Super Smash TV (SNES, 1992)
Graphics-6 Sound-7 Control-7.5 Challenge-8*
Level Design-6.5 Frustration-8.5* Fun-6.5* Originality-6
Overall Score-6.5
*1-player
+
Fast paced overall
2-player co-op
Secret rooms (find all ? symbols to get to the hidden final stage?)
Difficulty options (easy-hard)
Interesting theme (reality tv/gladiators taken to the dystopian extreme)
Controls work pretty well given the limitations (strafing, arcade game had double stick controls)
A few alternate paths
Smart bombs (random chance to get them)
+/-
Stereotypically aimed at men (collect bikini babes as a power up by reaching the hidden "pleasure dome" room, no playable female characters)
-
Overly resilient bosses
Very repetitive
Randomized power ups and power up spawning positions (can lead to much harder or easier parts depending on what you get, power ups ending up under bosses so you can't reach them)
Somewhat inconsistent hit detection
Final boss is very similar to the first one
Hard to spot the shrapnel from the fat exploding enemies
Score/life counter gets in the way somewhat
Notes:
-4 Stages (more like 3 and a half)
-Arcade port
Level Design-6.5 Frustration-8.5* Fun-6.5* Originality-6
Overall Score-6.5
*1-player
+
Fast paced overall
2-player co-op
Secret rooms (find all ? symbols to get to the hidden final stage?)
Difficulty options (easy-hard)
Interesting theme (reality tv/gladiators taken to the dystopian extreme)
Controls work pretty well given the limitations (strafing, arcade game had double stick controls)
A few alternate paths
Smart bombs (random chance to get them)
+/-
Stereotypically aimed at men (collect bikini babes as a power up by reaching the hidden "pleasure dome" room, no playable female characters)
-
Overly resilient bosses
Very repetitive
Randomized power ups and power up spawning positions (can lead to much harder or easier parts depending on what you get, power ups ending up under bosses so you can't reach them)
Somewhat inconsistent hit detection
Final boss is very similar to the first one
Hard to spot the shrapnel from the fat exploding enemies
Score/life counter gets in the way somewhat
Notes:
-4 Stages (more like 3 and a half)
-Arcade port