Wizards and Warriors 3: Kuros-Visions of Power
Reviewed by cassanit@lightlink.com
Pluses
This game was part of the last generation of NES games, and one of
that last which probably had serious attention and work put into it
This game features very nice graphics, and in parts, outstanding
(for the NES anyway) graphics. The sounds are mediocre, not bad
but nothing notable. This game is very similar to the other Wizards
and Warriors games, retaining the look and feel of the first two.
Unlike the first two, however, this game features a decent combat
system (you can actually swing your weapon around!), much better
than Wizards and Warriors 2! Plus, in this game, you can be any of 3
classes. Each class has varying strengths and weaknesses. The thief
can jump the best and is the most agile, but is the worst fighter to
sue in combat due to short attack range. The wizard is the best fighter,
because he can shoot fireballs from his staff, but is very weak and
moves slow. The knight is average.
Overview
The idea of the game is quite different than the first 2 Wizards and
Warriors games. This game in nonlinear, and takes place in one huge
vertical (primarily) scrolling world. You wander around, earning
money (like Wizards and Warriors 2), and you can buy keys (you sure
need a lot of them) to enter various doors, in which you can get more
money, find treasures, find boss monsters, go to various other parts
of the world, etc. You have 3 classes you can switch between, and
each class has 3 levels. Which each level you increase, you gain new
abilities.
Minuses
The world is *huge*. It can get very confusing sometimes, because so
much of it looks the same. You only get 3 lives and no continues. It isn't
always obvious what you are supposed to do. Also, there is *no* info
available on the net about this game! (I might write up a FAQ when I
finish the game, I have only gotten through about 4/9 through the game,
based on the class levels I have been able to achieve). Oh, yeah, no password
either! Lame! A sequel of a game which doesn't have a password (or
battery) when its predecessor does, is very lame indeed. The game is
about as large as Ironsword, though the game plays faster. This is a
good choice for an emu (where you can save state), or a GAR. Also,
when you get the right treasure to advance a level in a class (at the
guilds which are spread out throughout the game), you have to complete
a "test", which are these obstacle courses of sorts. These are quite
difficult, especially when you first do them, they can take many tries
to complete, and each time you fail, you lose valuable life (which is
hard to come by in the game), and can lose many lives in the process.
Conclusion
If you like the first 2 Wizards and Warriors games, this is a must-have for
you. If you hate the Wizards and Warriors games, this is probably not for
you, though the gameplay is different enough from the first 2 to justify
giving it a try. It is a good, solid, game, not a classic by any means, but
still a well-made NES title, with lots of originality. The biggest drawback
is the lack of a battery or password. Other than that, if you are willing to
invest lots of time practicing skills and finding stuff, as well as just
venturing through the game itself, give it a try.