Also available for Game Boy and PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Windows via Disney Afternoon Collection I have finally reached the end of the Disney Afternoon Collection with my playthrough of Darkwing Duck. I was familiar with Darkwing Duck as a kid, but I never really watched the cartoon much growing up. This is also the first time I've had the chance to play the game, and I gotta say, this one impressed me more than the majority of the Disney Afternoon Collection. While Duck Tales 2 is probably my favorite of the bunch, Darkwing Duck reminded me it and my second favorite, TaleSpin. Needless to say, this game is pretty great. The premise of the game is your standard late 80s/early 90s superhero cartoon story; you go deal with a series of loosely connected incidents across the city before confronting your primary nemesis at the end of the game. No one bought this game for the story; you buy this game for the character and the gameplay. The character of Darkwing Duck is over the top and goofy, and that even manages to come through a bit in this 8-bit version of him. The gameplay, however, is where the game really shines. When I said it reminded me of both Duck Tales 2 and TaleSpin, it was the gameplay to which I was referring. The platforming has the tight and refined feel that Duck Tales 2 had, but instead of a pogo stick or projectiles you pick up like in Rescue Rangers, Darkwing Duck has a gun that he shoots, hence why it reminded me a bit of TaleSpin. The platforming sections can be a little touchy at times, but by and large, the hit detection is good, and the controls are tight and responsive - exactly what you want from a platformer. If you've read any of my reviews of the other five games in the Disney Afternoon Collection, then you should know I'm about to stay with regards to music and visuals. The graphics are colorful, the sprites are well designed, and the enemies have a nice variety that keep things from feeling boring. The music, while still not on the level of the god-tier Duck Tales soundtrack, is probably the next best in the collection. Darkwing Duck always had some really cool music, and it's great to see that music make the transition to the 8-bit NES. As I bid farewell to the Disney Afternoon Collection, I'm glad that I ended with Darkwing Duck. After being a bit disappointed by the two Rescue Rangers games, I really wasn't sure what to expect out of Darkwing Duck, but I was extremely pleased with what I got. It feels, in a lot of ways, almost like Disney's Mega Man. I suppose that makes sense given that Capcom made both Darkwing Duck NES game as well as the Mega Man IP, but it's definitely not something I expected. I doubt I'll revisit either of the Rescue Ranger games or even TaleSpin, but I can absolutely see myself revisiting Darkwing Duck some rainy afternoon when I just need something simple and colorful to play. My Rating - A |
I'm a teacher.And I like to play video games. I like to collect video games. I like to talk about video games, and I like to write about video games. During the day, I teach high school history; during the night, I spend my spare time gaming. Then I write about it. Archives
April 2024
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