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Title: Megamania
Author:Activision
Rom Player: PC Atari 2600 or Stella
Reviewer: Nick Virgilio
Synopsis: I love shoot 'em up style games, nothing but pure hand-eye coordination. Megamania is one of my favorites!
In this game you are a Star Trek looking space craft who's object is to kill or be killed. Your craft lies at the bottom of the screen, you are able to move left and right while shooting upward at moving/falling/shooting objects. The game has two modes, Guided and Straight Missiles. Straight Missiles make the game more challenging but are no fun. For one or two players in turn.
You start off with three ships (guys) and die (loose a ship) when you are hit with one of their shots, hit by one of the objects or your ever diminishing energy meter runs out. Every 10,000 points, about every 4 levels, you receive another ship. Points are earned by shooting an object and from your energy meter at the completion of a level. A level is completed when all objects are eliminated.
This game picks up where Space Invaders (another shoot 'em up game) leaves off. But unlike Space Invaders, which repeats itself after the 5th or so level, this game poses a different level each time! I have yet to find the point at which the game repeats and I have gotten through to the 3rd cycle, (not bad). Yes there are other things to do in life besides conquer Atari games. The levels cycle through about 15 (correct me if I'm wrong) different objects almost all with different movements/abilities. Each cycle the objects move differently and faster. Some objects move from left to right while shooting at you, others move in a changing diagonal downward motion while shooting at you, some move in a side to side jerking fashion not shooting and others just fall. There are too many movements to list.
The first level starts off with the green "Hamburgers" as I call them, they scroll left to right while shooting at you, real easy. But the second level takes right off. The yellow "Tire Tracks" scroll in a side to side jerking fashion not shooting. Most inexperienced players cannot even make it through this level! So this game is pretty challenging. A couple levels later comes the yellow "Irons". These descend in three linear rows with jerky movements. Be real careful with the "Irons" because if you do not hit at least one in each row before they reach the bottom you are toast. They will never let you in to take a shot. Damn that pisses me off! Other objects include but not limited to "Hotdogs", "Diamonds", "Ties" and "Dice".
Overall I give the game a 10! I gave the Music category only a 7, well, because there is no music but the 4 sound effects are great. You'll love the ship regeneration and death sound effects. Kind of like the ship is assembled or disassembled particle by particle. Really fits the look of the ship. The other two, shooting and hitting an object are nice too but can become real annoying to my girlfriend when she is trying to sleep or do work. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Is this game original, I would say yes for its time, but most people don't consider any shoot 'em up game to be original. If you want amazing graphics, sell me your Atari. Play On! Sleep Later!
Best Cheats: Don't know of any and don't need any.
Game Play: 10
Graphics: 9
Music/Sound: 7
Originality: 7
Overall Rating: 10
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