Zen Davis
04-15-2007, 11:00 PM
www.gamerslives.com (http://www.gamerslives.com) - "If we don't review it, it's not worth playing."
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Dinolau1VlA&mode=related&search=
Released throughout arcades on 04/93, Cadillacs and Dinosaurs is a long forgotten 2D based beat-em up. Featuring four characters with their own varying attributes, and dinosaurs, the game has never seen a console release in the 14 years since its original release. Perhaps it should?
WHAT’S GOOD
Like X-Men and Final Fight, the game is extremely fun to play with friends. Its storyline is different enough from other games in the genre that it doesn’t feel like a retread and the introduction of pistols, Uzis, and bazookas (which turn enemies into chunks of meat) also help to further distinguish the game.
The art style of the game is reminiscent of 1950’s serial posters and advertisements. Although it may appear hokey to some, it never stops the game from crossing the line in a couple of key situations. In probably the defining moment of the game, you’ll come across a boss who is slaughtering the bloody carcass of a stegosaurus. The imagery is striking and the art style never holds the moment down.
The game has eight levels and will take roughly thirty to forty minutes to clear. It’s pretty lengthy. If you try to beat the entire thing with a friend, you’ll ought to end up spending roughly 3$ each in order to beat the game (I’m talking about .25$ a credit) on the first runthrough. It’ll definitely be fun while it lasts though.
WHAT’S BAD
The dinosaurs don’t play as big a role as you would think. Neither do cadillacs. Although there are some of each in the earlier portions of the game, they both vanish as the story devolves into science fiction in the latter levels. The main villain is revealed to be a scientist who wants to combine his genes with the DNA of a dinosaur. It’s at this point where I wanted to slap the game, especially since it was doing so well at the start. Contrived and clichéd don’t even begin to explain how this plot development comes off. Additionally, due to a lack of new enemies in the latter levels, the game starts to feel extremely repetitive by the sixth level. At this point though, most of you ought to just rough it out and beat the thing, especially since the first three levels are definite gold.
WHAT ELSE
The game would definitely gain an audience on the Xbox Live if it were re-released. Considering though that the property was licensed from a comic book, I’m sure a lot of legal wrangling would be needed for the game to show up there. It’s a shame though that so few people have played experienced Cadillacs and Dinosaurs, but with the advent of Virtual Consoles and Xbox Lives, this should definitely get another leash on life.
Gameplay – 7.6
Although the latter levels begin to get boring, the first three levels are definitely worth a play through. Make sure you have a friend with you.
Audio – 6.5
The music is forgettable and the dialogue is so painfully rerecorded that they might as well not have included it at all.
Graphics – 8.4
An interesting art style along with sharper graphics than Streets of Rage and Final Fight, this is definitely the game’s strong point.
Replay – 6.9
You’ll feel a weird inclination to play out a level or two of this whenever you’re sitting around with nothing to do
Overall – 7.3
Not For Sale / Arcade Only
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Dinolau1VlA&mode=related&search=
Released throughout arcades on 04/93, Cadillacs and Dinosaurs is a long forgotten 2D based beat-em up. Featuring four characters with their own varying attributes, and dinosaurs, the game has never seen a console release in the 14 years since its original release. Perhaps it should?
WHAT’S GOOD
Like X-Men and Final Fight, the game is extremely fun to play with friends. Its storyline is different enough from other games in the genre that it doesn’t feel like a retread and the introduction of pistols, Uzis, and bazookas (which turn enemies into chunks of meat) also help to further distinguish the game.
The art style of the game is reminiscent of 1950’s serial posters and advertisements. Although it may appear hokey to some, it never stops the game from crossing the line in a couple of key situations. In probably the defining moment of the game, you’ll come across a boss who is slaughtering the bloody carcass of a stegosaurus. The imagery is striking and the art style never holds the moment down.
The game has eight levels and will take roughly thirty to forty minutes to clear. It’s pretty lengthy. If you try to beat the entire thing with a friend, you’ll ought to end up spending roughly 3$ each in order to beat the game (I’m talking about .25$ a credit) on the first runthrough. It’ll definitely be fun while it lasts though.
WHAT’S BAD
The dinosaurs don’t play as big a role as you would think. Neither do cadillacs. Although there are some of each in the earlier portions of the game, they both vanish as the story devolves into science fiction in the latter levels. The main villain is revealed to be a scientist who wants to combine his genes with the DNA of a dinosaur. It’s at this point where I wanted to slap the game, especially since it was doing so well at the start. Contrived and clichéd don’t even begin to explain how this plot development comes off. Additionally, due to a lack of new enemies in the latter levels, the game starts to feel extremely repetitive by the sixth level. At this point though, most of you ought to just rough it out and beat the thing, especially since the first three levels are definite gold.
WHAT ELSE
The game would definitely gain an audience on the Xbox Live if it were re-released. Considering though that the property was licensed from a comic book, I’m sure a lot of legal wrangling would be needed for the game to show up there. It’s a shame though that so few people have played experienced Cadillacs and Dinosaurs, but with the advent of Virtual Consoles and Xbox Lives, this should definitely get another leash on life.
Gameplay – 7.6
Although the latter levels begin to get boring, the first three levels are definitely worth a play through. Make sure you have a friend with you.
Audio – 6.5
The music is forgettable and the dialogue is so painfully rerecorded that they might as well not have included it at all.
Graphics – 8.4
An interesting art style along with sharper graphics than Streets of Rage and Final Fight, this is definitely the game’s strong point.
Replay – 6.9
You’ll feel a weird inclination to play out a level or two of this whenever you’re sitting around with nothing to do
Overall – 7.3
Not For Sale / Arcade Only