3D World-Runner (NES, 1987)
Graphics-7.5 Sound-7 Control-6.5 Challenge-8.5 Story-4
Level Design-5.5 Frustration-9.5 Fun-6/5* Originality-6.5
Overall Score-5.5
*Level 7 onwards
+
Fairly smooth sprite scaling
Some creative mechanics (3D shooter/platformer hybrid (can steer in mid-air while jumping, turns into Space Harrier for the boss fights), acceleration controls (need to accelerate to cross larger pits, After Burner), bounce on certain enemies like in later Mario games)
Shield/HP power up and a single health upgrade (can take up to three hits only)
Temporary invincibility (very short duration though)
Bonus levels (collect the balloon)
Unlockable hard mode (the code is shown after beating it on normal)
+/-
Collide with pillars to find power ups - kinda strange and ruins flow
Time limited levels with checkpoints like in Outrun
Fairly long levels
Levels loop on the x-plane - see Space Harrier
Your weapon doesn't carry over to the next level
Have to use a code to continue - seems you can do this over and over though
-
A few control issues (kinda high default jump height, no auto-fire, too hard to hit the springs making a lot of jumps over pits very hard from level 3 onwards - they're often placed so you can make the jumps in succession if you don't accelerate or decelerate however this makes your jumps very slow (also have to do this to collect mid-air stars at various points), too hard to bounce on the pillars in level 6)
Heavy trial & error (have to bounce on fire pillars at some points, enemies that linger on screen and chase you after passing them, what items do, some pits reach further than you can see but the game still shows the other side from when you start jumping, some enemy patterns, mushrooms are poisonous on the console with SMB on it, some springs are traps, some stars make you unable to slow down)
Gets a lot harder after level 6 - can't slow down for some segments and at level 7 you're constantly at max speed
Kinda short draw distance for the sprites
Hard to grab mid-air stars as they disappear before it seems like they should
Kinda Slow transitions between levels and when exiting a bonus level
Gets repetitive after a few levels (various level segments, near identical first and second bosses (same with the third-eighth - they just get faster) - the game also starts spawning more of each boss the further you go (up to 5 in one fight for the eighth one!) making the fights rather repetitive)
No alternate weapons
No story in-game
Level Design-5.5 Frustration-9.5 Fun-6/5* Originality-6.5
Overall Score-5.5
*Level 7 onwards
+
Fairly smooth sprite scaling
Some creative mechanics (3D shooter/platformer hybrid (can steer in mid-air while jumping, turns into Space Harrier for the boss fights), acceleration controls (need to accelerate to cross larger pits, After Burner), bounce on certain enemies like in later Mario games)
Shield/HP power up and a single health upgrade (can take up to three hits only)
Temporary invincibility (very short duration though)
Bonus levels (collect the balloon)
Unlockable hard mode (the code is shown after beating it on normal)
+/-
Collide with pillars to find power ups - kinda strange and ruins flow
Time limited levels with checkpoints like in Outrun
Fairly long levels
Levels loop on the x-plane - see Space Harrier
Your weapon doesn't carry over to the next level
Have to use a code to continue - seems you can do this over and over though
-
A few control issues (kinda high default jump height, no auto-fire, too hard to hit the springs making a lot of jumps over pits very hard from level 3 onwards - they're often placed so you can make the jumps in succession if you don't accelerate or decelerate however this makes your jumps very slow (also have to do this to collect mid-air stars at various points), too hard to bounce on the pillars in level 6)
Heavy trial & error (have to bounce on fire pillars at some points, enemies that linger on screen and chase you after passing them, what items do, some pits reach further than you can see but the game still shows the other side from when you start jumping, some enemy patterns, mushrooms are poisonous on the console with SMB on it, some springs are traps, some stars make you unable to slow down)
Gets a lot harder after level 6 - can't slow down for some segments and at level 7 you're constantly at max speed
Kinda short draw distance for the sprites
Hard to grab mid-air stars as they disappear before it seems like they should
Kinda Slow transitions between levels and when exiting a bonus level
Gets repetitive after a few levels (various level segments, near identical first and second bosses (same with the third-eighth - they just get faster) - the game also starts spawning more of each boss the further you go (up to 5 in one fight for the eighth one!) making the fights rather repetitive)
No alternate weapons
No story in-game