Zombies Ate My Neighbors

The Good
The graphics, they are nice, all the characters are done well. The levels are fun too,each one being varied from the last, as is the whole concept of the game. The background music adds well to the atmosphere and feel of the game. The controls are simple and responsive, they all add together to form a classic game

The Bad
Sometimes shooting zombies can get repetitive,(I never thought I'd say that), but apart from that its a game I could keep on going back to.

The Bottom Line
zombie mayhem which is great fun

The Good
Zombies is simply a blast to play. It is one of the ultimate 2-player games. The various weapons are well-balanced and different enough to require thought in use. The concept - rescuing civilians from zombies (which include other baddies as well) is clever and well-executed. There is no "distinct" time limit, but you must operate swiftly to rescue the majority of them (you won't get them all, and that's acceptable - and the scream sound effect when a "neighbor" meets their maker is one of the best sounds in video gaming). Level design is very fresh and clever.

The Bad
I wish you could "continue" your way through the game, because it's difficult as you get going, and there are a lot of levels that I haven't ever been able to get to. There's not much else to complain about. It's not quite as great as a solo-player game - it really shines in 2-player mode. The difficulty level does quickly ramp up, but there is a lot of fun in just getting as far as you can (kinda like some of those old arcade games).

The Bottom Line
Zombies Ate My Neighbors is an overhead-perspective shooter game, in which you move with 360 degrees of freedom around locales like neighborhoods, shopping malls, and some more exotic locations as well. The concept of the game is to rescue civilians ("neighbors") from the zombies and other creatures roaming around. Equipped with weapons ranging from soda cans to a bazooka, you (and ideally, a friend as well) perform rescue missions. It's kind of like a Gauntlet, except with the whole "rescue" angle, as well as a lot of clever gameplay and theme twists.

The Good
This has got to be one of the top-ten most fun games from the 16-bit days! The replay value is high, graphics are great, sound effects top-notch, music imminently hummable, controls are slick and responsive, the AI is advanced beyond its years and technology and the difficulty is almost perfectly balanced.

This is the definition of "sleeper hit". Why ZAMN didn't get more attention when it came out than it did is beyond me. The fast-paced arcade style gameplay is nicely complemented by the variety of weapons, enemies and locales to create a deeply satisfying and fun playing experience.

It's somewhat ironic, though, that a game packed with so much nostalgia has itself become a piece of 16-bit nostalgia. If you've seen even a fraction of the horror movies that have came out in the nine decades before the game's release, you'll recognize some of them in this game.

The Bad
It gets somewhat repetitive after a few hours, and the password system was a wrong move for continuing, but it still keeps you coming back for more, regardless. Also, the weapon and item selection system is a little tedious, especially if you have large caches of each, and it can get annoying to hit the selection button two dozen times because you missed the item/weapon you needed.

The Bottom Line
Think of it like Resident Evil meets Gauntlet in "Abbot and Costello meet The Monsters!" It's got homages to all the great horror classics of the last century, including Living Dead, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Child's Play, Creature from the Black Lagoon, Frankenstein, Dracula and many many more.

The premise is a simple one: Save the victims, kill the monsters and don't get killed yourself. It never gets more complicated than that. Not to say it's not a challenge; often times the victims are positioned so that you can see them, but you still have to fight through half the level to get to them. And even then, they're usually so close to an enemy spawn point that it's a mad dash to rescue them. But there's no greater feeling than narrowly snatching a victim from the claws of a Werewolf.

Game design is pure genius; you go from bouncing on trampolines in your backyard one level to fending off chainsaw-wielding maniacs in a hedgerow maze to battling giant babies in a shopping mall. That's just the tip of the proverbial iceberg; there are haunted castles, caves, beaches, factories, schools...the list of levels goes on and on and on.

So does the list of enemies; the title Zombies are only the first of a wacky cast of enemy characters you'll encounter. Others include evil ax-throwing dolls (which naturally erupt into flaming dolls if damaged enough), giant toddlers who stomp on you and shoot milk out of their bottles, giant plants that can spawn walking mushrooms, jelly blobs that will spit jelly balls at you (and that prevent you from using your weapons and items for a few seconds if they hit you), vampires, werewolves, and tons of others.

With the variety of weapons, items, enemies, levels, victims, music and sounds, it's not just a wonder that they were able to cram it all into a 16-bit cart, it's a testament to the creative and programming teams at Konami. Do yourself a favor, go out and find this game to add to your SNES library. If you don't have an SNES, get one!

The Good
Zombies Ate My Neighbours or Zombies as it was called in the UK is one of the most original & playable games that Konami made. You play as two teenagers who find their neighbourhood infested with Zombies and many other terrifying members of the undead.

Played at an isometric angle you must go from level to level saving the neighbours, whilst picking up an array of weapons ranging from bazookas to knives and forks to holy water pistols. There are also several types of item which can be picked up and used, but as in any good game timing and care are the key to success here. use the wrong item or weapon at the wrong time will make things difficult. For example using the speed shoes on a level with floor spikes is not a good idea.

This is a game which can be played at a frantic pace or slowly & methodically. Whichever style suits you best, both are equally rewarding.

The most benefit from this game is found in its two player mode, although it does work a as a solo experience. But playing alone will make this a difficult game to conquer.

The makers of this game have squeezed elements from as many B Horror movies as they can as a base for this game and it works very well, as the variety of levels on show mean you will not get bored quickly.

The spooky music is also top notch in this game, as it is the perfect compliment to the action on the screen.

Great graphics, very accessible gameplay & lots of levels make this a must have game.

The Bad
It can get very difficult after the first 20 levels or so. Although a password system is in operation, you lose your items after resuming via this function & that can prove frustrating.

The Bottom Line
A game that is fun for all, but best in two player. Konami on form.