Fatal Rewind review - Sega Megadrive

Fatal Rewind is practically identical to the Amiga Killing Game Show, and I was a mite cynical of the game's merits when I first gave it a whirl. Luckily, my skepticism proved to be completely unfounded. Fatal Rewind is a great, very challenging game indeed, with some great graphical effects and varied levels. Whilst a lot of Megadrive games these days are completed within a few days, Fatal Rewind offers loads of challenge in all sixteen of its levels. There are only a few niggles that stop it from receiving Megagame status. First of all, I'd like to meet the person who made UP on the joypad perform the same function as the jump button. In the heat of battle, the amount of times you jump because you accidentally push UP on the pad is unbelievable. What's the point when one of the buttons does the same thing? Why not have different configurations of joypad controls on the options screen? I also found the unforgiving gameplay very frustrating. Completing the level isn't reliant on skill so much as remembering where the keys are. But still, apart from those minor grumbles, Fatal Rewind is still a very good blast 'em up, well worth your investing your pounds sterling in.

I really enjoyed playing the Amiga version of this (which was called Killing Game Show), and am pleased to see that all its challenge and appeal have been captured in this Megadrive conversion. The graphics are varied in quality (the main sprite is brilliant, the enemies are unimaginative and simplistic and the backdrops range from good to excellent) and the sound is rather non-descript , but it's the gameplay where Fatal Rewind is strongest. Finding the right route around each level takes plenty of practice, and mapping as you go certainly helps, especially when you consider that there are 16 different pits of death, each with either two or three sub-levels to memorise! The action is fast and furious, and you really have to think on your feet to blast everything that gets in your way AND keep out the ever-rising acid! It's a totally frantic and occasionally frustrating game, but it kept me going back to the Megadrive time and time again. I can see that some players might find the sheer pace a little too relentless and unforgiving to be enjoyable, but if like me you're a fan of very challenging, fast and furious arcade-style games which require lightning reflexes and rapid reactions, this is a game you should definitely get for your collection.