NES Player - Chip and Dale's Rescue Rangers NES Review

NES
2 Player
Adventure/Platformer

Chh-chh-Chip and Dale, Rescue Rangers! Chh-chh-Chip and Dale, Rescue Rangers! No, I do not have a stuttering problem. These are the famous lyrics of the late, great cartoon show that I and countless other kids LOVED to death. The Disney show was such a hit that promotions hit the market in the form of Happy Meal toys, stuffed characters, and (yes you guessed it).. another Capcom Disney-related video game deal.

More nostalgic thoughts come to me in the form of West Coast Video. I was about only six going into first grade when I remember renting it. I played it over and over again, then when it was time to return the game, I would come back the next week to pick it up again. Why? I really don't know, but totaling all the renting costs I could have probably afforded to buy the game and then some. But last year, 12 years later, I finally bought it for the low, low price of $2 from Funcoland. Isn't that a little ironic?..anyway, onward to the review.

The plot is your standard children's Capcom game style of being plain pointless. You are on your way to save a neighbor's kid and along the way Gadget (the cute, female mouse) gets kidnapped by the cartoon's main villain: the Notorious F.A.T C.A.T. You now must rescue your friend and catch Fat Cat! After the introduction was over and I was playing the game, in a matter of a few minutes, I remembered why I kept renting it over and over. Honestly, the game's a total blast to play.

In the beginning you get to pick whether you want to be Chip or Dale, both are lovable Disney-style chipmunks. Your main weapon against enemies are tiny crates that you can throw left, right, and directly up into the air. There are other objects such as: concrete blocks and apples which are so immensely heavy it will make your chipmunk sweat. Awesome detail, kids!

Graphic-wise, I very much like. Your surroundings (huge fence backgrounds, pots, trees, etc.), make you feel miniature in size. The game's levels also have good, bright colors and the chipmunks themselves are drawn nicely.

Being a standard side-scroller, control is an important area. Luckily Capcom has done a fine job with it and steered away from the awful "marathon" jumps, seen in some games (you know those long platform to platform jumps). The music is very enjoyable even though there are a couple of typically 'kiddish' beats. These, however, never get to be annoying. Overall, I believe that the music blends together with the overall feel perfectly (being that of a kid's cartoon-based game).

Which brings me to the challenge of the game. I ain't no Jimmy Woods ("The Wizard") or anything, but I know when a game is freaking easy.. and this is an ideal example of one. The game has you believe the challenge will continue to rise as you progress. Sometimes it does, other times the difficulty is randomly easier than previous zones. And the bosses are just "laugh-your-ass-off" easy. Still, I have to realize that this game was targeted to a younger audience and I'll give them that credit.

......BOTTOM LINE: A fun lovable easy platformer here. Capcom did a superb job, but the challenge should have been tweaked a tad more. Most gamers should be able to brush past this game within 40 minutes without breaking a sweat. Do not focus your decision on difficulty alone though, RR is a game worth looking for if you need a quick burst of fun.

(There is also a Co-operative mode where you and a friend can go through the game together. But the best part of this mode isn't about beating the game together. Since you're able to pick up almost anything in the game, you are able to pick up your friend and throw him at enemies or cause him to fall off a platform to die. This brings me to the last best thing of the game: CHIPMUNK WRESTLING!)

-Mike