The evolution of Konami SMD games. I’ll try to figure out where the studio started and where it ended up. And I’ll make a tire list at the same time. This is the first part of two.
This article contains only Konami developed games, so there will be no “International Superstar Soccer Deluxe” or “Zombies Ate My Neighbors” on the teaser list. Let me remind you that everything I write is just my personal opinion.
Sunset Riders (1992).
A classic run and gun in Wild West style from the masters of the genre! In general, Konami in the 90’s had a fetish for the cowboy setting. I can remember at least “Iron Horse”, “C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa” and “Lethal Enforcers II: Gun Fighters”. “Sunset Riders” was also released on arcade cabinets and the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES). Bandits, train robberies, brothels – Konami conveyed the atmosphere perfectly! The only downside to the game is the need to specify the direction for the ride, and its duration. Unfortunately, almost half of the levels and bosses were cut on SMD. I really liked the graphics and music, compared to the SNES, but for me the content is more important.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Hyperstone Heist (1992).
Segovian Turtles! As a kid, I really liked the graphics in this game. It felt like you were playing a real cartoon! It’s a brilliant, vivid, incredibly fast beat ’em up. The main downsides are that it’s secondary. I felt like TMNT: Turtles in Time and TMNT III: The Manhattan Project just had more content. Also, I do not like the separate button to run, with time, of course, get used to, but …
Tiny Toon Adventures: Buster’s Hidden Treasure (1993).
I never got to see the cartoon as a kid. So for a long time I thought that’s what the bunnies were called Tiny and Toon… The first platformer for the best console ever! It seems to me that with “TTA 2: Trouble in Wackyland” and “TTA: Buster Busts Loose!” the series went in the wrong direction. It’s like the developers didn’t understand what to surprise the player with. That’s why I think it’s right to return to the series’ roots and simplify the mechanics. But, for the lack of a playable Tasmanian Devil, the entire Konami and, Hideo Kojima personally, should be beaten with a stick.
Rocket Knight Adventures (1993).
A second attempt at making your own Sonic. I had one of my favorite childhood games, although I never got past it to the end! I always loved the incredible fairy tale atmosphere, the humor, and the great amount of detail. Already in the first part the signature features of the series appeared: shmup levels, battles on giant possum-shaped robots. The game itself consists of battles with huge, ridiculous bosses. You can really feel the Konami trademark here. The game can certainly be scolded for its small color palette, but you don’t want to do that at all.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tournament Fighters (1993).
Three fighting games were released under this title on different consoles at once. The version for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) is much more popular in the CIS than around the world. This is the best fighting game on the NES, and tournaments are still held on it. As for Sega, it’s very sad. I liked the dark atmosphere of the game. But the gameplay itself was very weak. There are only 3 keys in the game, and one of them is responsible for mocking your opponent! Also there is no Shredder in the game, but 3 unplayable bosses. All in all, if you’re looking for a good 16-bit turtle fighting game, check out the SNES version. It’s a really good game on the level of “Primal Rage” or “Fatal Fury 2”. As for Sega, there’s…
Lethal Enforcers (1993).
The light gun game came to us from the arcade machines. “Lethal Enforcers” suffered a lot in the porting process. While the Sega CD version can at least be played, the Mega Drive port is virtually unplayable. The whole thing is like a mush of pixels.
Double Dribble: The Playoff Edition (1994).
I didn’t have this game as a kid, but I loved Double Dribble for the NES. Overall, the game leaves it feeling like a very average sports simulator. “Double Dribble” is very hard to pick off the ball, poorly done highlighting the active player. At the time, Konami had their flagship “Run and Gun” series (“NBA Give ‘n Go” on the SNES) about basketball. And the company had given up on Sega for a bit.