Gremlins 2: The New Batch
Nintendo Entertainment System
Nostalgia Factor:
Gremlins 2 was my favorite movie when I was a kid. I watched it so many times, I’m surprised my VHS copy of the movie didn’t crap out on me. Seriously, this was my go-to movie. I watched it every single day for a few solid months in a row. Whenever I would get in trouble at school or do something to get grounded, my punishment would always be that Gremlins 2 would be taken away from me.
It only makes sense that I would check out the video game adaptation of the movie, which I did. I rented this game for a weekend, had a really good time with it, beat it, and returned it to the video store. I haven’t played it or given it much thought since then. 29 years later, I have returned to the game. How would it hold up over time? Read on.
Story:
This game follows the same very, very basic plot of the movie. You control Gizmo, and it is your goal to make it through the Clamp building, fighting Gremlins every step of the way. Make it to the end of the game, and Billy zaps all of the Gremlins in the Clamp lobby with electricity, just like he does in the movie. The end.
One bizarre inconsistency is that Mr. Wing, Gizmo’s original owner, is still alive in this game. His death is what triggers the events of the movie, so it is interesting that he is still alive in the game. What kind of alternate dimension fuckery is this?
Gameplay:
This game plays out a lot like a classic NES platformer, but from an overhead perspective. The closest comparison to another game I can make is to Blaster Master, when your character leaves the tank and enters a building. But this game’s action feels a lot more polished than Blaster Master’s. Controls are crisp and responsive. Many areas in this game requite pinpoint precision when you jump, and Gremlins 2 doesn’t let you down in that area. Whenever I would screw up, I knew it was my fault and not due to shoddy game mechanics.
Gizmo’s attacks start out pretty weak, with a limited range. As the game progresses, you gather new, more powerful weapons. By the end of the game, Gizmo has turned into a real badass. When you kill enemies, you collect currency. You can use this currency at Mr. Wing’s shops which are scattered throughout the game. He usually sells you a weapon upgrade, more health, an extra life, or an extra balloon. Balloons are definitely very helpful because if you fall into a pit (and make no mistake: you WILL fall into pits in this game), the balloon will allow you to rise up out of the pit without taking any damage. Perhaps even more importantly, the effects of the balloon last about 10 seconds or so. You can fly along using this balloon to skip some of the more difficult platforming sections of the game.
Gremlins 2 is fairly difficult, but nothing that can’t be tackled with a little trial and error. There are unlimited continues when you die, so that is helpful. There is also a password system to pick up where you left off, if you ever need to turn your NES off. I didn’t use this feature, as I completed the game in one sitting. I didn’t time my playthrough, but I would say it couldn’t have taken me more than two hours to finish this game.
not really a yes or no question, but okay
Graphics:
This game looks decent for its time. I wouldn’t say it looks fantastic or anything, but all of the characters are well-detailed and easily recognizable from the movies. Animations are… fine. The levels can look pretty good at times, and pretty bland and “same” looking at others. Graphics aren’t exactly this game’s selling point, but they aren’t a detriment to the game either. It looks good enough for me.
Sound:
There are some catchy tunes in this game, but nothing that really stands out as a “classic” memorable NES tune. Sound effects are good. Everything is on par for what it should be for a 1991 NES game. Again, good enough for me.
Fun little note: when I first started this game up, my wife was in the room with me. She complained about level one’s music, saying if she had to listen to “this” all night, she was going to have to leave the room. Luckily, the music changes whenever you move on to a new stage, so she didn’t have to listen to whatever song that was all night long.
Overall:
I had a surprisingly enjoyable time with this game. Levels are well designed. There’s a fun variety of enemies in the game, many recognizable from the movie. Controls are good. The game is a challenge too, but it never gets to the point where I wanted to throw the controller out the window in a blind rage. It’s that perfect type of challenging where you KNOW you can beat each stage with just a little practice. So you keep playing, keep practicing. And it works. You get a little bit better each attempt until you finally pass whatever stage you’re on and move on to the next one.
I played and completed both this game and Desert Demolition (my previous game review) in the same night, and I can easily say that this game is light years better than Desert Demolition. It’s all about that challenge level. When I beat this game I immediately wanted to go back and play it again to see how well I’d do with some experience under my belt. I didn’t though. I still might, however. Don’t be surprised to see a re-review of Gremlins 2 at some point in the future. That’s how you can tell I truly like a game, when I want to go back and play it again right after beating it. Such is the case with Gremlins 2. This is a really fun game.
Overall:
B+
If you liked this game review, check out a few of my others!
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