"A Non-Stop Action Ride!"

Demolition Man was about the second or third game that I ever got for my Genesis, and to this day, it's still one of my favorites. Based on the movie that goes by the same name, Demolition Man is Non-Stop action, from beginning to end.

Story 8/10
If you've been acquainted with the movie Demolition Man, than you already know what the plot is. If not, then here's a brief summary: In the early 90's, over-the-top police officer John Spartan, who earns the name ''Demolition Man'' from his peers, is in search for his arch-nemesis, dangerous felon Simon Phoenix. When Spartan is blamed for the deaths of hundreds, he is cryogenically frozen for a given 70-odd year period. As is the captured Phoenix. When Phoenix is awakened in the distant future, in peaceful-as-hell San Angeles, he escapes. Due to the police not knowing how to deal with such a dangerous criminal, Spartan is rethawed and immediately set to bringing in Phoenix. Along with scenery from the movie, the game extends the plot of the movie, adding new levels and such to make the game longer, and in my opinion, better. For the entire game, you play as Spartan.

Graphics 8/10
This being a 16-bit game, you wouldn't expect much of the graphics-they are, however, some of the best graphics Genesis is capable of. Some slowdown occurs when multiple enemies are on-screen at once, but nothing big happens in terms of graphics-wise. The animation is fluid, the effects look good, and the characters generally look the way they should (not their faces, of course, but you get the point). Overall, great graphics for a Genesis game.

Sound 6/10
One of the Genesis' biggest flaws has been its' sound capabilities. The music in Demolition Man is fine, but you might get annoyed by the frequent digitized, bippy music. A plus, though, is that each level has its' own theme, guns and other weapons sound right, and Sylvester Stallone and Wesley Snipe's quips sound the way they should. One thing that fans of the movie will notice right away will be the Scientists' ''Be Well'' quote. So, basically, the sound effects are fine, but the music may get annoying. Personally, I think that the music has the right pitch and sound for each leve-whether it be an intense action sequence or a deathly calm level.

Gameplay 9/10
This is where the ''non-stop action'' description comes into play. You seem to constanly be running, shooting, jumping up ladders, sliding down zip-lines, etc. Levels are usually side-scrolling shoot-em-ups, but sometimes variate to a top-down perspective shootfest that sees you rarely lifting your finger off the shoot button. These levels tend to be more frustrating. The side-scrolling levels are extremely fun, though. Nothing beats running up to some punk and shooting him right in his face.

Control 10/10
Nothing big here....default controls make A throw (grenades or firebombs), B shoot, and C jump. You can switch the controls around to your preference.

Rent or Buy?
Since Genesis games are no longer available for rent, then, by all means, buy the thing. The game is at an extremely low price nowadays, and you could probably get it for even lower at a yard sale or something. Coming from someone who played the game before watching the movie, I highly recommend it, dated or not. Fun game.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 10/09/03