""To play is renovation that it is only" - More Babelfish."

Comix Zone tells the tale of how an aspiring cartoonist named Sketch Turner becomes transported into his own comic book creation. Apparently an evil dude named Mortis is the one who zapped Sketch (and his pet rat, Roadkill) into his own comic, so naturally our hero wants to put a stop to Mortis' evil doings. However, if Mr. Turner fails then Mortis becomes a reality with plans to dominate the world.

Comix Zone is a side scrolling 'beat 'em up' type game. What sets the game apart from others is the fact that the whole game takes place in the confines of a comic book. The unique setting makes the game seem really cool and innovative. Character dialogue comes in the form of those awesome cartoon bubbles. New enemies appear on screen after a quick drawing from a human hand. The whole experience actually makes you feel like you are inside of a comic book!

A level in Comix Zone is essentially a page of the comic book. There are several 'scenes' in each level. To get from one scene to the next, you have to kill all of the enemies in that scene first. Sometimes you will have the option of taking more than one route through the comic. It really doesn't matter which one you decide to go to since they all go to the same thing - the end of the page.

Fighting the distinctive in-game enemies is actually pretty simple. The A button is used to punch and kick, while the B button is used to jump. The C button applies to using certain items that you can pick up throughout the game (i.e. health power-ups, grenades, etc.). Roadkill (the pet rat) himself is an item that can be unleashed at any time. The rat is also very helpful - it can find secret items and give you hints to the rather simple puzzles scattered throughout the comics. Everything serves a purpose in Comix Zone.

Visually, Comix Zone looks very good. Although everything is a bit pixellated, the characters are big and easy to see. The scenes in the comics take up the whole page, so you can actually see what is going on. The level designs are great, especially the backgrounds. For example if you are fighting in the sewer, you will definitely notice the nasty green slime dripping in the background. It's little detail like that that I enjoy.

Comix Zone also fares well in the audio department. The music is very enjoyable - it often changes throughout each page of the comic. Certain enemies have their own themes as you approach them and each theme fits the opposing villain. The sound effects are also pretty good. It's not often that you don't hear Sketch make a remark about the current situation that he's in. The remarks never get annoying, but there is an option to turn them on or off anyway. The punching and kicking sounds are basically run of the mill type effects, but they're not bad at all.

Overall, Comix Zone is a great game. It certainly is an innovative and unique type of game - I have never seen a game like it. If you have the chance, buy the game. I'm sure the game can be found nowadays for under $10 in most places. It is also on the 'Sega Smash Pack 2' game collection for the PC, which comes with six other Genesis games and Sega Swirl. With its fun gameplay, great sound, and easy on the eyes visuals, you cannot go wrong with Comix Zone.

Best Feature: Innovative concept.
Worst Feature: Not much replay value.

Final Analysis:
Graphics 7.5/10 - nice design, big characters, but pixellated
Sound 7.5/10 - enjoyable music, interesting remarks
Gameplay 8/10 - comic book environment is a great idea and leads to a very fun experience
Control 8/10 - easy to learn and responsive
Replay Value 5/10 - one play-through is enough
Challenge 7/10 - gets tough in some places, but it can be beaten
Overall 8/10

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 09/17/01, Updated 10/28/01