Taito’s list of arcade conversions to the Genesis is pretty big, much larger still if one includes those titles left behind in Japan. One such game was the adorable platformer New Zealand Story, which tells the tale of a little kiwi named Tiki who is out to save his girl and friends from an evil Walrus. Featuring adorable visuals and some of the most brutal platforming action of the era, this is one game that lures you in with its cuteness, only to then lash out and cut your throat, kind of like Chucky.
Tag: Taito
Growl
Beat-’em-ups are quite common on the Genesis, and there are those that are truly memorable, such as Streets of Rage 2 and Final Fight CD on the Sega CD. However, for every light there is a darkness; for every ying a yang; for every Streets of Rage, there is a Growl. While Taito’s brawler might not seem so bad in isolation, compared to other releases in the genre – specifically those released before it – the game is substandard. Another victim in Taito’s line of neutered ports, Growl is a title only worthy of playing out of momentary curiosity.
Ninja Warriors
Taito released plenty of games for the Genesis, but its Sega CD library wasn’t quite as robust. Some of the games that made it onto the add-on seem to have a “B grade” quality to them, and after playing The Ninja Warriors for the Japanese Mega CD, that assessment might actually be too generous. Granted, the source material isn’t that deep to begin with, but one questions why the CD technology seemed to only be used for redbook audio. What a waste.
Hit the Ice
Arcade-style ice hockey should be fun right? Think NBA Jam with sticks and skates, and it seems like a match made in heaven. Taito’s Hit the Ice strove for such a peanut butter and chocolate mix, but it ends up spending time in the penalty box instead. Read our full review for all the body-checking details.
Space Invaders ’91
It seems that only a handful of the seemingly endless stream of Space Invaders sequels and variations that have surfaced since 1978 actually try anything new, and the release of Space Invaders ’91 (Space Invaders ’90 in Japan) was a lukewarm effort at injecting some new life into the classic gameplay. It didn’t add much, but what’s there is actually fun for a while.
