"sorta kinda fun in short bursts."

The Incredible Crash Dummies is a game that belongs in the top 25 cheesiest game concepts of all time list; aside from all of that it's a pretty amusing game and fairly enjoyable to play too although a bit generic and repetitive at times with game play. This game is pretty much a spoof on all of those early 80's arcade games as it seems that they borrowed a stage from several of those classics like Gravitar and Tapper and others. You get to take on the role of a Crash Dummy and instead of just crashing cars now you are out trying to earn a living the only way a Crash Dummy could, by doing ridiculous stunts and destroying himself; along the way you get to dive off of buildings, ski, pack bombs and of course crash cars.

The graphics are definitely a high for the Game Gear, along the courses you have to collect a number of items to complete each event, everything is easy to depict and clear, collision detection is dead on and control is accurate and tight and you will need it to help you complete each event. The first level you have to dive off of a building and bounce on awnings and splat on a target on the ground, the racing stage you have to collect so many items if you don't meet the quota by the course end you lose a life and you are only given five and a big fat game over comes up. The skiing stage is kind of funny as you are test running a new course and you have to crash into at least 15 flags to complete the course, so each stage has a fair share of amusement. Stage four is similar to Tapper, you have to blow out the fuses on the lit bombs and allow a set number to fall off conveyors into boxes and stage five is your Gravitar rip off where you're in a spaceship and have to avoid enemies and walls and crash on a target. It's not overly deep as far as game play is concerned but it's got a charm that keeps you amused for at least a little while.

The music is catchy and easy to hum along to, nothing that will stick in your head for days but it works pretty well; the sound effects are dead on and fitting. All of the sounds when you crash or splat are well done and add amusement to the game. Everything works well in this Game Gear title even if it feels like a lot of ideas are borrowed from other games.

So what kills it you ask? There are only five different events and once you complete them you start over on a higher difficulty. The events are changed a bit and have different layouts but remain the same thing when it's all said and done and it gets pretty boring and really gave me a “been there done that” feeling. I finally made it to the hard stages but never managed to finish every event so I don't know how the game ends but will say it's not worth the mindless frustration.

Incredible Crash Dummies is a game isn't a terrible game, heck I'd even recommend it for times when you want a simple challenge that you can play for fifteen minutes or so and don't want the overly engaging game play of other games but aside from that it's not worth much more. If you found it for a buck then go ahead and grab it you may have some fun with it.

Reviewer's Score: 5/10, Originally Posted: 01/28/10

Game Release: The Incredible Crash Dummies (US, 1992)