Rayxanber II

~ RAYXANBER II ~

Data West

CD-ROM

1991

Famous for its high level of difficulty, Rayxanber II will dispose of casual players with little ado, but skilled shooter veterans should find only its fourth and sixth stages demanding to an extreme extent. The challenges presented by the rest of the game are all quite surmountable, and the whole quest is enjoyable (for those who don't give up easily, at least). The graphics are fantastic, and the soundtrack is brilliant (and quite interesting in that it gets mellower and more melodic as you advance). This blaster is right up there with Violent Soldier when it comes to the toughest PCE horizontals, and it's almost as much fun to play. Consider it a must-get for the manly shooter player.

Like the level it resides in, the first boss looks really cool but is easily passed.

Things get tougher in Stage 2, as some of the enemies (including the puny jets) can take a great deal of punishment. The boss is another big pansy, though.

Stage 3 is one of the coolest shooter stages ever, as it features an enormous mechanical spider wreaking havoc on a charred city. Avoid getting stepped on as you blast up the beast's minions.

Most of Stage 4 is blanketed in a shot-resistant web-like substance. Fight off erratic, super-fast rock-things; relentless chaser aliens; and gigantic worm-like creatures as you deal with the inhibitive environment. All of that action causes extreme slowdown that can even affect your shooting (make sure to have the turbo switch in the "middle" position to maintain a stream of fire).

Stage 5 features a wonderfully gruesome cast of mutated horrors. When you reach the boss's chamber, position yourself as shown above, and fire away with a vertical shot before the fight even commences.

The final level hurls you into intimidatingly narrow passageways that are decked out with cannons. Dodge projectiles and fend off your swift, dangerous enemies as large cement blocks hurtle down the corridors. You'll have to memorize the entire stage to stand any chance of winning; and even then, you'll need lots of luck to make it through.

Position your craft off to the side to avoid the sudden deluge of orbs. When the worm appears, make careful use of your speed burst to stay alive.

R-Type Complete CD

~ R-TYPE COMPLETE CD ~

Irem

Super CD-ROM

1991

R-Type fans in Japan must've been thrilled with this when it first came out, as it eliminated the need to mess around with two separate HuCards, not to mention that it features cinemas and a remixed soundtrack (as a CD remake should). Of course, as a longtime owner of the R-Type TurboChip, I already had access to the entire adventure without having to resort to any card-swapping stuff, so my acquisition of this disc was based solely on curiosity regarding its intermissions and audio. The core game itself is the same, with the same memorization-based gameplay and the same famous bosses.

I knew coming in that the cinemas wouldn't exactly put all other PCE cutscenes to shame, but I'd actually set my expectations a bit too high by believing they would be dull, basic products of obligation. They're actually bad enough to warrant derision at times, especially when the horrifically ugly human-character designs are involved.

The "scenery" shots aren't quite as laughable or repulsive as the people-plagued ones, but they're crude (check out the rough borders of the water and clouds). At least the space-battle scenes, while simplistic, are fairly cool; I just wish there were a lot more of them.

Quality music might've made up for the poor interludes (which can be skipped entirely), but R-Type Complete's racket seldom approaches any level of goodness. As soon as I heard a robotic voice droning "AR-AR-ARRR-TYPE" over upbeat mutilations of Stage 1's classic melodies, I knew I was in for something wholly inappropriate. The "dance" takes on these tunes fail for the most part, though the boss track is, uh, "kickin'" aside from its gratuitous "vocals" and sirens. Oddly enough, the tunes I feared would be affected most adversely actually turned out all right: the Stage 2 and Stage 4 themes, effective originally because they created feelings of suspense with relatively slow progressions, serve a different purpose in their sped-up forms, as they make the rather rigid action seem more spontaneous than it really is. But only the Stage 6 track was done full justice, as it's the most traditional red book remix of the lot. Even then, however, I prefer the chip number.

Being that I was let down by both the cinematics and the soundtrack, I had to get whatever enjoyment I could out of the best part of the package: the good ol' game itself. R-Type fans will certainly want to check this out and might even find the cutscenes and tunes quaintly appealing. Those who aren't quite crazy about the game should stick with the US chip version, as the original music is far superior to the new nonsense, and the gathering of ships at the card adventure's conclusion is much cooler than any of the cinematic "drama" presented by the disc.

Dungeon Explorer

Atlus/Hudson Soft - 1989 - U.S.A.

HuCard

For every console exists games that define it, games that represent its spirit. Dungeon Explorer is one such game. Love it or hate it, it cannot be argued that Explorer didn't make an impact on the Turbo gaming universe. It set a precedent where previously none existed. Seldom does a game come along that appeals to such a diverse audience. Turbo fans unite: this one's for you.

To identify Dungeon Explorer as merely a "Gauntlet clone" just doesn't do the game justice. While there's no hiding that Explorer borrows its most basic gameplay elements from the venerable action title, it improves upon that template in every possible way. The story upon which the game is based is hardly groundbreaking: a formerly tranquil community called Odessia has been transformed into a land of dungeons and evil by an alien race that has enslaved the people through the power of the ORA stone. It's up to you to find the ORA and return peace to Odessia.

Eight different classes of character are available upon beginning the game, an additional two can be obtained secretly if you follow the correct path with the correct character. Each class boasts diverse strengths and weaknesses, and makes for incredible replay value. Defeated bosses leave behind crystal "beans" that allow your character to "level up" their attributes at your discretion. Each class has different magic capabilities that can be utilized through the use of white & black magic potions. Such abilities range from magic shields, to magic "bombs," to health restoration.

Explorer handles excessive onscreen action with extreme competence and rarely will you experience any slowdown. Controls are tight and responsive, but perhaps the coolest feature of all is the multiplayer capability. Dungeon Explorer allows up to five people to play simultaneously, which makes for an incredibly fun time. You really have to get on the same wavelength as your partner(s) to maximize your combined firepower and abilities and stay out of each other's way.

Where do we go from here?

You'll discover a few subplots within the adventure if you pay attention.

This guy's name is Judas? And he's supposed to be on my side?

Have a drink on me.

Friends along the way offer valuable advice.

Dungeons are vast and unique; on your first run through, you'll get lost in Rallymaze, overpowered in Cherry Tower, and impressed by Natas. Hell, you'll still be impressed on your tenth run through. Explorer has plenty of area to keep you busy for quite a while. Don't expect to complete the game on your first or second sitting; save games are handled via manageable 10-character passwords.

While the screens shown here should speak for themselves, Explorer's finest asset lies in the music. Generally regarded as the best non-redbook soundtrack on the console, the Explorer soundscape lays to rest any shred of doubt that the TurboGrafx was truly the next generation in console gaming.

You have not truly experienced the spirit of the Turbo until you've played Dungeon Explorer.

Bosses are memorable and just badass in general. You'll encounter over a dozen of these guys by the end of your journey.

KLAX

~ KLAX ~

Tengen

HuCard

1990

My logical brother Alexei tried to reason with me, but I would have none of it: I was going to play KLAX even though I knew it would be a waste of time and a thoroughly dopey thing to do. I wasn't "giving it a fair chance" or anything, as I had complete faith in Alexei's reports of its through-and-through shittiness; but I play everything Turbo. Everything. And I can't receive word of a massive disaster without subsequently rushing out to view the wreckage firsthand.

Well, I went and I saw. And I'm here to tell you that even if you know full well that KLAX is an outright stinker heading in, there's an extremely good chance that it will still find a way to make you despise it to an unanticipated degree. It's a disgustingly awful puzzler that, laughably enough, is considered a "classic" in some circles.

Well, there's your mission. Get to it. KLAX doesn't exactly match Tetris in cleverness of concept.

It has no personality and is every bit as boring as it looks. With annoying cheers and screams in lieu of actual music, the game quickly transitions from dull to irritating.

Wait, did I say it has no personality? My mistake. The background "scenery" does change every few levels. Here we have an exquisite parking lot...

...and here's a forest. Play well and keep advancing and you'll get to see... palette-swapped versions of the early backdrops...

...which isn't much incentive for taking on the game's silly challenges.

But whatever. I honed my "BIG X"-making skills until I earned the right to "warp." I was whisked away to the later levels...

...which provided no relief from the monotony.

Ah, to be back in the days of useless pre-stage "hints." Kinda reminds me of Gauntlet. Speaking of which, Tengen should've granted the Turbo a rendition of Gauntlet. My treasure-hunting cousin Zigfriedelnov and I used to spend hours looking around for the stupid "clues" in the NES version.

Um.