Bionic Battler Reviewed by The Avardancer Size: 2 megabits Save: None Released: 1992 Works with: Works on any Game Boy **************************************************************************** Opening Snide Remarks: Well, I had NEVER heard of this one before.. but I saw it at "GameCo" for $10 and I asked if I could try it out. It's another one of those "Mock-First Person" games that the Game Boy has. You know.. with the First Person 3-D view that you move into and out of.. and umm.. well, I bought it. I collect rare Game Boy games. ^_^ Hmm.. I wonder if it was a good idea to buy this game. After all, it's a First Person "Puncher". Nifty. **************************************************************************** Gameplay Descripion: Hmm... I don't have the instructions, so I don't know the story, etc. BUT, from what I can tell. You can be either a "Valiant" or a "Sirius" robot and you go in to a maze, find and beat up the other team's mechs. I refer to them as "Mechs"; although they are really "Bionic Suits" for the maze. When you find and beat up your opponent.. you get money. :) That's cool. Anyways, you can kill your computer controlled "friends"; but don't do it or you lose. There are five levels and a two player versus/co-op mode with the Game Link Cable. Your basic -and only- weapons are your fists and you missiles. You need to hold down the B button to charge it. Most of the time; you'll find yourself searching for the enemies; because that's the point of the game. Your radar equipment is built to make sure that you can tell where the enemies are if you're being hit; it tells you where you got hit. It's basically, so you do not get lost. To be honest.. this game is fairly shallow; and it's not a "deep" title. It has very little "replay value" in it at all. It does, however, feature five difficulty levels and *gasp* randomly generated mazes. In other words... if you play it again.. the maze will be different and the enemy may or may not be harder to find. That right there saves the game from being dull and monotonous. You can choose between two types of Mechs and you can work on keeping the other mechs on your team alive if you wish too. This game IS fun.. once you get the hang of controlling your Mech. The game has controls similar to Face Ball 2000; where you you push up to go forward and right to turn around, back to reverse without facing backwards, etc. It sounds confusing; but you'll learn it quickly and have a lot of fun with this mindless little time-killer. That's what it is.. it's a TIME-KILLER. It doesn't "need" depth; because it's meant to be "arcadish". You turn it on, you play a few rounds, and then you turn it off. That's the idea. No storyline, no ending, no "point"; but to kill time. And that's okay. It's tough at times as well.. the enemy intelligence is nasty and ruthless. It cleans up in two-player with it's very nice co-op and versus modes. :) Liked: It's fun, and easy to understand, I like nailing a mech with a missile from across the room. ha ha ha It's a combination of punching and shooting ala Tolero Boxer for Virtual Boy and it's fun. The enemies are nasty tough at Level 5. The game is "campy" and it knows it. It's just a great game for wasting your time; which is basically why you play games in the first place.. right? No one plays a game to do somethign "productive"; we play to waste our time and be entertained. And this game does a decent job a both of those. Hated: Hey.. it's "shallow" and the enemies are cheap and can hunt you down in groups.. **************************************************************************** Graphics Description: The mechs look like nice; and the little "warning" graphics that show up when you win, lose, hit a buddy, die, etc.. are very nice. Hmm. the backgrounds are a little "static" at times; but there is no clipping or slowdown. The sprites scroll fairly well and the main gameplay screen looks like the inside of one of the mechs and features maps, a radar, and mroe stuff to prevent you from getting lost. Simple animation in some things; but it works. "Crude but effective". It's funny. :) It looks good on any of the Game Boy systems. Liked: It's a fun game that "looks" 3-D but isn't and it's got enough detail to get by. Hated: Umm... it's not true 3-D.. no Game Boy Color palletes, or Super Game Boy stuff; because it's an OLD game. :) **************************************************************************** Sound/Music Description: The audio is umm.. funny. I'll mention first that the sound effects are appropriate; but are from the sound cache of cliché Game Boy sound effects. The little warning bells are there when something is close to you. (Like another Mech.) Those warning bells are pretty nice and help you out. Now, the music is "campy". The opening track is about 30 seconds long; before it repeats and it reminds me of the musical group "Ben Folds Five". (It's an extravagent piano shaker melody that screams "rock and roll".. Well.. sort of in this case.) In the game there are three "happy" tunes you can choose from.. and guess what they are.. Country and Western, Disco, Japanese,and OFF.. be afraid. You will be VERY afraid. The Country & Western Tune is lively and "red-neck" and it's also about 30 seconds long before it repeats. It's actually quite fun.. although long exposure to it may cause irritation. But.. I think the other mechs will kill you before it gets on your nerves. The Disco one is long as well.. and doesn't really sound like "disco".. it sounds more like an combination of several familiar themes.. it sounds to be ripping off both Face Ball 2000, and Super Mario Bros. Deluxe. And there is a little bit of "Ninja Gaiden" thrown in to that theme for good measure.. It too can get annoying.. but you'll usually die before that happens. The Japanese one is um.. a bit longer and seems to have a lot of flourishes in it. It's one of the better ones and I didn't grow tired of it. And finally.. OFF which is probably your best bet. Liked: The music is long.... Hated: and it can get annoying. **************************************************************************** Play Control/Game Design: Now.. the play control has a learning curve; but anyone can figure it out.. you don't even need the instructions. I wish the game had a "purpose" for finding that money.. and I wish it had a high score tally as well; but alas.. none of these features are in it. It is fun though. Liked: It's funa nd easy to figure out. Hated: It does have a slight learning curve and it needs more "meat". **************************************************************************** Improve: make it a "real" 3-D maze game.. add some color, a plot, and *gasp* a save battery for high scores. :) RIYL: Face Ball 2000, Mysterium, Cosmo Tank, and any other First Person games that were made for the Game Boy. **************************************************************************** Final Words: If you see it.. ask to try it out.. and see if it's your "bag". I liked it and I do not regret spending $10 on it. **************************************************************************** Score Gameplay: ***** Graphics: **** Sound/Music: **** Play Control/Game Design: **** Personal Opinion: ***** Total: 22 out of 25 Final Score: 88% **************************************************************************** Currently Known Codes: None!