High Seas Havoc (MD, 1993)
Graphics-8 Sound-7.5 Control-7 Challenge-8 Story-5.5
Level Design-7.5 Frustration-8 Fun-7 Originality-5.5
Overall Score-7
+
Some nice effects (title screen sky, some backgrounds), Decent intro, Very good animation, Nice boss introductions or sometimes deaths
Pretty good art direction (similar to Sparkster or Sonic)
Difficulty options (normal-very hard)
Good hazard variety overall (especially level 1)
Speed upgrade power up (minor boost)
Some interesting level gimmicks (boulder chase, fire extinguisher to clear the path while being chased, arrow platforms that drop down after moving a bit) and enemies (mice that throw napalm and run away)
Some off the main path/hidden items
Some large and detailed sprites
Pretty good bosses overall (they either have 2-3 patterns or some escalation) and good final boss (two phases with two patterns each)
Alternate paths through some levels
Impressive music in some ways (strings, brass, synth bass, harp)
+/-
Mid-level checkpoints
Can jump on enemies to kill them+can bounce on enemies to reach higher
Pretty easy to rack up extra lives (100 diamonds=1 life)
No block or dodge moves
Some instant death hazards such as the spike ball at the beginning of level 2 - invincibility time after taking a hit won't protect you from them
Can't attack again after bouncing
Borrows some enemies from Sonic (chasers, hovering enemies with spike ball shields) and perhaps the chase level from Kid Chameleon and the second snow level's music is based on a track from FF4
Can't roll nor slide down slopes (Mario/Sonic)
The boots don't carry over between levels
Infinite continues
-
Easy mode is just a training mode which ends after the fireball chase level
Some control/interface issues (overly floaty movement control - keep moving for several steps after letting go of the d-pad, can't attack horizontally without jumping first - breaks flow or causes cheap hits in some situations, can't attack after bouncing on something/someone, if you attack right before landing then the attack is canceled - see Zelda 2 for example, temporarily lose control from some animations playing when hit with certain attacks, pretty big knockback when taking a hit, sometimes unforgiving hit detection when using the jump attack making you get hit instead, some delay before you can crouch if you're moving at full speed)
Some trial & error (leaps of faith - can't look up/down (occasionally into instant death hazards), some unkillable enemies like the fire guy in level 3, some enemies punish you for going fast unless you've memorized the levels, the fast and small bird enemies - these also respawn until killed, some cheap enemy spawning points in the frozen palace (ice factory) level)
Kinda scratchy voice samples and some orchestral hits sound slightly off key
No save or password save
Kinda spongy bosses on Normal
No alternate attacks, attack upgrades or interesting power ups beyond the boots
Difficulty spikes at the white wolf boss and final boss
Some tedious parts (the mole boss makes you wait for too long between periods where you can hit him, the frozen palace, ant platforms+bats part in the second to final level, too much waiting during the white wolf boss fight as well)
Notes:
-PAL version skips the first level for some reason
Level Design-7.5 Frustration-8 Fun-7 Originality-5.5
Overall Score-7
+
Some nice effects (title screen sky, some backgrounds), Decent intro, Very good animation, Nice boss introductions or sometimes deaths
Pretty good art direction (similar to Sparkster or Sonic)
Difficulty options (normal-very hard)
Good hazard variety overall (especially level 1)
Speed upgrade power up (minor boost)
Some interesting level gimmicks (boulder chase, fire extinguisher to clear the path while being chased, arrow platforms that drop down after moving a bit) and enemies (mice that throw napalm and run away)
Some off the main path/hidden items
Some large and detailed sprites
Pretty good bosses overall (they either have 2-3 patterns or some escalation) and good final boss (two phases with two patterns each)
Alternate paths through some levels
Impressive music in some ways (strings, brass, synth bass, harp)
+/-
Mid-level checkpoints
Can jump on enemies to kill them+can bounce on enemies to reach higher
Pretty easy to rack up extra lives (100 diamonds=1 life)
No block or dodge moves
Some instant death hazards such as the spike ball at the beginning of level 2 - invincibility time after taking a hit won't protect you from them
Can't attack again after bouncing
Borrows some enemies from Sonic (chasers, hovering enemies with spike ball shields) and perhaps the chase level from Kid Chameleon and the second snow level's music is based on a track from FF4
Can't roll nor slide down slopes (Mario/Sonic)
The boots don't carry over between levels
Infinite continues
-
Easy mode is just a training mode which ends after the fireball chase level
Some control/interface issues (overly floaty movement control - keep moving for several steps after letting go of the d-pad, can't attack horizontally without jumping first - breaks flow or causes cheap hits in some situations, can't attack after bouncing on something/someone, if you attack right before landing then the attack is canceled - see Zelda 2 for example, temporarily lose control from some animations playing when hit with certain attacks, pretty big knockback when taking a hit, sometimes unforgiving hit detection when using the jump attack making you get hit instead, some delay before you can crouch if you're moving at full speed)
Some trial & error (leaps of faith - can't look up/down (occasionally into instant death hazards), some unkillable enemies like the fire guy in level 3, some enemies punish you for going fast unless you've memorized the levels, the fast and small bird enemies - these also respawn until killed, some cheap enemy spawning points in the frozen palace (ice factory) level)
Kinda scratchy voice samples and some orchestral hits sound slightly off key
No save or password save
Kinda spongy bosses on Normal
No alternate attacks, attack upgrades or interesting power ups beyond the boots
Difficulty spikes at the white wolf boss and final boss
Some tedious parts (the mole boss makes you wait for too long between periods where you can hit him, the frozen palace, ant platforms+bats part in the second to final level, too much waiting during the white wolf boss fight as well)
Notes:
-PAL version skips the first level for some reason