Congo Bongo (1983)

Look: 8/10 Great colors, great level look, and advanced sprites for the time.

Sound: -/- I somehow didn't really notice it. I think it was cutesy and fit the theme.

Play: 7/10 Much much much better execution of isometric controls than Zaxxon and even than Dig Dug which is a favorite of mine but I can't deny its silly execution of isometric controls. When I started this I didn't even plan to go through the first screen, but it caught me enough to push through all the unique screens. Nice variety of enemies, but didn't love them necessary. I kinda liked planning my jumps over the charging rhinos, especially when I had to consider 2 or more of them.

Feel: 8/10 The colors, graphics, and level design are absolutely brilliant. Great full sprites like Tapper, too. And they did quite well with isometric, which I usually don't like. Thanks to the graphics/level design, it felt like the isometric platforming was quite smooth. And honestly, excellent collision masks where if you land just barely past them, that works. Thank goodness. Still it just isn't my style of platformer, too much like the classic Donkey Kong feel. I got through 3 screens and that was enough. (Welp, scratch that. This was my original status, but I wound up finishing the game and having a decent amount of fun doing so.) Impressive is definitely the word for this game!

Attachment: 7/10 I didn't love it, but it's undeniably a technical achievement, addictive enough that even a half-assed gamer like me pushed through, and well-loved by true arcade gamers. Plus, it says something that I wound up getting through all screens and re-cycling back to first level. Still, not a game I will regularly play through. Definitely one I could have up for pick-up-and-play at a family get-together.

Completion: All unique screens "Congratulations, Good." Score 16,370 Playtime: ~15 mins