Metal Combat: Falcon's Revenge

"Lock And Load!!!"

Early in the life of the Super Nintendo, a rather odd accessory was introduced. This was the Super Scope, but not made at all like the light gun for the NES. This was a giant bazooka that had to be hefted on your shoulder! For all of those action movie buffs, this was a dream come true! Alas, the idea never took off. But it did leave behind some great games, the best of which is Metal Combat: Falcon's Revenge. This game was basically a futuristic shooter ''on rails''. But, one question remains? Why did the Super Scope not work out? Was it because it was too heavy? Too bulky? Or maybe it went through batteries as quickly as I eat popcorn? Perhaps we'll never know... But the one thing I know for certain is there is one thing that as great about it - this game!

Graphics - 10/10
For an early (1993) video game, these visuals were a real treat. The STs (Standing Tanks) you and your opponents pilot are all very different in appearance, and very detailed. The STs range from a spider, a gryphon, and even a monkey! But, they are not all animals though (but they are much tougher to describe). The backgrounds are nice-looking and vibrant, but you won't be concentrating on them as much as your enemy! Nintendo did a great job here!

Sound - 9/10
Now, what's a shooter without the sounds to back it up? There are gunshots, cannon blasts, and explosions that all sound great! They lack a bit in variety, but that's to be expected - the SNES carts have only so much memory to work with. But, the lack of variety is made up for with the quality! The music is also wonderful and fits the mood quite nicely. From the electric guitars against Viscount to the Carribean sounds of the monkey boss (whose name escapes me right now), the music is very nice! Too bad you can't enjoy it unless you want to suffer a humiliating defeat.

Gameplay - 9/10
Now, the one thing about shooters is that the fun quickly fades once you beat the game a second or third time. Not with MC:FR! After you beat the game with Falcon, you can try and pilot the Tornado! Each ST has a different fighting style which makes the transition much tougher (You have to be much more defensive with the Tornado. It packs a mighty punch, but its defense is lacking. There is also a ranking system to rate your prowess - I am at level 7 now, but working my way up to level 1!

This game is exceptionally rare (as well as the Super Scope), so finding this game will most likely never happen. You can find it for your computer, but using a mouse is not as rewarding as packing heat with a giant bazooka!

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 01/26/03, Updated 01/26/03