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The Amiga had many platform games. Too many, some of you may argue. In fact, most of the platform games released to our beloved Amiga were of dubious quality. Some where downright dreadful. In a category so darkened by the lack of quality, some (few) games manage to shine very brightly. In this department, BC Kid shines more intensely than others.
Granted, BC Kid also has a slippy sliddy ice-world. But that doesn’t mean that the game’s bad. In fact, BC Kid’s great! And even the ice-world is highly enjoyable. Graphically, the game may not win any accolades, yet it out-shines the original PC-Engine version, making the Amiga version the best in the world (the SNES version of the game was a different game altogether). The main character is cute and we can instantly identify with him. He uses his head to defeat his foes, either by headbutting or by jumping heads-on into them. No guns, no weapons, just a rock-hard head.
The enemies start out to be quite cute and colourful (and inoffensive) but, as the game progresses, they became harder and meaner until they become truly nasty and even irritating (in the good sense) in the later stages. The bosses are very well thought up and, again, they have this “something extra” that I attribute to its “oriental” origins. The levels are plenty, even if sometimes they seem too similar, giving a sense of "déjà vu" as you progress through the game. Still, there are enough worlds to grant some variation to the game.
Factor 5 did an excellent job on the conversion. BC Kid manages to be better than the original by quite a great margin, winning in every department, from graphics to playability, by taking advantage of the Amiga’s superior hardware. Such good conversions are a rare feat even in these days of ours, but it was even rarer then. So major kudos for Factor 5.
If this game saved our high scores, it would be the best “cute” platform game for the Amiga. Hum… it may still be, since “Super Frog” only jumps by pressing “up”. All the aforementioned qualities of BC Kid add up to make this game a highly recommended piece of software. You have my word on it! (And I’m always right ;))
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Even if they don't stand out as an artistic masterpiece, the graphics of BC Kid are well above average in what comes to platform games on our beloved Amiga. Typical Nippon-like, the graphics are cute and lovely and manage to be quite better than the original PC-Engine version.
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The Amiga games have a tradition and a reputation of having great soundtracks. Even weak games sometimes boost excellent music. BC Kid’s music doesn’t break any barriers in terms of quality, but are still far from being bad. The tunes are pleasant and non-irritating, are well balanced with what’s happening on screen and suit the overall mood of the game.
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Playability is, ultimately, what makes or breaks a game. It may excel in every other area, but if playability fails, the game’s a flop. Well… playability is precisely were BC Kid excels. Betting high on simplicity, the game has that oriental sense that us, the westerners, seem unable to replicate. Like “Super Mario” and “Sonic”, BC Kid is extremely well balanced, makes a lot of sense and is enjoyable. The option to use the second button to jump (instead of up) is a tremendous quality for those who, like me, play our Amiga games with a joypad instead of a joystick. Believe me, the second button option brings the game to a whole new dimension.
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| Another gem! Only great games are worthy of my reviews. BC Kid is more than worthy. It comes in only one disk, so no disk swapping. A complete triumph as a game, BC Kid manages to succeed were most Amiga platformers failed. As far as I’m concerned, BC Kid should have a place in the collection of any true Amiga aficionado. Again, the only sin relies on the fact that the game doesn’t save your high scores. A pity. Still this is a very, very good game that I dub as highly recommended. |
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