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Silverback Reviews
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7800 Rank: Unranked
Genre: Action
Awards: None
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Good Sirs, Let Us Refrain from Cop Jokes in this Review... PLEASE. |
Pros:
A tremendous amalgamation of all Keystone Kapers ports in one single cart
Cons:
Devoid of the brilliant programmer's own clever spins on the IP |
Wait a Minute... Do you Smell Bacon?
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Overview: Calling all cars, calling all cars! That dastardly Henry Hooligan, con-artist, thief, and known puppy kicker is on the loose in the Southwick Emporium! We need you to take up the role of Keystone Kenny and get Henry and his
gang of no good hoodlums off the streets and into the klink. Keystone Koppers is a love letter to the Activision Classic, Keystone Kapers, and you can tell that Muddyfunster (of Muddyvision fame) really understands what made the original so addictive and fun. Lots of little additions in both presentation and the packaging make this a great addition to the 7800 library, but is it enough to justify a purchase for those of us that own the 2600, 5200 or Colecovision version?
Graphics:
The multi-level Southwick Emporium has lots of nice details not present in the 2600 or Colecovision releases, and surpasses the 5200 in this respect. Officer Kenny, Henry Hooligan and the obstacles are all animated nicely and overall the game looks great. Honestly, I think Muddyvision did a better job than we would've seen from a port if it was done back in the day. Additions include a fun instruction screen that explains the gameplay for the uninitiated, a nicely animated interlude after every 5 criminals you capture, and an "ending" that you get after reaching level 20 and resetting the difficulty. These additions can be easily ignored or quickly skipped for those who want an experience on pace more similar to the original releases, but these things hurt nothing overall and provide a ton of charm to the game.
Sound: Muddyvision has wisely decided to include pokey sound via a new chip (called the hokey) for improved sound effects and music in this release. My ears thank him profusely! You have your choice of two songs that have that bygone era feel of old timey black and white cop films and its nice having some agency in choosing your favorite. The sound effects are all inspired by, if not lifted from the original release, and they just feel right. The repetition of the songs did outstay their welcome during particularly long play sessions, but overall I think he did an admiral job with the sound and audio.
Gameplay: Keystone Koppers is a chase game at it's core, and is brilliant in its simplicity. It feels very much like the 2600 game I remember from my childhood. You jump over or duck under obstacles, take elevators and escalators to the upper floors, and collect money bags and brief cases while chasing down Henry Hooligan. It's pretty exhausting chasing HH around the complex, and you can see why cops at some point in history started carrying ranged weapons. It really doesn't get more complicated than that, but the difficulty steadily increases as you nab the robbers. I feel that the challenge is adequate and you'll definitely enjoy this version if you ever had fun with any of the other releases. Now I can't tell you if the movement of the crook is perfect to the originals, or if the timing of the elevator is flawless, but really, who cares?! It feels right, it controls great and a good time will be had by most people who pick up the proline (or hopefully the Genesis pad with a seagull 78 adapter).
Interpretation: Muddyfunster has done a brilliant job on his version of Keystone Kapers. The feel, the spirit and the look of the game is just what you would expect of a 7800 port. But there in lies my one gripe with this game: Its only what one would expect and nothing more. He claimed that he borrowed ideas from multiple versions of the original IP, but he seems to have restrained himself from adding much new to the mix. I think Muddyfunster has an excellent understanding of what made this game so much fun all those years ago, and I think he could've put his own spin on things as an addition to the core game. Maybe an arranged version with new obstacles, or multiple hoodlums at the top and bottom of the shopping center that you have to capture. New tweaks could've made the whole package really feel like a home run instead of a triple.
Value: For somebody like me, this game represents endless replay value. I get hit with the mood to play Keystone Kapers a few times a year, and I can't wait to show my sister this new version. We grew up playing the original on the 2600, and I really think this version is going to be my "go to" from now on. Your mileage may very, and if you didn't like the originals then I doubt you'll enjoy this one, but I think it has that fun arcade style gameplay that can be picked up and played when you have a half hour to kill.
Overall: Muddyvision not only put lots of love and effort into this port, but AtariAge went above and beyond in the packaging. The included game manual is in the style of an old Newspaper with funny and witty articles, that somehow sneak in gameplay instructions and hints. And the box art has a great cartoony style that should make the kid in you smile. The few new inclusions are welcome, but I wish he would've added another mode with his take on the gameplay. Just one or two of his own elements, in addition to the original, would've really gone a long way. But as it is, this is a charming and fun addition to any 7800 owners' library. So what are you waiting for Officer? Get out there and catch us some krooks!
Additional Info:
I would like to take this time to thank Atari Age for allowing the use of their screenshots for this review. You can purchase this game at www.AtariAge.com.
This review was graciously provided by Silverback.
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