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83
The Video Game Critic
What makes Side Arms such a blast is your overwhelming firepower. You can switch between weapons on the pause screen, and each can be powered up to an impressive degree. The "transformation alpha" power-up temporarily turns you in a "mech" that fires in eight directions at once, and it's awesome while it lasts. Once you ramp up your firepower, you'll breeze through the first stage with no problem. When you die and lose your weapons however, it can be hard to return to your previous glory. The bosses are surprisingly easy to beat, especially that "wheel of fortune" thing. There are also a few off-beat bonus items like a strawberry and a cow. Sure, we take cow power-ups for granted now, but in 1989 they were quite the novelty. Side Arms is one of those guilty pleasures that's fun because you don't have to think too much.
| Category |
Description |
MobyScore |
| AI |
How smart (or dumb) you perceive the game's artificial intelligence to be |
3.2 |
| Gameplay |
How well the game mechanics work (player controls, game action, interface, etc.) |
4.0 |
| Graphics |
The quality of the art, or the quality/speed of the drawing routines |
3.6 |
| Personal Slant |
How much you personally like the game, regardless of other attributes |
3.8 |
| Sound / Music |
The quality of the sound effects and/or music composition |
3.4 |
| Story / Presentation |
The main creative ideas in the game and how well they're executed |
3.0 |
| Overall MobyScore (5 votes) |
3.5 |
User Reviews
