Friday, October 11, 2013

Nerdicus NES Review #13 - 720




Title : 720°

Publisher : Mindscape

Release Date : 1989

Estimated Value (as of today's date) : $2-$5


Years before anyone even knew the name Tony Hawk, there was a little game known as 720°.  Considered to be the original predecessor and the originator of the acclaimed SKATE or DIE game, 720° was one of the first skateboarding games to hit the consoles. To this day, I do not understand the appeal of skateboarding games. This is totally reflective off my biased opinions toward sport games in general. So I apologize.




I do remember playing this game at arcades when I was really young, and wanting to buy a skateboard afterward. I did, and ended up injuring myself multiple times which resulted in my return to just riding a skateboard via controller. That wasn't fun either.

Looks a little creepy.....a little...extra-terrestial

Now playing the NES compared to the arcade game leaves much to be desired. Controls are wonky, visuals are lackluster, and the game play feels a little rough around the edges. The basic premise of the game involves you riding around a skate park, competing in events such as Ramps, Slaloms, Downhill and Jumps. Earn money and tickets to upgrade your gear and keep on trudging through those events until you beat each level of "difficulty". 

You see a whole lot of this and not much else

This is probably the prettiest scene in the game - sad, right?

At least the Ninja Turtle looking skateboard looks happy all the time. Just look at that face! All smiles! A word of caution not to be happy for long. You need to beware because the Skate or Die killer bees will come after you if you dilly dally too long in the neighborhood. I mean, doesn't that happen to skaters in your neighborhood too?

That's right..skate, or DIE! MUHAHAHAHA
Honestly, I couldn't even play through this game for much more than a few minutes on the NES. I wasn't able to master the controls, and was constantly falling flat on my pixelated arse. I was proud just to land a jump. Not a trick. Just a jump. I didn't want to bother buying new equipment, as it was probably all for naught.

If you're looking for a skateboarding game for the NES, stick with Skate or Die. Better yet, don't play skateboarding games.

1 comment:

  1. With various tricks and gaming skills, learning these skateboard games is very easy and can be mastered all by self. Mastering this game of fun requires practicing which you can easily accomplish at many sites. One such games arcade that simply opens you to a world of entertainment filled with thrill, excitement and fun that is non-stop is what the Skateboarding games Online can do for you. With a number of variants and all easy to learn and play tips, you simply can get a key to the world of fun in here.

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