Game Gear Reviews G-M

The cat in this game is a lot more nimble than the fat, lazy one I remember from the comic strip! Not only can he dash and leap high, but he'll use his claws to pull himself up onto high ledges. Caught in the Act's intro looks like a typical Garfield comic strip, but why do the pictures only take up half of the screen? I can't even make out some of them! The game itself is a pretty generic platformer with time-travel themes that include prehistoric, Egyptian, medieval, and some visually-striking pirate stages. The TV Wasteland stage sounds interesting until you discover it's just a maze of electrical junk - ugh! Caught in the Act isn't bad if you can keep your expectations in check. The graphics are impressive, with detailed, layered environments and a melodic soundtrack that really pushes the system's audio power. The controls are so forgiving that even when Garfield jumps off a cliff a butterfly will often catch him and tow him back onto solid ground. The jumping action is strictly by the numbers as you make your way to the far right of each stage where a boss awaits (big surprise there). Garfield also has the ability to toss rocks at his adversaries, which include mummies, knights, cavemen, and fire-breathing mice. This game should have been a good time but some boneheaded design decisions disrupt the fun (don't they always?). First you have to contend with a lot of annoying disappearing platforms, and flying creatures often appear from out of nowhere to interrupt your jumps. The stages are surprisingly long and repetitive, and sometimes you'll traverse an area only slightly different from the one before it. The bosses require an inordinate number of hits to defeat. After a while, Caught in the Act begins to feel like every 2D platform game you've ever played in your entire life. © Copyright 2008 The Video Game Critic.

Whoa. Jurassic Park for the Game Gear took me by surprise. This bundle of portable joy is even better than the Genesis Jurassic Park game! The title screen features a digitized roar (not bad!), followed by a sophisticated animated sequence that rivals those of many 16-bit games. You can select the order in which you play the four stages, and that alone dramatically enhances the replay value. Each stage begins with a shooting sequence where you defend a speeding jeep by aiming crosshairs at attacking pterodactyls and velociraptors. It feels like a fun bonus stage. Next you're thrust into a traditional platform stage that places all sorts of dinosaurs and environmental hazards between you and the exit. The layered scenery is first-rate, and the stages are imaginative in design. For example, in the forest a lightning strike starts a fire which eventually burns an escape path. Each stage has several distinct areas, delivering an exceptional degree of variety. Even the mineshaft level is engaging despite its maze-like structure. A large dinosaur awaits at the end of each stage, and you'll need to formulate a specific strategy to prevail. The rich control scheme lets your character squat, crawl, hang, and even monkey-walk over low hazards. You're well armed, and can even change weapons via the pause screen! The game's dramatic musical score is pretty intense as well. Jurassic Park for the Game Gear impressed the hell out of me. With rich gameplay and fantastic production values, this should be a model for all 2D platform titles, portable or otherwise. © Copyright 2008 The Video Game Critic.