Rise of the Robots will forever be known as a blueprint for poor game design pressed to silicon, and aspiring game designers need look no further when studying the perils of graphics over gameplay. A button-mashing nightmare that had no technique or fighting style at all, the entire experience was an exercise in frustration and usually left the player both exasperated and boiling with rage. The ironic part of all this? Rise of the Robots was ported to a zillion consoles and actually received a sequel. Note to Acclaim and Mirage Technologies: creating a second turd as an act of contrition for the first does not make things right; it makes a pile of turds.
Reviews
Chuck Rock
The Flintstones weren’t the only ones to rock the stone age! In 1991, Core Design and Virgin Games released a hit platformer called Chuck Rock for multiple formats, and the game was a massive hit. It boasted lush visuals, large and detailed bosses, and possibly the most unattractive protagonist this side of Boogerman. It was followed by an enhanced Sega CD version and the eventual sequel. We’ve a full review of the Genesis original for ya, so put down that Brontosaurus (Apatosaurus?) burger and read up!
Racing Aces
Sometimes, a developer’s creation is too ambitious for the hardware for which it’s created. The result is usually game full of lost potential, and players almost always sum things up with a collective “this could have so much more on better hardware.” Sega’s Racing Aces falls into that category. A game with lots of good ideas, it fell victim to a release on hardware too under-powered to fill its potential. The game is still playable, but one never ceases to wonder of what could have been.
Syndicate
Syndicate was quite a popular title during Bullfrog Production’s run, which ended when it was gobbled up by Electronic Arts in 1995. Playing like the love child of The Matrix and Wall Street, the game tasks players with all sorts of nasty objectives, like assassinating rival corporations or brainwashing targets into obedience.
Scholastic’s Magic School Bus: Space Exploration Game
Scholastic’s Magic School Bus was a game that focused on science, primarily astronomy, and it offered a myriad of gameplay segments that were engaging enough to keep kids playing but that were never too hard.