What’s a kids’ movie without a tie-in game right? Just like with the previous MMPR games this was a multi-platform release with difference between each of the consoles. The SNES, Genesis and Game boy releases are all beat ‘em up heavy side scrollers while the Game Gear version is a fighting game much like it’s predecessor. Once again Natsume take the helm for the SNES version of the game.
Put the cartridge in and just like all the other game you get a rendition of the classic theme along with the logo. The game can be played with 1 or 2 players using any of the rangers from the movie cast. At the start of each stage you start as your chosen ranger’s civilian by defeating putties you fill of an energy meter so you can morph. You fight though the stages and defeat the boss at the end, pretty simple.
A cool aspect of the game is you can go between two layers in the scenery for example in the first level you can go between the street and the highway and by doing this you can avoid different obstacles so it adds a little more strategy to the game that a lot of beat ‘em up don’t have. All you main attacks are done on one button with vibration added while holding certain directions so it’s very easy to pick up and kick some butt. There is a jump button mainly to avoid certain things and use higher attacks. While a ranger filling your energy meter will make you start using your weapon and give you a special attack that will damage all the enemies on screen.
Except for Billy who looks like he was taken straight out the first game, the civilian characters’ sprites for the guys are all beefed up from their real life counterparts and for some reason Adam looks like a kung-fu cyberpunk. The girls’, how do I put this, attributes are severely enhanced. All but the white ranger uses the same character sprite just with a different colour, it is clearly the t-rex helmet each time. Each of the levels are very well designed from a train to a snowboarding/surfing level. All but the last two bosses are monsters from the seconds season and translate very well to the game, the other bosses are Main Frame which is basically a giant brain and of course the final boss is Ivan Ooze which is really the only think linking the game to the movie.
GRADE
This is a very enjoyable arcade feeling beat ‘em up using the power rangers’ world. The music is absolutely amazing and the graphics for the time are very well done. The game is fairly easy but still has a thin layer of strategy. There are a few design choses I dislike but nothing that take fun away from the game. I recommend to anyone looking for a MMPR game. 4/5
