Keith Courage in Alpha Zones - Worth Playing?

[Ziggy]

Is this game worth playing? Every review I come across for it kind of pans it, but without actually saying that it's not worth your time. I picked up a PC Engine about a year ago, and I picked up the PC Engine counterpart of this game (Mashin Eiyūden Wataru). My reasoning at the time was that this was the pack-in game for the Turbo Grafx 16, so this should be my first game too.. for some reason... I don't know. It made sense back when I bought it, but it doesn't seem to make any sense now.

I have no problem coming up with my own opinions for games, but I was curious about what other people thought of this one. Every time I try to play it, I get to the second underworld level and just get board. The level design just seems boring, and the enemies all seem generic. Without interesting platforming, or engaging enemy encounters, what does this game actually have? Should I just write it off? Or should I give it more of a chance?

A lot of modern reviews for this game question the choice to make it a pack-in for the console. I wonder if there's any love for this game today because it was a pack-in title, it was probably many people's first game for the TG16. Or was it a shit game back then too? A pack-in title, but you couldn't wait to buy your first good game?

[marurun]

The game takes a lot of heat because it was, indeed, a poor choice of a pack-in. The Japanese game was a licensed game that was paired with an animated TV show. So the game is essentially an anime licensed game. Bringing that to the US, stripping it of the license in translation, and making it a pack-in is thus a weird call. That said, I don't think the game is a bad game. It's a little weird and can be a little frustrating at times (some blind jumps), but on the whole the graphics are good in places and show off the system's colors and it can be a fun, if short, romp. I think the worst you could legitimately say about it is that it's a pretty average game.

[BoneSnapDeez]

It's decent enough. In that 6-7/10 category. Not outstanding, but it gets the job done.

I will say this, it's better than any of those Bonk games. Now those were ass.

(Get Cadash.)

[marurun]

I will say this, it's better than any of those Bonk games. Now those were ass.

I keep thinking you're such a lover of under-appreciated games, and then you go and dump on my caveman.