Just when you thought platform games could go no further, along comes Turrican, to be instantly showered with awards and accolades by the cartload. But is the finished product worthy of all this hyperbole? Yes, most definitely. It is technically superb yet low on originality - it borrows all of its game plan from various recent coin-ops, but the resulting mixture turns out to be an arcade style game worthy of merit. Turrican leaves the other two platform offerings on this page for dead. Whilst Flood and Prophecy are mainly about re-popularising cute platform games on 16-bit machines, Turrican is attempting something altogether more interesting. It takes the platform/shoot 'em up/adventure hybrid from the arcades (Best examples of the genre being Data East's Midnight Resistance, and Rastan Saga) and implements it superbly on computer. This means five worlds to conquer, in which your hero Turrican takes on a weird selection of nasties whilst at the same time negotiating his way around the various platforms and levels. His weapons are collected by picking up symbols on his travels and are very sophisticated - both graphically and in terms of the effect they have in the game play. A delightful multiple shot gun shoots out flak brilliantly whilst the flame thrower, which shoots from the hip, and can be made to rotate its constant stream of flame through 360 degrees, is unparalleled by anything outside of a coin-op in its deadliness.
To match the arcade-sophistication of Turrican's weaponry is a selection of nasties of equal virulence. Some of the end of level guardians are worthy of a special mention -giant scaly monsters that swallow tons of flak before they blow. Turrican himself is beautifully animated. Every part of his body seems to move in a muscular way as he travels around the screen.
Another nice touch is a map poster in the box. Some would say that this spoils the fun of mapping the game your self. I don't agree. It is difficult and challenging enough even when you do know where you are and where you are supposed to go. Better still would be a computer generated map that fills in as you travel.
The overall feel of Turrican is pure coin-op. The most arcade like game I have played on a home system since X-Out earlier this year and surpassing many similar games for the more advanced console systems.
Turrican is surely one of the best action-games ever made. You don't only need to go around and shoot every moving thing, this game requires skill. Almost Jump 'n Run-like you are running, jumping - yes, and shooting your way showing power like a small tank - and the weapons you collect on your way are of equal strength - at least! They really did a marvellous job here - the game never gets boring, the sound is great (what else did you expect from Chris Hülsbeck?). This is the game to play for challenging, intelligent action. A legend!
The first episode, with simple but very amazing graphics. The backgound color is changeing when you go deeper to the grounds. Cool music and controls. You may want to start with this game, before completing the next episodes.
How to run this game on modern Windows PC?
People who downloaded Turrican I have also downloaded:
Turrican II, Turrican III, R-Type 2, R-Type, Xenon 2: Megablast, Golden Axe, Lotus Esprit Turbo Challenge 2, Lotus Esprit Turbo Challenge
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