2021/7/7: Game Boy: Amazing Spider-Man, The, Alien Vs Predator: The Last of His Clan

[VideoGameCritic]

Let's hear your thoughts on my latest set of Game Boy reviews!

[Zack Burner]

I did a review on the Amazing Spider-man game a while ago, and looking and playing it now, you are correct critic, it plays pretty shoddy. The only redeeming value was the chuckle inducing insults Spidey gives the villains:
Myterio - Fishbowl Face, Dome Brain
HobGoblin - Pumpkin Brain
Scorpion - Tail Twirler
Rhino - Neanderthal
Dr. Octopus - Atom Arms
Venom - Tooth Face

[Alucard1191]

I didn't have that many games for my Gameboy when I was a kid. The Amazing Spider-Man was one of them.

I honestly don't remember it being all that bad, but I have found my memory to be pretty faulty with old games. I do remember the web swing and climbing bits being really wonky and not working well. I remember consistently getting past Rhino, I can't remember if he was level 3 or 4, but I do remember regularly beating him. Maybe Doc Oc was my normal ending point? I never did beat the game, and I put a LOT of time into it.

As far as AvP goes: I wish the beat em up got a release at some point. At least there's mame.

[Matchstick]

Nice reviews!

I remember renting Spidey as a kid (from one of the few video stores that actually rented Game Boy games) and finding it... lacking. Still, I loved all things related to the web-slinger at that age, so I still had fun with it for the few days I had it.

I never knew there was an AvP Game Boy game. From the screenshot, it looks a little like the Alien 3 game from the 16-bit era. Not a bad thing, in my book.

[MSR1701]

Rather suprised at the review of GB AVP, will need to give that a go, been years since I tried that title.

Not sure there was a good Spider Man GB (classic) game; I only ever played Spiderman 3, and found it boring enough to not finish the first stage. As with AVP, need to give these another go to refresh my memory.

[ThePixelatedGenocide]

This is considered the "good" game for original Gameboy.

It only gets worse from here.

The GBC's Revenge of the Sinister Six is probably a lot closer to what you were hoping for, out of 8-bit Spider-Man. I remember enjoying Blade too, though I've no idea how it holds up now.

Still, it really shows the change in Marvel's fortunes.

[MSR1701]

This is considered the "good" game for original Gameboy.

It only gets worse from here.

The GBC's Revenge of the Sinister Six is probably a lot closer to what you were hoping for, out of 8-bit Spider-Man. I remember enjoying Blade too, though I've no idea how it holds up now.

Still, it really shows the change in Marvel's fortunes.

As with any other system, licensed Game Boy (Classic) games are usually junk (Rocky and Bullwinkle, Ren and Stimpy, etc.), though there are a few diamonds amongst the burning embers of bad games:

Star Trek - 25th Anniversary (Ultra Games/Konami) - 2D shooter mixed with top-down exploring
Lion King - a surprisingly good adaptation of the 16-bit game, assuming you can get thru the HORRIBLE 2nd level that the blurry screen makes almost unplayable)
The Jungle Book - decent adaptation of the 16-bit game
Dragonheart - a surprisingly good adventure game
Stargate - once you understand what the heck is going on, this is a decent puzzle game (the manual is required for this)
Darkwing Duck - One of the many great Capcom Disney releases
Duck Tales - One of the many great Capcom Disney releases
Duck Tales 2 - One of the many great Capcom Disney releases
Terminator 2 - the Arcade Game - considering the Game Boy hardware, this was a good conversion

[goldenband]

I remember that Jeremy Parish, of the various "Works" projects including Game Boy Works, made a huge stink about The Amazing Spider-Man when he reviewed it, calling it a "dumpster fire", "a new low for Game Boy software", "preposterously difficult", etc.

That made me curious, so I picked it up, fired it up for the first time ever, and beat the game easily in about 2 hours. Clearly a game of preposterous difficulty.

The main stumbling block -- a totally unnecessary one -- is that the manual actually gets the controls wrong. I don't remember the details, but there's something about the jumps and/or web-swinging that works in a manner that's totally different from what the manual described.

That makes the game seem janky as hell, since naturally, you're trying to do what you've been told to do and it's not working! But with that sorted, I think The Amazing Spider-Man is actually a hair above average as Game Boy platformers go (and boy, there are some stinkers out there).

Anyway, I appreciate the Critic's more measured take. It's 100% fine not to like the game, but it doesn't even come close to deserving the level of hyperbole I quoted above.

[ThePixelatedGenocide]

As with any other system, licensed Game Boy (Classic) games are usually junk (Rocky and Bullwinkle, Ren and Stimpy, etc.), though there are a few diamonds amongst the burning embers of bad games:

Star Trek - 25th Anniversary (Ultra Games/Konami) - 2D shooter mixed with top-down exploring
Lion King - a surprisingly good adaptation of the 16-bit game, assuming you can get thru the HORRIBLE 2nd level that the blurry screen makes almost unplayable)
The Jungle Book - decent adaptation of the 16-bit game
Dragonheart - a surprisingly good adventure game
Stargate - once you understand what the heck is going on, this is a decent puzzle game (the manual is required for this)
Darkwing Duck - One of the many great Capcom Disney releases
Duck Tales - One of the many great Capcom Disney releases
Duck Tales 2 - One of the many great Capcom Disney releases
Terminator 2 - the Arcade Game - considering the Game Boy hardware, this was a good conversion

Adding to the list, Batman and Batman the Animated Series were probably the best superhero action on the platform, and 007 had a fun overhead adventure. Asterix has one of the great 8-bit soundtracks, which elevates a very formulaic but competent platformer. UltraMan Ball's gameplay is what happens when Samus discovers flubber.

[Matchstick]

I'll add Jurassic Park to that list of not-so-bad licensed games. The GameBoy version was pretty much a straight port of the NES game (music, and all!) and my younger self was pretty thrilled about that way back when.

Adding to the list, Batman and Batman the Animated Series...

Ooooooooh, good calls! I did love the OG movie-based Batman game for GameBoy. One of the great launch-window titles. Heck, it even had Batwing flying stages!

Let's all not forget the TMNT GameBoy lineup, either. Fall of the Foot Clan is still one of my all-time faves, and one of my absolute go-to games whenever I bust out the GB collection. I think it's pretty much the perfect GameBoy game - fun, simple, easy, and short. Ideal for the bus ride home from school, and easy to beat in a single sitting. I managed to crash through it during my lunch break at work a few months ago, on a whim. To me, it never gets old!

UltraMan Ball's gameplay is what happens when Samus discovers flubber.

I... need to look into this. As a fan of all things involving some Japanese dude kicking butt in a full-body rubber costume, I already have a few imported Ultraman GameBoy games, including the original fighting game and a really fun sort of chibi-looking action game. Looks like I need to add another one to the collection!

I wish the Kamen Rider lineup was a bit better - or more affordable - but as of yet, I haven't come across a GameBoy title from the series that I've really enjoyed. The SNES co-op beat-em-up is pretty fun, as is the PS1 fighting game based on the original series. Do you have any recommendations, TPG?