Snake Rattle 'n Roll

"The best game on the NES!"

I introduce Rattle 'n' Roll, the 2 coolest snakes you're ever likely to see.

Yes, Rare showed their potential for Nintendo in the early days of the NES. I don't understand why this game is described as ''weird'' in other reviews. Okay, you control a snake in a 3D world and have to eat nibbley-pibbleys while avoiding a huge foot and draughts pieces among other things.

You start off as just a snake head, your main weapon being your tongue to kill enemies (some of which you can also jump on to destroy). Your tongue is also used to capture nibbley-pibbleys, small round creatures that roll, walk, run, jump, fly and swim around the levels. Eating nibbley-pibbleys will add a segment to your body which acts as an extra life when you're hit (you can have around 8 segments on later levels). The nibbley-pibbleys become harder to catch as you progress through the levels, though power-ups such as extra speed and tongue-extensions (!) help make the task easier.

First 2 levels you'll have no problem getting through, the challenge is pitched well, generally each level becomes progressively more difficult.

Levels are varied, with more and more different enemies/hazards to avoid as the game goes on. One of the main tricks to learn with this game is your jumping, the timing and positioning of this becomes very important, especially in later levels where one mistake could see you fall perilously to your doom! More variety is added towards the end of the game with 2 extreme-ishly difficult slippery icy levels, as well as an excellent water-based level where you're swimming underwater and catching nibbley-pibbley fish!

I suppose you need another reason why you'd be eating these nibbley-pibbleys? Well, eating enough of these little critters is essential to progressing to the next levels (unless you find one of the secret warps!). Eating nibbley-pibbleys adds segments to your body, once you have enough segments you can weigh yourself on the scales that are present towards the end of each level and hey-presto, the exit door will open!

Snake Rattle 'n' Roll also features a well-worthy 2-player mode. I always found it fun fighting against someone to eat the most nibbley-pibbleys, kill the most enemies and get the highest score.

I'll also mention that this game is quite humourous. From your spinning and exploding head when you lose a life to the cute little nibbley-pibbleys that keep you alive to the jaws-style music when you enter some water and a shark nears... Some nice touches.

Oh well, enough about nibbley-pibbleys, if you haven't a clue what I'm on about, then just track down this game and find out for yourself!

Presentation 8/10 from the opening screen and it's title music it's all good!
Graphics 9/10 were the best I'd seen at the time and in 3D too. Colourful.
Sound - 9/10 an enjoyable soundtrack that enhances the experience of the game and fits it perfectly.
Gameplay - 10/10 a winner, great competing in 2 player mode too.
Control - 10/10 Rattle 'n' Roll are a treat to play with, very responsive. From the land to underwater to the moon, almost perfection.
Enjoyability - 10/10 what this game is all about! The fact that Rattle 'n' Roll always look like they're smiling helps...
Lastability - 9/10 - 11 levels - quite hard to complete and I've always played it again and again!

I can't really recommend this game highly enough, even if you only play it once. Even given the age of the NES, I'm sure you'll still enjoy it. Fantastic playability and always a classic. Challenging but cool and fun.

I still hope to own the Sega Megadrive/Genesis version one day, I can't see that one beating this though, maybe equaling...

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 11/07/02, Updated 11/07/02