Net Wars (MAME, 1983)Net Wars, developed by Orca, should have been the break out hit of 1983. At the time, gamers everywhere should have been asking each other, "Which game do you like better, Net Wars or Pac Man?". I don't know why this didn't happen but, in my humble opinion, it's not to late.
At the title screen I kind of got the feeling I was getting ready to play Galaga. The game is 2 player and each of you starts with 3 lives.
When level 1 appeared I was immediately intrigued. The levels look like a white net but dead center is a launch pad or enemy portal. In the bottom left and bottom right hand corners of the net some lines are yellow and they crisscross. Also there are areas that are empty where the lines just dead end. You are piloting a star ship that travels along these white lines and, yes, the ship has a blaster weapon. On level 1 there is 1 red and 3 green enemy ships. In the top right hand corner there is an "enemies" counter that reads 20. In the top left hand corner your current score is displayed and in the top right hand corner the overall top score is displayed. (When I realized what a jewel this game was and that it kept the top score displayed, my first thought was Vizzed competition!)
The object of each level is to destroy all enemy ships that come out of the center portal up to 20 enemies. Destroy all 20 and proceed to level 2, etc. Maybe all of this sounds easy, but the red enemies also have a blaster and whenever you pass through the yellow crisscross the pathway changes behind you. Also, if you travel down apart of the net that dead ends into open space you actually go to a sub level where there are no nets to limit your travel. On that sub level there are three enemy portals, an escape portal for your ship which takes you back to the net, and a yellow rotating enemy cube that cannot be destroyed and bounces all around the screen. Then, on level 2 the pattern of the net is different, the yellow changing pathways disappear and a new obstacle is introduced which I have begun referring to, hatefully, as the blob . The blob follows you around the net but he cannot be destroyed. By level 3, I suddenly realized that I was addicted and this would now be one of my go-to-games.
Overall: 9
This game is a must play.
Graphics: 10
Judged against today's standards this game would fail but since Vizzed says, "games graphics should be compared to other games on the system", I am comparing it to games from '83.
Sound: 8
Just like with the graphics score, I am comparing it to other games of the same time period. It's not a 10 because it doesn't have a catchy tune like Pac Man does.
Addictiveness: 10
I want to know how many levels there are! Also, do the net pathway changes get more complex? How many enemy ships will there eventually be on the screen?
Story: N/A
Net Wars is pure action.
Depth: 10
This game might be never-ending but it feels more like a high score scenario.
Difficulty: 7
I didn't perceive any part of the game as hard to learn or irritating but it is challenging.
Graphics
10 Sound
8 Addictive
10 Depth
10 Difficulty
7
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