story | gameplay | my thoughts |
level structure | controls | options
BASIC INFO:
Title ....... Dragon Tales: Dragon Wings
Players ..... 1
Genre ....... Platformer
Subgenre .... n/a
Platform .... Game Boy Color (2000)
STORY:You have had a flying accident while picking dragonberries. In order to be allowed to fly freely again, you must retake flying lessons at Quetzal's School in the Sky.
GAMEPLAY:
You are given explicit goals to accomplish on each of 20 stages. You have a very short timer for each stage. Berries extend your timer, and also serve to show you the way through the stage. Some berries must be eaten in a certain order
MY THOUGHTS:
Here is an early example of a typical, mediocre platformer based on a children's license.
I can't imagine what the game makers were thinking when they added the extremely restrictive timers. These timers completely prevent any sort of exploration, killing any sort of interest I may have had in the game.
This is a platformer: half the fun of a platformer is exploring the world it's in. Some gamers explore for the scenery, some for secrets, others to devise the best or most interesting path through the stage--but in the end, most of us who play a platformer will explore it. Not only that, but this is a platformer based in the world of a children's cartoon show. You'd think that the children playing this game might have extra reason to want to explore stages.
The controls are slippery and bouncy, making movement near walls and obstacles a pain. The music is too simple and harsh for its time and platform.
I'll be generous and call the graphics stylistic. The game gets credit for allowing the player to choose a male or female character.
LEVEL STRUCTURE:
There are 20 levels in total.
CONTROLS:
D-pad .... move character; move cursor
select ... advance dialogue
start .... pause/unpause; skip lesson intro
A ........ advance dialogue; enter door
B ........ breathe fire; drop item
OPTIONS:
Choose between a male or female character (Ord or Cassie). Choose between 3 difficulty settings (easy, medium, difficult).
No comments:
Post a Comment