Jaguar

Tempest 2000

Tempest 2000 is as close to a perfect game as you can get. The graphics, the sounds, the music, the gameplay, and the intensity are unequaled by any other game. I only hope the imitations are half as good as the original.

Great sounds, stunning graphics and arcade speed make this a must. Tempest 2000 makes the Jaguar roar!

Just writing about Tempest 2000 makes me want to rush over to my TV and plug it in for another round. I'll just sum up Tempest 2000 by proclaiming it to be one of the wildest, thrilling, adrenaline-inducing shooters to come out in a long time. The only other games to give me this feeling are Robotron:2084... and the original Tempest. Minter's love of the Dave Theurer's coin-op masterpiece is very apparent by the care he put into making sure that the Jaguar's 2000 version lives up to the legacy left by the original.

I'll just sum up Tempest 2000 by proclaiming it to be one of the wildest, thrilling, adrenaline-inducing shooters to come out in a long time. Only Robotron: 2084 and the original Tempest have managed to serve up the same kind of gaming ecstacy as this masterpiece.

Did I say two player mode? The multi player is pure genius. Player One on one side, Two on the opposite side. Those little bullet-balls are everywhere. Some of the most fun I've had was spent yelling with my friends playing this game. If you don't have it, hey, you are missing out. If there was ever a game to own a system for, it's Tempest 2000!

An update of the arcade shooting classic, Tempest 2000 is multimedia in the truest sense, with psychedelic graphics, a CD-quality soundtrack, breathy voice samples (the words superzapper recharge have never sounded more erotic), even text that scrolls past at dizzying speeds. The one weakness is the often-unresponsive Jaguar control pad.

The excellent techno music fits the frenetic pace of the game. Gameplay is wild. Power-ups are all over the place, and the enemies just keep coming. There's even a two player mode where you and a friend can compete on a split screen. But it's hard enough to tell what's going on in the one-player mode, so the two player mode is practically unplayable. Also, the difficulty of the one-player game is a little on the easy side. The games tend to be lengthy.

If you dug on the original Tempest, there's no doubt Tempest 2000 and its multiple play modes will float your boat. This is one of the few must-buy Jaguar titles.

It's not the perfect shooter it once was, but only because it still appears Atari cut some corners. For example - the music, which is probably the best I've ever heard in a videogame, consists of a mere four main tracks. There are a few others, heard in bonus rounds and in the demos, but they're inconsequential. The rippin' techno that actually made Kevin Oleniacz' eyes bulge when he first heard it is played for sixteen levels at a time before it changes. I would have preferred shorter pieces and more of them. I also think the bonus levels could have been more inventive, although they certainly are eye-catching. My final nit is the overall display, which at its most frantic is too cluttered to see what the hell is in front of you. I guess that's the price you pay for a game that's this hectic.

It's a great value for Tempest fans or newcomers. There are enough free versions of the game online (one even on Atari's website, though you have to register) to give you a general idea of how the game plays. If you like what you see, then Tempest 2000 does its job of being the definitive version to get. The inclusion of the original Tempest makes for hours of great play on its own, and Tempest 2000 is just the kind of update/sequel fans will love. Plus and Duel do risk being forgotten, but their inclusion does drive up the overall value of the pack, and the co-op in Plus is a masterstroke addition. It's certainly not worth buying a Jaguar for, but a PC port a few years after the console went under means you don't have to. Also not worth an impulse buy for someone who has never played, but if you try Tempest free and like it, Tempest 2000 makes a natural and enjoyable addition to your library.

The only real improvements over the original are some new (admittedly cool) power ups and a hip, psychedelic look. It's great to play it again and it's one of the best Jaguar games by a mile, but don't buy it thinking it's the greatest thing since sliced bread.

"Now for the main reason to own a Jag" - I swear that every person I've ever seen play this game says this line in one form or another the first time they load up Tempest 2000. ...and, well, for better or worse, it is a very accurate statement! Graphics are absolutely beautiful, although I must admit that in full blown Tempest 2000 mode, that the busy graphics (ie: explosions, etc...) can about make you blind. Music and sound effects in this game are unquestionably some of the best ever to come out of a console unit. My only (and I mean only) real complaint is that this game MUST HAVE PADDLES! Dammit, a joypad just doesn't cut it.

Yes! Yes! Yes! This is exactly what the Jaguar needed. A good ole dose of nostalgia. Tempest 2000 is an excellent game. Four game modes with a cool Two-Player Versus Mode is fantastic. No one will want to miss Tempest 2000. It's got gobs of power-ups, tough enemies, and the exotic bonus stages will keep you drooling. The techno/rave music is fantastic! The only thing missing is the roller controller.

Mit den farbenprächtigen Feinden und Galaxien in "Tempest 2000" zeigt der Jaguar endlich seine Krallen, und auch sein Brüllen hört sich mittlerweile recht ordentlich an."Tempest2000" ist ein sehr gut gelungenes Remake des Klassikers.