Previous Next

It's the same basic plot as many of the games we've featured: a friend or loved one of the hero has been kidnapped by some fiend so a rescue mission's launched.

This time die hero's that most irate of Disney characters, Donald Duck, and the distressed parties are Uncle Scrooge's kids, Huey, Louie and Dewey. A slinky brunette, Magica, has taken the mischievous ducklings in the hope of getting their lucky dimes.

Donald starts in an American forest, bashing spiders and bears with his mallet, but later levels take him to arid Mexico, Hawaii, Egypt and chilly Antarctica. Donald can upgrade to a frisbee and gains temporary invulnerability when five stars are collected.

Master System Lucky Dime Caper is noticeably harder than its Game Gear counterpart. Even the spiders early in the game are tricky; hit them and they swing offscreen, apparently dead, then they swing back for more.

Donald can only survive two hits and there's no way to regain lost energy, so losing a life is often inevitable. Infinite continues are a boon, but getting to the end of a level so they're any use is a different matter!

The graphics vary. Some levels are bright and busy, others are pretty dull, but Donald links them all, waddling along, his hat ribbon fluttering in the breeze. He loses his temper if you ignore the controls; highly authentic. The tunes are catchy and the effects are quite impressive.

Although The Lucky Dime Caper's tough for a Disney game, it's a lot of fun and many players welcome a challenge. Great graphics, sound and game design have made it a classic.