Megadrive - Ristar

Format
Megadrive
Publisher
Sega
Developer
Sega
Country of origin
Japan
Genre
Platform

Ristar

By Eric
22nd Jan 05

This game was recently re-released, but I played the ORIGINAL, thank you very much. They're both identical, so if you want to buy the Sonic collection based on the review for this game, feel free.

This was another beauty of a platformer for the Genesis. It stars Ristar, who looks kinda like a star glued onto a bowling ball body. He attacks by stretching out his arms, grabbing his enemies, and then headbutting them. If you're good, you can also climb walls doing this. Ristar is a star prince who has been awakened by the prayers of an oppressed people after a band of space pirates took over their solar system and captured Ristar's father. Know what that means? That's right, Sonny Jim. Time to take names. Each stage takes place on a different planet. You'll have a jungle planet, a water planet, a fire one, an ice one...Pretty standard platformer fare, although each level is nice and colorful. The music planet is particularly fun, and I could spend quite some time just playing with the giant keyboard. But that's not the goal here. Apparently each planet's leader has been infested by some kind of pirate mind control parasite or something, so you have to fight them at the end of each planet to free them. I'm not sure exactly how it worked, all I know was that I saw black evil things come out of each boss after I beat them.

Okay, so the plot's not great. Not many platformers had good plots back then. Gameplay is what matters. Unfortunately, Ristar's headbutt is his only attack for the bulk of the game. However, exploring the terrain proves more fun than beating enemies. You can use those stretchy arms to grab and swing and climb all sorts of things. There are even a few small puzzles to solve. The catchy music improves the mood of things, too. Unfortunately, a beef I have with the game is that Ristar's jump is pathetic. It doesn't hamper you much, but the levels probably could've been expanded if he'd just been able to jump a little higher or longer. There's lots of bonus levels, but you only get one shot at them. If you lose, that's it, you can't get the reward at the end. Even with its faults, though, I couldn't help but enjoy the game. It might not be a classic, but it's more fun than some recent platformers about Tazmanian Tigers that will remain unnamed.

Score: 8/10

-- Eric 22nd Jan 05

Megadrive Ristar Images