Gauntlet review - Sega Master System

I was flabbergasted by this game - it's fast, furious, and above all faithful to the coin-op. Seriously, the whole Mean Machines team were impressed by this game, which is challenging but still accessible. The graphics are brilliant and the sound fits the game well, but it's the playability that made me love the game so much (I was a big fan of the arcade machine). Atmosphere is an important element in any game, and Gauntlet positively oozes the stuff. Turning a corner only to be confronted with a dozen ghosts is an experience you won't forget in a hurry! Reaching the later levels is a tough challenge.

Gauntlet has appeared on virtually every home computer system on Earth, and I'm glad to see that the Sega version tops the lot for sheer playability. The game is played at a tremendous speed, and each dungeon is packed with literally hundreds of vile and gruesome creatures all out to get you - as you can imagine, it's action all the way! As well as being very playable, the graphics and sound are also excellent. The sprites are small, but they're superbly detailed, and the backdrops are very polished, giving the game a true arcade look. With 100 different levels the challenge you, Gauntlet won't lost its appeal in a hurry. If you've got a Sega, do yourself a favour and plug this into it.

In the early days of the NES vs Master System war, Sega scored some major hits - and this conversion of Gauntlet was one of them. The graphics are excellent, and it's very tempting to describe this as arcade perfect. It really does show the power of Sega's 8-bit wonder. The gameplay is also replicated brilliantly. If you happen to be on the lookout for decent Master System titles make sure this is on the top of your list.