NES RATING #14 - Alien Syndrome

...Alien Syndrome...

Developed by:  SEGA

Distributed by: Tengen (U.S.) / Sunsoft (Japan)

Released: 1988

Alien Syndrome was a 1987 arcade game that was brought to the NES in 1988 as an unlicensed U.S. release by Tengen.  The goal is to run through each of 6 levels, rescuing 12 friends (or “comrades”) before defeating a boss.  You’re racing against the clock here, and it can get close, so there’s no time to waste.  You’ll likely find the clock the biggest challenge when attempting to find the weak points of boss aliens, which can be problematic the first time you face them.

Much of the appeal of the arcade classic is gone, as the mazes aren’t so much mazes but rather wide open areas to run around in.  The 12 comrades are easily found, and enemies are incredibly weak.  You’ll no doubt find the initial stages extremely boring, as every alien is killed with one hit from any gun.  So whether you’re wielding the powerful laser or the weaker gun you start off with, what’s the difference?  A far cry from the challenging panic that arcade game could cause.  While the boss characters are quite tricky and require your character to keep dodging and moving, the build-up to the bosses is just repetitive.  

The graphics are a major step down from the arcade’s colorful look, and very flat to the eye.  Particularly noticeable are the look of your character, your “comrades” and basically the entire level you’re running around in.  The lackluster music is also a major problem and fails to set any mood for this supposed “scary aliens on a ship” game.  The sound effects are your standard NES shooter noises.

Perhaps the biggest appeal of this game are the simple controls, with one button to shoot (you can fire in 8 directions) and movement via the D-Pad (no jumping) the entire time.  There’s really nothing to learn except "run and shoot," and even the most inexperienced gamers could instantaneously get the hang of this one.

In conclusion, Alien Syndrome is an easier, duller version of the arcade game that you'll likely grow tired of after 20-30 minutes or so.  Give it a play or two and see if you can get into it.

Rating:  C-
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