Mean Machines
1st January 1992
Quackshot
Whilst browsing through Uncle Scrooge's library one afternoon, Donald chances upon a book about the treasure of King Garuzia. Apparently, the man Garuzia had hidden his most treasured possession somewhere on our planet. Fortunately for our duck hero, he's also left a map detailing clues as to the whereabouts of said treasure. Donald dances around, proclaiming to the world how rich he could be, unaware that outside the window, Big Bad Pete and his gang are listening, intent on making the map their own! The mobsters make a grab for the map whilst Donald is on his way home, but the quacking one escapes... for now.
Donald Duck is a horizontally scrolling platform game in the style of Mickey Mouse. Donald travels across the world finding the treasure, often getting involved in sub-missions along the way. If Donald can beat all ten levels, the treasure is his.
Taste The Pain
Everyone knows that Donald has a fearsome temper, so Duck fans won't be disappointed to see this represented in Quackshot! Every time Donald partakes of a chili pepper, his temper gauge rises one notch.
Eat five chili peppers and Donald is pushed over the edge into an uncontrollable fit of rage. During the short time for which Donald's temper is flared, he becomes invincible, thus easily mashing any baddies who get in his way.The Friendly Skies
Every time Donald reaches a checkpoint he plants a flag which allows him to return to that precise location. At the checkpoint, Donald can call on his nephews, Huey, Dewey and Louie to pick him up in their plane and whisk him off to whichever location he desires to tackle next, apart from the secret island of course!
Duck Down
Donald is quite an athletic sort - not only can the big D waddle around for hours on end, he can also sprint at the touch of a button, leap tall... er... blocks in a single bound and even slide along on his stomach to avoid low-flying meanies!
Peachy Tools
Finally, Donald can obtain a green plunger which sticks to flying enemies without freezing them. If Donald can jump onto a plunger thus affixed to an aerial nasty, he can hitch a ride over impassable pieces of terrain.
Donald also has access to a bubblegum shooter, which has limited ammunition but comes in handy for destroying scenery, and a popcorn shooter, which sprays five deadly kernels of corn at Donald's enemies, providing he has enough popcorn to do the job!
Rad
Don't get me wrong - Quackshot is a jolly game, but I found the lack of excitement and the rather plodding nature of the game a bit of a disappointment. Maybe this is better suited to younger Megadrive owners?
Julian
Visually, Quackshot is fab, with superlative sprites and stunning backgrounds giving it an almost cartoon-like appearance.
However, the gameplay is a bit of a let-down. It's fun to play, but the problem is that the action is a bit too slow-paced for my liking, particularly on the early screens. If you can get far enough things get tricky, but never really difficult - and that's my second moan. The game is no tougher than Mickey Mouse, so anyone who's already played a couple of Megadrive platform games should be able to complete this within a few days.Quackshot is an enjoyable game, but the rather low difficulty level means that it's more suited to new Megadrive players rather than experienced ones.
Verdict
Presentation 90%
Superbly presented. Lots of animated intros, intermission screens and options.
Stunning looking, beautifully animated sprites and gorgeous backgrounds make Quackshot a visual treat.
Sound 80%
The effects are quite good, but they're spoilt by the mediocre tunes playing over them.
Playability 83%
The slow space and lack of immediate action makes this seem rather dull at first...
Lastability 81%
...but things get much better as you progress. Towards the end there's plenty to test your platform skills.
Overall 83%
A stunning-looking, slow-paced game which offers plenty of fun, but might not offer enough challenge for experienced Megadrive players.
