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If you ask someone to name a true Commodore game classic, then chances are good that they'll come up with either the "Last Ninja" series, or "The Great Giana Sisters". This game is one of the most beloved C64 games ever, not to mention one of the few starring female heroes. Some people even have so special feelings about this game, that they go on placing the sisters all over their web site (wink wink nudge nudge, ey, Kim?) But enough about that. This game is a platform game starring not the fabolous Baker Boys, but the Great Giana sisters which are Giana and Maria. Now, these two young ladies jump around, collecting stars by running over them or knocking the head on special goody boxes (imagine the headache they must have when you get to level 20!) Some of these goody boxes contain special items that make it possible for the twisted sisters to break bricks with their skulls, or shoot the monsters instead of jumping on them, or all sorts of nice things. Now, this sounds familiar, doesn't it? Nintendo did think so, and therefore they forced the sisters off the market, so that everybody should run to the shop and buy their pack of Italian plummers instead.
Now, you might wonder why Nintendo should bother kicking the sisters off the market. I mean, Time Warp was never even remotely close to being as big as the Nintendo cleaning division for one thing, and, both secondly and sadly, the NES had the upper hand on the C64 already at this time. The reason could, of course, be that they wanted to set an example. However, I think it is because of the fact that The GGS are better than The SMB. I can't help it, I have never liked any Mario game before the new Super Mario Land, which I liked more for its graphical and multimedia extravaganza than for its gaming content.
Because the sisters really kick some butt. Accompanied by some nicely created backgrounds, the challenges you are out up to in this game are just as though as you want them to be. In addition, there's also those extra secrets that are only revealed for those playing the game an excessive number of times - things like level warp boxes, hidden treasure chambers and so on. But if you think I'll tell you where, don't think so any more, 'cos I won't. This game deserves a lot of time spent on it, and it's sad to think that it wasn't allowed to go on and compete with the Mario bros. on the market. I may be out on the fields now, but I think they could have created a major upset.
SUMMARY
A game which full deserves its semi-legendary status. It is the quintessence of a platform game, and should be picked up by anybody who has a liking for this genre, and those who don't have as well, because then they'll get one. This game could very easily have been ruined by sloppy work in either the sound or graphics department, but luckily, it hasn't. Instead, quite a bit of solid computing handicraft is shown in these fields as well.
Downloads: Music, Advert
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| GRAPHICS - 9/10 |
Backgrounds are excellent, and the motion is also very
fluent. But it doesn't completely go for broke - the
monsters could have been better designed. This may seem
like petty criticism, and it is, too, but when you get
as far up on the percentage scale as this does, then
that's the only criticism left. Because the graphics
are overall top class.
| | SOUND - 8/10 |
The theme is very good, and the game background music
is also very, very good. And before I go on repeating
"very, very good" many more times, I'll just slot in
that the same goes for the sound FX as well.
| | PLAYABILITY - 10/10 |
A very exciting and challenging game. It takes out all
the possibilities the genre gives it, including hidden
goodies and treasures. Also, the levels are very well
designed, so that they gradually get more difficult the
further you get into the game. This may seem obvious,
but my experience is that you often get these huge leaps
in difficulty at very random stages of the game. This is
not the matter here - and that is good.
| | OVERALL - 9/10 |
A very good rating to a very good game. This is a
classic than can be enjoyed over and over again. A
"must-have" for any serious C64 games collector.
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