Zombies Ate My Neighbors

"It's a decade later, and there still isn't another game quite like it"

Zombies Ate My Neighbors

Gameplay: 9/10

Visuals: 8/10

Sound: 7/10

Ingenuity: 9/10

Replay Value: 9/10

Zombies Ate My Neighbors is a Lucas Arts developed, Konami published game put out for the SNES and Genesis in 1993. You take the role of either a male or female hero as you battle your way through many, many stages in an attempt to rescue your neighbors from zombies, who are apparently trying to eat them. It's widely accepted as a cult classic of the 16-bit era, and has been remembered for it's wacky humor, and solid gameplay. There really haven't been too many games like it over the years, which is a shame since it never saw a sequel.

Good humor and a general zany attitude are two things that are missing from a lot of games these days. Few developers been able to pull these off quite as good as Lucas Arts. Many old PC gamers will remember Grim Fandango and Sam & Max for their humor and laid-back attitude. These are things you can come to expect from Zombies Ate My Neighbors as well. While it's an action game instead of a point and click, the same humor and fun is there. As either the boy or girl character, you must go through each level in a limited amount of time and rescue all of your neighbors in it before the door to the next level will open. This is easier said than done since every level has tons of zombies and other unfriendly monsters in it. To combat the monsters, you're equipped with tons of not so normal weapons, which you find along the way. Water guns, Popsicles, cans of soda, bazookas, and other childhood toys serve as your artillery for taking out the monsters. In addition to the weapons, you find items along the way that can aid you in battle. The coolest of which are the potions. When you find a potion and use it, your character transforms into a huge monster for a limited amount of time. While in this form, you're invulnerable to most attacks, move faster, and have a much more powerful attack. This comes in handy especially against some of the later enemies like the chainsaw wielding maniac. Levels are wonderfully designed and set up in a way that there are tons of secrets and places to hide from monsters (and for monsters to hide from you). You start out in a normal neighborhood, but soon move to other places like a super market, or a mall, or one of the other stranger locations. Enemies get tougher and more aggressive as the levels go on, and the amount of people that you need to rescue gets more and more numerous. You have to plan where to go to avoid the monsters, and how to get to your neighbors in the shortest amount of time. The story is pretty original, and the gameplay is fairly unique as well. I can't say that there are many games like this in existence. The rescue and avoid style of ZAMN hasn't been done as good since, which is a shame. Lucas Arts really got it right. There is a perfect balance between avoiding the monsters and rescuing the neighbors that makes for a wonderful gaming experience that shouldn't be missed. ZAMN has a fair amount of levels, and will take you a while to get through. It's a ton of fun with friends, and by your self too. I've found myself coming back to it time after time even after all these years.

The graphics are pretty good, but they aren't stellar or anything too special. The monsters have a nice look to them, and all the characters are designed well. I particularly like the design of the neighbors. Some are fat old ladies, while others are little cheerleader girls. The levels look great, and everything has a wacky feel to it. The animation is smooth, and everything has good color to it. However, the game could have used a bit more detail in the environments. There are a few places that I would've liked to see show a little bit more color and depth, but it's not too big of an issue.

Music is good, but again, nothing too special. It matches the humor of the game, and the sound effects are pretty good. When you transform into a monster, you'll hear a satisfying roar. There's not too much to write home about, but there's not a lot to complain about either. The music is there, but that's about it. It's nothing memorable, for better or for worse.

Zombies Ate My Neighbors is a cult classic for a reason. Its quirky gameplay and humorous atmosphere make it a game that's unlike any other. It has a refreshing gameplay idea, and to this day it hasn't been matched. It's great with friends, and it has solid graphics and decent music. If you haven't played ZAMN before, there's no time like the present.

Final Score: 84%

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 07/24/04