Jackal (NES, 1988)
Graphics-7.5 Sound-8 Control-8 Challenge-6.5*
Level Design-7 Frustration-7* Fun-7.5* Originality-6
Overall Score-7.5
*1-player
+
Fairly open ended levels that scroll in four directions
2-player coop
Pretty fast paced
Very little slowdown
Upgrade your weapon
8-way targeting (second weapon only)
Respawn on the spot
Some good bosses
Sometimes intense (stage 4)
Level hazards
Destructible background objects
Unlimited continues?
Harder second run?
Decent cutscenes
+/-
One hit kills
Unlimited ammo on both weapons
Easy to rack up lives
-
Loose camera (end up too close to the edge of the screen to react to some hazards)
No in-game counter to tell you how many soldiers you've currrently rescued or how many you left behind
First weapon can only shoot upwards
No sense of urgency while rescuing people (see Choplifter)
No options?
Somewhat uneven difficulty (stage 3 and 4 bosses, stage 4 homing missiles segment)
Only three different weapons (grenade, missile machine gun)
Level Design-7 Frustration-7* Fun-7.5* Originality-6
Overall Score-7.5
*1-player
+
Fairly open ended levels that scroll in four directions
2-player coop
Pretty fast paced
Very little slowdown
Upgrade your weapon
8-way targeting (second weapon only)
Respawn on the spot
Some good bosses
Sometimes intense (stage 4)
Level hazards
Destructible background objects
Unlimited continues?
Harder second run?
Decent cutscenes
+/-
One hit kills
Unlimited ammo on both weapons
Easy to rack up lives
-
Loose camera (end up too close to the edge of the screen to react to some hazards)
No in-game counter to tell you how many soldiers you've currrently rescued or how many you left behind
First weapon can only shoot upwards
No sense of urgency while rescuing people (see Choplifter)
No options?
Somewhat uneven difficulty (stage 3 and 4 bosses, stage 4 homing missiles segment)
Only three different weapons (grenade, missile machine gun)