"For the super-deformed anime character in all of us..."

Intro
It was only a light attraction. Not even one worth considering N64. Back when I actually saw the Mischief Makers commercial on TV with the scary cab driver, I really wasn't fully impressed with what I saw. To me, it communicated, ''Come get the next garden-variety platformer!'' It would only be a matter of years before I finally got N64 (in fact, to the date of this review, I've only owned one for maybe 4 months). Sure enough, there sat Mischief Makers for $7.99 at Babbages, used. Of course, with my 10% off card, I obtained it for a bit cheaper. I finally got home and... neglected it. Just for a little while. After finally attempting a play at it, I still wasn't impressed. I kept high hopes, though. The first five levels seemed like some ultra-easy kiddie game. It wasn't until I had gotten past the Planet Clancer area that I finally grew to appreciate the game. Slowly, it began to grow on me. The game began to show the brilliance of its 2D graphics, the well thought out boss sequences, and the especially great sounds.

Help Me, Marina!!!
Playing the game is a lot like watching a really goofy anime. You have a man named Professor Theo who created an android named Marina (the character you play as). Theo has a habit of being kidnapped and Marina must rise to the occasion to save him. During one venture, Marina is charged as being a villain by a certain emperor looking to rule the universe. He calls to his command a trio of righteous superheroes known as The Beastector. Each has their own plot to kidnap Theo while the emperor schemes to rule the universe and get Marina out of his way completely.

Honestly, the one game that almost comes to mind while playing this is the US Super Mario Bros. 2 (Doki-Doki Panic). You grab you enemies and you hurl them at other enemies. You can also grab items such as guns, bombs, statues, etc. and hurl them at your enemies. Hey, even just hurling your enemies at the wall, ceiling, or ground can do the trick. Marina is also built with other robotic capabilities such as jet thrusters which allow her to run incredibly fast or even float in the air.

Boss battles especially reap the benefits of the game's mechanics. Not only do they require you to become familiar with the game's controls, but they also implore you to think and devise strategies and reactions based on what the boss will do. This takes us beyond the ho-hum bosses of yesteryear where it takes the same repetitive action to finally finish off each boss. Bosses also change their strategy after taking some damage, so you really do need to learn how to adapt to new situations during boss battles quit a bit, especially against key bosses.

The game's angle seems to take a rather comedic approach, one of which we really don't see in many games here in the US. There are many scenes that are done in somewhat of a corny fashion, making the game almost feel low-budget, but such scenes are presented in a rather subtle and farcical nature that you really can't help but laugh.

There is one part of this game that serves as a double-edged blade. Hidden in each level is a yellow crystal. The only way to actually view the ending all the way through is to obtain all of the crystals. Without them, the ending will stop at a certain area, all depending on how may crystals you have. This does encourage you to play more and even try to become an expert (thus adding some good replay value), but this can be frustrating for anyone who is only good enough to complete the game, but not quite good enough to get all of the crystals.

Graphics
The graphics are incredibly stunning. The design and colors are presented in a vibrant and beautiful fashion, all while keeping a cartoony appeal. The characters, the backgrounds, even the environment and enemies look well crafted and colored. The rich tones given to the colors also add quite gingerly. Other pieces of the game also make the graphics that much more impressive, such as one level where a huge piece of the background pushes out into the foreground and you must jump on it before it pushes back in. Not only did it show graphical detail, but nice animation.

Sounds
What few voices there were added nicely to the comedic value of the game. Not just the placement of certain lines, but the way the lines were acted out. I will not say it was dramatic or riveting, but it did capture the feel of an action/comedy anime. The music goes very well with the game. At appropriate times, it gives us the sense of justice, battle, and even good and evil within each situation- Something that is vital to a good action-based cartoon. Even the sound effects fill in a much needed void. The loud thumps and cracks give a bit more believability to the throws and hits in the game.

Final Word
Honestly, Mischief Makers is the type of game that cannot be judged in the first few levels. While they may seem very basic and easy, the game becomes a bit more difficult and a hell of a lot more fun. Probably the best part of the game is the atmosphere put off of an action/comedy-based anime. This is very well portrayed through lush graphics and quirky sounds. There were a few downsides to the game. One of them is that this game definitely needed to be longer. There are only five worlds in the entire game, and they can all be completed fairly quickly. Also, there should have been more unique levels like the athletic events. I found too many levels were just a straight shot through. There were many that required you to think, and they really should have done more levels like that, especially early on.

Mischief Makers is an incredibly underrated title. It wouldn't hurt to give it a try. In fact, I recommend all 2D-platform fans who own N64 to at least give it a try.

FINAL JUDGMENT
Graphics: Very well done, and incredibly beautiful 9/10
Sounds: Add to the fun and quirkiness of the game 10/10
Control: Good response, however, they are very complex. This can be a problem to try to remember what actions do what, especially if you don't have a manual. 7/10
Plot/Storyline: Basic, but pretty damn funny! 8/10
Gameplay: All around fun and original. Needed to be longer, though. 8/10
All Together: 8/10

Perks
*Original and incredibly weird
*Replay value
*Awesome graphics and sounds
*Great anime atmosphere
*Well put together boss battles

Downers
*Too short
*Needed more thinking levels

Recommendations
Definitely for platform fans. Not worth getting N64 for, but definitely a good addition to a growing library.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 11/15/02, Updated 11/15/02