Mean Machines
1st August 1991
Categories: Review: Software
Publisher: Hi Tech Expressions
Machine: Game Boy
Published in Mean Machines #11
The Hunt For Red October
In this Gameboy conversion of the decent Sean Connery movie, the player takes control of the Red October sub itself in all-out bid to escape to the West from the clutches of the Russian navy. Obviously, the Russians are more than a tad anxious to get their hi-tech sub back and have dispatched their greatest naval heroes to bring the Red October back to port. But the US don't have any idea of the Red October's good intentions of defection and they're out to blow the sub to smithereens too!
The action is displayed on an eight-way scrolling sub-aqua environment, where the Red October is set upon by naval forces using all sorts of depth charges and guided missiles. The objective is to travel to the end of the level, scooping up extra missiles on the way. An end-of-level guardian arrives to dish out some aggro, but once he's out of the way, the sub-aqua carnage continues on a new level.
Your submarine is equipped with two types of missile. The first just fires straight in front of the submersible, whilst the second type of missile is radar-guided.
The Red October also has a special cloaking device activated with the SELECT button. But beware, for the device only has a certain number of charges, and the supply is very low indeed.
Rich
A fine sub-aqua shoot-'em-up without a shadow of a doubt! The Hunt For Red October features superb playability, excellent graphics and sound. It's simply a brill blast that more than deserves a place in your collection!
Julian
Requiring pin-sharp arcade skills, The Hunt For Red October is a challenging, action-packed shoot-'em-up with neat graphics, great tunes and loads of explosions. If you're after a thoroughly enjoyable and very addictive handheld blast, this is the one to get.