VR Troopers

"A good but difficult game based on Saban's best production"

It was 1993, and Ranger-mania had begun. Saban decided they wanted to bring Toei's Metal Heroes series to the US, so they took 3 series, Chojinki Metalder(Ryan Steele's 1st suit), Jikku Senshi Spielban(JB and Kaitlin's suits), and Uchu Keiji Shaider(Ryan's second suit) and Americanized them. One problem with adapting three series at once- it's hard to incorporate them together for fight scenes! The show was syndicated unlike the Rangers shows, so a lot more deadly finishers were allowed, however the laser blades didn't kill the enemy, they gave them "heartburn", which is about the dumbest thing I've ever heard. However the adaptation kept the dark feeling of the original shows, which satisfied me. As for the game itself, it's nice, with a couple tiny problems:

Story: 8/10

The story is: You three have to rescue Ryan's dad by fighting Grimlord's monsters & cyborgs. It mostly follows the show's plot, with a couple minor deviations.

Graphics: 7/10

The graphics are very 3D ish for a genesis game, I like the dark shading effects used for the sprites, very comic book-esque. The title screen looks very nice and I really like how the cutscenes show the different characters on screens in very comicbook like depiction. The character sprites are nicely done, with good detail to the head. The bodies, however for JB and Kaitlin aren't very well done, not looking very much like the original.

Gameplay: 7/10

My main gripe with the gameplay: When I first played, I was owned because I was pinned against the wall with NO way to get out. One thing with this game: NEVER get stuck in corners, you will be stomped if you do get stuck. However, I like the different combos that can be pulled off, very true to both the adaptation and the original Japanese production. Once you get a hang of the attacks, the game is MUCH easier.

Music: 10/10

I like the music, very good reproduction of the show's score. Although I prefer the Metal Heroes original music, I think this is well done as well. The title screen reproduces the opening theme nicely, even with a synthesized voice shouting out the title. The background music during levels themselves are nice, too.

Overall: 7/10

This is a good game for fighting game fans and Ranger/ Tokusatsu fans alike. If ya see it for cheap on ebay, I'd suggest you get it. Well worth your time whn you are bored.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 06/18/08

Game Release: VR Troopers (US, 1995)