Othello
System: NES
Release Date: December 1988
Developer: HAL Laboratory
Publisher: Acclaim Entertainment
Genre: Board Game
HAL is back with a board game offering, this time the well known Othello. This game is hailed as taking a minute to learn and a lifetime to master. I’ll certainly agree with that. I’ve played Othello before, when I was young, but it’s been thirty years or so. As such, I didn’t remember the full rules of the game. I plopped down, entered my name, chose the second difficulty, and started the game.
The game starts with two white discs and two black discs in opposite corners. Black goes first and must play a spot that flips a white disc. In order to flip discs of the opposite color, you have to sandwich them between two of your own. This could flip as few as one discs or as many as a lot. I’m not hip to Othello strategy, but I’m guessing you want to control the corners as best as possible. This led me to trying to stay away from the second ring of squares as much as possible.
Computer level 2 would kill me each time. I’d get forced into passing my turn because I wouldn’t have any legal moves left. I wasn’t able to pull this off against computer level 1, but I was able to win a few games. If you make a mistake, you can press the B Button to cancel as long as you aren’t playing on the hardest difficulty. I’m certainly no master of Othello.
Graphics: 1.0
The graphics are black and white discs on a green grid.
Sound: 1.0
Sound is annoying effects and short ditties.
Gameplay: 3.0
Gameplay is simple and follows the board game.
Difficulty: 3.0
Othello is easy on level one and hard on level two. I can only imagine the difficulty of three and four.
Fun Factor: 2.0
Othello is fine to play. It’s not offensive by any means.
Overall Grade: 2.0
Othello earns a C. This is a fine board game adaptation and I recommend giving it a shot. Probably better against a friend.