I was a kid from the 80 and 90, yes I remember the Domino's Pizza commercial with that Will Vinton Claymation Noid mascot that was always trying to destroy pizzas why beats me but then the Noid gets foiled whenever a new Domino's Pizza and deal arrives that's indestructible.
Those commercials I always found fun and funny, that Noid is kind of cute but weird because you never really sure what the heck he is, I always assumed he was some sort of mutant humanoid rabbit that happens to be in a red jumpsuit; I know wild guess but your guess is as good as mine as to what the Noid is. This mascot as time went on has faded though hasn't been forgotten as he was parodied in an episode of "Family Guy" with Mayor Adam West chasing the Noid down; just like this game which is an under the radar gem.
When I heard there was a game based on this mascot, I'll admit I was a little supprised though it's not unheard of back then how commercial mascots got video games made, back then there were no real rules for the licensing genre as to what kind of video games to make so whatever can anyone's way at the time, the possibility a video game would be made out of it was never far away. And the fact this is another licensed game from "Capcom" you can hardly go wrong.
It's true this game is actually by it's nature a rom hack (well sort of) of a game in Japan called "Kamen no Ninja Hanamaru" which isn't that different from this game but dressed differently where in that game you're a Ninja armed with a trained bird as a weapon (not kidding). Both games are interesting as they are similar in gameplay but different in dressing as well as design in a few places.
Not much to say in plot, as you're the Noid but this time instead of destroying pizzas you have to deliver pizzas without dying. Well the plotline is not important, and it really doesn't always matter in most of these platform action games, by their nature their clotheslines as were all in it for the action.
This game plays out sort of like the arcade game "Kid Niki" as you simply go from point A to B. I really like the sole weapon your armed with a yo yo which I like, it's a non-cliché weapon. And it's a powerful one as it takes out anyone that comes your way from a certain distance. The difficulty in the game is moderate, it's not too hard but not too easy as there really are some tricky levels in the game and also the game is a bit lengthy.
One of the things that are unique about the game are instead of boss fights, it's instead bonus games you actually have to win much like with the game "Alex Kidd in Miracle World" at the end of the level. Your against the evil Noid and it's pretty much a game of high card though here if your able to pick out a high card in each round you down pizzas, and if you eat the most pizzas you win.
The music is solid, it's a fun track which actually has some tunes that are actually memorable and catchy. The graphical presentation is solid, it sort of has a 80 cartoons feel but I like how it's made into this strange funny urban fantasy world which makes sense as the Noid was a character of the 80's, is from our modern era, and from how strange the Noid is so would the world he inhabits . Even like the designs of the enemies who are really strange and slightly random, from disgruntled pizza deliver men armed with spears, polar bears with rabies, and all other kinds of weardos that for some reason hate pizza and pizza delivery.
However, it's really the designs of the levels that really make the game. Like that overhead map which is cool as it's well details as are its levels, looking at that map motivated me to play on in this game to see what the other level holds. Each of levels are always something different which make this game all the more tricky because it's never more of the same, and I like that because most platform action games has that fundamental problem where the levels just blend together sometimes they just are dressed differently or have different features to seem different.
From one level being your regular platformer but with platforms that sink in places, to a skateboarding level where you have to go really fast on time, and another where you have to jump on a pogo stick without dying. This is a game that causes you to quickly adapt within the given time frame but also a bit of practice due to how different and tricky each level is, you honestly can't expect to get it right the first time.
So, for fans of vintage licensed games and platform action games this is a Noid not to avoid.
Rating: 3 stars
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