Back in the days of 8-bit NES, occasionally a game would come along that for whatever reason was just next to impossible to beat. The game in particular that I'm talking about at this juncture can be summed up in a single word. NARC.
Just say NO!
Yes, NARC, the first game that actually encouraged its players to JOIN THE DRUG ENFORCEMENT ADMINISTRATION upon completion of the game, illustrated below.
Now, i wonder 2 things as a result of this screen.
1) Was the DEA actually inundated with calls from 10 year old NES players who took the advice that their video screen told them?
2) Is this actually the basis on which we base candidacy for the DEA? I mean, the game isnt all that in-depth compared to what you would actually face in the DEA, marijuana addicts and all.
The game primarily consists of running around in futuristic red or blue uniforms, shooting, arresting, or launching mortars at presumably, drug criminals. Level one takes you to a seedy urban wasteland where you have to battle fierce betrenchcoated men, and their magically shrinking dogs. You have to be quick, as your health meter runs out surprisingly fast.
Our hero, dodging bullets left and right. Look at that garage door, its just filthy.
Lets take a more in-depth look at this garage door, and see if we cant shed some light on what exactly the deal is with it.
Now, the door is obviously filthy in that kind of, skid-row charm way. 4 ink-blot test like gray splotches on the door give a clear indication of the danger about to come. The inexplicable 3 circles warn to the potential NARC to tread lightly ahead, as men in trenchcoats are ready to sick their dobermans on you. The occasional "vein" on the door, suggests the likely blood spillage in the levels to come.
Honestly, how can you not love a game where the boss after 9-12 levels of drug-stomping action looks like this.
as if that wasnt ridiculous enough, here's what "Mr. Big" looks like AFTER you successfully kill him...
How great is that? When he's alive, he just looks like a jerk. When he dies, this giant fucking skull flies off his shoulders attached to a freakishly long spinal cord.
Final Word:
Pros:
Two guns are better than one
The trenchcoats, i'm all about the trenchcoats
"Hypo-Man"
Drug labs full of bubbling containers with multi-colored liquid
Cool driving scenes
Cons:
You die too damn often
The dogs
lack of impressive arsenal
God damn is this game difficult to complete.
You seriously die like, every 2 minutes.
-CJM
NES Reviews coming soon!
Contra
Pooyan
Mike Tyson's "Punch Out"