Tokin Games Review #0.5
Welcome to Tokin Games, my sporadic Neo Geo MVS game reviews! Why the name? The plan is essentially this – smoke a joint, play a game and then write a review. Plus; who doesn’t love puns?
Alright, so with that done, let’s get on with the show. As this is my inaugural Tokin Games review, today I thought I’d write about a game I know well – Twinkle Star Sprites! This game is a legitimate contender in my books as the best game on the Neo Geo. So let’s break down why, shall we?
Graphics
Now I can totally understand this being contentious, as they clearly went with a cuter graphical style in a traditionally challenging genre. But put bias aside and just look at the attention to detail – the characters, whether generic or unique, all have their own look and/or style. The animations are also well done, and you legitimately want to see how each character uses their own weapons and strategies to win. In short: the graphics are great, and get an A+ in my books.
Gameplay
This is a vertical shooter, so you should have a general idea already about how the game plays. What makes TSS so special is that 1 or 2 players, it doesn’t matter, you are playing against an opponent. When you chain your shots together, they then get shot to your opponents’ side, who then has to contend with not only what the level shoots their way but also their opponent! I give the game an A in single player, but TSS really shines with two people playing against each other in the versus mode (A+).
Soundtrack
The soundtrack depends on what you enjoy, just like the graphical style. Personally, I thought the tracks were well suited to their respective level’s theme, as well as the game’s in general. The tracks are short, but do not get annoying as you play the game. Should you rather some deep and emotional tunes however, this is not the game you should be playing. B+
Replayability
This is a very important category in an arcade game, and TSS has it in spades. You are never going to play the same game twice, and it is just a joy to really get your chain attacks going and seeing your opponent evade all the crap trying to crash into them. As mentioned; the animations, gameplay and soundtrack mean it is easy on the eyes and ears; which really helps you want to play the game and become a good player.
A+ game!
Alrighty, so that is just a sorta test attempt at writing a review. Certainly hoping you guys give your thoughts. Do you think it should be more in-depth, any categories you think can be added to the review (or should I even do it in categories) etc etc. My main idea is just to write a short and enjoyable intro to an NG game so others might want to try it. Oh, and pictures are also something I plan to use, this is just to get some other thoughts. Cheers!