Black Tiger (ARC, 1987)
Graphics-7.5 Sound-7 Control-7 Challenge-7.5 Story-5
Level Design-7 Frustration-7 Fun-7 Originality-6
Overall Score-7
+
Minor RPG elements (save petrified sages by touching them and some will open a shop where you can upgrade your armor and weapon, some will give advice about the game mechanics, some will give extra time and some will give money, status effects (countered by buying/finding potions))
Hidden items
Fast paced and fairly intense at times
Somewhat better jump controls than in Ghosts 'n Goblins (a very similar earlier game by Capcom)
"Tree" climbing (see Mystical Ninja or Ninja Gaiden (GG))
Some large sprites
Difficulty options (affects shop prices and enemy hp (?))
Initially good enemy variety
Start with up to 7 lives
Fairly frequent checkpoints
Some alternate paths (dungeons)
Smart bombs (they detonate when touched, usually placed in useful spots though)
Arremer cameo
Some engrish
Respawning shop before the final boss
+/-
Time limit
Small sprites overall
No other special attacks
Need keys to unlock treasure chests (fairly cheap and common though)
Unlimited continues?
Can't move while attacking
Arrows telling you where to go or where an exit door is (they are somewhat helpful but don't fit the setting at all)
Sometimes random money drops from enemies? (or there's a certain timing to it, can make a big difference)
The hit detection takes some getting used to (some enemies don't have collision right away, items have small hitboxes)
Most enemies stay dead after you die (you also keep your current weapon)
-
No jump height or length control (you also fall straight down when walking off a ledge)
Trial & error (some blind jumps, some attacks take much more HP/armor than others, traps and ambushes everywhere, boss patterns)
Somewhat repetitive (repeats a couple of bosses and many enemies, repeats advice, backgrounds as well)
The money reward from the sage doesn't scale (always 100), a bit short (8 stages)
Some useless advice
No alternate weapons
Some bland backgrounds with mostly black in them
Some annoying sfx (mostly high pitched PSG stuff while the music is in FM)
Inconsistent jump physics when next to a wall and jumping towards it
Some very resilient enemies on difficulties around 'normal' (breaks flow a bit)
No use for your shield
Money drops can get stuck inside walls
Cheap hit at the end of stage 7 (falling boulder right when you’re jumping between climbable walls)
Comment in Swedish:
Det här är ännu en titel som kändes given att porta till t.ex. MD då det i princip är ett konsolifierat Ghosts 'n Goblins. Ett bra spel, som hade kunnat bli riktigt bra om den inledande variationsrikedomen hållit i sig hela vägen. En kul detalj är att karaktären går från vit till svart (alternativt kraftigt solbränd) i slutet.
Level Design-7 Frustration-7 Fun-7 Originality-6
Overall Score-7
+
Minor RPG elements (save petrified sages by touching them and some will open a shop where you can upgrade your armor and weapon, some will give advice about the game mechanics, some will give extra time and some will give money, status effects (countered by buying/finding potions))
Hidden items
Fast paced and fairly intense at times
Somewhat better jump controls than in Ghosts 'n Goblins (a very similar earlier game by Capcom)
"Tree" climbing (see Mystical Ninja or Ninja Gaiden (GG))
Some large sprites
Difficulty options (affects shop prices and enemy hp (?))
Initially good enemy variety
Start with up to 7 lives
Fairly frequent checkpoints
Some alternate paths (dungeons)
Smart bombs (they detonate when touched, usually placed in useful spots though)
Arremer cameo
Some engrish
Respawning shop before the final boss
+/-
Time limit
Small sprites overall
No other special attacks
Need keys to unlock treasure chests (fairly cheap and common though)
Unlimited continues?
Can't move while attacking
Arrows telling you where to go or where an exit door is (they are somewhat helpful but don't fit the setting at all)
Sometimes random money drops from enemies? (or there's a certain timing to it, can make a big difference)
The hit detection takes some getting used to (some enemies don't have collision right away, items have small hitboxes)
Most enemies stay dead after you die (you also keep your current weapon)
-
No jump height or length control (you also fall straight down when walking off a ledge)
Trial & error (some blind jumps, some attacks take much more HP/armor than others, traps and ambushes everywhere, boss patterns)
Somewhat repetitive (repeats a couple of bosses and many enemies, repeats advice, backgrounds as well)
The money reward from the sage doesn't scale (always 100), a bit short (8 stages)
Some useless advice
No alternate weapons
Some bland backgrounds with mostly black in them
Some annoying sfx (mostly high pitched PSG stuff while the music is in FM)
Inconsistent jump physics when next to a wall and jumping towards it
Some very resilient enemies on difficulties around 'normal' (breaks flow a bit)
No use for your shield
Money drops can get stuck inside walls
Cheap hit at the end of stage 7 (falling boulder right when you’re jumping between climbable walls)
Comment in Swedish:
Det här är ännu en titel som kändes given att porta till t.ex. MD då det i princip är ett konsolifierat Ghosts 'n Goblins. Ett bra spel, som hade kunnat bli riktigt bra om den inledande variationsrikedomen hållit i sig hela vägen. En kul detalj är att karaktären går från vit till svart (alternativt kraftigt solbränd) i slutet.