Magic Darts
System: NES
Release Date: September 1991
Developer: SETA
Publisher: Romstar
Genre: Parlor Games
Aim for the bullseye and score in Magic Darts! Darts was a staple in my household when I was young. We had a great rec room when I was a kid with a bar, pool table, and dart boards. Suffice it to say, I know how to throw a dart. The question remains, can I translate my real world dart throwing to the virtual world?
You have a choice of 5 different modes, 301, 501, and 701 are variations of the same game. Namely, you need to reduce your score from the beginning number to zero. There are three variations, where you can hit any zone to begin and end, or have to hit a double to begin the score or finish. There’s Count Up where you get 8 sets of darts to get a high score. Round the Clock where you have to hit the numbers 1 through 10 in order. And Half It, where you have to hit the assigned numbers.
You can choose from light, medium, or heavy darts. They behave slightly differently in ways you would expect. You can aim the dart left to right. Then you have to set the meter to see how straight you’re going to throw it. Then comes the angle of your throw. Finally the power. The release comes and you either hit the score you wanted… or not.
There are a number of different avatars you can play as. Wait, is that Tom Barrett? A few of them have special throws that are activated different ways. I remember seeing these in Nintendo Power when I was a kid and always wanted to pull them off, but never got around to playing this. Probably not worth the price it goes for these days.
Graphics: 1.5
This is not an impressive looking game overall, but it’s not ugly.
Sound: 2.0
Music and sounds aren’t awful, in fact, they’re pretty average.
Gameplay: 2.0
This is it’s own version of the three click swing for golf games. I don’t have any real issue with it.
Difficulty: 2.0
The computer will magically make perfect throws if you get ahead.
Fun Factor: 1.0
Unfortunately, it’s just not that interesting to play.
Overall Rating: 1.7
Magic Darts earns a C-. There’s nothing compelling here to make someone want to play this. Find a dart board, it’ll be more entertaining.