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Shooter fans love Techno Soft. Fewer companies have produced more quality games in the genre than it has, and the Genesis was especially blessed by its talents. Everyone knows of the Thunder Force series, of course, but there’s also another vertical shooter that unfortunately doesn’t get as much love. Well, we’re here to change that with a full review of Techno Soft’s other classic, Elemental Master.
Paltformers were a major staple of the Genesis gamer’s diet during its run, and as often happens when something gets really popular, you can indeed have too much of a good thing. Case in point: Magical Taruruuto-Kun, a anime-based game that relied on its license and blatant cuteness more than its gameplay, and the result was a bland affair that was only magical at putting people to sleep.
Namco has maintained Pac-Man in the public eye for almost three decades, reinventing him every so often so that younger generations of gamers never forget the premier mascot of the industry. The incredible Pac-Man Championship Edition on Xbox Live Arcade, for example, shows how the yellow icon still has what it takes to make an impact. It hasn’t always been this way though. Over the years, Namco has tried all kinds of different formulas with Pac-Man, and some weren’t as successful as others. One of the more offbeat variations of the theme was Pac-Man 2: The New Adventures, which adopted a graphic adventure interface and took a lot of the chomp out of the gameplay.
The name Rastan means something to arcade goers who are old enough to have played Taito’s classic in the arcades. It was difficult, great-looking, and it’s twin stereo speakers fired off an awesome soundtrack for everyone in the area to hear. Yes, Rastan rocked hard, and for that reason it’s a shame that the sequel never quite lived up to its predecessor. The Genesis scored an amazingly accurate port, but all the bad came over with all the good, and the result is a mediocre product that fails to do the Rastan legacy justice.
Crossovers can be hit or miss. Few of them are great, and even fewer are successful enough to warrant merchandizing. Dark Horse’s Robocop vs. Terminator comic was one that not only brought together two of Hollywood’s most beloved action franchises, but it did it so well that it became an instant classic. Video games were commissioned, and the Genesis got a version that’s as long as it is brutally hard. This one’s not for the squeamish or the easily frustrated, so which one are you?