"This doctor's definitely brewing something interesting here!"

Dr. Chaos came out back during the early days of Nintendo, and then it was hard to find a copy. Everyone wanted a copy of it really badly, and it's plain to see why. With great graphics, a unique storyline, and lots of exploration required, you'll find a lot of chaos as well as fun!

Graphics 10/10
The graphics are good for an 8-bit system. The variety of monsters, the detail of the weapons, and the various objects you see in the rooms are all well drawn. Not only well designed, but also well drawn. Something every video game should be like!

Sounds 8/10
Although the monsters make no sounds, and your character just makes a bizarre sound when he gets hit, the rest of the weapon effects and the music really sets the mood. While the music for alternate dimensions is always the same, the boss music and the room music sound like something out of an original horror flick.

Controls 9/10
In the rooms, your hand is used as a cursor as you move around the room, opening things, taking items, and hitting the walls. You must use select to change commands. The ability to pause inside a room and change commands would have been a welcome addition, as getting ambushed by a monster can be too sudden. On the other hand, Michael (your character) controls rather well, using things like a knife, machine gun, and other weapons. He can jump, run, and even swim with the right tools.

Story 10/10
Uniquely written storyline about a doctor who experiments with time and space portals, only to end up bringing monsters to his abode, thus leading his brother to explore the house, find new worlds, recover a mysterious weapon, and eventually use it to destroy a great being. No viruses or anything like that here. Truly original for it's day, and still an original storyline.

Replay Value 9/10
Once you've seen everything, you're through. Of course, this game is heavy on exploration, meaning that you must hit the walls and open things to find secret passages throughout the house. This means lots of mapmaking and trial and error.

Overall 9/10
Docked a point for some touchiness in some areas, Dr. Chaos actually brews up tons of fun for such an old NES game!

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 11/01/99, Updated 07/16/01