Written: 12.10.06 Acquired: 12.4.06 Status: Cart only Price: $39.95
Publisher: Bandai
Released: 11.12.93
Developer: Sun L.
Scarcity: 4
Today we look at a two-player beat 'em up featuring the famed hero(es) of Japanese programming. This game's rather hard to find, and pricey. But is it any good, or is it the much dreaded cheap cash-in?
LEVEL 1
As you make your way through the levels, the boss' health meter at the bottom slowly increases. Don't dance around with the bad guys then!
The garish blokes are tougher than their less colorful brethen
Enter the abandoned warehouse... hmm it's awfully quiet in here
TOO QUIET...
PEARL HARBOR!
But even their nefarious schemes are no match for your fleet-footed prowess! The pit allows you to send 'em to an early grave
Ole bug breath is one sticky adversary
Take the elevator and enter the control room. In classic beat 'em up fashion, the boss is joined by a legion of low-tier foot soldiers
The bosses even resemble their real life cheesy rubber suits! Nice. When things get hot and heavy, press "X" to become the mighty Kamen Rider
Not only is he a superior fighter, he has a separate health bar as well. A cutscene depicting the demise of the assailant is shown for your successful efforts
That blasted Mode 7, eh?
Kamen Rider is a hero of many skills. For starters, he's a hell of a dancer
"I'll lead, OK?"
But back to serious matters. After all, the fate of the world IS at stake here, and you'll be damned if you let some rubber monsters get the best of you!
["I'VE GOT ANOTHER CONFESSION TO MAKE!" Er, sorry -Ed.]
You better be sorry, you already used that in the opening paragraph of Fievel Goes West
[Look, I love the damn song OK? -Ed.]
Alright, moving on then....
LEVEL 2
Psst, show off...
Nothing says hello quite like a leaping kick
Mr. Veggie is a mid-boss of sorts
Not a bad candidate for a "Wanna Get Away?" Airline commercial
Your travels take you to a fancy complex. Here's Johnny!
LEVEL 3
... is home to waste dumps and the like, lending a gloomy rundown atmosphere to the proceedings. Battle your way through the outskirts of town... before culminating in a rooftop tangle
Baddies come out of the wood work from the staircase
Make your way through this diagonal strip
The cronies try to ambush you at every step of the way
Not worthy... or bluffing?
BLUFF! HA! BEEEEE-OTCH!!
LEVEL 4
Similar to the legendary GOLDEN AXE series, gaping holes can be used to your advantage
Say, how did VENOM sneak in there?
This boss encounter takes place in a highly industrial part of town
LEVEL 5
This amusement park is anything but! At least it provides plenty of cool scenery, like this roller coaster track
No park would be complete without one of these
Or this! And it's within these macabre halls that the end level confrontation occurs
SHEESH! I told him to "MAKE LOVE NOT WAR" and he took it quite literally!
You're on your own from here out on... the journey is still long and dangerous... good luck
CLOSING THOUGHTS
Temptations to modernize this old franchise wouldn't have come as a shocker, but wisely they opted for the 70's suburban Japan setting. It's nice to see a game remain so faithful to its source material, and the setting really grew on me. It's at once depressing, gloomy and there's just something desolated about the whole thing...
What began as lukewarm impressions quickly developed into an affection. The levels are divided into segments and maintains a solid pace throughout. KAMEN RIDER is just a good ole fashion beat 'em up akin to those from the halcyon days
