IWL: Interstellar Wrestling League
Rating: 2.0 out of 5 stars



Pros: Funny cut scenes, amusing commentary

Cons: Almost everything else

Overview:
Let's get this out of the way first. This is probably the worst game ever released for the HyperScan game console. It was terrible launch games like this one that lead to the demise of the HyperScan game console. Where do we start? First, the graphics are mediocre (barely 16-bit game console quality). The gameplay is sluggish. How about this fact: Its not even a wrestling game?!?!

InterStellar Wrestling League plays more like a Mortal Kombat -- there are no wrestling moves in the game at all. No body slams, tossing opponents... It may have wrestling in its title, but there is nothing that resembles wrestling. Its a poor 2D fighting game with simple cartoon graphics. The announcer demonstrates the HyperScan's solid sound capabilities. But its obvious why this game is cluttering clearance aisles at retailers nationwide -- its pretty bad.

Marvel Heros
Rating: 4.25 out of 5 stars



Pros: Large enviroments, lots of characters, great gameplay

Cons: Terrible music, sampled sound effects seem muffled

Overview:
Too little, too late. One of the later releases for the HyperScan. This is one of the gems for the console. The gameplay is probably best described as a blend of Strider and Final Fight. Marvel Heros is a platform side scroller that really shines on the game console.

The early stages of the game seem a little plain. But the later jungle stages really start to push the 32-bit graphics hardware with rich colors and textures. Lots of playable characters are available including The Hulk, DareDevil and Iron Man. The game has 24 levels and lots of unlockable special moves. The parallel scrolling on the later levels is also well done, with vivid foreground images racing in front of your character. The 2 Player mode is also really well done, with 2 people being able to team up for attacks. Marvel Heros is arguably the best game released for the HyperScan.

X-Men
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars



Pros: Stunning Graphics, Fast Gameplay, Fatalities, Cool Special Moves

Cons: Load Times, Requires Scan To Often, Can Only Play Character of Owned Cards, Lame Skill "Danger Rooms"

Overview:
Well, the HyperScan Game Console's pack-in title is X-Men so we decided to review it first. Overall, the game is a solid 2D fighter with vibrant graphics. This game pushes the HyperScan's graphics engine well with Sony PS2-like image quality. The environment textures are rich and the character animations are well done.

Our main beef with X-Men is that it requires a little too much scanning of the RFID cards. After each match, it requires you to scan your character card. So every 2 minutes or so, you've got to get up and walk to the console. This does get old quickly. The 2 Player fighting is stellar, though. The animation is well done and the graphics are stunningly colorful with rich 32-bit textures. Overall, a solid effort.