This week in video games

MagMax

Platform: NES
Publisher: FCI
Developer: Nihon Bussan
Release Date: 1988


For a game that allows you to play a robot with what appears to be a colossal lightsaber cock, people sure do bitch about MagMax. OK, the name is idiotic, the soundtrack horrible, and gameplay can get repetitive, but...Giant robot? Laser penis? C'mon. While by no means a great game, MagMax doesn't really deserve the bad rap it gets. This is actually kind of a quirky, unusual shooter that grows on you the more you play.

Is that a lightsaber in your pocket...

The first thing that sets this apart is that each level possess two sections, there's the isometric above-ground part and the side scrolling underground part. Not only does each have unique enemies, but your weapon power-ups function slightly differently as well. The power-ups are another unusual aspect of the game, you start out as a ship and are able to add legs, head/torso, and the afore mentioned laser dick to become a full on mech. You get increased fire power and life, but your size triples, making you a magnet for bullets. Finally, there's a solid mix of opponents with unique combat patterns that keep things interesting.

Where it does fall short is that MagMax is a looping shooter. Sure, each run-through of the four levels offers a different arrangement of enemies, but fuck that...I want to finally slay that three headed mechanical dragon for good and be done with it.  MagMax isn't great, but it's a solid 2nd tier game. Bust out the NES Advantage, blast through it a couple times, and when the soundtrack finally melts your ear drums, file it away for another time.