Ironsword: Wizards & Warriors II

"Even though the guy on the cover looks like Fabio, make no mistake: This is no romance novel!"

Intro
Christmas eve... I tore through the one present that I felt in my bones could be the greatest thing I would receive for Christmas for years to come. That would be my NES. I tore open the NES in utter delight and even got a couple other presents to open with it. Heh, some games! Operation Wolf... Well, that was decent. The one that got the most attention out of me was Ironsword: Wizards and Warriors 2. I was so excited to see that my NES library had already opened four games strong (let's not forget Super Mario Bros. and Duck Hunt!).

Kuros vs. Malkil Reprised
In W&W2, you retake the role of the warrior Kuros from the first game. Kuros is faced with another problem involving his archnemesis, Malkil, who he defeated in the first game. It seems this time Malkil has gained possession of the four major elementals rather than taking the royal maidens prisoner. So, of course, Kuros rises to the occasion to battle Malkil- again- and restore peace to the land.

Objectives
This game has quite a bit in it and is still pretty basic. Each level is composed of two parts. In the first part of each level, you must find a golden object and return it to the various animal kings. When you do, they will take you to the next level, which is where you must seek out a powerful spell that can vanquish the boss (which is a different elemental in each level). I liked having separate objectives, even though finding them was like a needle in a hay stack. This didn't matter, it added some good hours to the game rather than making it like the first one, which can be finished in one sitting.

Some RPG Elements Thrown in
The game gives a fair RPG element in that you can gain some currency and use it to guy new items and such. In different stores, you can buy better swords, shields, and even extra lives. You can also gamble some money on a little mini-game called Bonus Chance in which a skull (get it? Bonus Chance? Pretty corny, huh?) is dropped and rolls down other bones and lands into one of a few different cups. You just have to bet the right cup and win a certain amount of money. The RPG elements are very minute, but still a nice contribution to the game.

Spells
You also find many different spells throughout the game, all of which are consumable. Even still, some of them, such as the Familiar Spell (which allows you to summon a smiley face to turn all your enemies to gold), are very useful. Spells were a major perk to this game. It was a great add on that Acclaim put in to distinguish this from its predecessor.

Battle
The battle and gameplay of the game is pretty basic except that you don't have to attack to kill enemies. You basically have to ''joust'' them. All you have to do is run into them with your blade and it's all over. I somewhat didn't mind this system too much, but in other ways I also didn't like it. While it made the game a little easier to work with, it did also make the enemies a bit easier and gave you a little less of an actual attack method to work with. Just jump into enemies and make sure your sword strikes them. Sure, you can swing your sword, but what's the use if you can just lightly poke them?

A Good Sequel?
What makes a sequel a good sequel? I tell you now... Distinctiveness and innovation are two keys. One thing I hate about some sequels is that they feel like you're just playing a further, pointless extension of the last game. Two games come to mind when I say this: Spear of Destiny and Final Doom. I don't want to play the same tired engine with the same tired enemies and the same tired levels. If you're going to use an old engine, at least add some new stuff to it. Add new levels, new enemies, new objectives. Wizards and Warriors 2 did a great job of this. It didn't feel like I was just playing ''extra levels'' of the first W&W. This doesn't necessarily make a sequel good, but it does increase the chances significantly.

Game Elements
The graphics are good for 8-bit. They go into enough detail and color. The sounds are a mixed bag. Some of the music is okay, but seems to ''fluff out'' sometimes. Some of the sound effects also seem to throw the music off a bit. The controls are very easy to use. The game is all around fun and a good challenge.

FINAL JUDGMENT
Graphics: Not bad 8/10
Sounds: Has its ups and downs 6/10
Controls: Easy to handle 9/10
Plot/Storyline: Nothing much different or unique 6/10
Gameplay: 8/10
All Together: 8/10

Perks
*Solid Gameplay
*Good graphics
*Easy to handle controls
*Spells are a big plus!
*Passwords helped a lot

Downers
*Somewhat jaded sounds
*Joust your enemies to death

Recommendations
I would recommend this mainly to action and platform fans. This is a fine addition for most anyone to make for their NES collection.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 01/21/01, Updated 09/27/01