Publisher: Sega (1983)
Reviewed: 2018/5/29

Looking for a nautical game for the summer? N-Sub might do the trick. Its title screen sums up the gameplay quite succinctly: "hit ships to score points". You guide a submarine around the lower half of the screen, firing torpedoes on enemy subs while launching missiles at watercraft above. The ships are layered across the water surface, with those in the distance smaller, slower, and presumably worth more points. It's cool how you can unleash three shots at a time sideways or upwards. When you you unload a volley of shots at a crowded fleet you know you're bound to sink at least one or two of those bastards. It's especially satisfying to hit a "mystery boat" which flashes bonus points. The problem with N-Sub is that your sub moves like a snail, so the controls can be hard on your hands. At first the gameplay feels simple and laborious but in time the pace picks up. As more ships enter the screen you'll find yourself in dangerous predicaments, dodging mines from above and torpedoes from the side. Sometimes you need to thread the needle and the collision detection is
not on your side. The audio is dominated by high-pitched sonar pings which are kind of hard on the ears. N-Sub doesn't have much depth but if you're in a mood for basic shooter this will give your thumb a serious workout. © Copyright 2018 The Video Game Critic.
Our high score: 16,250
1 player
Publisher: Sega (1984)
Reviewed: 2017/8/8

Japanese people love their robot games and why shouldn't they? Blowing up stuff with giant flying mechs is awesome. In Orguss you pilot one of these across a scrolling landscape, blasting robotic enemies that appear two at a time. They just keep coming with mind-numbing repetition. You can hold in the fire button to unleash consecutive shots, and when running along the ground you can kick missile silos! I really like the sharp look of this game with its layered mountain scenery and shimmering blue water. The second button transforms your mech into a compact ship, allowing you to fly a little faster. The catch is, you're then forced to tap the button to shoot, which is a lot less fun. So why bother with the ship at all? Well, the first time I played the timer ran out on me and I had no idea why. As it turns out, each stage is timed at two and a half minutes, and unless you're a ship for most of that time, there's no way you're going to make it. The first stage concludes with an anti-climactic "boss" battle against a tower. Not sure how I won that, but it was over fast. I was looking forward to see what stage two had in store, but it looks exactly like stage one! Orguss is neat in concept but its shallow, undercooked gameplay fails to deliver on its promise. © Copyright 2017 The Video Game Critic.
Our high score: 36,400
1 player
Pitfall II: The Lost Caverns
Grade: C
Publisher: Sega (1985)
Reviewed: 2017/6/20
Our high score: 8,000
1 player
Publisher: Sega (1983)
Reviewed: 2016/5/15
Our high score: 13,700
1 or 2 players
Publisher: Sega (1984)
Reviewed: 2016/3/9
Our high score: 11,047
1 player
Publisher: Sega (1983)
Reviewed: 2016/5/15
Our high score: 79,320
1 or 2 players
Publisher: Sega (1985)
Reviewed: 2016/7/13

It may look as generic as its name, but Star Force was a precursor to more notable vertical shooters such as
Space Megaforce (SNES, 1992). This game has a straightforward style that's hard to resist. You just hold down the button for continuous fire while blasting criss-crossing alien ships. You can fire quite a bit faster if you'll willing to tap the button like a madman. Your ship glides over blue platforms etched with odd shapes and letters. If there's any significance to those letters and symbols they are lost on me. Star Force is super hard. Enemies not only attack in large groups but unleash barrages of projectiles. Your ship moves slowly and it's easy to run out of real estate when the screen becomes crowded. Some of the less-intelligent enemies conveniently line up directly in your line of fire, but the hamburger-shaped aliens are less considerate and will attempt to ram you from the side. Once per stage you have an opportunity snag a power-up that effectively doubles your firepower. Make sure you get that thing because it's awesome! It makes your ship twice as large however, so enjoy it while it lasts. The bosses are kind of a joke. At the end of stage A you face a floating box with the letter "A" emblazoned upon it. Care to guess what the boss in stage B looks like? Despite its repetitive nature Star Force is a fine shooter I never get tired of playing. Simplicity and challenge make for one potent combination. © Copyright 2016 The Video Game Critic.
Our high score: 114,800
1 player
Publisher: Sega (1985)
Reviewed: 2016/2/19

Perhaps the most playable home version of Zaxxon ever created, this cartridge validated my decision to pick up an SG-1000. Zaxxon was a groundbreaking isometric shooter in 1982, letting you soar over walls and buzz low to take out cannons and fuel depots. The Colecovision version looked sharp but suffered from stiff controls. This version features smooth, responsive steering that make it a pleasure to play. One issue you do notice right off the bat is the choppy scrolling. While the walls of the space platform convey the illusion of depth, the landscape just sort of "chunks along" below you. It's unsightly at first but after a while you really don't even notice. A meter along the left edge runs from 0 to 7, gauging your altitude. It's always tempting to clear a tall wall and immediately drop down low enough to strike the next depot. When your ship explodes, the chunky pixelated effect looks kind of lame. Strafing depots and cannons is easy, especially since they rarely fire back. The space stages have an audio-visual indicator to let you know if you're lined up with an enemy - a feature missing from other versions. One stage takes place in a dark tunnel and it looks impressive. The boss is a medium-sized ship with one big guided missile you need to shoot down. The audio is a pleasant surprise, offering clear sound effects and excellent, otherworldly music. Zaxxon for the SG-1000 is probably guilty of being too easy and repetitive (didn't I just play this stage?), but it's nice to finally enjoy the game without spraining my wrist. © Copyright 2016 The Video Game Critic.
Our high score: 30,700
1 player
Publisher: Sega (1983)
Reviewed: 2016/3/9
Our high score: BSC 90,300
1 player