Dyna Gear (Arcade) (1993)
Developer: Sammy

Review by Faididi and Co.

Fast, dynamic fun

Story: Average

The daring intergalactic hero, Roger, probably fights better on foot than he does in space. In his pursuit of an evil criminal named Gustaf, both the good guy and the villain crashland on a planet that resembles a strange, prehistoric Earth, complete with massive jungles and killer dinosaurs. Luckily, there's also a friendly wolfman who is willing to help Roger, so the two set out to hunt down Gustaf. The story draws from the silliness of weekend cartoon shows, and the English translations are horrid, but its energetic wackiness makes it fun for all.

Gameplay: Above Average

If Sammy's Dyna Gear has a crazy story, then its gameplay is totally hyperactive. This 2-Player action platformer may be treated as a mix between the intense blastfest of Konami's Contra and the wall-climbing antics of Hori Electric's Run Saber. Roger and his friend, simply named Wolf, will run, jump, and wall-climb their way through 8 side-scrolling areas, shooting down or hacking apart waves of enemies.

Roger and Wolf differ slightly in running speed and in jumping height, but the two are otherwise equal in ability. By grabbing power-ups, they can switch among 4 different weapons. The throwing axes and the homing arrows let them hit foes from a distance, while the swords and the flail-like hammers let them get very messy up close. The hammers are particularly impressive, because they're swung around the heroes in a massive circle of death. Additional damage comes from the computer-controlled allies who occasionally accompany the heroes, which is a neat bonus.

As for the level and enemy designs, they're decent enough. The stages are simple in layout and don't really emphasize wall-climbing until the later scenes. The vertical sections can be very hectic with 2 Players, but fortunately the game regroups the heroes automatically whenever one of them is scrolled off the screen. The bad guys are a colorful array of giant lizards and other beasts, although many of the minibosses and bosses look similar to each other.

Controls: Excellent

The controls are extremely responsive. The way that Roger and Wolf can attack at any time, no matter if they're running, jumping, or scaling walls, makes the controls even smoother.

Graphics: Excellent

The comic book-like visuals show off brightly drawn characters, playfully exaggerated animations, and vividly textured backgrounds. However, the most eye-catching part of the graphics is the sheer amount of mayhem that can occur on the screen. Roger and Wolf create storms of exploding body parts and blood as they blaze away with their weapons, charging through hordes of bad guys at top speed.

Audio: Above Average

Not all of the music is memorable, but the tunes are often drowned out by the very loud sound effects. The vocal effects are also great, aside from the weird fact that Roger and Wolf sound alike whenever they grunt or groan.

Overall: Above Average

Few 2-Player action platformers burst with such fast-paced energy as Dyna Gear. Thanks to its super smooth controls, awesome weapons, dazzling graphics, and booming sound effects, it's a perfect thrill for those who enjoy blowing up stuff in an adventurous fantasy world.