Rolling Thunder 3 (MD)
Graphics-6.5 Sound-7.5 Control-7 Challenge-7.5 Story-5.5
Level Design-7 Frustration-8 Fun-7 Originality-5
Overall Score-7
+ Choose between nine alternate weapons before each stage (you can only them for one level each though), improved variation (adds autoscrolling vehicle sections to the mix), respawn on the spot until using a credit, you can sometimes switch alternate weapons during a level (there's no inventory though and you still waste the one you picked before starting the level), simply touching an enemy usually doesn't hurt you, somewhat destructible environment (can't burn wooden boxes though), password save, unlockable hard mode (risky)
+/- Can't move while shooting (can jump), the enemy starts using snipers if you take too long to finish a level (no timer showing when this happens, at least you don't die like in the previous game), small sprites, limited ammo (when at zero for the main weapon your shots are slower and rate of fire gets very low), no bosses in most levels, sometimes stupid AI (it can kill itself in comical ways though), unlimited continues?, the airplane level could've been more interesting if enemies took hostages and you had to land the plane afterwards or something
- Limited jump height control (high or very high), can't fire alternate weapons while jumping (makes sense with heavier weapons though), can't shoot directly up or down (or diagonally downwards), can't jump forward for half a second after shooting, can't move while crouching, somewhat frustrating bike segment (one hit deaths from touching other bikes, cheap traps that you need to memorize), somewhat lacking art direction and use of color overall, scratchy sfx and voice samples overall, worse cutscenes overall (less interesting dialogue (they get better towards the end though), the characters and scenes aren't drawn as well), sometimes no sfx when an enemy dies, easy second (the robot "horse man") and third (green dude) bosses, rehashes most of its ideas from the prequel, can't use your previously selected alternate weapon during the plane level, somewhat tedious final boss (second form - takes too long to kill with the gun)
Old:
Graphics-7.5 Sound-8 Control-7.5 Challenge-8 Story-6
Level Design-7 Frustration-8 Fun-7.5 Originality-6
Overall Score-7.5
+ Well sized arsenal of weapons, quite fast gameplay, decent cutscenes, bumping into enemies won't hurt you, improved controls (you can shoot in mid-air, shoot diagonally, and choose to stay behind a door until the right time), adds a lifebar, secret sections, hidden character, password save
- Somewhat repetitive, no 2-player, easy to pick up an unwanted weapon, autoscrolling levels are a bit bland, you need to unlock new difficulty modes, somewhat uneven presentation
Level Design-7 Frustration-8 Fun-7 Originality-5
Overall Score-7
+ Choose between nine alternate weapons before each stage (you can only them for one level each though), improved variation (adds autoscrolling vehicle sections to the mix), respawn on the spot until using a credit, you can sometimes switch alternate weapons during a level (there's no inventory though and you still waste the one you picked before starting the level), simply touching an enemy usually doesn't hurt you, somewhat destructible environment (can't burn wooden boxes though), password save, unlockable hard mode (risky)
+/- Can't move while shooting (can jump), the enemy starts using snipers if you take too long to finish a level (no timer showing when this happens, at least you don't die like in the previous game), small sprites, limited ammo (when at zero for the main weapon your shots are slower and rate of fire gets very low), no bosses in most levels, sometimes stupid AI (it can kill itself in comical ways though), unlimited continues?, the airplane level could've been more interesting if enemies took hostages and you had to land the plane afterwards or something
- Limited jump height control (high or very high), can't fire alternate weapons while jumping (makes sense with heavier weapons though), can't shoot directly up or down (or diagonally downwards), can't jump forward for half a second after shooting, can't move while crouching, somewhat frustrating bike segment (one hit deaths from touching other bikes, cheap traps that you need to memorize), somewhat lacking art direction and use of color overall, scratchy sfx and voice samples overall, worse cutscenes overall (less interesting dialogue (they get better towards the end though), the characters and scenes aren't drawn as well), sometimes no sfx when an enemy dies, easy second (the robot "horse man") and third (green dude) bosses, rehashes most of its ideas from the prequel, can't use your previously selected alternate weapon during the plane level, somewhat tedious final boss (second form - takes too long to kill with the gun)
Old:
Graphics-7.5 Sound-8 Control-7.5 Challenge-8 Story-6
Level Design-7 Frustration-8 Fun-7.5 Originality-6
Overall Score-7.5
+ Well sized arsenal of weapons, quite fast gameplay, decent cutscenes, bumping into enemies won't hurt you, improved controls (you can shoot in mid-air, shoot diagonally, and choose to stay behind a door until the right time), adds a lifebar, secret sections, hidden character, password save
- Somewhat repetitive, no 2-player, easy to pick up an unwanted weapon, autoscrolling levels are a bit bland, you need to unlock new difficulty modes, somewhat uneven presentation
