Welcome to Retro Review Friday! Be sure to stop by BagoGames each Friday and join us as we dive into the vault and take a look back at a Retro game!
The Sega Genesis was never part of my console line-up when I was little. My parents told me to pick one or the other. I chose Nintendo knowing that Mario and Link awaited me on that console. If I ever needed a Sega fix, my buddy had one and we would spend countless hours playing Mutant League Football. Now that I’ve grown up and managed to snag one of the Sega Genesis knock offs, I’m starting to enjoy some of the platforming titles I’d never been able to get my hands on. Since I loved the old Disney platformers like Ducktales and Chip N Dale: Rescue Rangers, I figured that another Capcom platformer would do me right — Quackshot was soon added to my collection.
The story is a pretty simple one. Donald Duck, while rummaging through Uncle Scrooge’s library, finds a map. But not just any old map: a map to the treasure of King Garuzia who use to rule The Great Duck Kingdom. Before the king passed, he placed his most prized and valuable possessions in a secret lair that Donald is convinced he can find and will finally bring him his riches. Unfortunately for Donald, Big Bad Peter overhears his findings and is there every step of the way to steal the treasure from Donald. After enlisting help from Huey, Dewey, and Louie and armed with a plunger gun, Donald begins his Earth trotting trip in Duckburg.
The controls in this title are pretty simple and pretty tight. If you need to run you hold down A and press the D-pad in the direction you want to run. You can also use the D-pad to duck and avoid projectiles from enemies. B is fire weapon and C is jump. Insanely easy, right? These controls won’t let you down. If you die, it is your fault, not the games. I’ve read that some people found the jump controls to be a bit “floaty.” I didn’t have that problem, or I compensated for it with the length of the jump and such. Another platformer, Ren and Stimpy: Space Cadets, was said to have “floaty” jump controls, but I beat that game when I was eight or so. Don’t let the naysayers fool you, you can jump with Donald just fine.
There are other weapons in the game, so you aren’t only stuck with the plunger. Donald can find popcorn, bubble gum, and an improved plunger gun in different levels. The improved gun is probably the most important as, once Donald acquires this, he can stick plungers to buildings and climb them. Plus, if he shoots a bird with it, he can use that bird as a form of transportation. Donald also has a “rage meter.” Once it’s full, Donald becomes invincible and faster so you can plow through a bunch of enemies with ease. This makes it easy when cacti have surrounded you in the desert.
Quackshot is a classic. I’m thrilled that I get to play it now without the lenses of nostalgia ruining my experience. I was able to play this game as an adult with a huge amount of love for this hobby and it was an amazing experience. I’m enjoying being able to play games I’d never heard of, or never got the chance to play. There are lots of games on the Sega list, and quite a few surprisingly on my PSP list now as well. Fans of Disney and Ducktales would do themselves a favor by picking this title up. Also anyone who calls themselves a platformer fan needs to take a gander at this title as well. It’s fun, well made, humorous, and is full of Disney Easter Eggs.
Have a Retro game you think we should take a look at? Email our Senior Reviews Editor, Logan Schultz, at logan.schultz@bagogames.com with your suggestions!
Quackshot
Pros
- Great animations and 16-bit graphics
- Controls are tight
Cons
- Game can get confusing
- Can be beaten in one sitting
