Chuck Rock

"Fairly good action/adventure game"

Intro
This was one of the first SNES games I ever got. I finally got it on my 13th birthday at Toys 'R Us for pretty cheap. I'd have to say I'm not largely impressed by it, but I still have to give this credit as being a lightly amusing game. The way Chuck ''Unga-bungaed'' at the very beginning was welcoming and the gameplay atmosphere was certainly nice. Of course, everyone at the sleepover I had for my birthday was less than impressed with the game. Then again, I think they were too busy playing Street Fighter 2 Turbo and Super Smash TV to even acknowledge the very existence of the other games I had. No matter; Chuck has a place in my... Well, I guess the game isn't good enough to say that it has a place in my heart although it is a decent game. So, I think I'll just leave it at rib cage.

What Did Those Dinosaurs Ever Do to You?
In Chuck Rock, you play as a caveman named Chuck Rock, of course. I forget exactly what the story behind this game is, but I think Chuck was off rescuing someone or something. Eh, it's not that important really since the story doesn't play a very big role in the game. In the game, you travel from level to level fighting dinosaurs, insects, various sea-life, and other animals by bashing them with your belly. This game also requires you to use a slight amount of brains to either get to higher places or protect yourself from dangers.

Hmm... Where to go... What to do...
One thing I actually enjoyed about this game was the nice level design. It kept it relatively linear while giving you other routes you can take (assuming you know how to reach them) to get to the end of the level. It actually feels like the developers at least put a little effort into designing the levels (For a good counter example, try the game Musya for SNES. Terrible, terrible level design).

Graphics
The graphics are beautiful. Very good use of colors and textures as well as design. I've noticed this with some of Sony's SNES games (such as this and Sky Blazer). They exhibit well done graphical design in both color and texture. I thought the enemies had a rather ridiculous, but fitting and all around amusing design to them as well. Let's not forget the backgrounds and even the environmental graphics. These guys really made a fine piece of work here.

Sound
I enjoyed the sounds on this game. I liked hearing Chuck's voice probably the most. The ''unga-bunga'' at the beginning of every level and the ''Uh-oh!'' when fighting a boss really added to the game's silly atmosphere. The music also fitted with the game's theme, which is a major plus. It did have somewhat of a tribal and a stone age sound to it while also adding some more modern elements into it. Well composed and put together, each song fitting the area of the game it's supposed to cover. Again, bravo Sony!

AI
The game's AI, although primitive, is well put together. As I've noticed, the enemies in the game require you to act fast and try to fight your way past them. Some of them require you to deploy a certain tactic to dispose of them. Some, on the other hand, are just basic enemies that require you to belly bash them a time or so and them be on your way. The AI isn't something extremely advanced or enthralling, but it did allow the game to hold my interest.

Final Word
All this praise... and a 7? There was one moderate drawback to the game. I got tired of it quite quickly. The gameplay does get somewhat repetitive, especially when considering there are no continues in this game. I think at least a finite number of continues would have sufficed and made this game just a bit more fun, but the fact that you basically have to start over and over really kills almost any game for me. I would get so far then lose all my lives and have to start all over. This builds a redundancy in the game and also unmotivates me in many ways. I think hard games, or at least games with hard spots in the game, should have continues. Think of what Fester's Quest would be like with no continues! What if you got pretty far on that and then just up and died? You would have to start the whole game over again and I personally would rip all the hair out of my head and chin with frustration. Personally, if you're looking for good action/side-scrollers for SNES, look no further than Sky Blazer, Contra 3, or Super Castlevania 4.

FINAL JUDGMENT
Graphics: Very nice for 16-bit 10/10
Sound: Also very nice 8/10
Controls: Sufficient anyway 8/10
Plot/Storyline: Too basic 2/10
Gameplay: Fun for a while, then it gets repetitive 6/10
All Together: 7/10

Perks
*Great Graphics
*Good sounds
*Very well done level design
*Decent enough to play

Downers
*Needs continues
*Can get a bit boring if you overplay it

Recommendations
If you like action platformers or side-scrollers, this is worth a try, but it doesn't compare to the games I listed in the Final Word section.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 11/03/00, Updated 11/02/01