"Coolest game I've ever played"

Defenders of Dynatron City is a fast-paced beat-em-up that puts Double Dragon II to shame. This game was released in '92 and stretched the capabilities of the NES to the outer limits. Back then, if you didn't have Defenders of Dynatron City, you didn't have a clue.

GAMEPLAY: 10/10

The game starts you off with a choice between three powerful heroes: Jet Headstrong, Ms Megawatt, and the dog. I can tell you, most hardcore DDC gamers will choose Jet Headstrong because of the great control over his projectile. You can choose to shoot it a short distance or further, depending on how long you hold down the button. He can also grapple and lift citizens' cars to bash his enemies. This makes him such a powerhouse.

You also get three sidekicks by default. One is a monkey, one has a hammer for a head, and the other has a wheel for a bottom. After killing all the enemies on any particular street on stage 1, you then have access to the stores located on that street. You will eventually find power-ups for each main character and sidekick. For instance, the monkey could only throw bananas initially, but after receiving his power-up he could jump a short distance in the air.

STORY: 8/10

You might run into a clue in one of the shops that forewarns of a blimp battle upon clearing the streets of the enemies. Once you beat this blimp, you fight dinosaurs in the mall.

MUSIC: 10/10

The music rocks. The opening theme will have your brain scrambled a couple of times before you realize how good it is. The rest of the music is varied and carries a certain, subtle confidence. A hectic computer mash while killing the enemies, for instance, or the beautiful but deliberate march that plays as a reward for clearing the street. The coolest part about the music is that each character has his own four-second theme song when selecting them in the pause menu. Jet Headstrong's is by far the catchiest.

REPLAYABILITY:10/10

This bad boy will keep you busy for quite a while. With three main characters to choose from, three sidekicks, and personalized power-ups for everyone, you will have a hard time putting this down. The dog can fly all over the screen when you get him his special.

OVERALL: 9/10

I'll admit the graphics could use a bit of cleaning, but other than that the game is awesome. DDC stands the test of time and remains, unanimously among gamers everywhere, one of the best games ever.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 05/04/09

Game Release: Defenders of Dynatron City (US, July 1992)