Genesis
American Gladiators

Graphics:
Sound:
Gameplay:
Overall:
5.25
4.50
4.50
5.00
Votes: 4
Reviews: 1


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Reviewer: Wolfgang Frost Date: Oct 24, 2008
I enjoyed American Gladiators for the NES, it wasn't the best game but it had a certain charm that made it worth playing. I figured Genesis does what Nintendon't, the Genesis one is probably even better! Unfortunately instead of getting a superior 16-bit port of a game I already enjoyed I just found frustration and disappointment.

Graphics: 4
Well, it's definitely better than the NES but overall I was expecting a little more. The events that feature close-ups look good but the detail is lacking everywhere else

Sound: 1
Now I may be wrong on this but as far as I can tell there's pretty much just one song from the time you start the game until you shut it off in frustration. The sound effects are typical 16-bit fare. I'd recommend muting your TV.

Gameplay: 2
You have basically zero instruction as to what you're supposed to be trying to accomplish in each stage. I know how all the events in the NES one work but this is totally different. I assume the manual explains it but I usually only end up with the cartridge so unless the game is mostly self-explanatory I usually give up on it.

On top of that the controls just feel stiff and they're different for every event so you wind up losing quite a bit just trying to figure what buttons even do anything. I initially tried to play this game with a six button pad but they expect you to navigate the menus using the XYZ and mode buttons.

Now either this is just a really strange glitch or the people that designed this game were just trying to make it unplayable. In fact, this is the only Genesis game out of the 182 I own and the countless more I've played that makes use of the mode button during the actual game.

Overall: 3
I can't honestly say this is the worst game I've ever played but I certainly didn't enjoy it at all. Confusing gameplay, highly irregular controls and irritating audio all add up to one awful game.

If you're a huge fan of this game and are upset at me bashing it like this; please know I really wanted to like it, I just couldn't understand it!