Dynamite Headdy

"One of the best plaftorm games ever."

(Because this review has been adapted from another review of Dynamite Headdy by myself, some of the pictures and detail is missing. I apologize for this.)

There are good games. There are bad games. This is neither- it's amazing.

Graphics: *****

Considering this is the Megadrive we're talking about, Headdy looks fantastic. Just check out some of the stunning screenshots below. Pseudo-3D effects? Awesome parallax scrolling? Massive, incredibly detailed sprites? It's all here, and enough to sober up even the drunkest diehard SNES fan. It's yummylicious. The whole game looks like it's being performed in the theatre- clouds get pulled along on strings, wall panels have paint missing, and so on. The sheer attention to detail is testament to this game's overall excellence.

Music/ Sound Effects: ****

Music wise, it's a bit of a mixed bag. Some of the music, for example the final stage music, is superb. Other tracks are just the standard platform game jingles. Sound effects, on the other hand, are just great. They are crisp and almost organic. Sampled speech is thrown into the strangest of places- from Headdy's 'Nice!' to the evil laughter of Dark Demon. On the whole, it's a quality job.

Gameplay: *****

All of Headdy's graphical frippery and polish would be lost if the actual game was a big crock of ****. Thankfully, that's not the case and it's absolutely sublime. The main gameplay feature that separates Headdy from other platformers is Headdy's method of attack- bopping enemies with his head, ala Decap Attack. Think Ristar, only more original, and even more well executed.
Headdy can exchange heads to give him special powers. Most of these add cool effects, like Hammer Head, Pig Head etc.=. Some, like the Fat Head, hinder Headdy instead of helping him. There's nothing more annoying than falling asleep when you're trying to attack a giant boss. Apart from the ensuing death, obviously.
Headdy is full of unique surprises that set it apart from other platformers, and varied, incredibly well designed bosses.
Headdy takes to the skies on level 6, and the game becomes a scrolling shoot-em-up. It's even harder than the usual game, and features an awesome Baby Faced boss that you've gotta see to believe! Once again you encounter Trouble Bruin, Headdy's arch rival. He's actually quite pathetic and has to use robotic contraptions to do his dirty work. Maybe he just needs a saucer of milk or a good old fashioned neutering.

Lastability: ****

I'll put this bluntly- it's hard. Very hard. Even the first level puts off some people, such is the difficulty. Some bits take a bit of sussing out, and it isn't always clear what you are meant to be doing, and even when figured out are still difficult. But persevere and you'll be able to make it through. It's worth it to see some of the awesome later sections of the game. Add in there are loads of secret bonus points to collect, and you're in for one hell of a long game.

Overall:

An awesome game, one of the best Megadrive games ever made and one of the best platform games to boot. This is essential for any would-be game collectors, and even the casual gamer. Don't be put off by its staggering difficulty, and you'll be rewarded with a nearly unrivalled experience. Or, in more simple terms: Get this game. It is cool.

90%

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 04/16/03, Updated 04/16/03