The Video Game Critic's
Intellivision Reviews S-Z

Safecracker's premise is pure dynamite, but its execution leaves much to be desired. You play the role of a criminal robbing various embassies around Washington DC by breaking into their safes. It's very original and ambitious concept! When you first turn on Safecracker, it actually looks more like a driving game! You can freely cruise around a scrolling city with blocks of colorful buildings and scenic parks. Locating that first embassy is not easy though. For one thing, the driving controls are positively counter-intuitive, requiring you to use the lower left button to make abrupt, 90-degree turns. White cars serve as traffic, but unfortunately they tend to drive down the center of the roads, which are pretty narrow to begin with! Touching a car or even a curb causes your car to instantly explode. The game provides "directions" to the embassy in the form of a colored border, but it's really hard to remember which directions blue, green, red, and yellow stand for (southwest, southeast, northwest, northeast). How hard would it have been for the programmer to put a freakin' arrow at the top of the screen instead? When you finally arrive, the screen changes to a view of the safe. I was expecting the safecracking aspect of the game to be tedious, but it's actually the best part! As you cycle through the numbers, a beep is heard when you pass the correct one, and the idea is to quickly narrow it down before the timer expires. Apparently it's also possible to "blow up" the safe, but I could never get that to work. While fleeing the scene, you can actually fire at converging police cars from the front or back of your car. There's a lot of action in this game, but Safecracker doesn't do itself any favors with its confusing controls and steep learning curve. This game is hard! Even so, the more I played Safecracker, the more I liked it. © Copyright 2009 The Video Game Critic.

This plodding maze game is a disappointment, especially considering it requires the Intellivision ECS (computer and keyboard) attachment. You control a nicely animated Scooby Doo who must snatch three ghosts wandering around a maze while avoiding a single skull. There are ten mazes to choose from, and you can even create your own. The maze options are nice, but what the game really needs is a skill select, because Maze Chase is incredibly easy and tediously slow. Scooby is only slightly faster than the ghosts, so snagging all three isn't as hard as it is time-consuming! That skull isn't terribly hard to avoid, and once he starts closing in you can drop a bone in his path to stop him in his tracks. Between stages a submarine sandwich meanders around the maze for a few seconds, and touching it nets you an extra bone. The maze is trimmed with some interesting graphics like a tree, gravestone, and clock. Thunder claps and an ominous organ can be heard throughout the game, and these are so good you'll wish Mattel had saved them for a better game! Sadly, they are just window dressing for a ultra-lame, mega-generic maze title with minimal entertainment value. © Copyright 2009 The Video Game Critic.

At first glance, Sea Battle seems like a very dull strategy game with uninspired graphics and complicated controls. Once you get the hang of it however, Sea Battle is a sweet combination of strategy and arcade action. Most of the strategy occurs at the beginning of the game, when you deploy and position four fleets of ships on a large map. Your fleets move slowly around the map, but once you enter enemy range, you get a close-up view of the action. The battle controls are complicated and require some practice. One button is used to aim, and another to shoot. The battles would be a lot more exciting if the controls weren't so awkward. Still, Sea Battle has the potential for fun if you can find a friend willing to give it a fair shot. © Copyright 2000 The Video Game Critic.

Sharks have fascinated me since my childhood. I'd pretty much buy any game with "shark" in the title; so one with "shark" mentioned twice (with exclamation points no less) is clearly a "must have". Over time this underrated game has become one of my all-time favorites. Perfect to play on a hot summer day, the action takes place in the cool blue depths of the ocean, where you control a tiny yellow fish. Other fish of all shapes, colors, and sizes swim across the screen as crabs and lobsters creep through the swaying seaweed below. Your goal is to consume other fish of lesser or equal size, which gradually increases the size of your fish. Ominous tones indicate the approach of the large, menacing shark. He's an intimidating adversary, but he can be defeated. If you nip at his tail enough times, he will eventually die and sink to the ocean floor. But don't toy with him - the shark will turn and snap you up in a heartbeat! As your fish grows bigger and more powerful, you become a larger target for other creatures like jellyfish and seahorses. Other fish will also eat each other, and shellfish even jump up to grab low-swimming fish. It's a challenge to grow your fish to full size, and after you die you return to your original size. The game is enormously fun and addicting, thanks to intuitive controls that allow you to dash ahead or stop on a dime. Audio effects include realistic bubble sounds and harmonized music. Shark! Shark! is a killer game, and it even features a two-player simultaneous mode. © Copyright 2002 The Video Game Critic.

Now this is a pleasant surprise. At first glance, Sharp Shot seems like a lame collection of mini-games inspired by other, better-developed Intellivision titles. But despite its shallow nature and simplistic controls (one button!), Sharp Shot proves oddly compelling. Its gameplay is clearly derivative, but you could argue that it incorporates the best aspects of other action games. The Football variation challenges you to score as many touchdowns as you can from the five-yard line within a minute. Since you can't move your quarterback or the receivers (they move on their own), timing is everything. It sounds awful, but it's madly addictive. The second game takes a page from Space Battle. Each player has a set of non-moving crosshairs, and you simply fire when alien ships fly through them. It's possible for a single explosion to take out other nearby ships. Is it just my imagination, or is player one at a disadvantage? It seems like he doesn't get nearly as many ships to shoot! Sub Shooter resembles Sea Battle but plays more like Atari 2600's Air-Sea Battle. Your sub patrols the bottom of the screen as you unleash three torpedoes at a time towards ships moving above. I like how the ships sink instead of simply flashing and disappearing. Sharp Shot's fourth variation is something completely different. Each player is represented by an arrow moving back and forth across the bottom of a maze with angular corners. By firing arrows and ricocheting your shots, you can target various monsters walking around the maze. Should a monster snag the "treasure" on your side of the screen and return to the top, you lose a point. Sharp Shot is a heck of lot better than you'd expect. The games are simple as hell, but they are fun and there's definitely some skill involved. It helps that the games are so short, making you want to play repeatedly to beat your high score. Sharp Shot manages to be better than the sum of its parts. © Copyright 2007 The Video Game Critic.

Skiing really captures the spirit of the sport as you careen down white slopes while trying to maintain control. It's fun to beat your best times in the downhill mode, where you move from side to side trying to pass through each gate. I love how the snow makes that satisfying "whoosh" sound as you round the gates, and you can even jump over the occasional rock. The evergreen trees look attractive against the bright snow, and there's a nice finish line at the end of the course. Although the downhill events are a blast, I didn't like the slalom courses at all. The gates are spaced too closely, making it nearly impossible to weave through them without coming to a halt! You practically have to ski sideways across the mountain, and that's no good. If you stick to the downhill action however, Skiing is always a good time. © Copyright 2002 The Video Game Critic.

Holy cow! This basketball game has amazing depth for an old-school title. Slam Dunk Super Pro bears a striking resemblance to Mattel's NBA Basketball (1979), but the similarities stop there. This cart has so many features you'd think it was a Playstation game. No real teams are included, but you can draft fictional players and customize your own roster! Each player has unique attributes, and you have a fixed budget with which to assemble a team. Although the look of the game hasn't improved much over NBA Basketball, Super Pro is noticeably faster and far more fun. Players move up and down the floor smoothly, and you really can slam-dunk. The list of features is extensive. You can shoot three-pointers, call time-outs, substitute players, and examine player statistics during the game. You can even get fouled while in the act of shooting. In the one-player mode, there are five skill levels to choose from. The controls are fair, but passing is more confusing than it should be, and I wish they hadn't differentiated "set shots" from "jump shots". I hate how you can't adjust the duration of each game, and the default 48 minutes is awfully long. Super Pro Basketball is not glitch-free; sometimes a player will soar high into the air - but instead of dunking he'll head for the exit! Despite the problems, this is still one of the best sports games I've seen on the Intellivision. As usual, INTV went well beyond the call of duty with this quality remake. © Copyright 2004 The Video Game Critic.

Time has not been kind to Intellivision hockey games. The sport generally translates well to video games, but fossils like Slap Shot: Super Pro Hockey are best left buried deep within the earth's crust. A marginal upgrade to NHL Hockey (Mattel, 1979), Slap Shot offers a CPU opponent option and an enlarged rink. Unfortunately, Slap Shot is saddled with the same sluggish engine that sucked the fun out of NHL Hockey (Mattel, 1979). And believe it or not, the color scheme is even worse! I can count players of five different colors on the rink at a time! This time the players look like walruses, but they do move slightly faster. Your shooting angles are severely limited, and your chances of scoring are slim unless the goalie falls down. Those are some impressive head-over-heels flipping animations, but the weak body checks hardly warrant such theatrics. I really wish Slap Shot provided the option to adjust the game length, because playing this for 60 real-time minutes would be torture! I can only recommend Slap Shot to whoever enjoyed the original NHL Hockey game, if such a person does indeed exist. At least Slap Shot lets you play against the CPU, and we all know how misery loves company. © Copyright 2009 The Video Game Critic.

Atari veterans will immediately recognize this game as Surround. Each player guides a box around the screen, leaving a trail and trying to be the last one to run into a wall. Been there done that right? Well, yes and no. Snafu offers some interesting variations, including diagonal movement, up to four simultaneous trails, and random obstacles. I can't get enough of the music, which is easily the best I've ever heard on the system. It's a far cry from those boring beeps you hear in most Intellivision games. Snafu isn't an exceptional one player experience, but it's pretty good with two players. © Copyright 2002 The Video Game Critic.

This was Intellivision's answer to Atari's Space Invaders, but it didn't measure up. Space Armada is a good-looking game with large, colorful aliens, and decent controls. There are some serious problems with the collision detection however, especially pertaining to the barriers. Shots often pass half-way through them, and aliens tend to move right over them. In the later levels, the aliens are invisible, which makes the game harder but less fun. Nobody ever used the "invisible invader" options on the Atari 2600 game, but you're forced to play it here. In the final analysis, Space Armada is Space Invaders done wrong. © Copyright 2000 The Video Game Critic.

For some reason I was convinced that Space Battle was going to be a total dog. Maybe it's the generic name, or perhaps it's that boring-looking radar screen that appears when you start it up. Or maybe I got it confused with Sea Battle. Whatever the reason, this game made a lousy first impression but ultimately won me over. One reason is the exceptional controls. Few Intellivision games take advantage of the keypad as well as this game does. It's a breeze to select your squadrons and send them off to battle. And once your ships engage the aliens, the real fun begins. During the battles, the screen displays a cockpit view with alien ships flying around. By moving crosshairs around the screen, you can take aim at those nasty alien bastards. I love how you can lead your shots, and it's satisfying when the ensuing explosions wipe out nearby aliens. The ships look a lot like Cylon Raiders (from Battlestar Galactica), but what really impresses me is how the alien ships scale and rotate on the screen. There are some nifty visual effects here, especially considering this is a 1979 game! There's no score in Space Battle; you either wipe out the enemy squadrons or have your base invaded. But with four skill levels, there's more than enough challenge. Space Battle is great fun with one player, and there's even a two-player cooperative mode. © Copyright 2002 The Video Game Critic.

At first glance, I thought Space Hawk was incredibly lame. You control a guy floating around space in a jet pack, shooting bubbles at alien ships that appear one at a time. But there are two things that save this game from mediocrity: the "auto-fire" and "drift" modes. The auto-fire saves your thumb by constantly shooting for you, and the drift mode keeps your man moving, even after you stop thrusting. As in Asteroids, It's always fun to thrust across the screen halfway out of control. One thing that puts a damper on the action however, is the fact that you can't touch explosions without losing a life. Since your man is moving at high speeds, this leads to many undeserved deaths. It would have been great to pass right through the explosions. Still, Space Hawk is a respectable little shooter. © Copyright 2000 The Video Game Critic.

It's truly astonishing what some of today's programmers can do with classic hardware. I've seen some great homebrews in my time, but Space Patrol falls into the "Are you [expletive] kidding me?! Get the [expletive] out of here!" category. This is the kind of game that will have your friends exclaiming in disbelief, "This is the Intellivision?!" Space Patrol is a basically the best Moon Patrol clone you'll ever play - even surpassing the excellent Atari 5200 version. Its gameplay consists of guiding a moon rover over a planet surface while blasting bomb-dropping UFOs in the sky and jumping over hazards on the surface. The fact that you have to do two things at once is what gives the game its challenge and intensity. Moving your vehicle further to the right increases its speed, making it possible to take longer leaps over multiple obstacles. Your ship's missiles cancel out incoming projectiles, and this is vital to your survival. Some aliens actually bomb the surface to create craters, so stay alert for that. Space Patrol also features new hazards like "smuggler" ships that sneak up from behind and shooting turrets that appear in your path. The animation is remarkably smooth and the visuals are extremely attractive. Your vehicle, while blocky, exudes an old-school charm, and I love the way its wheels bounce independently over the terrain. Whoever programmed this was really good, because the each of the three backdrop layers moves at a different rate. I also like the high-resolution "explosion" effects. The lettered checkpoint system gives the player a sense of accomplishment, and there are even continue options and high score screens! Sound too good to be true? What if I told you there was a stage select that lets you play on the Moon, Mercury, Mars, or Pluto?? Now how much would you pay? Hell, I can't even complain about the controls, which are responsive and easy to grasp. A nice set of overlays comes with the game, although they didn't quite fit into my controllers. Space Patrol totally caught me off guard. First-rate homebrews like this prove that classic consoles can be every bit as fun as modern machines. © Copyright 2009 The Video Game Critic.

Atari 2600 players will recognize this immediately as a Star Raiders clone. Space Spartans is your typical first-person shooter where your mission is to destroy all the aliens while maintaining your energy, computer, and shields. The screen toggles between map and cockpit views. Space Spartans may not get points for originality, but at least it uses voice synthesis to good effect. Normally this type of game would indicate the status of your systems using colors or symbols. In Space Spartans however, you get briefed by one of several voices. The voices sound clear and provide critical information, including warnings about damage and space station attacks. You have fine-grained control of all of your systems, but there's an inordinate amount of button pushing involved. The combat aspect of the game is good but not great. Overall, Space Spartans is a little complicated, but provides enough intergalactic shooting satisfaction. © Copyright 2000 The Video Game Critic.

For such a short and simple game, Stampede packs a lot of fun! This game was highly underrated in its day, but over the years I think people are starting to realize what an ingenious little game this is. You guide a cowboy on horseback up and down the left side of the screen, lassoing steer that approach from the right. Cattle of different shades approach at varying rates, and you can "nudge" groups of them to keep them in front. The game ends when three pass you by, but you're awarded a "free steer" for every 1000 points (how many games can say that?) The tan-colored cattle are pretty easy to lasso, but those stationary "black angus" cows appear without warning, so you really need to be on your toes to snag them (a little luck never hurt either). While this is close approximation to the original Atari 2600 version, there tend to be less steer on the screen at any given time. Also, your lasso has less range here, which will give Intellivision fans a serious case of "lasso envy". The cowboy is high in resolution, but the steer look somewhat pixelated. The audio is limited to the steady "clop clop" of hooves. Thoughtfully designed and well programmed, Stampede will have you playing until your thumb is sore. And since you'll be using an Intellivision controller, that shouldn't take very long! © Copyright 2009 The Video Game Critic.

Star Strike generated quite a bit of hype in 1982. With its pseudo-3D graphics, it brought to mind the awesome Death Star trench scene from Star Wars. I recall watching a commercial for this game and being extremely envious of the system's graphic capabilities. You view your tiny ship from a third-person perspective, and your goal is to bomb five targets in the trench. Star Strike's gameplay is predictable: two aliens appear behind you and shoot a few times before moving into your range. Don't concentrate too much on those guys though, because bombing the targets is your main goal. The worst part of this game is waiting for the single target you haven't hit yet to cycle back around. Once you hit all five, the planet disintegrates below you. If you're unsuccessful, you'l see the Earth being destroyed in the distance, which is also pretty cool. The graphics are nice for a 1981 game, but Star Strike's gameplay is definitely weak. © Copyright 2000 The Video Game Critic.

It took a few years for the Atari 2600 version of Empire Strike Back to win me over, so I was hoping this version might also grow on me. No such luck! Upon turning it on, you're treated to a rendition of the Star Wars theme that's almost on key. Hey, it's the Intellivision - we'll take what we can get! The object of this side-scrolling shooter is to keep a parade of advancing Imperial Walkers at bay on the ice planet of Hoth. This game might have been a lot of fun if not for the choppy animation and imprecise controls. Your Snowspeeder and the approaching Walkers are slightly more detailed than on the Atari, and I love the mechanical sound effects that accompany the stomps of the huge Walkers. Holding down the side buttons engages rapid-fire, allowing you to unleash a steady barrage of missiles. Unfortunately, keeping the Walker in your sights is frustratingly difficult thanks to the clumsy, unresponsive controls. You can't maneuver very well at all, and once Walkers begin unleashing their heat-seeking missiles, your Rebel ass is toast. These Walkers only require 30 hits to take down (compared to 48 on the Atari), but trying to nail their "weak spot" is nearly impossible. The scrolling effects of the hills and valleys are rough, making it difficult to land on a level area to initiate repairs. And why did the programmer paint the sky that putrid shade of yellow? Intellivision owners clearly got the short end of the stick with this one. For the record, my friend Jonathan holds the record for lowest score in Empire Strike Back for the Intellivision, netting a paltry 12 points in his very first game. Needless to say, I derived more enjoyment from mocking him than playing this game. © Copyright 2007 The Video Game Critic.

Sub Hunt is one of those action-strategy titles that tries to make itself seem more sophisticated that it really is. Each screen features a bunch of complicated-looking gauges, and the pacing is slow and deliberate. When you begin a new game, you have four tiny subs on the right side of the screen, and one enemy convoy enters from the right. You must first select a sub and then slowly drag it across the screen to meet the enemy. This time-consuming process alone costs Sub Hunt a letter grade. And just when you're ready to engage the enemy fleet, you now have to traverse a short range radar screen (there goes another letter!). The main screen displays a series of working gauges and a small "periscope" view for lining up your torpedo attacks. Before you even reach the convoy however, you'll find yourself taking heavy fire. That's because each convoy has a super-agile "destroyer" ship that sticks to you like white on rice. You can never get this bastard in your sights, and even if you submerge he'll just camp out over you and drop depth charges on your ass. When these charges hit, the explosions are so jarring I could have sworn my Intellivision controllers had force feedback. The explosions are effective, but also relentless, and eventually headache inducing. Ships you sink don't capsize (lame!), but go down with a little cloud of smoke. When your sub is sunk, the screen fills with water and you're sent back to the original screen to use one of your remaining three subs. This game takes forever to play, and casual players will hit the power switch long before burning through their remaining subs. The instructions indicate this is a one or two player game, but I don't know how a second player would participate. Sub Hunt is definitely challenging and requires a certain amount of technique, but only the most patient, dedicated gamers will persevere. © Copyright 2009 The Video Game Critic.

If you thought the first Intellivision football game was good (NFL Football, 1979), you'll flip over Super Pro. The game begins with a flashy intro showing a stadium, scoreboard, and even a blimp flying overhead! The field and players look just like they do in NFL Football, but when the play calling screen appears, you'll realize this is not your father's football game (well, actually it is but that's beside the point). On offense, you choose between nine formations, and individually program the routes of both receivers through a string of button presses! It would be tedious to program both receivers before every play, but you can skip this step by keeping the same routes from the previous play. It's possible to be creative, setting up streaks, hooks, slants, or anything else you can imagine. You can even have your receiver stop momentarily and then start running again. On defense there are nine formations and the option to blitz or set pass coverage. On top of all that, you can even view live stats or call a timeout! Once the action is underway, the biggest surprise is how the football has a shadow and moves on an arc. Passing is somewhat choppy and inexact, but the kicking game is very good. Blockers actually block (sometimes), and you can run out of bounds. After a score, you're treated to a pair of commentators talking silently at a desk as various statistics flash on the screen. Heck, with all these bells and whistles I'm surprised there's no half time show. As ambitious at Super Pro Football is, the increased realism does take a slight toll on the fun factor. Entering plays and pass routes is time consuming, and it takes a lot of practice to become proficient in the passing game (although the CPU seems to have no problem). And where's the play clock? You can let the clock run indefinitely if you want to. Super Pro features ten difficulty levels, a challenging CPU opponent, and the most sophisticated gameplay you'll find in a classic football game. But I'd only recommend it to patient, strategy-minded football fans. © Copyright 2003 The Video Game Critic.

This is a rare game with more arcade action than your standard dungeon crawler. Player one plays a warrior, and if there's a second player, he's a wizard with the ability to cast spells. As you traverse a dungeon maze from an overhead viewpoint, you'll seek out scrolls, treasure, and a key needed to enter the next level. Although the levels aren't particularly large, it can still be tricky to locate the key. Your warriors move a bit slowly, but the control is generally excellent. On your quest you'll face off against phantom warriors and wizards. Fighting involves touching the enemy with your sword, which makes an appealing "clank" sound. A status screen keeps track of your loot. Should you make it through all four levels and encounter the serpent, you'll be in for a real treat. Swords and Serpents is fun enough to keep you coming back for another try. © Copyright 2000 The Video Game Critic.

For almost 20 years, this has stood as one of the better tennis video games. The graphics in Tennis are superb, with an attractive court, nicely-animated players, and a crowd who follows each volley. For once, Mattel kept the gameplay simple, and there are basically only two buttons to worry about: smash and lob. Still, returning hard serves takes practice. All in all, this game is a pleasant surprise. © Copyright 2000 The Video Game Critic.

This is one of those obscure yet compelling old titles that classic gamers thrive on. With its crisp, vibrant graphics and cute dancing animals, Thin Ice is probably the most arcade-like game I've ever played on my Intellivision. You control an extremely well-animated penguin decked out in multiple colors and a red scarf. As you skate around the ice you leave a white trail that can be used to carve out square chunks which fall into the icy depths. The idea is to sink the five scattered penguins around the board, and it's quite satisfying to see them turn into little bobbing ice cubes. Thin Ice has a bit of a Qix flavor, offering an innovative mix of skill with strategy. Your main nemesis is a red seal who's constantly on your case. He'll bounce your tuxedo-ass right off the board if he touches you. To throw him off your trail, you'll need to swim through water or zig-zag around. Unfortunately, if there's one move the mushy Intellivision pad cannot do well, it's zig-zags! A small polar bear is also out to get you, but you can "freeze" him by pressing one of the side buttons. Be careful not to carve out too much of the ice, because then you'll be stuck with no way to sink the remaining penguins. Thin Ice is loaded with personality and amusing details. Bright snowy mountain peaks can be seen in the background, along with little igloos that signify completed waves. Between stages your penguin clears the screen by riding a big red sled across it. The game has an impressive title screen and a pleasant harmonized soundtrack. I used Thin Ice at Video Game Mania 8, and though I wasn't sure how it would go over, everyone seemed to like it. If you're a collector of Intellivision games, this is a showcase title for your collection. © Copyright 2009 The Video Game Critic.

What an incredible piece of work this game is! Thunder Castle's rich graphics, orchestrated music, and innovative gameplay are light years beyond the early Intellivision games. The gameplay deftly combines elements of adventure and action in an exciting maze adventure. You control a knight who must defeat a certain number of foes in three unique stages. The first stage takes place in a forest surrounding a castle, where you are pursued by fire-breathing dragons. In stage two, you are chased by wizards in a castle, and the finale places you in a dungeon crawling with demons. In order to slay your foes, you'll need to "energize" yourself and hunt them down before the effect wears off. Walls disappear and regenerate constantly, creating an ever-changing maze. You can collect helpful items including a necklace to speed you up and a ring to teleport you to a random location. Thunder Castle's graphics are sensational - this is the best-looking Intellivision game I've ever seen. Each of the three levels feature thoughtfully detailed mazes, colorful sprites, and remarkable animation. The multi-colored dragons slink along menacingly, and wizards disappear in flashy displays of special effects. The dungeons are lined with human skulls, and even the tiny rats look remarkably detailed. On top of everything, each new level is introduced by a screen-sized, animated creature! The inspired music makes good use of renaissance-style melodies and deep, ominous tones. Even the controls are better than average. I'd love to give Thunder Castle an "A", but I found the extreme difficulty to be frustrating. Your energy never lasts more than a few seconds, and you're chasing creatures that are often faster than you are. The castle stage is a real ordeal, and I never lasted long in the dungeon. A skill level would have been nice. Still, Thunder Castle is a real showpiece for the Intellivision, and serious collectors should not hesitate to track this one down. © Copyright 2003 The Video Game Critic.

Tower of Doom strikes me as a real work of art. I never would have guessed that the Intellivision was capable of an arcade-style D&D game of this magnatude. You get 32 dungeon levels, auto-mapping, and amazing-looking battle sequences! There are dozens of useful items to find, including magical artifacts, treasure, projectiles, and hand-held weapons. It's even possible to flee or bribe your way out of a battle if you're desperate. After a great first impression, my enthusiasm was dampened somewhat by the frustrating traps and pesky monsters. Once you learn what hurts and what doesn't hurt, however, Tower of Doom becomes much easier. The user interface is clunky but tolerable once you get used to it. The action never stops as you constantly stumble across something new. Each skill level has a certain number of dungeons in conquer (ranging from 6 to 32) and there's a real sense of urgency as you approach the end. It's fun to experiment with the magic items, which offer cryptic descriptions of their effects, like: "Who stopped the world?" As you progress through the dungeons, new and more powerful monsters emerge, but only one at a time. The skeletons (armed with shields) look especially cool. For some reason, slain creatures resemble steaming piles of dung. The battle sequences look impressive at first with their extra-large graphics, but in fact these tend to be fairly shallow. Simply hitting a creature over the head with a sword is enough to dispatch most of them - assuming you have a sword. If you don't, you're in for a world of hurt as creatures will hound you relentlessly. Frustrating situations like that keep Tower of Doom from reaching its potential. But with its impressive graphics and smooth animation, this is one adventure that's easy to get lost in. © Copyright 2003 The Video Game Critic.

This game has been quite a contentious subject on the site over the years. Many readers maintain it offers classic head-to-head gameplay, but I've never been convinced. To give the game another chance, I recently enlisted a few seasoned gamer friends to give Triple Action a solid workout. They were not impressed. The Triple Action cartridge offers three distinct mediocre games: Battle Tanks, Racing Cars, and Biplanes. It didn't take long for my friends to peg Tanks as a "Combat wannabe". The ability to fire three missiles at a time is cool, but the controls are just horrible. Not only are they not the least bit intuitive, but they will cripple your hand! In Maryland, you can actually qualify for a handicapped license plate if you can prove that you've played this game! The second variation, Car Racing, places you on a narrow two-lane highway. There's no sense of speed, and often it seems impossible to avoid wrecking. Biplanes, the third game, is widely considered the best of the bunch, but that's hardly a ringing endorsement. Played from an unusual side angle, the primary challenge is to remain airborne, since it's incredibly easy to stall. Making matters worse, you can not recover from the ensuing tailspin. Could I get a little realism here people?? What appears to be a hot-air balloon occasionally floats across the screen, but my friend Jonathan explained that it's actually the exclamation point in the phrase "THIS SUCKS!" If the three games have one thing in common, it's the fact that you're more likely to kill yourself than die at the hands of your opponent. My friend Scott actually employed the strategy of "just let the other guy die" without making much of an effort to do anything. © Copyright 2007 The Video Game Critic.

If the movie Tron accomplished one goal, it educated children and adults alike to the little-known fact that tiny people run around inside of our computers, hurling discs and causing all sorts of mayhem. In Tron Deadly Discs you control a character in an empty rectangular room with doors around the perimeter. These doors unleash waves of disc-throwing attackers - usually three at a time. You're also armed with a disc which ricochets back after it's thrown in one of eight directions. It's possible to use the doors yourself, but their purpose was never clear to me. Tron's gameplay consists of a lot of running and throwing, but objects move slowly so it's not as exciting as it could have been. I find it funny how the manual lists the game's four available speeds as: slow, slower, slowest, and "fastest". Can you imagine a modern game with those options?! Another knock I have on the game is how your discs is harmless in its return flight. Being able to knock out enemies on the rebound would have added a lot more strategy. Every few waves a large horseshoe-shaped boss makes a dramatic entrance. The first time this thing appeared it caught me completely by surprise! This is a 1982 game, for Pete's sake! They didn't even know what a boss was back then! To defeat him you'll need to strike the white of his eye, and there's only a small window of opportunity. Tron's crisp sound effects are impressive. When you strike an attacker with your disc, you hear an amazing shattering sound. The low, rumbling sound of the boss is also impressive. I was a bit harsh in my original assessment of Tron Deadly Discs, but readers educated me to a few subtle nuances that improve the overall experience. First off, you can tap the throw button a second time to call back your disc immediately, instead of waiting for it to hit a wall. Next, you can use two controllers at once (one to move and the other to throw), which is far more comfortable than using a single controller. These tips make the game feel a lot less tedious, but it's still a little long. Deadly Discs' gameplay may leave a little something to be desired, but classic gamers will find it fascinating nonetheless. © Copyright 2009 The Video Game Critic.

This is a lousy game based on the Disney film Tron. You control Flynn, a guy who moves around the inside of a computer trying to reset chips and stop the Master Control Program (the boss). The gameplay is terribly over-complicated and not particularly fun. Just to give you an idea, the instruction book is 25 pages long, and the game has a practice mode, which is never a good sign. The gist of the action involves running through a moving maze, avoiding the "recognizers", and touching certain chips. As any Intellivision veteran will tell you, the controllers just aren't well suited to this type of maze action. The passages are tight and it's easy to get hung up on the edges. The boss battles involve matching up pairs of numbers, which is about as fun as it sounds. © Copyright 2000 The Video Game Critic.

Can somebody explain to me Mattel's fascination with Tron? They must have made a deal with Disney (or the devil), because they have no less than three games based on that weak film! Tron Solar Sailor is even more aggravating than usual because it requires the voice module, and you actually have to write down codes that it tells you. I know a little bit about video games, and if you need a pen and paper to play, that's not a good sign. You move your ship though a grid containing spiders and tanks. Your first impulse is to shoot at everything in sight, but this will quickly drain your energy. If you want to excell at this game (and who doesn't?), you have to play defensively, dodging the shots from tanks. Should you make it to the correct sector, you'll have to enter the code you wrote down. What's the point? If you make it to track "zero", you'll navigate a 3D tunnel while collecting digits to override a code. Solar Sailer is too complicated and not fun. The music and voice effects ares pretty cool, but they're wasted. I'm pretty sure I hate this game. Yes, yes I do. © Copyright 2001 The Video Game Critic.

Tropical Trouble could easily be a sequel to Beauty and the Beast. The characters look very similar, but this time your damsel in distress is on a deserted island; and the action occurs over multiple, side-scrolling stages. On most screens, the object is to move from left to right while avoiding obstacles like rocks, bushes, and red-hot lava. If you get pushed all the way to the left, you'll lose a life. You can dodge or jump over objects, and grabbing a blanket makes you momentarily invincible. While the stages do vary somewhat (one features a coconut-throwing monkey), the gameplay is always the same. You have to keep moving, and constantly pushing the directional pad wears on your thumb. It's a relief when you make it to the final screen, which takes place on a bridge. By dodging rocks tossed by "Bruiser", you can knock him into the water below and reunite with your sweetie. Then it's back to the beginning for some more difficult action. The graphics and animation in Tropical Trouble are terrific, as you would expect from an Imagic game. The control is okay, but the Intellivision controllers aren't well suited to this kind of action. Tropical Trouble is interesting at first, but once you've seen all the screens, the gameplay gets a little stale. © Copyright 2003 The Video Game Critic.

If nothing else, Truckin' does a good job of simulating driving a big rig across the USA. You get to race other trucks and see a lot of interesting scenery along the way. Unfortunately, you're also saddled with the responsibilities of a real truck driver; including planning your routes, picking up and delivering cargo, resting, keeping your gas tank full, and avoiding the cops. There's no question that Imagic packed as much realism into this game as possible, but whether it's any fun is another matter. Truckin' has two main variations. The first is a speed contest where you race across the country through eight cities. The second involves delivering goods, which really opens up the strategic possibilities. As you can imagine, the user interface is pretty complicated. You'll need to use almost every button on the controller to switch between the slew of different screens. The main "road" display is pretty impressive, at least by 1983 standards. Even though it only takes up half the screen, it does feature a nice rear-view mirror. Huge trucks scale in as you approach them, but the scaling is rudimentary and the oncoming trucks swerve wildly; making them impossible to dodge at high speeds. It doesn't help that the steering controls absolutely suck. The scenery is blocky and changes abruptly, but at least it reflects the area you're driving through. Texas has oil derricks, Kansas has cornfields, and New York has skyscrapers. When you drive up the coast you can even see water on one side of the road. To adjust your course, you need to turn off onto side roads, which requires some tricky maneuvering. It's also necessary to consult a paper map (included), which is tedious to say the least. I didn't have the patience to be any good at Truckin', but if you're willing to stick with this for the long haul, you might just get something out of it. © Copyright 2003 The Video Game Critic.

This is a likeable little game that's like an early version of Warcraft. In Utopia, you are given some money to develop a little island, and you can construct housing, factories, boats, schools, and other structures. If you play against a friend, you can even deploy rebels to mess up the other person's island. Rain storms and hurricanes randomly cross the screen, and schools of fish and pirates appear in the seas. You can set the number and length of rounds, and between each one you are presented with an update of your progress. These updates are given in terms of points, so you'll need to play a few times to tell if you're actually doing a good job. Besides building structures, there's really not much to do except move your boats around. This lack of action may turn off some people, but strategy-minded players will appreciate this highly original game. © Copyright 2000 The Video Game Critic.

Vectron begs the question, "What the [expletive] is going on?" Yes, I'm afraid Vectron is every bit as abstract as its name and verbose instructions would suggest. Apparently some programmer working at Mattel decided to get creative and now we all have to suffer. Vectron's screen layout reminds me of Reactor (Atari 2600, 1983), with a lot of non-descript shapes floating around an enclosed area. Your goal is to construct a structure by positioning "energy box" and shooting it from the top of the screen. Meanwhile you'll need to fire at shapes that whittle away at your structure. Vectron's 17-page instruction manual makes the game seem more complex than it is. The Intellivision control disc provides 16 degrees of control, but I still found it hard to aim my shots. Using the side buttons to position your "energy box" is touchy and clumsy. There's a lot happening on the screen at a given time, and completing a wave feels more like an accident than an accomplishment. I'm all for originality, but Vectron needs more fun and less "huh?" © Copyright 2009 The Video Game Critic.

I always loved Venture because it brought to life the fantasy world Dungeons and Dragons in its simplest form. You wander hallways, enter rooms, avoid traps, shoot arrows at monsters, and grab treasure. Yes, Venture's graphics are simplistic, but that just adds to its charm. I only wish the designer didn't go with that cutesy smiley face as the lead character - it looks like he's shooting out of his ear! The rooms vary in size and shape, and each is a little adventure in of itself, with its own unique treasure, monsters, and theme song. Most contain one treasure item and three monsters moving around randomly, but some feature moving walls or "hidden" creeps that don't appear until you grab the treasure. This Intellivision version plays exceptionally well, with responsive controls, smooth animation, and a lively musical score. I really like how the monsters assume "death poses" when shot, and then slowly disintegrate into nothing. Just be sure to steer clear of their remnants (even one pixel), because they are fatal to the touch. Venture is supremely enjoyable at first, but after you complete all three stages (four rooms each), they start to repeat. The replay value is questionable, since the rooms generally play the same each time through. Still, with four skill levels and all the elements of the arcade, there's not much to complain about. © Copyright 2006 The Video Game Critic.

White Water is really two games in one, but neither is particularly compelling. Still, this game deserves credit for originality. Half the time you're guiding a three-man raft through a white water river valley, and the other half you're ducking into the woods to play a ridiculous "capture the flag" game with the local natives. Your ultimate goal is to ride the river and collect treasure in the shortest time. The graphics are first-rate. The meandering green river bank looks exceptional, and the water itself contains rapids (white ripples), rocks, shoals, whirlpools, barrels, and beaches. The rafting action is challenging and certainly original, but it's often more frustrating than fun. There are just too many obstacles, which in turn encourage you to go slow -- instead of taking chances. This tends to understate the thrills and excitement associated with real white water rafting. The instructions provide the best advice: Don't try to steer all the time; let the rapids carry you. Hitting rocks can send men flying out of the raft, but you can try to pick them back up by moving over them. The beaches give you an opportunity to stop your raft and head into the woods to break up the monotony. The flag game is simple but provides some variety and introduces some much-needed strategy. White Water is great in concept, but it failed to win me over. © Copyright 2002 The Video Game Critic.

World Championship Baseball was the result of Mattel's attempt to "update" its line of sports games. Apparently it was a bit rushed, as the title screen reads "All Star Baseball" (unlike the label) and there is said to be a nasty bug that can crash the game. In addition, there is no voice synthesis, which sucks for a system known for that feature. Still, World Championship Baseball does have an impressive feature list, including a single-player mode, variable difficulty levels, positioning of fielders, overrunning bases, sliding, fly balls, pitch-outs, errors, foul balls, bouncing balls, leading off, stealing, pick-offs, and extra innings. No other classic baseball game offers this kind of robust gameplay. The overrunning of bases is an awesome feature, giving your runner an extra burst of speed up the line. The graphics are basically the same as the first Intellivision baseball game, but the diamond looks a little better. I love how sliding creates a cloud of dust. Control is good, although you often need to glance at your controller to choose your fielder, which is a pain in the ass. The computer usually chooses the closest fielder automatically, but sometimes makes poor decisions. Once you get the hang of the controls, you'll be turning double plays in no time. The computer is a worthy opponent. He doesn't swing at balls, and won't hesitate to steal. The sound effects are odd. The crowd is silent except between innings or after a homerun. A series of beeps are used to simulate umpire calls like "YER OUT!" You'll need to use your imagination. The biggest flaw would have to be the weak pitching controls; it's nearly impossible to strike anyone out! But despite that, I was highly impressed with this ambitious game. As far as classic baseball games go, only the Atari 5200 Baseball is in the same league. © Copyright 2001 The Video Game Critic.

There aren't many rapid-fire shooters for the Intellivision, but Worm Whomper fits the bill. Somewhat inspired by Centipede, you defend yourself against an army of insects who approach from the right side of the screen. Your free-roaming farmer is armed with a spray gun, and it's cool how you can hold down the fire button for rapid-fire. A second button lets you throw "plough balls" to clear out obstacles. At first I was intrigued by the fast action of Worm Whomper. There tends to be a lot of moving objects on the screen, and the worms look appropriately slimey as they slink around. Unfortunately, the challenge just isn't there. You have to play through endless, lengthy waves before the game starts to get interesting, and by then my thumb was killing me. That's too bad, because Worm Whomper could have been the intense arcade shooter the Intellivision really needed. © Copyright 2008 The Video Game Critic.