C&VG


Klax
By Tengen
Sega Mega Drive (EU Version)

 
Published in Computer & Video Games #109

Klax

After much umming and ahhing, Tengen's classic tic-tac-tile game finally hits Sega's 16-bit wonder-machine. But has the long wait been worth it? Is it as good as the PC Engine conversion? Is it worth buying?

It has to be said that the answer to both of these questions is a resounding "no!" The Megadrive game has all the graphics from the arcade original, but half of the coin-op's brilliant sound has been left out. The rounds of applause at the end of each level, for example, have now been replaced by a Yoda soundalike gurgling "very good". Even the Amiga and PC Engine versions had better sound than this.

There's something wrong with the gameplay as well. You feel as if you're fighting through a pool of mud just to make your paddle move left. Sometimes tiles are flipped when you only wanted to move right. Klax on the Megadrive looks pretty much like a rushed product, and although "Klaxing" is still pretty addictive, it isn't up to the arcade classic by any stretch of the imagination.

Megadrive

Klax isn't a complete disaster, but the faults in the gameplay and sound departments on this version simply can't be forgiven.