Crack Down
System: Genesis
Release Date: March 1991
Developer: Hot B
Publisher: Sage’s Creation
Genre: Action
Stop a mad scientist from taking over the world in Crack Down! The technology is there to create artificial life, but wouldn’t you know it, a mad scientist named Mr. K is using the technology for no good. The government has chosen to send in one or two of their finest special agents to make things right. Ben, and Andy if you have a second player, will work together to kill enemies, set bombs, and make their way to Mr. K’s secret lab. Can you make it through 16 levels in order to save the day?
You have a top down view of the level in the lower left of the screen. The lower right shows which enemies you’ll be up against in the level and the attacks you can expect. The top of the screen shows a mini-map with the locations where you need to set bombs marked with a red dot. The mini-map shows red and yellow striped areas, which will drop you to your death if you touch them.
As you walk around, you’ll have to kill the enemies that are in your way. They don’t want you to succeed. Luckily, you come equipped with a machine gun and cannon that can be switched between with the A Button. The machine gun is weaker, while the cannon is stronger. You have limited ammo, so have to be sure to collect what you can. If you run out or get too close, you can punch and kick your way to victory.
Gun toting enemies can be difficult to get a bead on at first. You can push up against any wall to avoid enemy bullets that are shot down the middle of a corridor. Enemies can kill each other if you can position them in a way they face each other. (3:45) Some enemies take more than one hit from the machine gun to kill, which is a good time to use the cannon. This also shoots through them, so allows you to take out multiple enemies with one bullet.
There may be times that you aren’t sure you can get past some enemies without getting shot. (6:30) This is where the screen clearing Smart Bomb comes into play. A touch of the C Button blasts every enemy on screen to their death. (6:55) The final level has a lot of Smart Bombs for you to collect, which makes the battle against the laser bots a formality.
Graphics: 1.5
Graphics are tiny and not incredibly detailed, kind of a let down.
Sound: 3.0
I really like the music and the sound effects aren’t bad.
Gameplay: 3.0
Movement becomes intuitive pretty quickly and you get everything you need to get through the game.
Difficulty: 3.5
You’re given plenty of lives and continues to get through what I would not call a long game.
Fun Factor: 3.0
I had a good time trying to master the levels, restarting many times so as not to waste lives, but realizing it didn’t matter.
Overall Rating: 2.8
Crack Down earns a B. This is actually a pretty decent game for what it is. Kind of in the vein of Gain Ground, while being quite different.