Toki (ARC, 1989)
Graphics-7.5 Sound-7.5 Control-7 Challenge-8 Story-6
Level Design-7 Frustration-8.5 Fun-7.5 Originality-6
Overall Score-7.5
+
Some interesting mechanics (jump shoes, springs)
Fun weapons (flamethrower, charge shot)
Interesting art direction
Good bosses
Swimming levels are actually fun
Mini-bosses, difficulty options, very forgiving checkpoints, cart rides, good variation on enemies, somewhat comical, you can increase HP by collecting a helmet, bounce on enemies (used to reach some power ups)
+/-
All power ups are timed (can't keep the helmet for bosses)
No alternate paths or hidden items (just some hard to reach 1-ups)
-
Can't control jump height (makes dodging bullets much harder, especially with jump boots on)
Inconsistent targeting controls (5-way when walking, 8-way when climbing vines, 1-way (forward) when swimming or jumping)
Camera problems (it's good that your field of view is kept at a maximum at most times but when moving to the left/backwards (which you need to do for some enemies) it doesn't adjust itself and you end up very close to the sceen edge)
Can't look up or down
Trial & error (fast flier enemies, enemies that spawn right in front of you/above you, mechanics, bosses)
Slow walking speed, the cart ride section is very memorization heavy (enemies wait at the end of segments when you jump from the track to the ground, jump control is poor), weak music engine (odd because the sound effects use samples), somewhat uneven visual quality, somewhat uneven difficulty (stage 3 and 5 have a couple of tough spots, chameleon enemies), the game limits your continues to 5 after stage 6, no autofire
Level Design-7 Frustration-8.5 Fun-7.5 Originality-6
Overall Score-7.5
+
Some interesting mechanics (jump shoes, springs)
Fun weapons (flamethrower, charge shot)
Interesting art direction
Good bosses
Swimming levels are actually fun
Mini-bosses, difficulty options, very forgiving checkpoints, cart rides, good variation on enemies, somewhat comical, you can increase HP by collecting a helmet, bounce on enemies (used to reach some power ups)
+/-
All power ups are timed (can't keep the helmet for bosses)
No alternate paths or hidden items (just some hard to reach 1-ups)
-
Can't control jump height (makes dodging bullets much harder, especially with jump boots on)
Inconsistent targeting controls (5-way when walking, 8-way when climbing vines, 1-way (forward) when swimming or jumping)
Camera problems (it's good that your field of view is kept at a maximum at most times but when moving to the left/backwards (which you need to do for some enemies) it doesn't adjust itself and you end up very close to the sceen edge)
Can't look up or down
Trial & error (fast flier enemies, enemies that spawn right in front of you/above you, mechanics, bosses)
Slow walking speed, the cart ride section is very memorization heavy (enemies wait at the end of segments when you jump from the track to the ground, jump control is poor), weak music engine (odd because the sound effects use samples), somewhat uneven visual quality, somewhat uneven difficulty (stage 3 and 5 have a couple of tough spots, chameleon enemies), the game limits your continues to 5 after stage 6, no autofire
