Review: Chip and Dale Rescue Rangers – NES

Games based on children’s cartoon shows haven’t always sucked. Back in the late 80’s and early 90’s, Capcom produced a great deal of entertaining games with licensed Disney themes for the Nintendo Entertainment System. Many of them were quite challenging, but Chip and Dale Rescue Rangers is one of the titles that I feel had the best balance of fun and challenge in a platformer. While it’s not a big challenge if you are a platformer junkie, it is still fun and is a great game for mid-range players.

Control: 9
As with most Capcom games of old, the controls of Rescue Rangers are tight. You will find it very intuitive to move around and perform actions such as jumping, ducking, picking things up, and throwing things. The throwing element is very similar to Super Mario Bros. 2 with the picking up the veggies and tossing them — except here, you can pick up and throw things as fast as you can press the buttons.

Gameplay – 9
The most important feature to me is the 2-player simultaneous gameplay. In fact, the game isn’t terribly exciting when you play it by yourself. However, you have a buddy team up with you, the game can be a blast. Not only are you able to pick up and throw objects, but you can also pick up and throw your partner if you so choose — and that is when much of the hilarity ensues. Aside from hijinks that tossing your partner can bring, picking them up and carrying them can be part of your strategy — which may be helpful at times if your partner is a newbie. Bottom line is that teamwork can be both fun and strategic.


Graphics – 8
Rescue Rangers uses Capcom’s traditional, brightly-colored, cartoon-style graphics and they are executed well in this licensed title. The objects, backgrounds, and enemies are all drawn very large and colorful. There are some huge boss characters that look like they walked straight out of a Mega Man game. One thing that’s interesting about the game’s graphics is how Capcom presents the idea of a small chipmunk in a huge world. Since you’re playing as a pint-sized rodent, the objects in the background appear very large, such as giant water faucets, test tubes, books, toys, and telephones.

Sound – 8
Both the music and the sound effects that are fun and appropriate to the setting. While there isn’t much that is memorable, the sound is above average.

Affordibility – 9
An original NES cartridge (without a box) can be found on eBay for around $3. Doesn’t get a whole lot cheaper than that.

I think you will find that Rescue Rangers is a quick and fun game for people that are looking for a platform game that you haven’t played yet. But just be aware that the whole game can be completed in less than an hour, and most experienced gamers probably will.


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3 Comments

Matt King says:

I also liked Duck Tales, which was also made by Capcom on the Disney license…although I think Chip and Dale Rescue Rangers was much harder…

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