Swamp Thing. Lose yourself in the swamp...
Written: Sep 15 '04 (Updated May 11 '06)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Very good graphics; creepy music and visual/sound effects; appealing levels; tough challenge.
Cons: The uneven play control takes practice; some excessively difficult jumps late in the game.
The Bottom Line: I recommend this underrated cart to adventurous gamers.
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| platonism's Full Review: Swamp Thing for Nintendo |
A much-maligned company
Mention THQ to NES gamers and you should not get a smile in return. THQ, along with similarly maligned companies such as Acclaim/LJN and Mindscape, kept turning out games based on high-profile licenses in the golden days of the NES. Their generally strong sales had more to do with subject matter than quality: more often than not, these games were brutally reviewed. The fate of THQ's Swamp Thing was no different. The reviews were dismal and did not make many THQ converts.
I must admit that Swamp Thing is probably my favorite character in American comics. My interest in his history is the primary reason why I bought this game a few years ago. I played it two or three times before putting it away: I was turned off by the play control. It is only recently that I warmed up to it, to the point where I now feel that it is one of the most underrated of all NES games, even though it does have a few glaring weaknesses.
The story
The game was inspired by the Swamp Thing animated series which was aired in the early 1990s; that series in turn borrowed elements of various comic book incarnations of Swamp Thing.
Dr. Alec Holland is a bio-chemist working on a revolutionary bio-restorative formula in the Louisiana bayou. The formula attracts the twisted mind of fellow scientist Anton Arcane, who plans on using it to obtain immortality. After stealing a small quantity of the formula, Arcane arranges for the death of Holland by planting a bomb in his laboratory. Holland is badly burned but still alive, and his body mingles with the chemicals; a reaction occurs after he throws himself up in the swamp, and he emerges as a massive creature. But Arcane wants even more of the formula, and is intent on destroying Swamp Thing himself. To do so, he enlists the help of the Un-men, mutants of his own creation.
Graphics and sound
The graphics are very good: this is a late NES game (1992) and actually looks like one. This is clear as soon as the cart is put in the NES. The title-screen features an impressive illustration of Swamp Thing; the introductory exposition scenes are also creepily rendered.
In the actual levels, Swamp Thing's size is reasonable, and he is well animated. The same can be said of his enemies. The backgrounds are suitably dark and atmospheric, with many nice visual effects (including lightning). The first stage gives the player an idea of the game's eeriness, as various houses are mysteriously perched way above the water level. Most of the stages successfully evoke key places and moments of the character's comic book history.
As good-looking as the first two levels are, stage 3 remains the most beautiful of all. It is made up of many sections, some on the ground, others in caves. The lighting effects are exceptional throughout, and the detailed hazards and objects are a pure feast for the eyes. In fact, I sometimes find myself playing the game just to see these images again.
The music is in many ways typical of 'low-end' companies: decidedly minimalist, fairly repetitive but also strangely memorable. It fits in well with the game's themes, especially the music used in the introduction and in stage 1. The sound effects are often odd (a spring sound is heard whenever Swamp Thing jumps).
Play control
Games like Swamp Thing seem doomed by their slightly difficult play control: practice makes perfect, but few gamers have the necessary patience to master it. It is only when I took sufficient time to get acquainted with the control's quirkiness that I was able to enjoy the game.
Strangely enough, Swamp Thing has little range and can only punch enemies when they are extremely close to him. While he can crouch to avoid projectiles, he can't punch from that position; ground-level enemies can thus only be avoided and not destroyed. By collecting green items, he can use a medium-range weapon that is especially effective against flying enemies.
Gamers who expect Swamp Thing to severely punish his opponents might be a little disappointed: the gameplay is mostly of the run, jump and dodge variety. Dodging enemies is often more important than defeating them. While Swamp Thing walks fairly slowly, he moves faster when he jumps. The jumping controls are quite responsive, but successfully avoiding enemies does take practice because the hit detection is unforgiving. Stage 4 in particular asks for many precise jumps and is a lot harder (and frustrating) than the preceding levels.
Meanwhile, few players have realized that Swamp Thing can run: you have to hold down the jump button (A) while pressing the control pad left or right.
Challenge and replay value
The game is very challenging: Swamp Thing has only three lives, the levels are long and there are many enemies and projectiles to take care of. Still, the difficulty can be tempered in several ways. Even though the player has only four life points at the beginning of the game, this number can be extended to six via small black items which are easy to find. There are also 1-Ups scattered throughout the levels, often in secret, remote areas.
Furthermore, there is a way to stock up lives early in the game. Collecting 50 red items results in a 1-UP; most defeated enemies produce those items. An easy way to earn extra lives is thus to destroy an enemy, take the item it leaves, scroll the screen slightly so that the enemy reappears, then destroy it again, pick up the item, etc. ad infinitum. Admittedly, this method is slow, but it does enable the player to have a respectable margin of error in the later stages.
The game is difficult, but unlike some other hard games, it rewards patience: if you don't take your time, you might never get through the first level, but after a few tries you should be able to reach the third level with even more lives than you began with. The large stages are judiciously designed. In some of them, more than one path can be taken, and secret areas are numerous. This adds a lot to the game's replay value, making it seem fresh even after repeated experiences.
Gamers who play Swamp Thing for a first time and can't get past the initial levels are led to think that there are no continues. This is only partially true. Continues can be earned after reaching certain points. For example, if you defeat the boss at the end of stage 3, you will be able to continue your game twice after that. This system somehow replaces passwords.
A worthy cart
The uneven play control hurts Swamp Thing, but not to the point where the game becomes unplayable. Its great graphics and involving gameplay make it a solid game. Players interested in its title-character and/or underrated NES games should like it if they give it some time.
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Recommended:
Yes
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platonism
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