Welcome to another edition of Playing With Power. The review article that looks at all things Nintendo Entertainment System. In the past few weeks, the reviews I’ve done have definitely touched on some of the more common and well known games for the great gray box. So it’s definitely time to start touching on some of the more obscure titles on the console. And we’ll start that trend with an often overlooked arcade port from Acclaim. But is it a good game, or just another stone age relic? Let’s not waste any more time and find out.
YEAR OF RELEASE: 1991
PUBLISHER: Acclaim
GENRE: Pac-Man clone
Trog! was an arcade game released by Midway in 1990. While the game didn’t exactly set the world on fire, it was still well received by most people. And it did have some great graphics for its time due to the use of “PLAYmation”, which gave the sprites a claymation look. To be honest, the graphics for the arcade version still look really well done and don’t suffer from age. Naturally Midway would eventually release Trog! on the NES with the help of Acclaim. The game would get a release in 1991, without too many major changes from the original arcade version. The only major changes were the lack of the PLAYmation look, and the game being only two players instead of four. Other than that, it is quite a faithful port.
COVER STORY
This cover is very well done. It shows a lot of action, as well as the hilarious cartoon feel that the game is trying to convey. I will say the only downside is the cover doesn’t exactly tell you who you’re supposed to be playing as. Are you the dinosaur, or the funny little one-eyed cavemen? That one gripe aside, you’re still looking at a really well done cover.
STORY
The prehistoric land of Og is run by cyclops cavemen known as trogs. They work, hunt, and enjoy the taste of meat from dino-mites. However, the dinosaurs of Og, known as dino-mites, enjoy the taste of trog eggs. Two dinos named Spike and Bloop set off to steal all of the trog eggs, while doing their best to avoid the crafty cavemen.
GAMEPLAY
Trog! is a Pac-Man style arcade game. The object of the game is to collect all of the trog eggs scattered throughout the maze in order to open the next area. All while avoiding the trogs who will eat you in they capture you. You control two dino-mites known as Bloop and Spike. You’ll only be Bloop though if playing one player. The D-Pad controls your dino, while B will do a basic punch attack, or shoot fireballs if you have them.
There are 50 levels in the game. However by the end, you’ll have seen most of the basic maps, as they do lack in variety very quickly. You can choose one of three difficulty moves. Easy, Advanced, or Expert. However, despite the names, all they really do is start you off in a further level in the game, and give you a bigger point bonus.
The enemies of the game are one eyed cavemen known as trogs. For the most part, they’re pretty basic in how they fight and move. They usually just roam around the area, and will eat you if you touch them. They can also be pretty stupid, usually jumping off the edge of the screen, or falling into the holes or tar pits that will sometimes pop up in the stage. Though as the game progresses, they do start to get smarter. After every 7th level, you will see a cutscene that shows the trogs learning a new trick to defeat the dino-mites. They’ll learn new strategies like super jumping, throwing giant stone wheels, and smacking you with clubs.
The punch is your basic line of defense against a trog that is in your way. Just tap B when they get close, and it should send them flying off the map. However, I do find that the punching can be a bit touchy at times, and the hit detection can be almost insufferable. You’ll clearly be tapping B, but the trog will still eat you first. You do have some tricks up your sleeve though that can save you from being trog chow. And that is in the form of the items in the game. And there are plenty to choose from.
There are red plants, that when taken, will increase your speed depending on how many you touch. However there are also blue mushrooms that will slow you down with every one you touch. There are ice cubes that will freeze all trogs on screen, making for easy punching. Though it is only for a short period of time, so be quick. There are lucky horseshoes that can give you a shield for a short period of time giving you a small saving grace when dealing with trogs in your way. And there are warps you can find that will take you to further levels in the game.
Burt the most useful items to find are the chilli peppers and pineapples. The chilli pepper will give you fireballs that can take down trogs quicker. But the most useful and fun item in the game is the pineapple, which is the game’s answer to the power pellet. When you eat it, it will turn you into a bigger dino for a short period of time. Now you can turn the tables on the troublesome trogs. You will eat every one you touch, resulting in bigger points for every one eaten. The only downside to the items is that you can’t carry them over to the next level, meaning you’ll have to wait for another pepper to continue burning trogs.
Every seventh level in the game is a bonus level where you will have to compete in one of three mini games. One has you in giant dino mode eating as many trogs as possible. Another has you trying to collect all the gems in the area. And the final one gives you your fireball attack as you try to fry as many trogs as you can. All of them are timed events with rather short time limits, so be as fast as possible.
Other than the trogs themselves, other hazards in the game include tar pits, giant wheels, and holes you can fall into. You can also foolishly fall off the edge of the screen as well, which I feel is a really cheap and dumb way to die in the game. You will start the game with three lives, and you can earn more with the more points you collect. However you do only get two continues in the game, so you have to use them wisely.
GRAPHICS
The graphics are pretty good, but I wouldn’t say anything outstanding. While the trog scenes are well designed, the rest of the game is pretty average looking at best. The maps all suffer from really murky colors like green, orange, or brown. It isn’t anything that will offend the eyes, but it’s still nothing truly spectacluar either.
MUSIC
The music and sound are also really average. Again, similar to the graphics, there’s nothing that will offend, but hardly anything that will be stuck in your head either. It’s a pretty par for the course audio experience.
OVERALL THOUGHTS
Trog! Is a pretty addictive little Pac-Man knockoff. It’s very unique in its gameplay, look, and ideas. It controls okay, despite some issues, has a really good sense of humor, and is just really fun to play. Granted, the game can get really repetitive at most parts of the game, and there really isn’t too much in the sound and graphics areas. But those minor gripes aside, you will still find an entertaining arcade game that anyone could enjoy. If you can find this one, give it a shot. Though it can be a little tougher to find than some other games on the console. This is one game that really doesn’t deserve to be stuck in the stone age.
RATING: Thumbs Up