Mick & Mack as the Global Gladiators

aka: Global Gladiators
Moby ID: 8050

Amiga version

Two kids get transported into a comic book. Now how awesome is that?

The Good
Second game from Virgin that is based on a McDonald's license.

Story: Mick and Mack are reading their Global Gladiators comic book while eating at McDonald's, their favorite restaurant. One of the kids say that being a global gladiator would be a blast. Just then, the McDonald's mascot, none other than Ronald McDonald himself, magically transports himself out of the comic book and transports the kids in. The kids then find themselves in a strange world full of monsters.

Gameplay: The game is split up into four worlds, nicknamed "Slimeworld", "The Mystical Forest", "Toxi-Town", and "Arctic", all of them consist of three levels each. The object of each level is not only to kill different enemies that inhabit each world with your trusty GooShooter. (The third world is based on a construction site, so all the enemies look and act like killer appliances.), but to collect so many arches (75, I think) in order to pass the level. Ronald McDonald should appear cheering you on at the end of the level, but if he does not, then that means that you didn't get enough arches and therefore unable to pass the level until you go back and get more.

Some arches are out of reach, even by jumping high in the air or by jumping off other platforms to get them. If you are lucky, you might be able to jump and land on an invisible platform. You are given a certain amount of time to complete each level, but getting a clock will give you more time. If you are short on lives, you can get a icon that has your character's face on it and you'll receive one extra life. You also receive another life if you collect 100 arches. Collecting hearts increases your energy and gives you 1000 points. You should also watch out for an yellow arrow enclosed in a red square, as these act as restart points and allow you to restart the level at that point when you die.

Between each level, you can read one of the sayings that the game has to offer. If you collect 80 hearts in a level, you are treated to a bonus game where the object is to collect glass bottles, cans, and old newspapers, and put them in the bins that are marked with their icon. This game ends when you are hit with an anvil or when you let rubbish lay on the ground. If you keep losing this game, the game's options will let you practice the bonus game, but the same rules apply as when you are playing for real.

Graphics: There are specific color schemes that relate to each world. Since the first world is called "Slimeworld", for example, you only see green monsters and green structures. In "Arctic", you only see white animals that roam around. As well as the enemies, the characters are drawn perfectly. The game box describes the graphics as "bodacious", but I wouldn't go that far. I would describe them as very good.

Music & Sound: The music in Global Gladiators is close to being excellent. Almost all of the tunes are rock 'n roll-like, making it the type of music that you can tap you foot to. The sound effects are cartoonish, and some of them can be heard when you watch a Saturday morning cartoon show. There are a few vocal sounds where someone shouts out lines like "Yeah!", "Awesome!", and "You did it!", making you think that the game is cheering you on when you get power-ups or get a certain number of arches.

The Bad
Like The Incredible Crash Dummies, this game suffers from the spectrum-like background that is visible while you play the game. The only exception to this rule is the last two levels of "Arctic", where glaciers form part of the background. Also, you will not fight a boss at the end of each world. You defeat only one boss just before completing the game, making the game less fun.

The Bottom Line
I find it hard to believe that you would play Global Gladiators because Ronald McDonald is your hero and that McDonald's is your favorite place to eat and hang out. Regardless of these two reasons, I would play the game because it is the type of platform games where you do not have to kill shit, but accomplish some objectives.

Rating: ****

by Katakis | カタキス (43092) on November 15, 2004

Back to Reviews