First off, I'd like to announce that this is the very first of my game reviews. Getting to the game at hand, we have here a very old game that happens to be one of the more interesting platformer sidescrollers. This game is "Kabuki: Quantum Fighter" for the NES. Most of us moved on through the years of gaming to consoles such as the XBOX 360, the Nintendo Wii, and the PS3, as well as the Personal Computer. Being an antique and historical console, the Nintendo is becoming more and more outdated thus, many of the games representing the potential of the system itself have become less and less interesting in comparison to the games of the modern age.
"Kabuki: Quantum Fighter" is indeed an interesting game and distinguishes itself apart from the bunch of platforming sidescrollers of which the NES offers. However, is it a true gem to the system? Well, unfortunately the answer is not exactly. Although the game itself provides interesting gameplay for its time as well as impressive graphics, it has obvious flaws.
Its one of those had to play the game for quite a bit to judge it as a whole to decide if it was indeed a classic game that stood the test of time or just another generic platformer that isn't much of a bother. We can indeed compare this platformer to many of the platformers of the same system that have both an underated and unsatisfying appeal.
So what exactly is this game about anyway? I won't spoil the whole story and the experience for you, but basically the game takes place in the future of 2056 and its up to you, Scott 'O Connor, to save the world from certain destruction from an unknown threat that has taken over a central computer system that if altered, can turn the world into cinders! Well to be honest, its one of the better game stories on the NES, thats for sure, but lets see if the gameplay backs that up.
Intro to Kabuki: Quantum Fighter
After the introduction, the title screen pops up and is definitely one of the better title screens I've seen in an NES game.
After the title screen we finally get to the gameplay. The controls are surprisingly good, especially for an underated game that 90% of the entire world has never heard of. You can choose over a variety of weapons, mainly being overpowered range weapons of course. Your only meelee attack is the resort to depletion of your chip energy bar, which is actually quite decent. As far as range attacks go, you have quite a selection along with a tri shot bullet spread attack, dynamite, and a few single shot attacks with one being far distance and one being poorly close ranged. Theres also the ability to jump a decent height and cling to walls, ceiling hangs, and platforms. However, flickering of the graphics occurs which is common in NES games that is really annoying along with the nuisance of limited continues.
Hair meelee attack (left figure) and crouching meelee attack (right figure).
Overpowered dynamite range attack used in a boss battle. Noticable flickering shown in the background; distortion of the boss.
Platform hanging (top figure) and example of a jump (bottom figure).
Unfortunately the creative variety of platforming in this game becomes obviously generic to the point it even becomes really annoying and you start backtracking because you falled off from a high distance that you gave multiple attempts to reach. Not to mention that the level design becomes overly repetitive after stage 2. Boss battles become predictable and overly exploitive when the player is completely familiar with the controls. However some boss battles are slightly challenging even due to the chance of easily messing up a manuever or attack to counter a boss fight pattern. The first two bosses bring forth a somewhat interesting fight. After the first two bosses, or rather first two stages as a whole, the game loses its momentum and goes downhill sadly. In comparison to level design, the music becomes uninteresting as well. Also, the time limit is extremely unnecessary.
Example of ridiculously generic platforming elements. In the middle is a ceiling hang, top is a tread ramp hanging platform, and bottom is a regular hanging platform in one of the later stages.
A later section of an earlier stage where the player is given 50 seconds to reach the end and start the next section.
One of the two interesting boss fights.
The game overall isn't god awful terrible. The hit detection is fine, the graphics are pretty solid for the generation the game was released, the story is pretty legit for the console it was released on, but it suffers the obvious mentioned flaws. I would be iffy about picking this game up unless you are a collector and have to have every single game ever made. It is worth a playthrough, especially since the game has a decent length to it. I personally wouldn't bother with it since there are plenty of better games on the system even though its one of the better games on the system let alone. You can simply do better by just playing one of the better 16 bit games of the same genre.
Pros:
- The game distinguishes itself from other platformer sidescrollers on the NES.
- Relatively good story.
- Good controls.
- Graphics are legitimate for its time.
- Decent sound effects for its time.
- Installment of an energy bar.
- Decent length.
Cons:
- Progressively generic level design.
- Progressively generic boss fights.
- Backtracking becomes an annoyance.
- Time limit is unnecessary.
- Music becomes progressively generic.
- Limited continues are a nuisance.
- Levels shouldn't be divided into sections at times.
- Occaisional flickering of the graphics occurs.
- Underated for a rather good reason.
- Practically outdated; does not stand the test of time.
- Range attacks are mostly overpowered.
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