Vimm's Lair: NES Reviews - Monster in My Pocket

Nintendo
Monster in My Pocket

Graphics:
Sound:
Gameplay:
Overall:
7.67
7.58
7.83
7.67
Votes: 12
Reviews: 1


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Reviewer: Nec5 Date: Oct 4, 2003
Monster in My Pocket, one of the last games I bought for the NES. Konami put together an excellent game here. Don't let the kiddy theme and toys fool you, this is a solid platformer that works great for 1 or 2 players.

Graphics: 9
Graphically, this game gives you everything you can expect from the NES. Some of the monsters, such as the fire-breathing dinosaur, could have looked better, but the graphics are excellent. Your main characters look good and the vampire's cape even flutters in the wind as he runs. This nice touch and the variety of objects displayed keeps the game feeling fresh.

Sound: 10
This game, as in many of Konami's, has fantastic music and sound effects. There are a few screams to help lighten the mood or tighten it. Sounds such as the flying hyrdra's lighting rays are pretty good too. The music is always entertaining. Every piece of music is well done. I used to love facing the final boss and listening to his music while I dodged his blasts. Excellent stuff here.

Gameplay: 8
Well, this game is similar to Konami's Contra games on the surface. The main difference here is that your attacks must be made up close and personal. The only distance weapon you get is a key you can carry and toss at enemies. Basically, you jump across pits, smash enemies, and fight bosses. Not a whole lot of variety in the actual playing but the unique environments keep things fresh. For example, you float across the sewer in a soda can (if memory serves) in one stage and run down the stairs in another.

If you're in to platformers with a lot of smashing side-scrolling action, check this out. Two players can play at the same time, an option EVERY modern game should have but usually lacks. If two of you are playing, make sure that you work together to conserve your lives and synchronize your pit jumping.

I took off a couple points because of a few difficult areas that seem repetetive. Some of the pits are merciless and memorization becomes absolutely vital. Still, its a fun, if brief, ride.

Overall: 9
Well, my brother and I thoroughly enjoyed this game. We never played with the toys, and we didn't need to. Jumping over obstacles and smashing bad guys sounds old, but it worked for us here. This is a classic Konami NES game featuring great music and enjoyable game play. If you do play this game, I recommend grabbing a friend. It's worth it and he/she can really help keep you moving.

As I said, I nearly always played this game with my brother, so that may have biased my review. Still, Konami put out a quality product here that you Contra and TMNT fans shouldn't completely overlook.

Hints: When going down the stairs, stay on the railling and run forward to become invincible and breeze through the stage. If two of you are playing, make sure you both jump down from ovens and chairs at the same time to avoid one of your deaths. Two players are really handy for the fight against medusa. You can split up and find the real one faster.