Jeremy Parish

NES Works Gaiden #37: Zippy Race / Super Arabian / Front Line

Added 2022-04-06 12:23:00 +0000 UTC

I've made amends for last week's chronological goof here by returning to Irem's actual first Famicom game. I'm not sure it does any favors for their reputation, though. Zippy Race on Famicom might actually not be as good as the SG-1000 version, despite the fact that the Famicom could generate much nicer-looking graphics and supported the smooth scrolling so essential to a proper racing game. Not unlike TOSE's work with Chack'n Pop, they seem to have tuned the A.I. and controls to be way more difficult here than Sega did, to the point of frustration.

Sunsoft's console debut, Super Arabian, doesn't fare much better. I flung myself at that horrible flying carpet stage for entirely too long to no avail. At least there's Front Line, a middling and compromised but at least somewhat interesting conversion of a seminal arcade work.

Don't worry, though. There's a treat ahead for everyone next week, assuming your tastes line up with the general Video Works ethos. And why would you be here if they didn't?