Power Blade (NES, 1991)
Graphics-7 Sound-8 Control-7.5 Challenge-7 Story-5
Level Design-7 Frustration-7 Fun-7 Originality-5
Overall Score-7
+
Mixes Contra and Metroid style gameplay
Pretty good variety
Some good bosses
Upgradeable weapon (three boomerangs, longer range)
Smart bombs (grenades which can be kept in an inventory for later use)
Energy tanks
Shows the bosses' lifebars
Difficulty options (normal or expert - knockback and less time on expert)
One nice cutscene
Choose your own path (level hub map similar to Mega Man or Thunder Force III)
Suit upgrade (lets you take 3 extra hits, strong wave beam attack)
Eight way targeting (need to jump to shoot downwards)
Good mid-air control
+/-
Exploration based/maze levels (need to find an agent in each level who'll give you an ID card that unlocks the boss room)
The agents' sprites look almost identical to the player sprite (except for the female agent)
No knockback on Normal
Time limits (pretty forgiving on Normal)
You can move through a wall in sector 2 (skipping part of the path to the boss)
Can't shoot downwards while on a ladder
Spikes kill instantly
Instant off screen enemy respawning (makes backtracking and exploration more challenging but it can be tedious to kill the same enemies several times)
Enemies can't shoot through walls while you can (in the power suit)
The suit is a bit overpowered
-
Can't move while crouching (your character stands up and walks like in Contra)
Small delay when landing after falling from a certain height
Non-interconnected levels (falling down to where there's a screen below kills you - even when dropping down from a ladder)
No maps
No alternate main weapon
Backtracking (pretty severe in sector 2)
Somewhat slow movement considering the running animation and you can't upgrade or get slide/dodge moves
Some cheap hits (ambushing flying enemies, cheap placements around ladders and small platforms, etc.)
Some trial & error (finding your way around, boss patterns)
Can't speed up text or level completion scenes
Easy sector 3-5 bosses
Easy final area with some dead space
Uneven spritework (so-so looking cutscenes overall)
Level Design-7 Frustration-7 Fun-7 Originality-5
Overall Score-7
+
Mixes Contra and Metroid style gameplay
Pretty good variety
Some good bosses
Upgradeable weapon (three boomerangs, longer range)
Smart bombs (grenades which can be kept in an inventory for later use)
Energy tanks
Shows the bosses' lifebars
Difficulty options (normal or expert - knockback and less time on expert)
One nice cutscene
Choose your own path (level hub map similar to Mega Man or Thunder Force III)
Suit upgrade (lets you take 3 extra hits, strong wave beam attack)
Eight way targeting (need to jump to shoot downwards)
Good mid-air control
+/-
Exploration based/maze levels (need to find an agent in each level who'll give you an ID card that unlocks the boss room)
The agents' sprites look almost identical to the player sprite (except for the female agent)
No knockback on Normal
Time limits (pretty forgiving on Normal)
You can move through a wall in sector 2 (skipping part of the path to the boss)
Can't shoot downwards while on a ladder
Spikes kill instantly
Instant off screen enemy respawning (makes backtracking and exploration more challenging but it can be tedious to kill the same enemies several times)
Enemies can't shoot through walls while you can (in the power suit)
The suit is a bit overpowered
-
Can't move while crouching (your character stands up and walks like in Contra)
Small delay when landing after falling from a certain height
Non-interconnected levels (falling down to where there's a screen below kills you - even when dropping down from a ladder)
No maps
No alternate main weapon
Backtracking (pretty severe in sector 2)
Somewhat slow movement considering the running animation and you can't upgrade or get slide/dodge moves
Some cheap hits (ambushing flying enemies, cheap placements around ladders and small platforms, etc.)
Some trial & error (finding your way around, boss patterns)
Can't speed up text or level completion scenes
Easy sector 3-5 bosses
Easy final area with some dead space
Uneven spritework (so-so looking cutscenes overall)