Title : Captain Novolin
Publisher : Raya Systems
Developer : Sculptured Software
Genre : Educational Platformer
Players : 1 Player
Release Date : 1992
Estimated Value (as of today's date) : $40-$50
Happy 2015 everyone! 2014 was definitely a interesting year for me. A lot of crap, but also some good things mixed in. One thing I have to say, is thank you to all you folks out there that actually read the blog and keep coming back. I can't believe how much my views have increased over the last several months, especially compared to when I first started.
Can it be I have some sort of following!? Sure, it might only be around a hundred people or so, but that's better than nothing, and the fact that it keeps growing makes me want to keep doing this more. So thank you again!
I figured I'd use this sorry excuse of an educational game to tell you a little bit about the exciting things coming for Life of a Gamer Nerd blog, as well as some of my other endeavors. This way, it'll give you to something to look forward to and, hell it might even give you a reason to keep on coming back to this sorry excuse of a retro gaming blog. First off, in the upcoming month I'll be giving this blog a major overhaul. Will hopefully be making it look a tad more professional with the help of some "web developer-bloggy" friends I have. We shall see, but from what I've been peeked out, it's going to be awesome.
Expect some more contests coming up, and I'm talking up major raffle prizes. Retro Game galores! I've got tons of doubles lying around in boxes that I'm aching to give away! The first one will be announced in a week or so.
As for my Twitch and Youtube channels, well those are coming back to life. A lot of people have been asking me to keep doing my retro haul videos, so I'll go back to that, and I'm really debating doing some live feed Twitch LETS PLAYS, but I'd really need some opinions as to what you guys would like to see and when you would want to see it. Even if I do a live twitch feed, I'll just end up throwing it on youtube anyway.
Well, that's enough of the news for now, let's get another crappy game out of the way. We're back it it with another Raya System's educational classic. If you remember the first one we reviewed, it was a sad tale of a dinosaur with asthma. You know it - Bronkie the Bronciasaurus. Well, now we've got Captain Novolin, hero of diabetes. I should really let my dad play this game since he's diabetic. He'd probably get a kick out of it.
If that doesn't bring a smile to your face, I don't know what will.
That rugged looking fellow in the opening screen is your hero. The famed, Captain Novolin! Based solely on the Novolin brand of insulin injections that this game was sponsored by. As Captain Novolin, it is your job to rescue a diabetic mayor from being kidnapped by a group of aliens hell bent on turning everyone on planet earth Diabetic. I mean, they have to be doing that considering they sent candy, donuts, cookies, and junk food to invade the planet.
Send them my way, I'll eat 'em.
But Captain Novolin isn't your normal super hero. He's a diabetic super hero with diabetic super powers. For a super hero, you really don't do much attacking. You'll basically just find yourself jumping over junk food, and collecting healthy food choices instead to prepare your meal. And this meal is very important, because you need it to keep your blood-glucose level in check. I'm not joking, this is an educational game about diabetes and if your glucose level is too high or low, you're dead.
Sort of morbid, but it's the painful truth about diabetes. It's rampant for crying out loud.
Captain Novolin of course incorporates a lot of educational elements about diabetes, after all that's the whole point of the game. You really can't consider it a game, as it's more like a textbook walk through with graphics. You'll be prompted every so often to answer questions regarding diabetes which will give you bonus points that serve no purpose. Also, the end of each level will grade your collection of food for your meal and check your blood glucose level. More advice will be given by some creepy looking doctor that looks like Neil deGrasse Tyson.
One of the interesting tid bits about this game, is it actually asks the user to incorporate some of their own diabetic history into the game. It'll ask you how much insulin you have to take, and what sort of treatments you do. Pretty damn unique if you ask me, and the game does a very good job of giving you as much info as possible about diabetes.
This isn't much of a game, as it is a playable lesson. You really don't do anything, since there is absolutely no strategy involved besides jumping over enemies and collecting fruits and veggies. It reminds me of one of those games I used to play in the computer lab at school like Oregon Trail, or that creepy game with the dolls.
Bonus points to anyone who tells me what the hell the name of that game was with the Mysterious island that turns you into a doll and you have to solve puzzles. WHAT WAS IT!?!?!
Anyway, parents and educators alike loved this game, but as for me I just can't get past the fact that this isn't really a game. I'll give it a 2 out of 5 just because of the suave looking hero, and because Neil degrasse Tyson is in it.
Final Score (out of 5) :
Until next time, keep on gaming!
.jpg)
0 comments:
Post a Comment