f you’re in the mood to bust out the NES and try something a little different from Super Mario Bros, DuckTales may be that game you’re craving. Okay, it may not be entirely different than most platformers, especially since the game has the usual level timer and invincibility power-up. There are some unique aspects of this game that set it apart. Uncle Scrooge’s ability to bounce on his cane for a super-jump is one of them. As expected, you’ll likely spend most of your time bouncing away on enemy heads throughout the whole game.
Each level has a different theme to it, and the amount of detail each level has is impressive for an 80’s game. There are certain areas where you won’t be able to use your cane, some levels where you’ll be bouncing around just about everywhere, and even levels with teleportation elements.
DuckTales doesn’t have a save feature, however it’s fairly short and you can choose to tackle the stages in any order you want. There’s three difficulty settings to choose from, easy, medium and hard, which alters enemy spawns and pace. Unfortunately, the boss battles aren’t much of a challenge on any difficulty.
There are many notable character references and cameos which would definitely make fans of the DuckTales universe proud. The graphics are bright and colorful, and the stage-specific music is wonderful, although some sound effects can get a little too repetitive and annoying.
Nostalgia at its finest
If you loved DuckTales and want to take a trip down memory lane to the origins of platform gaming, you will definitely want to check this game out. Uncle Scrooge is still as nostalgic as ever, and the cameos of all the characters you know and love are sure to put a smile on your face. The game may be relatively short, the bosses may be too easy, and some sound effects may be horrible, but as an overall package, DuckTales just might be one of the best platformers for NES.
Check out our full length video review below!
