"A great idea became a pretty crappy game"

Well a lousy Tomb Raider for the NES explains this game pretty well. You might like it, you might hate it; it's all up to you, however I'm leaning more towards the later. Nevertheless it's still a game that you should try, being the only one in its type for NES and all. Or at least read this review to find out why or why not.

Story 6/10
Well to sum up the story. The Grand Vizier Jaffar has taken over the throne from the sultan of Persia. His intention is to marry the Sultans daughter, the princess. However he has given her one hour to agree on this marriage. Now the princess only hope is a young adventurer, locked up in a cell at the bottom of the palace. You must defeat the evil Jaffar within the hour or else all is lost.

Gameplay 4/10
You will have some trouble with this one, I guarantee it. First of the dungeons are quite complex, so it might be hard for you to find the right platform to step on, so that you can make your way to the exit. Also forget about the games with a direct response. In this game you really have to time your jumps; just like in Tomb Raider (maybe this is where they got the idea for it.) Plus the battles seem to depend more on your luck rather than your actual skill. And you will, without question, fall down and land on spikes or be decapitated by the guards countless of times. This might actually make you hurt yourself because after a series of defeats you might want to bash your head into a wall.

Audio/Video 5/10
Not much to say about the music in the game, it's quite formal. However the tune that plays when you die is quite catchy, and you will be hearing that one a lot. The graphics are not so good either but they still give you a small feeling of 3D, kind of original for the NES. You see the hero of the game from the side, just like in any other platformer. The character is a very good climber, and therefore the game consists of many different heights. Worth mentioning is that it only has two types of background color, and the overall appearance is not that thrilling. I also think that they could have added a little more individualism between the guards, they all attack in the same way and they all look alike, except for the skeletons.

Replayability 2/10
If you've finished the game, I must say that I'm proud over you, but you probably won't be playing through it a second time, since there aren't many secrets. Maybe, just maybe, you might find some meaning in trying to find all the possible ways to the exit, however I highly doubt it.

To buy or to rent
Some people might appreciate this game, but I still think that it would be best to rent it first. I mean there is a big chance that you will be greatly disappointed. But for your knowledge, it would be a good thing to have at least seen the game in action.

The final verdict 5/10
Well I guess this game deserves some credit over being quite original. I mean I don't know of any game for the NES that is quite like this one, and the idea is quite good. But the gameplay is everything and this game is one untrained duck. It takes a lot of practice and you will still make plenty of mistakes, however not so many mistakes as this game has.

Reviewer's Score: 5/10, Originally Posted: 05/08/02, Updated 05/09/02