"One of the original games based on a movie - damn was it hard."

Would you believe this was the first game I ever bought with my own money? I bought it for 70 bucks when I was 7, and I swear I got at leat 100 hours out of it, but it was probably more like 20. Still, Dick Tracy gave me a taste of what buying a game, and then having no idea what to do, felt like.

Story - 6/10
The basic premise of Dick Tracy, is that he's a Detective extrordinaire, and there's a gang of misfit bad guys out there to take him out, and pull off great heists while at it. It's not exactly a Shakespear, but it'll do for a NES game.

Graphics - 7/10

Well, aside from a very nice intro where someone writes 'Dick Tracy' in the wall with an uzi, there's nothing here that hadn't been done on the NES. There are some pretty 'cutscenes', but the overall look of the game is dark, blank, and well, 'bleh'. The fighting takes place on a 2D plane, sideview, while the driving scenes take place in an overhead isometric view.

Gameplay - 6/10

Dick Tracy is all about running back and forth, from building to building in your l'il cop car, finding clues as where to apprehend such dick Tracy classics and ''Mumbles'' and ''Flat Top''. Ultimately, your goal is to find the head-hauncho...but good like, you never will. You mainly use your fists to fight, but will pick up a gun here and there. Soon enough, you'll encounter a car chase where you gun down the suspect from your car. This is pretty fun actually, and will take all of your mad driving skills to the max.

Sound - 5/10

The Dick Tracy musical theme has been inluded in the game, which makes for a nice suprise for fans of the movie. Other than that, however, it's basically comprised of music yo'd hear in 50's gangsta movies, along with ''ughs'', and ''owhs'' from the enemy, after you pop them in the kisser.

Replay Value - 8/10
Since you'll have such a hard time finding all of the bad guys, you'll be constantly wanting to hunt them down...I know I did. The feeling of seeing the bad guy being locked behind bars, then cursing at you, is better than anything in the game. Unfortunately...some people might find the game a bit too hard, and give it up after 30 minutes.

OVERALL - 7/10

It's nowhere near perfect, but Dick Tracy offered one of the best re-creations of what detective life is like. If you know a store that sells used NES games, look for this one to add to your library, but only if it's 5 bucks. Anything more than that, pick up Metal Gear, Contra, or Bionic Commando.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 12/08/00, Updated 12/08/00