters. I like to point out that the game don't make you to play as the rangers (that in state of normal human) while they're struggling on their arduous journey. Saving us and Banpresto for the trouble.   

 

Before we fight the giant monsters, we have to deal with the oozemen first. Luckily, some (hopefully) adult drive car and hit any stupid oozeman who don't know a thing about modern traffic. Every beginning of a stage you can choose other ranger so you don't need to feel left someone out in the rangers. You can be all of them!  

 

"We need a hero" says the neon sign. Well, here i am. Dealing with the oozemen by throwing my sai. It looks small but you can hit enemies that are clumped together like this.   

 

Now that streets are clear from oozemen. It's time to deal with the giant monster. You got 2 robots to choose: Ninja Megazord or Tommy's Falconzord. I choose the former and there's scene where the robots perform unification or in Japanese called Gattai.

The tiger become its torso. Amazing! The frog become its hip/crotch part. Eeeyuck!

 

While in giant robot, you can't perform jump instead you block attack that can deny any damage from enemy's attack.

 

Except from throw/grapple move like this. You know Rugal from King of Fighter game where he snatch his opponent, run across the screen, and then slam him/her to the wall. That's quite what happen here except stiffer and jankier.

 

You can't do running too. If you press either left or right button twice, you will perform forward attack. No need to press attack button after that. In this case, Ninja Megazord do small distance of Ryu's/Ken's Whirlwind kick. Neat. What so neat is the special move that cost health: sword slashing. Lame even.

 

After that giant battle, Aisha, Rocky and Adam have a flashback of how they become substitute rangers.

 

The flashback tells that Tommy who once Green Ranger (who used to fight against power rangers) become white ranger. He looks so smug. Fine, you're in!

 

Tommy isn't bad choice. Good even. His special attack is sword slash that emit explosion bursts. And he has cool looking metal vest. While the putty patrol is close to goon in other Beat 'em Up game. I mean it's manly enough to face without turn into moving ooze that can't be punched.

 

The park is not only infested with putty patrols but also with the main monster: S. Sentinel Neck. She's adept at sword like white ranger. I know what comes next (besides other putty patrols), it's other sentinel, right?

 

For some reason there's oil drum in park. But unlike in other Beat 'em Up game (especially Final Fight), you can't punch it to reveal roast meat or other pick up items. You can only throw it around. But still, useful to cleanse this park from this monsters. By the way, there's pick-ups but only dropped by some defeated enemy. The strange thing is: they're coin of animal/dinosaur symbol of Power Rangers! On top of that, it's the initial one such as: Tyrannosaurs, Triceratops, etc. While as you can see, the robots are different. The effects are various: Tyrannosaurus coin gives you additional credit/continue, Triceratops coin replenish your health, Sabretooth coin tops up your score, etc. By the way, you have to punch said coins to take them. No proper picking up animation there. Just punch them!      

 

Unlike other Sentinel, Sentinel Ring has putty patrols to assist her. Because she's coward. Or because she's wizard type that's adept at ranged magic missile. Either way, she's annoying especially when she laughs at you in that pose. You can imagine her laughter will be "Ohohohoho!" like arrogant female character in any Anime. In fact, every Sentinel will do the same if you're knocked down.

 

Of course, this stage isn't gonna be walk in the park (Hah!) as the trio sentinel is all here! They make great teamwork. Two engage me in melee while keeping me from one that can shoots me. It's like the reverse of Rascals! Good thing is you can use one of them as throwing projectile to hurt the wizard type, like this. Sadly, there's no other grapple/throw move except throw away your opponent to left or right like this. But i think it's within Power Range's etiquette rule to not use wrestling move for kid education reason.

 

You know the routine of Power Rangers, right? Once the rangers destroy the monster. The monster will be revived in giant size. Time for giant robot, again!

 

As i choose Thunder Megazord, i have to watch the unification/Gattai of the robots. I can't tell what are animal shape of those yellow robot and blue ones, or at least the difference. They both look like horse to me.

 

This Zord is definitely better than Ninja Megazord as this one doesn't have frog for crotch/groin part.

 

Because you're deprived from jumping here, you will get harder time to move around them. At least you can block their attacks. Just beware of Sentinel's Ear hair choking as it's unblockable.

 

Oh, no! Goldar has kidnapped Adam, Aisha, and Rocky (who aren't substitute ranger, yet). "The Power Ranger must save them before it is too late" say the narration. Let's go, then!

 

As i'm play this game alone, the duty to rescue them is up to Pink Ranger alone. Her arrow shoot is good but Putty Patrol can ducks under it harmlessly. It's bit crouching before jumping kick, if i'm correct. You see that stone that looks like hide hole or something in rightside? You can't break it. But you can break another one besides it to reveal secret passage.    

 

After i get in 2 other secret hole. I discover secret boss: Lord Zedd himself and he burns me with explosion magic!

 

Actually, he takes time unleashing his magic so you can beat his hand first before that happen. Also you can predict the line of explosion of him pretty easily.

 

While the real boss: Goldar is -to be frank- no fun to deal with. Because he can and he will fly around out of your reach, so you waste your time against him. Probably, because i set the difficulty setting to "Hard" that he become selfish jerk like this. Why i did that? To prove how hard can this game be. I thought this game is for young audience not Beat 'em Up connoisseur like me. Yes, i'm arrogant git. Anyway, you have to rely on somersault kick to chip Goldar's health bar. It's performed by jumping attack without moving left or right. After you deplete his health nearly to empty, he flies away and the game finally decides that i win.

 

Despite this cool screenshot of us sword duel. The majority of the battle is still the same: he flies high, i poke him, he stumbles to the ground, repeat. Even though i can't jump, i can still hit him with regular attack. Thank goodness. Again, he flies away instead of fight until death. That saves me time (of draining health), though.

 

Maybe because Billy need to scratch his nose or scalp, the teenager know that he's blue ranger. Proving that eyeglasses doesn't conceal your identity. See this, Superman?

 

The 3 rangers have to attend The International Peace Summit (that's presumably held by U.N). Those 3 teenagers that power rangers rescued will be their replacement, to shut them up about Billy is Blue Ranger. To transfer rangers power to them, we need legendary sword in forbidden planet. You go, Billy! Take full responsibility of your clumsiness!

 

I know that every game of this genre needs to include at least 1 recurring boss. But i've had enough with fighting Goldar and his flying routine. What a nuisance.

 

The rest of this stage after Goldar fight #3, aren't pleasant too. Small meteorites fall down and putty patrols are on the loose. You realize now that taking responsibility is really hard job, huh Billy? Thankfully, the meteorites hurt putty patrols too.

 

At the end of this stage, there's golden statue that you have to break for its sword. Yes, that's the legendary sword that we're looking for. It's in the grip of the statue instead embedded on a stone. The statue -of course- do nothing thus you can considered it as the scrappiest boss of Side Scrolling Beat 'em Up Game history ever. The danger only come from meteorites that come pretty fast. Even that's dangerous enough. Now i know why this planet is forbidden, because it's in the brink of doom! Swarms of meteorite fall down. Its occupants already evacuate to better planet or die trying. You notice that: there's dragon in the back, attacking floating upside down pyramid? I don't know whether that's monster who brink further destruction on this planet or red ranger's dragon robot fights something over there. I have no memory about this stage in related movie, anyway.

 

"Are you sure this will work? Also is it save?"

"Haha! I have no idea!"

 

The future is now? Are you stealing SNK's slogan, Rocky? You trademark-blind sod. Anyway daydreaming is over. Time to face Ivan Ooze!

 

Well, scrap! Bad starter there, me. It seems Ivan Ooze emerged himself with Hornitron & Scorpitron and he's doing very high driver to me. Engineer_helpme01.wav

 

I have to admit that this giant battle this time is boldly difficult. Ivan Ooze has more aggressive moves and he moves more aggressive too. This electrocution and that driver move are unblockable. Still this is way better than fighting the flying coward, Goldar again and again.

 

Few savestates later, i got the gist on this fight, i think. Hit detection on Falconzord's "jab" here is quite loose. It seems i can hit Ivan with it at "sweep" distance. Too long, certainly miss. Too short, also miss and Ivan can beat me swiftly. Maybe if i choose Ninja Megazord, this battle will be much easier. I choose Falconzord instead because of my nostalgia's sake. Either young me is really adept at controlling Falconzord or present me getting suck at it. Or hell, even both are true!

 

After i beat him in earth, we move to this planet. The battle is more or less the same. That Ivan Ooze slashing combo there is end with uppercut slash that remind me of Haohmaru's move (from Samurai Shodown series). Falconzord isn't bad choice, it can do charging fly like this which has more distance than Ninja Megazord's hurricane kick and it shoots projectiles in both its combo finish or special attack. Yep, i like Falconzord allright. After i deplete his health bar, he flies away. Again.

 

Then top score happens. Wait! Come back! There's more in the ending.

 

There's scene where Ninja Megazord (with Falconzord as its wing) fights Ivan Ooze in outer space. They exchange blows in turn but suddenly Halley's Comet interferes! Taking Ivan Ooze with it. Power Ranger win! Hoorraaay!

 

Back to the earth, Power Rangers are being entertained by -the usual joke character- Bulk and Skull. Saying that they did bit of heroic deed and there's possibility of them become honorary Power Rangers. Yes, there's the usual theme music of them here. The End!

 

Gee! Thanks to remind me, game! I'm thinking about having fighting action in real life as part of my "Beat em Up" therapy. But dealing with authority and law is obnoxious, for sure. As part of said therapy, Banpresto's Mighty Morphin Power Rangers - The Movie game (1995) is fairly relaxing even in 'Hard' difficulty setting. Or at least more relaxing than playing bullet hell shmup to achieve hi-score with 1 credit. The musics are bit good if not so gritty. The graphic is quite good with fitted color. The game is quite short, consist of 6 stages that can be finished within an hour. The gameplay is fairly simple yet interesting, fit for young audiance. Especially with combo execution a la Dynasty Warriors. The drawback is fighting with Goldar and those meteorites. Also fighting oozemen can be fairly annoying and unenjoyable. The only difference between rangers is the charged special attack, running attack, and combo finish. I think there's no different in speed or attack power among them. While the difference between Zords is more or less same except for Falconzord who's the enigma among other. But as i've mentioned before, its hit's detection are rather not solid unlike the rest of the game.

If you're diehard fans of Power Ranger, you must certainly play Mighty Morphin Power Rangers - The Movie game (1995) . If not, i still reccomend this game to you especially if you like game of this genre like me. Yes, there's not much complex mechanic on the gameplay but you can control giant robot to fight giant monster in the name of Peace and Justice. What can possibly go wrong?