Powerblade review - Nintendo Entertainment System

Power Blade is your name, and killing inordinate amounts of people with high-power energy boomerangs is your game. Thanks to this handy talent, you're the man who's been chosen to infiltrate a top security terrorist complex and blow the whole thing into lots of little bits. Being hard, you've shunned the offer of a squadron of tanks, and decided that solo espionage is the order of the day.

What this means is that Blade must find his way around the complex by jumping about and whanging boomerangs for all he's worth. Our man must meet his contacts on each level, destroy the entire terrorist base and demobilise its secret weapons before the world is plunged into chaos.

Simple! Or is it?

What the Mean Machines staff thought

I wasn't sure if the NES could take another platform-based shoot 'em up, what with Batman and Low-G Man, but once I started playing my fears were proved unfounded. Graphically, it's nothing to write home about - the sprites are nicely drawn but small and poorly animated, and sonically it's just average. However, the gameplay is superb. Power Blade himself is easy to control, and the collision detection is perfect. The wealth of power-ups add a lot to the action, as does the maze-like structure of the complex, meaning you have to find a route through instead of just walking left to right. Power Blade is a fun game which sensible NES owners should sally forth and purchase at the earliest opportunity.

Rather like Low-G Man, Power Blade isn't tops in the graphics and sound stakes, but is saved by its superb gameplay. The action is addictive to say the least, with a huge maze to maraud around and tons of power-ups to help you in your baddie-bashing quest - it certainly helps if you make a map as you go along. The difficulty level is nicely weighted and a challenge is maintained all the way through, the game never being too difficult to make progression frustrating, or easy enough to let you get miles in one go. Power Blade is highly recommended - just ignore the naff graphics and sound and enjoy playing the game...