Jab’s Builds! (Bug! Time Gal! Time Trax! Timecop! Viewtiful Joe!) - Page 2538 (2025)

GINJIROU IBUSHI
Role: The Ninja
PL 9 (139)
STRENGTH 2 STAMINA 4 AGILITY 6
FIGHTING 14 DEXTERITY 5
INTELLIGENCE 2 AWARENESS 3 PRESENCE 3

Skills:
Athletics 10 (+12)
Expertise (Ninja) 7 (+9)
Intimidation 3 (+6)
Perception 4 (+7)

Advantages:
All-Out Attack, Equipment 1 (Sword +2), Improved Critical 2 (Sword, Lightning), Improved Defense, Improved Initiative, Power Attack, Ranged Attack 5, Uncanny Dodge

Powers:
"Thunderspell" Damage 8 (Extras: Area- 30ft. Cylinder) (16) -- [20]

• AE: "Multi-Hit Combos" Strength-Damage +0 (Feats: Variable- Any Weapon Held) (Extras: Multiattack 4) (4)
• AE: "Thunder Palm" Blast 5 (Feats: Accurate) (11)
• AE: "Thunder & Lightning" Strength-Damage +2 (Inaccurate -1) (1)
• AE: "Electric Mist" Damage 8 (Extras: Area- 30ft. Shapeable) (16)

"Shadowless Dash" Speed 2 (8 mph) (2) -- [3]

• AE: "Mirage Sky Dance" Leaping 2 (30 feet) (2)

Offense:
Unarmed +14 (+2 Damage, DC 17)
Sword +14 (+4 Damage, DC 19)
Thunder Palms +12 (+5 Ranged Damage, DC 20)
Thunder & Lightning +12 (+6 Damage, DC 21)
Electric Mist/Thunderspell +8 Area (+8 Damage, DC 23)
Initiative +10

Defenses:
Dodge +14 (DC 24), Parry +14 (DC 24), Toughness +4, Fortitude +5, Will +7

Complications:
Enemy (The Sky Spirits)

Total: Abilities: 78 / Skills: 24--12 / Advantages: 13 / Powers: 23 / Defenses: 13 (139)

-Ginjirou is as deadly martial artist whose specialty is to dive into melee and lash out with tremendous multi-hit combos (often dozens of hits in length- some can apparently hit over *100*!!).

THE UNDEAD HERO
Role: Controlled Monster
PL 9 (59)
STRENGTH 4 STAMINA -- AGILITY 2
FIGHTING 10 DEXTERITY 0
INTELLIGENCE -- AWARENESS 0 PRESENCE --

Skills:
Athletics 6 (+10)
Perception 6 (+6)

Advantages:
All-Out Attack, Improved Critical (Sword), Power Attack

Powers:
"The Golden Sword" (Flaws: Easily Removable) [3]
Strength-Damagte +4 (Feats: Improved Critical) (5 points)

"Undead Hero"
Immunity 30 (Fortitude Effects) [30]
Protection 6 [6]

Offense:
Unarmed +10 (+4 Damage, DC 19)
Sword +10 (+8 Damage, DC 23)
Initiative +2

Defenses:
Dodge +10 (DC 20), Parry +11 (DC 21), Toughness +6, Fortitude --, Will --

Complications:
None

Total: Abilities: 2 / Skills: 12--6 / Advantages: 3 / Powers: 39 / Defenses: 9 (59)

-The Undead Hero rises from his grave soon after the game's opening sequence, and takes Samuel Han's Golden Sword in the process. Revealed to be a long-dead hero, he soon comes under the control of the heroes, who can give him simple commands (Follow, Wait, Attack, Defend, and Berserk).

SERENA CORSAIR
Role: Villain Turned Good
PL 9 (139)
STRENGTH 2 STAMINA 4 AGILITY 5
FIGHTING 13 DEXTERITY 5
INTELLIGENCE 2 AWARENESS 3 PRESENCE 3

Skills:
Athletics 6 (+8)
Expertise (Soldier) 5 (+7)
Intimidation 3 (+6)
Perception 4 (+7)
Persuasion 2 (+5)

Advantages:
Accurate Attack, Equipment 1 (Sword +3, Armor +1), Improved Critical 2 (Sword, Freezing Magic), Improved Defense, Power Attack, Ranged Attack 5

Powers:
"Magical Might"
"Angel Breath" Snare 7 (Extras: Area- 30ft. Cylinder, Selective) (Flaws: Touch Range) (28) -- [32]

• AE: "Valkyrie Javelin" Snare 8 (Extras: Area- 30ft. Line) (Flaws: Touch Range) (16)
• AE: "Sonic Boom" Blast 5 (Feast: Accurate) (11)
• AE: "Phoenix Arrow/Byakko Fang/Thor Hammer" Blast 7 (Feats: Variable- Fire, Ice or Lightning) (15)
• AE: "Moon Slicer" Strength-Damage +2 (Inaccurate -1) (1)

Offense:
Unarmed +13 (+2 Damage, DC 17)
Sword +13 (+5 Damage, DC 20)
Moon Slicer +11 (+7 Damage, DC 22)
Sonic Boom +12 (+5 Ranged Damage, DC 20)
Phoenix Arrow +10 (+7 Ranged Damage, DC 22)
Javelin +8 Area (+8 Affliction, DC 18)
Angel Breath +7 Area (+7 Affliction, DC 17)
Initiative +5

Defenses:
Dodge +12 (DC 22), Parry +13 (DC 23), Toughness +4 (+5 Armor), Fortitude +5, Will +7

Complications:
Enemy (The Sky Spirits)

Total: Abilities: 74 / Skills: 20--10 / Advantages: 11 / Powers: 32 / Defenses: 12 (139)

-Serena is an enemy character who becomes playable after you beat the game for the first time. She has an average statline, but a great deal of variety- Magic AND Combat! Her specialty is freezing enemies with her Magic, leaving them vulnerable.

And that does it for the Guardian Heroes posts! This was an interesting one to me because I always saw it hyped in some magazines that loved obscure "sleeper" titles but it largely vanished, so I was always interested in it (despite correctly choosing a PlayStation over a Saturn).

This set has actually been a very Saturn-heavy one for some reason- I never really intended to have one be that way! I'd always wanted a highly varied set each time, bouncing around the eras with 1980s hits, 1990s obscurities, some Next Gen stuff, a 3DO & Jaguar game or two, in each set, but this one is a Saturn Smorgasbord: Panzer Dragoon, Guardian Heroes, and soon it'll be two of its most iconic action games with Would-Be Mascots!

WURM: JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH!:
Game Type: Action/Shooting
Release Date: 1991
Developer: Cyclone System

-Given a spectacularly bad title, Wurm came out for the NES in 1991. It was called Vazolder: The Underground Battle Space in Japan. It's a multi-genre game featuring side-scrolling vehicle mode, overhead shooting, and levels where the protagonist Moby gets out of the vehicle to explore underground ruins and fight enemies. And also there are first-person shooting stages where you fight the bosses! Moby can recruit various characters to join her crew. The story is that mysterious earthquakes have affected the Earth in the year 1999, and Moby must lead a powerful digging machine called a "Vazorudas" or VZR (named "WURM" in the American game manual). Moby is only 18 years old, but a capable warrior with a kick and a gun. It's discovered that there are two subterranean races- the warlike Nonmalta and the peaceful Dinamur. A YouTube comment (which is basically fact) says "This game was actually in development with plans to release in 1989, but due to a bug with a 3D section, it took until 1991 to release."

The game got middling reviews, for the most part- like 60%-ish? It's been totally forgotten. The graphics seem fine for the NES, but a bit primitive considering it came out in 1991 (this helps me believe the YouTube comment above). The most impressive thing is the multiple genres- though they're all done in a pretty mediocre-looking fashion, it was hard to find a Metroidvania/FPS/Vehicle Combat game, particularly on the NES, lol. Moby's big green hair and stripperific outfit are definitely the hallmarks of a very "Japan in the '90s" game. They seem to REALLY love her figure, judging by how many pixels it takes up- it's one of the larger NES character sprits... but it lacks detail, as there's no outline or facial features, meaning it's basically this woman-shaped mass of red and pink.

MOBY
Role: Explorer, Anime Heroine
PL 7 (110)
STRENGTH 2 STAMINA 3 AGILITY 4
FIGHTING 10 DEXTERITY 4
INTELLIGENCE 3 AWARENESS 3 PRESENCE 3

Skills:
Athletics 6 (+8)
Expertise (Explorer) 6 (+9)
Insight 2 (+5)
Investigation 2 (+5)
Perception 4 (+7)
Technology 2 (+5)
Vehicles 8 (+12)

Advantages:
Benefit 1 (Rank), Equipment 12 (Gun +4, VZR/WURM Drill Ship), Improved Critical (Unarmed), Ranged Attack 6

Offense:
Unarmed +10 (+2 Damage, DC 17)
Gun +10 (+4 Ranged Damage, DC 19)
Initiative +4

Defenses:
Dodge +10 (DC 20), Parry +10 (DC 20), Toughness +3, Fortitude +5, Will +6

Complications:
Responsibilty (Discovering the Source of the Earthquakes)- Earth is afflicted with numerous earthquakes, and Moby's crew must determine their cause.

Total: Abilities: 64 / Skills: 30--15 / Advantages: 20 / Powers: 0 / Defenses: 11 (110)

-Moby is actually a highly-skilled commander, being able to fight using a kick and a laser gun in subterranean levels, as well as command her ship (which is a combination Fighter Jet/Drill).

THE WIZARD OF OZ:
Game Type: Side-Scrolling Action Platformer
Release Date: 1993
Developer: Manley & Associates

-Given that it's one of the most famous bits of media ever created, you'd think there'd by more Wizard of Oz video games. Nothing says "stranger in a strange land" more than humans ending up in Oz. It even has a roster of memorable characters! In this SNES game, you can play one of the four main characters (Dorothy, The Tin Man, The Scarecrow or The Cowardly Lion). It's actually almost as much based on the 1990 Wizard of Oz Animated Series by DiC Entertainment, featuring levels from that source material. You need to accumulate six tickets from each country to open the gates to the Emerald City and thus complete the game. Once Dorothy collects the other three characters, you can swap between them with the "Select" button.

The game received somewhat positive reviews for the time (though GamePlayers trashed it at 57%), but retrospectives have been less kind, deriding the collision detection, controls and character attacks. SNESdrunk, who titles every single video "Is _____ Worth Playing Today?" instead has a video entitled The Wizard of Oz is Not Worth Playing Today, lol. The Tin Man is actually unable to jump! Every single thing in the game can hurt you, from tiny mice to raindrops and clock-arms. Characters can't even strike while jumping. There's a ranged attack, but it's a weak lob- only Dorothy can shoot bubbles and stars, while the other three can only toss things they find across levels (like gems). Your ammunition is extremely limited and nobody can attack very far, and the game's platforming is made worse (to the point of unfairness) but such bad collision detection you can fall straight through platforms you hit dead-on.

WIZARD OF OZ HEROES
Role: The Hero
PL 7 (53)
STRENGTH 0 STAMINA 2 AGILITY 2
FIGHTING 6 DEXTERITY 0
INTELLIGENCE 0 AWARENESS 2 PRESENCE 3

Skills:
Athletics 6 (+6)
Expertise (Singing) 6 (+9)
Insight 2 (+4)
Perception 4 (+6)

Advantages:
Ranged Attack 6

Powers:
"Lob Attack" Strength-Damage +3 (Extras: Ranged 3) (Flaws: Source- Found Objects) (Diminished Range -2) [1]

Offense:
Unarmed +6 (+0 Damage, DC 15)
Lob Attack +6 (+3 Ranged Damage, DC 18)
Initiative +2

Defenses:
Dodge +6 (DC 16), Parry +6 (DC 16), Toughness +2, Fortitude +5, Will +6

Complications:
Enemy (The Wicked Witch of the West)

Total: Abilities: 26 / Skills: 18--9 / Advantages: 6 / Powers: 1 / Defenses: 11 (53)

-The characters in this game are incredibly slow and vulnerable- the difficulty is considered unfairly hard.

The Heroes:
DOROTHY- PL 5 (63): STA +1, "Glinda's Wand" Blast 4 (Diminished Range -1) (Easily Removable), Kick +2, Singing +4 [10]
-Dorothy has decent durability and is the most reliable Blaster, via Glinda's Wand. She can also float by gaining "Flying Slippers".

THE SCARECROW- PL 5 (56): Equipment 1 (Pitchfork), Dodge +1, Features 1: Lightweight [3]
-The most vulnerable and lightest member of the group. He can attack with his pitchfork. He can also move through mud and stand on thin branches.

THE TIN MAN- PL 5 (73): No STA Score, Toughness 4, Immunity (Fortitude Effects), Equipment 1 (Axe +3), Dodge -2, Parry -1, Movement (Environmental Adaptation- Swamps) [20]
-The Tin Man is the strongest & toughest character, but cannot jump, nor duck, making him easier to hit. He can also trudge through thick swamps.

THE COWARDLY LION- PL 5 (59): Paw Swipe +2, Acute & Extended Scent, Low-Light Vision, Wall-Crawling (Limited to Trees) [6]
-Stats pretty similar to Dorothy.

WOLFCHILD:
Game Type: Side-Scrolling Action Platformer
Release Date: 1992
Developer: Core Design

-This one I've never heard of- Wolfchild is a platformer that debuted for the Atari & Amiga in 1992, later seeing release for the Super NES, Sega Genesis, Sega CD, Master System AND Game Gear- quite the spread for the era. The story is based around biotechnology researcher Kal Morrow and his son Saul. Kal is kindapped by the evil "Chimera" organization, and his wife and eldest son killed, and you play youngest son Saul, who uses one of his father's inventions to turn himself into a wolf-human hybrid. Saul fights through five levels, and must gather energy to transform into a wolf... okay this is Altered Beast lol. But it scrolls in eight directions!

The Amiga version was well-reviewed for the time. However, later versions found it more primitive, as gaming had moved along quickly- the Super NES version was rated around 50% and the Sega CD version is said to not utilize the hardware very well. Reviewer SNESdrunk goes into more detail, stating that it's "okay... ish" but suffers from numerous problems. The dated design of the main character, the limited attack patterns of enemies (even Bosses attack only from one direction almost no matter what), the fact that your upgrades only last a short period of time (thus limiting fun), and more.

SAUL
Role: Vengeful Kid, Werewolf
PL 7 (99) Human, PL 8 Werewolf, PL 9 Force Field
STRENGTH 3/5 STAMINA 3 AGILITY 4
FIGHTING 10 DEXTERITY 0
INTELLIGENCE 1 AWARENESS 2 PRESENCE 3

Skills:
Athletics 2 (+4)
Expertise (Soldier) 6 (+6)
Intimidation 3 (+5)
Perception 1 (+2)
Ranged Combat (Energy Blasts) 4 (+10)

Advantages:
Fearless, Improved Critical (Unarmed), Improved Critical (Blast), Ranged Attack 6, Takedown

Powers:
"Totally Not Altered Beast Powers" (All Have Flaws: Limited to Amount of Blue Energy Balls Collected)
Enhanced Strength 2 [2]
Enhanced Stamina 2 [2]
"Fireball" Blast 5 [5]
"Power-Ups" Blast +0 (Feats: Accurate, Homing 2) (Extras: Multiattack 5) (Flaws: Source- Extra Balls, Fades) [3]
"Energy Field" Force Field 4 & Energy Aura 5 (Flaws: Source- Even More Balls -2, Fades) [4]

Offense:
Unarmed +10 (+3 Damage, DC 18)
Power... Up! +10 (+5 Damage, DC 20)
Energy Blast +10 (+5 Ranged Damage, DC 20)
Initiative +4

Defenses:
Dodge +10 (DC 20), Parry +10 (DC 20), Toughness +3 (+5 Werewolf, +9 Force Field), Fortitude +5 (+7 Werewolf), Will +7

Complications:
Motivation (Rescuing Father)- Saul is out to rescue his father.
Enemy (CHIMERA)- The evil terrorist organization has captured Saul's father after learning his genetic creations were meant to oppose them.

Total: Abilities: 52 / Skills: 16--8 / Advantages: 10 / Powers: 16 / Defenses: 13 (99)

-Saul is effectively the hero of Altered Beast with only one form, and upgrades more like a Shoot 'Em Up- collecting blue energy spheres transforms him into a Wolf, and collecting more empowers his blasts, but only for a limited number of shots before they return to the baseline blast. This goes from a returning shot to a spread shot all the way up to a Force Field that damages any enemies in contact with you. Overall, Saul is PL 7 by himself, but upgrades to a PL 8-ish Blaster, PL 9 with his Force Field.

THE NEO*GEO POCKET (1998)
THE NEO*GEO POCKET COLOR (1999):

-I'd never heard of this one until reviewer Alex Lucard (an iconoclastic "Popular games suck and only obscure ones are good" reviewer- classic elitism) gushed about it. It was a 16-bit handheld system by SNK and mostly sold in Japan. It mostly consisted of conversions of popular Neo*Geo titles like King of Fighters and Samurai Shodown. It started out as a monochrome system, releasing a color update in 1999. The system was ultimately defeated by the Game Boy Color, and the WonderSwan by Bandai competed against it as well. However, even with 2% of the handheld market share in the US, it was enough to turn a profit for the American side. However, sales steadily declined as competition raged, and SNK ultimately went bankrupt in 2001, killing the system.

The Pocket only sold nine different games before they rapidly switched gears- the announcement of the Game Boy Color pretty much demanded they swap to the Color, which had 73 games released- not bad!

TOKI:
Game Type: Side-Scrolling Run & Gun
Release Date: 1989
Developer: TAD Corporation

-Toki is a 1989 Arcade Game based around an enchanted ape who does Run & Gun adventures. You spit energy balls from your mouth to stop monsters in the jungle, in hopes of defeating an evil witch doctor Vookimedlo and transforming back into a human. Also there's a kidnapped Princess Miho. Various power-ups are found- increasing the power of his spit, rabbit feet to enhance jumps, a helmet to stop upwards attacks, and more. There are keys to access secret areas, and more. It's a "One Hit Kills You" kind of game, but the sprites are quite good- the main character has a LOT of detail (multicolored fur), and a comedic appearance (a large-headed gorilla-man). A spiritual sequel initially called Apeshit was going to come out for the Atari Jaguar, but the system's failure resulted in its cancellation.

TOKI
Role: The Hero, Transformed Ape
PL 7 (92)
STRENGTH 2 STAMINA 3 AGILITY 4
FIGHTING 9 DEXTERITY 0
INTELLIGENCE 0 AWARENESS 2 PRESENCE 2

Skills:
Athletics 8 (+10)
Expertise (Survival) 6 (+8)
Intimidation 1 (+3)
Perception 3 (+5)
Ranged Combat (Fire) 4 (+10)

Advantages:
Improved Critical (Attack), Ranged Attack 6

Powers:
"Fire Spit" Blast 4 (Extras: Multiattack) (12) -- [13]

• AE: "Mario Stomp" Strength-Damage +2 (2)

"Animal Senses" Senses 3 (Acute & Extended Scent, Low-Light Vision) [3]

Offense:
Unarmed +9 (+2 Damage, DC 17)
Stomp +9 (+4 Damage, DC 19)
Fire Spit +10 (+4 Ranged Damage, DC 19)
Initiative +4

Defenses:
Dodge +10 (DC 20), Parry +10 (DC 20), Toughness +3, Fortitude +5, Will +6

Complications:
Enemy (Vookimedlo)- The evil witch doctor has transformed Toki into an ape.

Total: Abilities: 44 / Skills: 22--11 / Advantages: 7 / Powers: 16 / Defenses: 13 (92)

-The hero of Toki is a Tarzan-like man who has been transformed into an ape-monster. His primary attack is an omnidirectional fire spit (which can be upgraded with various power-ups), and he can also stomp on enemies. The power upgrades are typically temporary, fading after a minute or so- they involve things like a short Fire Line, longer swirling energy ball streams, and more.

Oh yeah, that's a Sonic Team face right there.

NIGHTS INTO DREAMS:
Game Type: Flying Action Game
Release Date: 1996-2007
Developer: Sega (Sonic Team)

-Sony's PlayStation was a massive hit in the video game industry, shaking things up and revolutionizing gaming. Its ads reflected a bad-ass, bold new style, ramped up the "extreme" nature of gaming, and showcased blood, criminal activity and brutality. The Sega Saturn countered with a game about an androgynous fairy who floated through a colorful dreamscape, and symbolism based off of the works of Sigmund Freud & Carl Jung. If that doesn't showcase who won the Next Generation Video Game War, and why, then I don't know what does.

That said, Nights Into Dreams (sometimes Nights is written as "NiGHTS") was apparently a very good game, created by the very best of the "Sonic Team" that'd worked on the various Sonic the Hedgehog games. It just wasn't anything close to anything that the North American video gaming public, which had little taste for Japanese ideals of cuteness, androgyny, beauty and whimsy, wanted. We Westerners wanted our blood, beatings and savagery, damn it!

The story features the notion that all human dreams travel through two worlds- Nightopia and Nightmare. The evil ruler of Nightmare, Wizeman the Wicked, is stealing dreaming energy from sleeping visitors in order to gather power and take over Nightopia, then the real world. He creates five "Nightmaren" who act as Stage Bosses, but a "level one" Nightmaren called Nights rebels. He is punished and imprisoned, but two children, Claris & Elliot, have dreams that allow him to be freed. In the game, Nights travels through the dreams of Claris & Elliot in Nightopia, amassing points on time-limited levels- you fly through three for each child, then do the seventh stage twice, once for each. The game moves quickly (among the few criticisms was that it blazed by too fast to really enjoy the ambience or the music), and focuses a lot of flying smoothly in a fully 3-D landscape (which was so new at the time that Sonic Team actually had to re-do their work several times, lacking something upon which to base their work!).

The game was a critical succes, to the point where it's on pretty much any Saturn Top Ten List, and is included on some lists of the "Greatest Games Ever", but it didn't sell nearly as well as many of its contemporaries. The game still sold well, even getting a shorter adaptation called Christmas Nights later in 1996, but didn't earn a sequel until *2007*, a huge amount of time later, so it was clearly not the smash that Sega wanted (or, more importantly, that Sega NEEDED). Nights: Journey of Dreams hit the Nintendo Wii, and is largely a remake of the same story, with two different kids. Seriously, Nights even has to fly through three levels for each kid, then a final one, and all the Nightmaren have the same names. Reviews this time around were decidedly mixed- about 70%-ish. There was an Archie Comics adaptation released around the time of the first game, but the Limited Series wasn't picked up for more issues.

NIGHTS
Role: The Hero, Asexual Being
PL 9 (152)
STRENGTH 3 STAMINA 4 AGILITY 6
FIGHTING 8 DEXTERITY 2
INTELLIGENCE 2 AWARENESS 4 PRESENCE 4

Skills:
Aerobatics 10 (+16)
Expertise (Dreams) 6 (+8)
Perception 4 (+8)
Persuasion 4 (+8)

Advantages:
Improved Initiative, Move-By Action, Ranged Attack 6, Uncanny Dodge

Powers:
Flight 6 (120 mph) [12]
"Dualize" Features 1: May Merge With Others, Allowing Them Control [1]
"Persona Masks & Transformation" Morph 4 (Multiple Forms) (Feats: Metamorph) [21]

"Dream Diamond" Blast 6 (Feats: Indirect- From Diamond) (13) -- [15]

• AE: "Drill Dash" Strength-Damage +3 (Feats: Accurate) (4)
• AE: "Paraloops" Movement 1 (Dimensional Travel 1- to "My Dream World") (Extras: Attack +8) (10)

Offense:
Unarmed +8 (+3 Damage, DC 18)
Drill Dash +10 (+6 Damage, DC 21)
Dream Diamond +8 (+6 Ranged Damage, DC 21)
Paraloops +8 (+8 Movement Attack, DC 18)
Initiative +10

Defenses:
Dodge +12 (DC 22), Parry +12 (DC 22), Toughness +4, Fortitude +6, Will +8

Complications:
Enemy (Wizeman)
Relationship (Elliot & Claris)- NiGHTS is helping a pair of children who've suffered tremendous disappointment.

Total: Abilities: 66 / Skills: 24--12 / Advantages: 9 / Powers: 49 / Defenses: 16 (152)

-Nights is a flier-type character, but he can do a few kinds of attacks. His most expensive ability is to transform into stuff (like... rollercoaster cars). He fights as a PL 8, but is PL 9 defensively- the game is more about aerobatics and accomplishing tasks instead of beating guys to death- most of the Bosses are defeated by doing things like Q*bert-style undoing of their stuff than a brawl.

BUG!:
Game Type: 3-D Action Platformer
Release Date: 1995-96
Developer: Realtime Associates

-Along with Nights, we come to Bug!, one of the early games released for the Sega Saturn. And it's a testament to the many problems plaguing that system- a pretty simple game with a pointless Mascot Animal With Attitude Character, it didn't really appeal to me at all. It WAS one of the earliest 3D Platformers of its time, though, and DID manage to earn a sequel the next year. Bug! is a Hollywood star who is planning on getting his biggest break ever, when his girlfriend is kidnapped (REALLY? In 1995 that was STILL the default video game story?) by Queen Cadavra, and he must go on a platforming quest to save her. The gameplay takes place on various movie sets- he jumps on heads and collects power-ups. The only thing setting this Platformer apart was the 3D sections, which allow Bug! to walk up vertical surfaces and go upside-down, in addition to moving backwards and forwards- something you never did on the SNES & Genesis. It sort of precedes Crash Bandicoot, which had a somewhat similar take on "3D".

Despite my misgivings, it apparently reviewed VERY well, though some expressed annoyance with Bug!'s one-liners and the brutal difficulty level. The platforming is highly complex, with a lot of things shifting into the foreground and background, precise jumps, and more. Interestingly, it's been somewhat forgotten- I don't recall seeing it on many Saturn lists. Bug Too! was considered much more average, reviewing okay but not very well (70%-ish). In that one, you can also play as Maggot Dog & Super Fly- other action stars. Checking them out on YouTube, they're quite pretty for the era (the 3D holds up better than say, Battle Arena Toshinden, which at that time was far more hyped), but pretty basic as well- just standard "run and stomp" Platforming, and the levels do indeed seem to go on for an eternity.

BUG!
Role: The Hero, Actor
PL 7 (96)
STRENGTH 1 STAMINA 3 AGILITY 5
FIGHTING 8 DEXTERITY 4
INTELLIGENCE 0 AWARENESS 0 PRESENCE 4

Skills:
Athletics 9 (+10)
Close Combat (Stomp) 2 (+10)
Expertise (Actor) 7 (+11)
Deception 2 (+6)
Perception 4 (+4)
Persuasion 2 (+6)

Advantages:
Accurate Attack, Improved Critical (Stomp), Power Attack, Ranged Attack 4

Powers:
Leaping 1 (15 feet) [1]
"Mario Stomp" Strength-Damage +3 [3]

"Items" (Flaws: Easily Removable) [7]
"Zap Cap/Spit Wad" Blast 5 (Feats: Variable- Spit or Electricity) (11 points)

Offense:
Unarmed +8 (+1 Damage, DC 17)
Stomp +10 (+4 Damage, DC 19)
Zap Cap/Spit Wad +8 (+5 Ranged Damage, DC 20)
Initiative +5

Defenses:
Dodge +10 (DC 20), Parry +10 (DC 20), Toughness +3, Fortitude +5, Will +6

Complications:
Enemy (Cadavra)
Relationship (Girlfriend)

Total: Abilities: 50 / Skills: 26--13 / Advantages: 7 / Powers: 11 / Defenses: 15 (96)

-Bug! could not possibly be more plain. He runs, he jumps and he's Athletic. The only thing I added is his Acting skill. I couldn't find anything on what his power-ups are aside from TV Tropes, so I'm assuming they're standard issue Blasts.

TIME GAL:
Game Type: FMV Game
Release Date: 1985
Developer: Taito

-Another anime-style FMV game in the vein of Dragon's Lair and Ninja Hayate, Time Gal came out way back in 1985. It stars the heroine Reika in her attempts to travel through various periods of time and capture the criminal Luda. She has to prevent Luda from altering the past. Reika seems clearly inspired by Lum from Urusei Yatsura and Yuri from Dirty Pair. The game was ported to Sega CD for a worldwide release. Like other games in the genre, it's an interactive movie where you have to rapidly hit the right buttons at the right time. Situations include fighting Roman gladiators with swords, a fire-breathing Godzilla attacking you in a lava field, being chased by mammoths, leaping on the wings of airplanes in a 1940s dogfight, a sky-cycle adventure, and more. The tone is generally highly comedic- Reika gets her bottom torn and freaks out trying to cover up, gets her sword smashed, etc. Reika has a laser gun and some access to high tech, but is your average bikini-clad anime heroine. Though the 1985 date makes her one of the first female protagonists in gaming! The entire game is only about 17 minutes long- if you play it right, you're done each time period in mere seconds. One unique bit is a "Choose Your Own Adventure" portion where you're given 7 seconds to make up your mind about what to do- only one of the three choices will save you.

The Sega CD version came so much later it's a bit strange- reviewers are 50/50 on praising or trashing the graphics. The genre was dated by that point (and gave the Sega CD a bad rap for games with bad gameplay), and it was cited as too easy. A video playback option was also said to have wrecked the replay value.

REIKA
Role: Time Cop, Anime Heroine
PL 8 (106)
STRENGTH 2 STAMINA 2 AGILITY 5
FIGHTING 9 DEXTERITY 4
INTELLIGENCE 2 AWARENESS 2 PRESENCE 2

Skills:
Acrobatics 2 (+7)
Athletics 8 (+10)
Expertise (Time Cop) 8 (+10)
Expertise (History) 4 (+6)
Insight 3 (+5)
Investigation 4 (+6)
Perception 4 (+6)
Technology 4 (+6)
Vehicles 5 (+9)

Advantages:
Equipment 3 (Laser Gun +7), Improved Critical (Laser), Ranged Attack 5

Powers:
"Time Travel Device" (Flaws: Removable) [4]
Movement 2 (Time Travel 2) (4) -- (5 points)
      AE: "Stop-u!" Quickness 6 (Flaws: Limited to Short Bursts) (3)

Offense:
Unarmed +9 (+2 Damage, DC 17)
Laser Gun +9 (+7 Ranged Damage, DC 22)
Initiative +4

Defenses:
Dodge +12 (DC 22), Parry +11 (DC 21), Toughness +2, Fortitude +5, Will +6

Complications:
Enemy (Luda)- The evil time-criminal seeks to alter history.

Total: Abilities: 56 / Skills: 42--21 / Advantages: 9 / Powers: 4 / Defenses: 16 (106)

-Reika is a pretty, scantily-clad Time Cop, prone to wardrobe malfunctions, and as easily killed as the heroes of Dragon's Lair, Space Ace and more. She rarely uses her laser gun, but it's HIGHLY powerful- able to easily fend off dinosaurs, smash up the earth beneath a gladiator riding a panther, and more. She can also travel through time and stop it periodically to allow her to make a decision in the moment (a Limited Quickness effect).

I love how the box art makes the game look like some outstanding sci-fi masterpiece, and then you look at the screenshots and it's just "Double Dragon".

TIME LORD:
Game Type: Side-Scrolling Action Platformer
Release Date: 1991
Developer: Rare

-Made as an early effort by Rare, and published by Milton Bradley of all companies, Time Lord is another bog-standard NES Platformer, this one having characters looking like Double Dragon guys. In the year 2999, Earth is under siege by the planet Drakkon- they have used time travel technology to four periods of Earth's history, intending to alter it to conquer the present. You play the "Time Lord", who has to defeat the enemy in all four eras, or else he will self-destruct, along with the time machine. The game counts you down in real-time- you have 36 minutes and 30 seconds to complete the game or die. You can use swords, guns, and other era-specific weapons, but start each stage unarmed. The levels are Medieval England (1250 AD), Western U.S. (1860 AD), Caribbean (1650 AD) and France (1943 AD). ... so yeah, like countless other NES games, it has a Knight level and a Western level. Each stage must be completed by gaining five orbs to power the time machine. When all four eras are complete, you go to the present to fight the Drakkon king. Stage Bosses are a Dragon, Giant Mexican Gunfighter Stereotype, Giant Clam & Giant Soldier.

The game reviewed poorly, and has gone on to become one of those games more infamous for being hard and sucking than anything else, to the point where some argue it's underrated. Visually, it looks like every other game out there at the time, with a pink & red main character sprite, but it's an isometric player instead of a flat side-scroller. Most amusing thing is the Western stage has a variant of The Good, The Bad and the Ugly's theme. The NintendoComplete playthrough guy on YouTube says it's brutally hard, but he loved all the "unconventional" gameplay- instead of moving forwards all the time, you often have to go every which-way (which naturally adds time to the clock).

THE TIME LORD
Role: Heroic Time Soldier
PL 7 (89)
STRENGTH 3 STAMINA 3 AGILITY 4
FIGHTING 10 DEXTERITY 4
INTELLIGENCE 1 AWARENESS 3 PRESENCE 2

Skills:
Athletics 6 (+8)
Expertise (Soldier) 8 (+9)
Insight 2 (+5)
Intimididation 4 (+6)
Perception 4 (+7)
Stealth 1 (+5)
Vehicles 3 (+7)

Advantages:
Equipment 4 (Gun +5), Improved Aim, Improved Critical (Guns), Precise Attack (Ranged/Cover), Ranged Attack 5

Equipment:
"Gun/Throwing Knife/Laser" Blast 5 (Multiattack)
"Knife/Club" Strength-Damage +1

Offense:
Unarmed +10 (+3 Damage, DC 18)
Knife/Stick +10 (+4 Damage, DC 19)
Gun +9 (+5 Ranged Damage, DC 20)
Initiative +4

Defenses:
Dodge +11 (DC 21), Parry +8 (DC 18), Toughness +3, Fortitude +5, Will +7

Complications:
Enemy (The Drakkons)- Evil aliens have attacked Earth throughout time.

Total: Abilities: 60 / Skills: 28--14 / Advantages: 12 / Powers: 0 / Defenses: 15 (89)

-The Time Lord is the same as countless other "Melee Fighter/Blaster" platformer heroes. He's a pretty buff dude, but only Knights can be knocked away with one hit- cowboys seem to take a ton of damage.

TIME TRAX:
Game Type: Side-Scrolling Action Platformer
Release Date: 1994
Developer: Malibu Interactive

-Seriously, WHAT?

So in 1993, a TV show named Time Trax came out, featuring a police captain from the future sent to 1993 to capture future-criminals and send them back using a device of his. This actually lasted for TWO SEASONS and 44 episodes despite me never having heard of it. It was the final TV program of Lorimar Television, and was cancelled when the TV station wanted to go another route. And yet even THIS got a Super Nintendo game- it's a continual bug up reviewer SNESdrunk's ass that THIS of all things got a game in the '90s while franchises like G.I. Joe and the Transformers did not. It's a bog-standard "run around and shoot guys" action game with platforms and lots of jumping, but you get the same device- his "Stunner" weapon can send bad guys to the future (effectively a "kill" in gaming terms).

But seriously, this show is weird to read about. I've never heard of the actors, either- Dale Midkiff plays Captain Lambert, and Elizabeth Alexander is his advanced computer AI partner, who appears as a hologram. The only actor I know is Mia Sara, one of the "Fanservice" actresses of her day, who played a love interest in the future and her ancestor, a CIA agent, in 1993. Sara is, humorously, the love interest in ANOTHER "Time Cop" bit of fiction- the more famous Timecop.

Despite the premise and obscure TV show, and the fact that "Licensed Games Almost Always Suck", the reviews were excellent. Typically 75-85%, which is nearly unprecedented for this kind of game, which tends to inspire shovelware! A Sega Genesis version was planned, getting as far as a ROM prototype, but was never released. The graphics look pretty poor- very pixelated characters and grungy backdrops. Levels are highly interactive, however, allowing Lambert to climb and jump nearly everywhere. There is a tiny crosshair that follows you around most levels- if you pause for too long it WILL hit you with a shot, and you can only take four hits. The big weapon Lambert has is "Time Stalling", which slows down everything for a period of time- it fades quickly (mostly a few seconds) but replenishes itself automatically.

CAPTAIN DARIEN LAMBERT
Role: Time Cop
PL 8 (124)
STRENGTH 3 STAMINA 3 AGILITY 5
FIGHTING 10/13 DEXTERITY 4
INTELLIGENCE 4 AWARENESS 4 PRESENCE 3

Skills:
Acrobatics 2 (+7)
Athletics 8 (+11)
Expertise (Time Cop) 8 (+12)
Expertise (History) 6 (+10)
Insight 3 (+5)
Investigation 8 (+12)
Perception 4 (+6)
Technology 4 (+8)
Vehicles 5 (+9)

Advantages:
Equipment 4 (Laser Gun +4), Improved Critical (Unarmed), Ranged Attack 5

Powers:
"Time Stalling"
Enhanced Fighting 3 (Flaws: Limited to 2 Rounds at a Time) [3]
Enhanced Dodge 3 (Flaws: Limited to 2 Rounds at a Time) [1.5]
Enhanced Advantages 3: Ranged Attack 3 (Flaws: Limited to 2 Rounds at a Time) [1.5]

Offense:
Unarmed +10 (+3 Damage, DC 18)
Time Stalling +13 (+3 Damage, DC 18)
Laser Gun +9 (+4 Ranged Damage, DC 19)
Time Stalling Laser Gun +12 (+4 Ranged Damage, DC 19)
Initiative +4

Defenses:
Dodge +10 (+13 Time Stalling, DC 20-23), Parry +10 (+13 Time Stalling, DC 20-23), Toughness +3, Fortitude +5, Will +7

Complications:
Enemy (Dietrich & Sahmbi)- Lambert's arch-nemesis is the criminal Dr. Mordecai Sahmbi- a professor who build a TRAX time machine that sent everyone to the past.
Responsibility (Altering Time)- Lambert is very careful not to alter the course of time- he tries not to change historical events, and sends messages to the future only via personal ads in newspapers.
Relationship (Dr. Elyssa Knox)- The MIT prodigy is Lambert's love interest in 2193.

Total: Abilities: 72 / Skills: 48--24 / Advantages: 10 / Powers: 6 / Defenses: 10 (124)

-Capt. Lambert is a cop from 100 years in the future (literally 2193), sent back through the TRAX machine to capture Dr. Sahmbi and the criminals who hired him to help them escape. Lambert is actually a bit of a super-soldier, said to be an elite sprinter and brilliant man with the psychic power of "Time Stalling"- slowing down the images reaching the brain. This effectively gives him Enhanced Accuracy & Defenses for short bursts- typically enough for a few attacks or dodges before having to recharge the meter. So he is effectively a PL 7 brawler with a PL 8 upgrade.