Genesis

Granada

The graphic quality is just average for a Genesis game, and the sound isn't so hot either. The most unusual aspect of the game is the control scheme that requires you to hold down two buttons at a time. The 'A' button is for rapid fire, 'B' allows you to strafe and 'C' provides your power shot. You'll need to hold down A and B most of the time, and yes, it is awkward. Your power shot looks pretty dinky, but it's extremely effective on bosses. Another interesting aspect is the power-ups. I challenge anyone to find a power-up more innovative than the "deflectors", which are floating disks that allow you to shoot around corners - very cool. Despite its stupid name, Granada is a pleasant surprise that I can recommend to all shooter fans.

So why isn't Granada on the same level as the more renown 16-bit shooters? Perhaps it got lost in the flood of shooters early in the Genesis' life, or maybe the poor advertising (using small screen shots and misleading descriptions) failed to entice people to give Granada its audience? Then again, maybe people just don't like free roaming and/or tank shooters, as games such as Jackal, Guardian Force, and Iron Tank are few and far between. Is it the lack of Jamie Bunker? Whatever the case, Granada is a terrific and solid title which deserves to be in any shooter fan's library. It's nothing that will set the world on fire – obviously Granada is fairly obscure when it comes to the other established shooters of the day – but the level of innovation , playability, and presentation have kept and will keep the game from going stale over the years, making it as enjoyable in 2016 as it was in 1990.